As universities across the globe begin welcoming a new class of students this month, Regents International School Pattaya is among the schools wishing its alumni a very successful journey as they enter the big wide world of tertiary education.
After scoring a high average of 33+ points (2016 global average was 30 points) this year, the future looks bright for the 2016 cohort, who are headed to universities across the US, UK and Asia, including UCL, Oxford Brooks, San Francisco State University and KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology). The students will be studying a broad range of fields including Biochemistry, Engineering, Social Sciences, Economics and Arts, reflecting the broad curriculum offered by the school which is the largest on the Eastern Seaboard.
The new class of 2017 students are equally ambitious, and have already begun their preparations for the university application process. This kicked off with a two week residential for students, and the momentum will continue over the next few months as students continue to prepare during weekly PSHE classes.
Regents hosted a University Applications Evening for all interested parents on the 21st September, where parents and students were invited to learn more about what would be required of them in the next months. The information evening is an annual fixture on the school calendar; however, this year the focus of the evening has shifted from providing information specifically about UK universities to include a more broad account of the processes for those wishing to study in other countries such as the US, Canada, Europe, Australia, and South East Asia.
Ms Rachel Batty, Head of IB, said that there was a growing trend for students to look beyond the UK due to rising tuition fees. “Obviously we have to adjust our provision to suit the needs of our students, and it was clear that they are increasingly looking to go top universities in all parts of the world, not just the UK. So we decided it would be more helpful to do a general overview covering a range of possible destinations.”
The evening was led by the school’s Universities Advisor Rhiana Courlander, who offered her support to students during the sometimes daunting process of preparing application materials. Courlander reminded the students of a number of key considerations before deciding where to apply, and encouraged them to think about their own strengths and weaknesses before deciding on what courses to take.
The evening was well attended by parents, and even some younger students keen to learn about what might lie ahead for them in years to come.
Mr Michael Seaton, Head of Secondary said it was “a crucial event which gives students the opportunity to gain a comprehensive insight into the application process, which can sometimes be both exciting and nerve wracking”.
Mr Seaton added that the talented and dedicated IB team would remain open and available to offer support to both students and parents, and that the information covered in the presentation would be made readily available to parents across the school.
