In 2017 when Tafsia earned place at MIT – one of the world’s best universities – she left behind a legacy to inspire future NCS cohorts to follow in her footsteps and study at the most competitive and prestigious US universities; names such as Harvard, Princeton, Yale and MIT. Recognising this we established a dedicated Ivy League preparation programme supporting our talented students who wish to make the journey across the Atlantic to broaden their horizons.
Complementing our Oxbridge Preparation Programme, the US programme has also yielded spectacular results with three Ivy League offers, two to MIT and one to Harvard, all on full academic scholarships worth approximately £265,000 ($320,000).
Securing a place at one Ivy League university is a triumph but two is beyond outstanding
Benefitting from our Elite University Preparation, NCS student Isuf Mohammed from Tower Hamlets has gained offers to study at both MIT and at the world famous Harvard University, making him the second NCS student to successfully apply to two of the best universities in the world. Currently, he plans to study astrophysics when he begins his undergraduate studies in September 2019. With approximately only 60 spaces available for international students and an acceptance rate of 0.3% securing a place at one Ivy League university is a triumph but two is beyond outstanding.
What is even more remarkable is that his continued studies will be fully funded with an international student scholarship from MIT, equivalent to £265,000 ($320,000) over four years. Our Ivy League preparation programme gave him the information, skills and confidence to put in a successful application to these prestigious universities.
Our Ivy League Preparation Programme consists of distinct phases.
In the first term for our Year 12 students, the senior admissions officer from Harvard University visits the NCS to give an overview of studying abroad. Students who want to explore applying to the US further attend a one-day Common Application course. Here they learn about the US application process and receive support in writing their US personal statement and college essays.
To support students with the American entrance examinations (SAT), we fly in an expert SAT tutor from New York to lead a week-long breakout course in understanding and acing the aptitude test. The practise continues throughout the summer holiday and autumn term with regular Skype sessions to fine-tune responses.
“We’ve needed all this prep because we don’t study in the same way that they do in America. A lot of the questions are structured differently to what we might expect. There’s a lot more focus on grammar and punctuation. I think this week has been amazing. Last week I was not confident at all. I probably would’ve achieved the worst grade possible. Now I can get a decent grade and by the end of the year I’m sure I can get a very high grade.”
A group of students then have the opportunity to attend an exploration trip to Boston and New York. The trip allows them to visit MIT, Harvard, Princeton, Yale and Columbia universities for tours, application guidance and to sit in lectures delivered by Ivy League professors.
On the trip they also have the chance to meet NCS alumni currently studying at Ivy League universities. All this experience helps our candidates discover more about how the American higher education system differs to that of the UK and get a feel for student life by speaking with current undergraduates and realise that the dream is actually attainable.
“There’s a lot of things you can read on the internet that can help you, but actually experiencing what it would be like here; nothing can beat that. It definitely gives us hope knowing that you don’t have to be a private school student or someone with a super high academic background to attend here. It’s really nice to know that people like us can come to these universities.”
A masterclass on the application form with our tutor in New York rounds up the visit and moves them into the final phase of practise interviews. The trip provides many experiences for the students to discuss courses and cement decisions on which universities to apply to.
Private Schools Vs. The NCS
It’s widely reported that students from private schools – including Charterhouse, Eton, Harrow and Godolphin – are now preferring to study abroad at the USA Ivy League, rather than at Oxbridge. To help them prepare for the rigorous application process, parents of private school students are known to spend in the region of £20,000 per pupil for the guidance. All with no guarantee of success.
By comparison, The NCS provides the same high level expertise to our students, including a trip to visit the Ivy’s in America, absolutely free. The programme is becoming an increasingly popular option for our students – many of whom live in some of the most disadvantaged boroughs in London.
Seeing our students continue to succeed on our Ivy League Preparation Programme confirms Newham Collegiate’s position as one of the leading academic 16-19 Free Schools in London and UK.
On the news of our Ivy League offers, NCS Principal Mouhssin Ismail said:
“The brightest young minds in our community choose Newham Collegiate Sixth Form Centre because they know it is a place where their intellectual capabilities are stretched and where their teachers provide unparalleled opportunities to allow them to flourish and succeed. These US Ivy League offers are testament to the hard work our students have put into these applications, all with the expert guidance and support of their teachers and specialist tutors. “Along with another record year of Oxbridge/Medicine offers and 96% of students receiving offers to study at Russell Group universities, the NCS is now an established centre of excellence for students wishing to join the very best universities around the world as well as here in the UK.”