2023 has been a challenging year, to say the least. With mass layoffs across industries, climate change and the growing cost of living crisis, the future looks murky – perhaps even bleak. As a mother, you're probably concerned about your child's prospects to survive and thrive in a tough post-pandemic job market. But there's a lot you can do to help prepare your teenager for the world of work – and it all starts with a foundation rooted in a good education.
That's why we've partnered with Crimson Education to help you chart the best path to maximise your child's success at university and beyond. Read on to discover the impact of a degree on employability, plus insights and practical tips from Lucy Baehren, an admission expert at Crimson Education and former admissions officer at Oxford University, to help you navigate the university admissions process. Get in touch with Crimson Advisors directly to ask your own questions simply by scanning the code below.
A promising career starts with a good education
For your teenage child to have the best chance of success in the future, it’s important to consider how their higher education can form a solid foundation for future employment. “Having a university degree, especially from a top university, can give a competitive advantage when applying for jobs,” Lucy said.
Although it can be overwhelming for teenagers to choose a field of study that will impact their earning potential over the long term, it can have a significant impact on their career success – and the right choice can set them on a promising path. Employment rates for working age graduates have grown in the last year compared to non-graduates.
“Some specialist degrees can fast-track students to particular careers, such as medicine. In other cases, the general background of the degree is important in opening up options to specialise with postgraduate study,” Lucy said.
“Many STEM graduate courses require STEM undergraduate degrees. For many other careers, there are no strict requirements on the undergraduate degree studied, but the degree classification and university reputation can make a difference!” she said.
How to choose a field of study
Passion or practicality – which is the wiser choice for your teenager’s studies when it comes to surviving and thriving in today’s tough economic climate?
Lucy said: “I always advise that students choose something they are passionate about – after all they will need to study it intensely for at least three or four years! It is difficult, particularly for medicine or at Oxbridge where students are interviewed, to feign this passion,” she said.
Having specialist skills is advantageous in the job market. The UK’s graduate labour market statistics reports that: “66.3% of working-age graduates were in high-skilled employment, compared to 23.6% of non-graduates.”
So what can you do to ensure a strong future for your teenager, at university and beyond?
Lucy shared her advice on actionable strategies for parents to support and enable your child’s success:
1. Hit the books
“School grades are very important in UK applications. Ensuring that your student is fulfilling their potential at school and getting the grades that they are capable of is very important. 1:1 subject tutoring can really help your student to maximise this potential,” Lucy said.
Lucy also emphasised that students need not just pass, but to truly excel in their subjects. For students striving for top-tier universities, investing in tutoring could significantly bolster their application. Personalised tutoring can bridge gaps in understanding with tailored feedback to enable your student to harness their full academic potential.
2. It’s never too early to get prepared
When applying to university, especially premier institutions, there’s a lot to prepare and you and your child will need time on your side.
“Students should start early, ideally two or three years before applying, building the skills they will need in their application and at university. The ability to craft nuanced academic statements, excel in admissions tests and demonstrate academic ability in interviews are not skills that can be developed overnight,” she said.
To write a compelling personal statement, it’s about weaving a coherent narrative about the student’s academic journey, passion and aspirations. Many top-tier universities have specific admissions tests that require specialised preparation and practice. Plus, university interviews for institutions like Oxford and Cambridge are academically rigorous, designed to assess a student's depth of understanding in their subject.
This lead time can be crucial for deep diving into subjects, participating in relevant extracurriculars, or even pursuing internships or research projects in their field of interest.
3. Go beyond the classroom
Lucy highlighted the essence of what many top-tier universities seek in an applicant: genuine passion and proactive engagement in their interest area. And when it comes to extracurricular activities, it’s more important to go deep than go wide.
“Exploring different degree options and engaging in relevant super-curriculars will set your student up for success. Super-curriculars are subject-relevant extracurriculars, such as work-experience, internships, competitions, short courses or academic lectures. Admissions officers want to see genuine interest and engagement, demonstrated with a range of activities that reflect interest in the chosen subject,” she said.
By actively engaging in activities relevant to their field of interest, students can make more informed decisions about their academic and career paths. Genuine, sustained engagement in a field is both a differentiator in the admissions process and a tool for personal and academic growth.
4. Get involved
If you’re overwhelmed with the university admissions process or you’re not sure where to start, Lucy advised: “Starting as early as possible really helps to maximise time for subject exploration and preparation for university applications. Having parents who are proactive in supporting their child through the process is also highly beneficial.
“At Crimson, we place strong emphasis on parent communication to make sure that all major decisions are made as a team, while taking pressure off parents to know all the answers!
“Building academic independence, while still providing this support can be challenging to achieve, but being guided by your child’s strengths and interests, and nurturing this is a great place to start. should also make sure that your child is able to balance their school commitments with their application preparation, while still having time for socialising and hobbies. It’s important to make sure that students feel empowered and excited about their academic journey, rather than overwhelmed,” she said.
Student success stories
Discover how Crimson supported Wayne to gain admission to Duke University, follow Fara’s journey to Stanford University and explore how David was accepted to Oxford University.
How does Crimson Education enable parents to unlock your child’s bright future?
“Crimson brings talent from all over the world to personalise support for each child we work with,” Lucy said.
“We combine personal experience of studying at the world’s top universities, with expert admissions knowledge of what universities are looking for. Prior to the application year, we work with students to build the skills they will need to set them up for success in the application and at university itself such as academic writing, critical thinking and the ability to engage in academic discussion. Using our data-driven approach, we help students select universities and colleges that maximise their success.”
Click here to discover how Crimson Education can help you reimagine what’s possible. Or scan the QR code below to get in touch directly with the Crimson team.
