Higher Education Readiness

 

High school is important it prepares you for Higher Education and helps you start carving your career. The classes and activities you do in high school play a role in modelling you as an individual to realise your potential. The journey of a High School learner enables a learner to successfully meet basic requirements in order to progress to a level of education that can help you achieve your career goals. Through this process a learner can gain admission to highly selective Institutions and even get an opportunity of being awarded bursaries or scholarships if they work hard. When you enter higher education your main goal is to obtain a qualification. You must always bear this in mind and below are a few tips that can help you move towards achieving that goal. 

 

Things to do once accepted

Being accepted at a Higher Institution of your choice could be exciting and overwhelming. You could currently be in matric or you have matriculated and had taken a gap year or for any other reason. It is important that once you have received the acceptance letter you take your time and carefully make an informed decision that will help you to make the right choice for your education.

It is vital that if you have applied in various Institutions you wait for at least two or three responses so that you can make your decision based on the feedback received and also to take note of the important deadlines that might be mentioned on the acceptance letter.

 

5 Things you can do once you are accepted:

1. Research the Institution

• Once you decided which institution you would like to further your studies in, spend some time online visiting the Institutions website or if possible visit the Institution in person if it is close by to familiarise yourself with the environment, to learn the culture and services that are offered by the institution.

 

2. Compare costs between different Institutions

• Once feedback is received from the Institutions you have applied from, you can then have a look at the cost of your qualification you would like to enrol for. Start to compare the costs from the Intuitions that gave you a positive feedback starting from the Institution of your fist choice to the least.
• During this process consider more than study fees, you also need to take into consideration the cost of living on campus or off campus, meal plans or monthly allowance.
• If you have received a bursary or a scholarship it is important to also check what they will be covering financially and what you will still need to cover.
• Even if you are applying for a study loan, make enquiries on time so that you are aware of the amount that will be offered to you for your tuition.
• After you have analysed the costs, note the findings so that you can have an in-depth discussion with your guardians or your family members regarding the financial situation and the support you might need from them.

 

2. Establish your Support Structures

• Have an in-depth discussion with your family members or your guardians who will be funding your studies to discuss the information that you have researched regarding your studies and the options you are considering.
• Talk to different people such as your teachers or someone you know that possibly enrolled at the same institution you would like to be in for more information or referrals.

 

3. Make an informed decision

• Once you have collected information and spoken to a number of people who form part of your support structure, you can then finalise your decision.
• In finalising your decision use the paperwork included in your acceptance package to accept the enrollment offer.
• Make sure that you fill out your paperwork completely and send it back before the due date online or manually.

 

4. Complete your high school

• Yes, you have to focus and complete your High School.
• Being sent an acceptance letter does not mean that you are fully accepted, it’s just a way to secure your place at the Institution of your choice.
• Therefore, keeping your marks that resulted into receiving the acceptance letter and working towards achieving greater results should be your priority.
• Once you have completed your High School, your final results will be requested by the University or the Institution of your choice to determine whether you have met the final minimum admission requirements to enrol for your proposed qualification.
• Your final year results in High School will act as a deciding factor to a new adventure in education.

5. Things to do upon arrival

• Institutions may differ from one another in the way they regulate their activities and studies.
• Most important thing to do upon arrival is to confirm with the security officer or ask at the information centre that you are at the right institution where you can enrol for your studies.
• In every Institution there are normally boards with information, skim through the information as you walk around the campus and read what is mostly related to your needs.
• Ask the Institution marshals where new applicants should go for registration.
• You need to know the name and code of the proposed qualification you want enrol for and the number of modules you would like to register.
• After doing the temporal registration you can finalise your registration fees before the due date given to you so that you can be fully registered for your studies.

 

Things to do in preparation for the first day:

1. Prepare a night before:

• Find out how you will get to school
• Choose your appropriate clean clothes
• Have your study material, note book and pen ready
• Get at least 8 hours of sleep

 

2. Getting through the first day:

• Wake up early and energetic
• Take a shower and get ready for the day
• Get to school early, at least 15 minutes before your programme for the day starts.
• If you haven’t received a student card make sure that you get one so that you may get access to other buildings such as the library
• Attend the orientation for the new registered students
• Actively participate and be open to make new friends
• Enjoy yourself
• Get a time table Familiarise yourself with the buildings that you will be attending your lectures at
• Note down the important information
• If you do not know where you need to go or what you need to do ask the people around you to assist
• Reflect about the day when you get home

 

 

Life as a Student

Being a student is fun; however, it comes with a number of responsibilities. Leaving home to be in a land that one is unfamiliar/ familiar with can be somewhat disconcerting. Being a student enables you to explore opportunities offered by your institution to your best abilities. Student Life can help you find your own niche on campus; connect with students within or beyond your career field. Get involved in student organizations, leadership opportunities and campus jobs; and choose what is most suitable for you.

As a student you cannot do things in isolation, you need support and you also need to take full responsibility for your own learning. Every Institution has a support infrastructure to help you to get the best from your student life. It is important to familiarise yourself with these structures.

You need to understand that you are totally responsible for yourself and you need to manage your responsibilities yourself. When an individual becomes a student they are being prepared for the world of work, they are expected to manage their own performance, their own time table and their own progress. It is important that you realise that fact and you take charge of what is expected of you.

 

Ensure that your time table is clear, you are aware of which classes you are supposed to attend and when and actually attend them. You need to ensure that you know when you are writing exams and ensure that you are well-prepares too. You also need to be aware of different class activities that  may be expected of you like practicals or research. You must ensure that you attend classes and in instances where you were unable to, you must ensure that you catch up and keep going at the pace of the lecturer if not faster.

 

You need to ensure you have the prescribed books and equipment. If you cannot afford new items you can try finding out about second hand stores where you can buy what you need at a cheaper price. You can also borrow or rent items in some instances. For example you can lend a prescribed book at the library if you are unable to buy one for yourself.

 

You need to ensure that your social life does not interfere with the primary reason you are attending higher education. This is very important as your primary goal is to obtain a qualification. What ever happens you must ensure that being a student is at the top of your priority list and anything that seeks to threaten that must take second place. If you are writng an exam and would rather socialise than study, you must remind yourself why you are in college or university.

 

Student life can be quite fun and challenging too, take it as a learning experience of what challenges you can expect once you start working. Decide early what your academic goals are and set measures and plans in place to achieve them so that you become the best student you can be.