You’ve raised your child for 16 whole years – from changing their nappies to watching them go through secondary school. Now, your baby is all grown up and is moving onto their next phase, Polytechnic, where they’ll graduate with a certificate that’ll unlock doors and land them their dream job.
Instead of fumbling around in the dark or leaving it to trial and error, jump one step ahead with these 6 Polytechnic admission tips. These handy bits of advice might just be the catalyst in helping your child secure their dream course.
We’re all too aware that focusing solely on academics might not cut it. Even if your child is an Einstein in science, being an all-rounder will still help set them apart. Convince them to join co-curricular activities (CCAs) – whether it’s chess club or table tennis, CCAs are an easy way for them to hone their talents.
Besides boosting self-confidence, it might even help them discover their passion. Fingers crossed: if they obtain a leadership role within that CCA, it’ll be a helpful reference for future admission and scholarship applications. Polytechnics might also consider your child’s other skills – their talent in non-academia like sports, arts, and community service.
Preparing your portfolio early is a no brainer – preparing a relevant portfolio is key. You wouldn’t prep a photography portfolio for a Music & Audio Tech course. No matter how impressive your kid’s photo-taking skills are, he’s better off pushing his music skills to the forefront.
Your child is likely to gather testimonials from teachers too, so ensure that they ask ahead of time. Teachers need to take time off their hectic schedules – giving them a grace period is a must. Portfolios aren’t compulsory but it’ll help show off your child’s talents, to give them a stronger focus where they can display their passion.
Putting all our eggs in one basket and relying solely on getting into our dream course isn’t advisable. We should have 2 back up courses at the very least, just in case – touch wood – things don’t work out. Encourage your child to do their research and pick a few similar courses that they can aim towards.
Those interested in business studies – you’re not just limited to a Diploma in Business. From Business Applications and Business Information Systems, polytechnics have got a massive range of diploma programmes to choose from.
Remind them to pay heed to the Minimum Entry Requirements (MER) score for these courses too so they have a clear target to work towards.
Having a solid portfolio doesn’t always guarantee that your child will ace the interview, and while many might just wing it, this is a crucial interview everyone needs to prep for. There are 2 different types of interview questions that might be asked.
The first includes standard questions like, “Why do you want to pursue this course?” To tackle these, your child will want to sit down and thoroughly think it through while also taking this time to brainstorm other possible questions. Don’t memorise from a script though – it may come off a tad unnatural.
On the other hand, expect creative questions like, “Name all the things you can do with a brick and don’t stop until we tell you to”. These type of questions are designed to test your child’s endurance and their ability to perform under pressure. For the full list of possible job interview questions, check our other article out here.
Beyond that, it’s also important to ask questions during the interview, such as “What are your tips for doing well in this course?” Besides covering up any sign of nervousness, your child will also appear more invested in the course he or she is applying for.
It’s equally important to focus on the 600 character write-up too. When punctuation like fullstops and commas add to your character count, your passion needs to come across as clearly and concisely as possible. Back it up with concrete evidence – things like relevant CCAs and internships come into play.
If you don’t have any, then a witty recount of relevant experiences will also work wonders.
Get the inside scoop by attending Talks and Open Houses regularly hosted by schools. Attending these talks also means that your child will get to meet existing students and have an opportunity to have their queries answered. They can also take this chance to explore the school grounds.
These admission tips are exactly what your child needs. To get a headstart, help your child secure their dream course with Republic Polytechnic’s EAE Parents’ Talk. Head down on 7th June 2019, and you’ll have access to the most up-to-date information on the Polytechnic Early Admissions Exercise (EAE).
You can also receive in-depth course counselling from lecturers to find out more about your child’s dream course, and attend sharing sessions led by students, alumni and other parents. At Republic Poly, your child will experience a Problem-based Learning (PBL) approach that’ll develop their problem-solving skills – a good foundation that’ll have them set for life.
Plus, with technology advancing so quickly, research has shown that strong problem-solving skills are what we all need to keep up with the times.
They also offer a wide variety of courses to pick from, ranging from business to infocomm technology. Prep early and arm yourself with the latest deets to secure your child’s future before everyone else. Be sure to apply early since there are limited spaces – each sign-up can receive a maximum of 4 tickets.
Address: Republic Polytechnic 9 Woodlands Avenue 9 Agora Hall 1, Singapore 738964
Date: 7th June 2019
Time: 7.30PM-9.30PM
Entry: Free
This post was brought to you by Republic Polytechnic.
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