How Gen Z Students Are Going To Extraordinary Lengths To Get Into Top Universities
Gen Z students are finally coming of age and going to university. They’re leaving school behind and moving on with their lives, just as millennials did before them.
However, thanks to the circumstances of their upbringing, they have a slightly different attitude towards schooling and work. While millennials expected everything to happen for them, Gen Z students know that getting anywhere in life requires a lot of work.
In many ways, they’re similar to the silent generation that preceded the boomers. They understand instinctively that life is difficult and that material success is only half the story. They are less coddled than millennials (whose parents were boomers), and, therefore, more keenly aware of the challenges of life.
Interestingly, this is already showing up in the university admissions process. Gen Z youths are going to extraordinary lengths to prove their academic abilities so that they can get into top global institutions. They know that if they want to seriously compete in the modern job market, they have to get an early start.
According to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, British institutions are right at the top of the pile. This year, the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge headed up the rankings, positioned numbers one and two in the world, respectively, ahead of Stanford, MIT and Harvard.
Because of this, there is an astonishing demand for Oxbridge personal statements. Students want to craft every single word and sentence to maximize their chances of getting in. Many are handing over significant sums of money, knowing that it is the best way to differentiate themselves from the competition.
The problem is this: there are more straight-A students than there are places at top institutions. Even students with five A-levels or equivalents at A*-grade aren’t guaranteed a place at the world’s top institutions. Universities are looking for more than people who are examination machines. They want individuals with a real penchant for personal growth, too.
Institutions are also looking for students who come highly recommended by their schools and other social organizations. They’re not looking for the lone wolf or intellectual. They want young people who fit their mold and will quickly slot into university life without going against their dominant ideology.
They also want students who can write well and marshal their thoughts. Being able to construct a train of thought in writing is a sign of high intelligence and cognitive flexibility. The ability to do it repeatedly and across different contexts and subject matter are rare.
Then there is a whole industry based on placement tests. Agencies offer students training and advice for acing entry exams and additional requirements that go beyond just standard high-school tests. Universities want to see what students are really made of intellectually before opening their doors to them.
All this means that Gen Z students are going to extraordinary lengths to get into their university of choice. Many view it as a kind of full-time job. They know that if they put in the hours and do the work, then getting a placement is considerably more likely.