University Offers for the Class of 2025
Latest University Offers (updated - 18th Dec 2024)
So far, our students have received 201 offers from leading universities across multiple countries and regions. Highlights include:
• 123 QS Top100
• 18 US NEWS Top80
• UK: 5 Oxbridge interview invitations, 3 offers from UCL, 6 from Edinburgh, 23 from Manchester, 11 from Warwick (including 2 MORSE programme offers), and 8 from KCL, with more offers to come.
• US: 18 offers from universities ranked in the US NEWS Top 80, including Boston University, Case Western Reserve University, and Santa Clara University.
• HK,China: 6 offers from HKUST and multiple interview invitations.
• Other regions: 1 offer from a Japanese university and 17 offers from Australian universities (15 in the QS Top 40).
Early Decision Success: A Result of Precise Planning
Among the numerous offers, our students' achievements through Early Decision (ED) and Early Action (EA) pathways stand out. 6 students have received offers from their dream universities via ED. These outcomes and their individual stories illustrate the unique advantages of early applications.
All About ED/EA
Every admissions season, Early Admission (EA/ED) attracts considerable attention from students and parents. According to data from the Common Application in 2023, the number of early applicants has been steadily increasing—a trend also evident among our students. To help families better understand the features and strategies of early applications, we interviewed our University and Careers Counsellor, Ms Serena Shi, for her expert insights.
Types and Differences of Early Applications
As Ms Shi explains, Early Admission primarily includes Early Decision (ED) and Early Action (EA). ED is binding: once admitted, students must enrol, with the application requiring signatures from the student, their parents, and their counsellor. EA, on the other hand, is non-binding, allowing students to decide whether to enrol if admitted, and typically permits applications to multiple EA schools (excluding restrictive or single-choice EA). Additionally, some universities offer ED1, ED2, or special programmes like ED0 at the University of Chicago, which provides an earlier opportunity for students who have completed its summer school programme.
Advantages of Early Applications
Early applications provide several benefits. Firstly, ED acceptance rates are often higher than those for regular decision (RD). Even with identical qualifications, students applying ED may have a better chance of admission. Secondly, early applications can reduce stress, as most results are released by mid-December, giving students and families peace of mind. Finally, successful ED or EA applicants can save on application fees by reducing the number of other schools they apply to.
Who Should Consider Early Applications?
Early applications are most suitable for students who are goal-oriented and have strong planning skills. Ms Shi emphasises that students who have identified their top-choice university through thorough research, maintained strong academic performance in their first three years of high school, completed polished drafts of their personal statements, and are financially prepared for their chosen university are ideal candidates for early applications.
Dulwich’s Support and Resources
Our school provides comprehensive support to help students navigate the early application process. This includes access to the Maialearning platform for university research, annual university fairs and workshops, summer school opportunities, and campus visits. Our counsellors also help students create detailed timelines and conduct essay workshops to ensure all materials are of high quality and submitted on time.
Spotlight on ED Offers
This year, our students’ ED offers from renowned universities reflect both their academic potential and alignment with their chosen institutions. Counsellors feedback highlights how their thorough research, academic achievements, and extracurricular involvement set them apart in a competitive admissions process.
Sarah L Boston University, Environmental Analysis and Policy
Mr Mark Coyle -
“Sarah has been ever-active at DHSZ - with her HOTS charity and many other activities, she has shown great awareness for others. This empathy and resilience are Dulwich values that she takes with her to BU - Lucky BU! BU is a US NEWS top university and is well-known for her major/program. Congratulations from the whole UCC Team!”
Roy H Case Western Reserve University, Computer Science
Ms Serena Shi -
“Roy was born in the United States and, after receiving early education there, the family moved back to China. This experience has been very important for Roy, as he has perfectly combined Western and Eastern cultures. His father, being an alumnus of Case Western Reserve University, has had a positive influence on him. During the college application process, Roy conducted a thoroughly research on his own and ultimately chose CWR as his Early Decision (ED) where his father once attended. The combination of Western and Eastern qualities in Roy's character allows him to stand out among many applicants.”
Alice Z Northeastern University, STEM
Mr Jack Rau -
“Alice carefully considered a variety of university options before deciding to apply ED to Northeastern. Northeastern’s location in Boston along with its global connections with campuses in London and Oakland drew Alice to the school. Northeastern places a large emphasis on co-op programs with over 90% of students completing a work experience. This, along with Northeastern’s superb academics should help Alice prepare for the world after graduating. Alice presented a very strong application with excellent grades and a high level of involvement in student life at Dulwich.”
Leo Z Northeastern University, Applied Mathematics
Ms Li Ren -
“Leo's admission to Northeastern University in Applied Mathematics can be attributed to several factors that align well with the university's strengths and his personal achievements. Northeastern is renowned for its emphasis on experiential learning and its co-op program, which integrates professional experience with academic study. This makes it an ideal fit for students like Leo who have demonstrated not only great interest in mathematics but also a passion for applying mathematical concepts to real-world problems. Leo's application likely stood out due to a combination of his academic performance in mathematics courses, strong letters of recommendation, and extracurricular activities. With our assistance, Leo is able to identify and articulate his strengths in his application, and find out the best ways to highlight his unique experiences and how they align with Northeastern's values and opportunities.”
Ethan C Santa Clara University, Engineering
Mr Mark Coyle -
“Internationally renowned for the connection between Californian industries and the engineering students, Santa Clara matches Ethan perfectly! With his years of robotics, his happy-go-lucky persona and his desire to pushing into the world of Engineering, Ethan will be suited to the life in this university, state and the industries.
"I've been working with Ethan from the beginning of Y12 and he has always been focused on Santa Clara - even when I suggested other universities he would always come back to this one! He will be great fit at this university and I wish him all the best!”
Jesse W The New School - Parsons, Illustration
Mr Steve Hodgkin -
“Jesse did lots of research about The New School and is a particularly good 'fit' as he is interested both in the Parsons school of art and the Eugene Lang school of Liberal Arts. As a student who has successfully completed our Marquette University Human Geography course, as well as being a talented student on both Fine Art and Geography, he is especially suited to his ED choice. He has been in regular email contact with The New School admissions team and has made a point of getting to know all of the finer points of detail apply applying there, as well as demonstrating interest in his intended major. Well done, Jesse!”
Through these stories, we see the transformative potential of early applications and the remarkable qualities our students bring to their chosen universities. We look forward to celebrating more success stories in the months to come!
