Alumni insight into university life

How alumni insight is helping students prepare for university

Our extensive alumni network spans a broad and diverse range of university and career pathways, bringing together knowledge, expertise and experience that are extremely valuable to our current Sixth Form students. This half-term, we have drawn upon the first-hand experiences of some of our more recent alumni to help our current students feel more prepared to embark on their own university journey. 

Our new Sixth Form Alumni University Mentoring Programme connects current Sixth Form students with recent alumni who are studying the same or a closely related subject to their course choice, and ideally with alumni who are studying at the same university as their intended destination. 

Through structured online sessions, alumni provide first-hand insight into university life, support students in preparing their applications and encourage deeper academic engagement beyond the curriculum.

I found it helpful to hear about the process I am going through from someone who had done the exact same thing. It was reassuring to hear that what I am doing, such as entrance exam preparation, is what I should be focusing on, and it has helped me to feel less nervous about applying to university.

Mikhail, Year 13 student 

The first of the three initial sessions was led by Aryan (LGS 2026), who is currently in his first year at the University of Cambridge studying Economics. Aryan spoke to eight prospective Economists about the process of applying to university, specifically the Test of Mathematics for University Admission (TMUA) requirements – which can often feel like a daunting process for our Year 13 students. 

In the second session, aspiring Law applicants heard from Jaysol (LGS 2023), who has recently graduated from the University of Cambridge. This session provided our pupils with insight into the National Admissions Test for Law (LNAT), as well as potential interview questions applicants might face and application advice. 

Reflecting on the session, Year 13 pupil Rio said: “Gaining insights into studying Law from someone with the eminence of a previous Deputy Head Boy, like Jaysol, was invaluable. Not only was the anecdotal experience from studying Law at university useful in understanding how it actually works in reality, but understanding how to actually get into such renowned universities was equally priceless.  

“Ranging from an array of recommended books and lectures to crucial advice on the best way to tackle the LNAT, as well as any potential interviews, this talk gave me the opportunity to understand the perspective of a law undergraduate. I now feel much better prepared to apply for Law courses and know how best to stand out amongst the competition of other applicants.” 

During the next half-term, we hope to hear from a current History and Modern Languages student at the University of Cambridge, and we also have future sessions planned with alumni around engineering, history, modern languages and more.  

Our Year 13 students are currently submitting their university applications, and we have already seen 25 Oxbridge applications submitted, as well as five clinical applications (medicine, dentistry or veterinary science). 

Opportunities for our pupils to connect with recent alumni offer valuable first-hand insight into the complex processes they are currently experiencing. This can help the process feel more manageable and, alongside our strong network of specialist staff and tutors, provides another source of advice and guidance when it comes to thinking about post-18 decisions.