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The RMS Podcast Stirred By The Sun returns with new hosts and an exciting new array of voices and stories from our wonderful community.
For the first episode in this series, Head Pupils Aroush and Becca, alongside Headteacher Mr Carson, welcomed Miss Pickford, Head of Careers, to discuss the increasing trend of RMS students applying to and attending universities overseas, with a particular focus on the complex, rewarding application process for US institutions.
The Rise of Global Futures
Miss Pickford highlighted that the number of students considering and successfully applying to international universities has grown significantly in recent years. This trend is driven by student interest and the changing global job market.
Miss Pickford: “The number of students heading out to different industries and students heading to a range of countries overseas has increased… people are much more interested now, because there’s such a global jobs market out there.”
The group discussed how the importance of the Futures department is reflected in recent parent surveys, which identified futures support as the top area of focus for development across the school.
UK vs. USA: A World of Difference
A major part of the conversation focused on the contrasting application processes between the UK and countries like the US. Miss Pickford explained that while the UK’s UCAS system is a “well-oiled machine” with a single application and personal statement, the overseas process is far more involved.
Miss Pickford: “Overseas, every single country has a different process… it’s much lengthier and much more complex… America in particular is looking for the whole person; they’re not just looking at your results.”
Student and Alumna Success Stories
The hosts were also joined by two students who have first-hand experience navigating the international route.
Eva (Year 13), who is applying to both UK and US universities for Chemistry, spoke about her decision to seek a “different approach to learning” in the States, appreciating the flexibility to delay choosing a major. She stressed the importance of starting early, advice echoed by Miss Pickford.
Eva: “For the US, it’s mostly about you as a person… I’ve been able to talk about my family and my extracurriculars in a lot more depth than I’ve been able to in UCAS.”
Alumna Aneka, who left RMS two summers ago and is now a Division 1 tennis athlete studying Marketing in the US, shared her journey. Her unique path involved working with an agency and building up her tennis profile, demonstrating how the US system highly values co-curricular achievement.
Key Advice for Future Applicants
The overall message from the episode was clear: start the research early when thinking about your options, use all the resources provided by the Futures department, and embrace every opportunity to build a diverse profile.
Miss Pickford: “My mantra would be research, research, research… if you miss that boat in Year 10 and 11, you’re playing catch up in Year 12.”
Listen to the full conversation on the Stirred by The Sun podcast on Spotify.