The selection of 10th grade program first season finalists took place in June-July 2022. Candidates were judged not only on school performance and English proficiency, but also on extracurricular activities. The students' personal motivation was an important criterion as well.
The finalists noted that in terms of goal achievement, motivation is the main parameter, but on top of it you also need persistence, discipline and awareness of what you need to do.
Star Team leader Anastasia Ammosova shares how the program works:
How do you rate the entry level of our students?
— Although there is a lot of information on the Internet about applying to universities around the world, there are many nuances for each country and institution that must be taken into account for successful enrollment. During the introductory webinars and practical workshops, our students learned a lot of useful information, which painted a complete picture of the admission process.
What kind of difficulties can applicants face?
— To get into the best universities in the world you need to have excellent grades, be fluent in English, engage in a substantial amount of extracurricular activities, be a leader, and stand out among thousands of your peers with the same parameters. Also, due to the current difficulties with the SAT, IELTS and TOEFL exams in Russia, you can only take them abroad. But we have eliminated a significant share of these difficulties thanks to working with the Crimson Education team, professionals in their field, who undertook the preparation of the full application package.
What makes the Star Team program unique?
— Our program has no counterparts anywhere else in the world. Grant support is usually offered after the applicant has already enrolled at a university on their own. We, by contrast, start by preparing kids for admission several years in advance, because that’s precisely the point when the applicant needs a lot of support. Next, we provide support at all stages until enrollment at the higher education institution.
Are there any obligations for program participants? Maybe some expectations?
— We don’t commit them to anything, but the kids do take an oath that in the future, through their personal growth, they will contribute to the development of Yakutia and the world. And we hope that our participants will support the next generation of Star Team kids with advice and inspiration after they go to university.
What can the students expect during admission?
— The stages of admission depend on the country where the students are planning to apply, plus much weighs upon the appropriate strategy for selecting universities. This will be a very exciting moment for the kids, and agonizing too, as they wait for the results: enrollment or rejection.
In your personal opinion, what doors will open for the kids?
— Getting an education at the world’s best universities offers great opportunities and excellent prospects for making a significant contribution to the world, where, as we now see, there are enough problems and injustices.
Ultimately, 14 people made it to the finals, and they now have a lot of work to do. Students will receive training with experts from Crimson Education. Since 2013, the company has helped more than 4,500 applicants to enter the world’s best universities.
How will the training take place? A team of experts forms a personalized admission strategy for each finalist. It includes selecting universities, helping with portfolio development and essay writing, preparing for interviews and SAT and IELTS exams.
Our students faced an additional big challenge: taking exams abroad. To do this, they will travel to Istanbul together with the program director! The program pays in full for flights and accommodation, the fee for the exams themselves, and even includes a city tour to keep morale up.
We have great faith in all the finalists! Looking at their growth and at how hard they have worked so far, we are growing ever more confident in the bright future and success of these young people.