A passport to success: preparing our students for the world’s best universities

BIS Bratislava students have big ambitions.

Whether it’s studying medicine at Cambridge or embarking on a career in biochemistry at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), our young people are determined to shape their own futures. It’s our job to make sure they have the knowledge, qualifications, and skills to get exactly where they want to go.

So, how do we help a student to earn a place at their dream university? And how can we make sure they flourish once they get there?

In this article, we look at what it means to be ‘college ready’ – and explain how we, at BISB, prepare our young people for success at the world’s best universities.

What does it mean to be ‘ready’ for one of the world’s best universities?

A student who is ‘college ready’ is prepared for the challenges, opportunities, and demands of university education. They have a wide range of skills, knowledge, and behaviours, many of which they’ve developed at school, both through and beyond the academic curriculum.

These ‘college ready’ attributes – which are required by the world’s best universities – typically fall into three key areas:

• Academic knowledge – both general (core subjects and the theory of learning) and specific to the degree or course a student wants to study.
• Skills – such as essay writing, critical thinking, problem-solving, time management, decision-making, and communication.
• Behaviours – the right mindset, for example, being motivated, determined, and open-minded, having a strong work ethic, and being able to overcome a challenge.

Building academic knowledge

Being ‘college ready’ starts with academics. Fundamentally, whether a student is accepted by one of the world’s best universities is largely determined by their exam results and other performance indicators. The curricula a school offers are also hugely important.

We’re the only school in Bratislava that teaches the English National Curriculum, including Cambridge IGCSEs in Years 10 and 11 (ages 14-16). In Sixth Form, we offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP), which is widely recognised as the world’s leading pre-university programme.

The IBDP at BIS Bratislava

With its equal focus on subject knowledge and skill development, the IBDP is the best possible preparation for entrance into a top university.

Our rigorous curriculum focuses on six subject areas, alongside a core programme. The six subjects span language, literature, individuals and societies, sciences, math, and the arts, providing a broad and balanced education.

The core programme, meanwhile, has three key elements: The Extended Essay, Theory of Knowledge, and Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS). Each component is designed to enhance our students’ skills in a different area.

The Extended Essay, for example, is an in-depth research assignment that replicates the demands of university self-study. The CAS component provides opportunities for students to make a difference and learn more about the world around them.

Developing lifelong skills and behaviours

Alongside academic knowledge, our students also need to build a wide and varied skillset to thrive at one of the world’s best universities. We help them do this in lots of ways, both through and beyond the curriculum.

Skill-boosting activities

Taking part in extra-curricular activities is important for lots of reasons, not least because it develops skills prized by the world’s best universities. These activities also help our students to stand out from the crowd when it comes to the competitive university admissions process.

Enrichment opportunities include:

• More than 70 extra-curricular clubs spanning the arts, academics, and sports, which enable our students to discover their talents and pursue passions.
• Life-changing trips, like our service expedition to Tanzania, which develop independence and confidence, and unlock new perspectives.
• Leadership opportunities, including our Student Council and Eco-Committee, which hone our learners’ communication, organisation, and teamwork skills, and nurture empathy and understanding.
• The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award, which is renowned for its contribution to student growth and development.
• Our Model United Nations group, which raises awareness of pressing international issues and develops public speaking, critical thinking, and research skills.

Collaborations with world-leading organisations

Being part of the Nord Anglia Education family brings lots of benefits. These include exclusive global collaborations with world-leading organisations, which elevate teaching and learning, and offer unique skill development opportunities.

• Our STEAM collaboration with MIT encourages critical thinking and problem-solving, as students tackle challenges set by university professors.
• Our performing arts partnership with The Juilliard School gives our young people a platform to express their creativity and grow in confidence.
• Our collaboration with UNICEF opens our students’ eyes to the world, encouraging them to become focused change-makers with a global perspective.

University admissions and career guidance

With a depth of academic knowledge and a breadth of skills, our students are fully prepared to take the next steps in their learning journey. But to fulfil their university ambitions – and to find the course and destination that’s right for them – it’s vital they have access to personalised support and careers guidance.

Our Careers and University Guidance Team offers exactly that. Working with our families, we identify a student’s unique aspirations and craft a bespoke pathway to achieve them. This includes, for example, the IBDP subject selection process.

Our students also have access to Bridge U, a world-class digital platform that informs their choice of university course, tracks changes to the job market, and helps them prepare their applications.

Of course, we prioritise our students’ health and wellbeing. Our tailored approach keeps each student fit and healthy, and equips them with the tools to be resilient, overcome challenges, and bounce back from adversity.

Flourishing at one of the world’s best universities

As a school, we do everything we can to make sure our students get into – and succeed at – a top university of their choice. We’re incredibly proud of our excellent acceptance record, which has seen students earn places at prestigious schools in Europe, North America, and Asia.

Like those before them, our IBDP class of 2024 achieved great success. With excellent IBDP points scores and a portfolio of skills, our most recent graduates were accepted by some of the world’s best universities. In the coming years, BISB graduates will be studying courses ranging from Nuclear Engineering (Seoul National University) and Economics (St Gallen in Switzerland) to Medicine (University of Nicosia) and Psychology (University of Warwick).

To find out more about how we prepare our students for success at the world’s best universities, please get in touch with us at: +421 2 6930 7081.