“Is Entering AUW as a Direct Entry Student Truly an Advantage?”

As a new academic year rolls in, so does the rush of students trying to find their respective classes. They silently make a resolution of working harder than last year, equipped with nothing but diligence. Amidst them stand a new batch of direct entry students, a frisson of excitement running through them.

At AUW, most students start their journey from Access Academy, which serves as a transitional year from high school to university. While this is a formative year for most of the student body, each year a small number of students are awarded direct entry to UG1. This year, AUW has received an overwhelming number of 3000 applicants, out of which 276 young women made it through the admission exams. From them, Direct Entry was awarded to 10 students.

The figure and nationalities of direct entry students vary independently each year. An interview with the Director of Admissions, Mrs. Rehana Khan, gave us meaningful insight into how students are classified for direct entry, as she told us how she views this process. Applicants are chosen based on their performance on the written exam, which tests their knowledge in English, Mathematics and essay writing. This exam, coupled with an interview lead by the Admissions team, acts as a preliminary screening to identify potential direct entry students. With a score of 80% or higher, applicants are chosen for the second round of interviews, conducted by the UG faculty. This final interview allows for the students to be recognized for their skills and academic excellence, putting them through to a three-year university experience.

The number of direct entry students stands at such an insignificant amount that often they feel that their needs have not been catered to. This small group of students, both who live on and off campus pose a tough question: “is entering AUW as a direct entry student truly an advantage?”

Mrs. Rehana shared her stance on this question, “I would say, they would be at a disadvantage. Disadvantage because there’s a lot of pressure on them. They’re going blindly into a program that asks a lot from them. Maybe not all are able to do research, prepare presentations, things like that, which the Access graduates have been taught. This year makes them more prepared.” Nevertheless, she expressed optimism and confidence about the aptitude of those selected. “Maybe the first semester would be tough, but we’ve seen students being able to cope by the second semester,” she declared.

The direct entry students, on the other hand, described themselves as nomads, fitting in neither among the freshers in Access Academy and Pre-Access Academy nor the other UG1 students who have come from Access. Moreover, the perplexity of the selection of courses resonated among the majority of the direct entry students who enrolled this year. They stressed how confusing the lack of guidance made the course selection process in their first week, which was already the second week for the other students.  Much of these students complained about how they had missed out on the first few days of the Add/Drop period, which resulted in them having limited courses to choose from. One student particularly even described having been stuck with “leftover” courses of those who had come from Access Academy. She also pointed out how the Mathematics and Natural Science courses were hardly available to them by the time they were ready to select a course. Another direct entry student from 2018, Mahia Mohiuddin Quadrey remarked, “It’s kind of unfair for the direct entry students as we don’t get to select our desired courses at first as it’s already filled by students who were already here. We just go around looking for courses that have free spaces.” She also mentioned that it had been “quite difficult to adjust to the education system” for direct entry students, mirroring Mrs. Rehana’s sentiments. Accordingly, Mahia called for a separate, proper orientation planned specifically for direct entry students in order to better acquaint them with AUW’s curriculum as well as offer guidance in choosing courses. This adjustment issue gained significance when a direct entry student from this year moved over to Access Academy, overcome by the labor of habituation.

Another student, Nusaiba Binte Zakaria, claimed, “I had a mini heart attack on the day of the orientation when I found out that UG1 classes had already begun, whereas I didn’t even know what SOCA or LCSA even meant.” She further went on to comment about how challenging it is for direct entry students to socialize. “Almost everyone in UG1 already has their own close-knit group of friends. As a direct entry student, you don’t get to make friends as Access Academy students do, especially if you’re a day-scholar.”

Several students were less than satisfied with the accommodations that AUW had to offer, considering it was at the expense of “paying a huge amount of money.” Mahia opinionated that the rooms are “congested” and better suited for two people instead of three. She also mentioned being dissatisfied with the lack of a good Wi-Fi connection and air conditioned dorm rooms, as well as the quality of food. Another student playfully stated that the lift operates of its own accord. Regardless, residents had only good things to say about their roommates. Mahia contentedly vocalized, “My roommates are really nice. They are very caring and understanding. We didn’t have any disagreements about anything yet.” Most students agreed in unison that they were all relieved and happy with their roommates. Needless to say, the dorm life issues of direct entry students parallel those of Access and Pathways students.

While being able to finish undergrad in three years may sound remarkable, we see notable difficulties in joining AUW as a direct entry student. However, the students at AUW will always be there to offer directions to those who are lost. In the end, it all comes down to nurturing the faith in the student’s potential as well as the university’s capabilities in recognizing them.