More students willing to spend money on preparatory training services for college admissions

SINGAPORE: In the fiercely competitive landscape of college admissions, a growing number of prospective students are turning to preparatory training services, particularly interview guidance, to enhance their chances of securing coveted spots in popular courses like medicine and law.

Educational consulting companies offering school preparation and consulting services have seized this opportunity, positioning themselves as essential sources of support for students aspiring to stand out among the sea of applicants.

Icon, a well-established provider of admission guidance services, revealed to Lianhe Zaobao that the demand for interview guidance services remains stable, especially for medicine and law schools. A spokesperson emphasized that as schools increasingly focus on holistic assessments beyond grades, interviews serve as a crucial platform for students to showcase their skills and personalities.

Icon‘s service packages, delivered by tutors from top universities, start at $600.

Discovering Potential, another company specializing in direct admission program preparation workshops offers interview guidance for various age groups. The company stressed the importance of one-on-one guidance to help students build confidence, improve communication skills, and excel in interviews.

Online two-hour guidance sessions cost around $300, while in-person sessions are priced at approximately $370.

Crimson Education, a study abroad consulting agency, has operated locally since 2016, providing interview skills and guidance for medical and law school entrance exams. Their comprehensive packages, which include entrance exam guidance, start from $1,800.

A spokesperson from Crimson Education highlighted the intense competition for admission to medicine and law schools, emphasizing the need for students to have a distinctive “selling point” beyond excellent grades.

To foster a fair, competitive platform, Crimson Education organizes free online sharing sessions to introduce the application processes of overseas universities’ medicine and law schools. The spokesperson noted a significant increase in registrations for these sessions, indicating a growing interest in understanding the intricacies of the application processes.

While some students believe that interview guidance enhances their confidence and overall performance, others remain skeptical about the necessity and cost of such services.

One 22-year-old, currently studying medicine at the University of Nottingham in the UK, attended training from Crimson Education and underwent mock interviews twice or thrice a week to prepare for her medical school admissions process.

She told Lianhe Zaobao: “These exercises have enhanced my confidence in handling interviews and will help me win admission opportunities.”

In addition to medical schools at several universities in the UK, she also applied to medical schools at two universities in Singapore and got interviews at both.

On the other hand, some Singaporean students expressed reservations about spending money on workshops and argued that free online resources and guidance from professors are sufficient for learning about personal profile essays and interview techniques.

One 21-year-old medical student emphasized the importance of genuine on-the-spot reactions and personality during interviews, cautioning against over-preparation that may lead to rehearsed responses.

As the debate continues, the trend of seeking interview guidance services raises questions about the accessibility and necessity of such services in the college admissions process.