For our S6 students the end of term marks the end of a great chapter of their lives and the start of a new journey. We are delighted to see the breadth and calibre of destinations they are heading for. S6 pupil, Asirini P, is hanging up her ESMS blazer and heading south for her next adventure, to read Law at Oxford University. She tells us a bit about how her final year at ESMS helped prepare her...
I felt so lucky when going through the application process at The Mary Erskine School (MES) as I was supported by members from all parts of the school community in so many ways. It truly feels like a second family as everyone genuinely wants to help you succeed. Then when I started the drafting process during term time, my teachers and my sixth form tutor very generously shared their experiences with me and helped me reach the best draft of my personal statement possible. The school body always ensured I felt supported when sending off the application. Once I had sent off my statement, the school went above and beyond to help me prepare for interviews.
I had two initial interviews – one with members of the Edinburgh Business community and another with a specialist careers agency – and these greatly improved my confidence during interviews. They presented me with challenging legal and moral dilemmas that I hadn’t considered before, as well as a very in-depth analysis of all the issues I mentioned in my personal statement. Looking back on the interviews, I realise that these tricky questions allowed me to practice the ‘thinking on my feet’ and lateral thinking patterns interview tutors looked for in the actual interviews. I’m really grateful for getting to practice such crucial skills at school.
I also requested a few additional interviews through the school, which my UCAS coordinator helped me arrange. The first one was with one of the school’s legal contacts, which I found to be hugely helpful as he gave new angles on some of the legal academia I had mentioned in my personal statement. The discussion was incredibly useful and ensured that I would have a more sophisticated answer if asked about some of the more controversial human rights cases I had mentioned.
Just before the interview I asked Dr Turnbull, my UCAS coordinator, to help me with a tech check so I could be sure the technology was working okay. She even helped me to choose my interview outfit!
All in all, I felt the school had my back throughout the whole process, and I am so glad that it all paid off!
Asirini P, S6
ESMS Sixth Form
