Can ToK help me to get into university ?
Today we meet with Magda Kozlowska from Unifymecounselling. Magda is an expert in university applications, counselling, life coaching and educational consultancy. She has also taught IB DP Psychology and ToK. She is also an IB Examiner. She now runs a company that helps students to win places at top universities. She is the perfect person to advise us on the link between ToK and university application.
The video of our talk with Magda can be found at this link.
Here's a summary of the interview:
Q1: in what ways can ToK help with applying to university ?
Main benefit is not in actual academic score (points for getting in).
Can look at it in terms of knowledge, skills and qualities.
Knowledge & skills:
HE systems that involve interviews - ToK helps to develop critical thinking, flexibility in perspectives, developing questions, being comfortable with uncertainty, identifying nuance etc.
ToK helps you to show that you can make links between everyday things, and abstract second order ideas/thinking from those everyday objects.
Skills specific:
HE systems that require ‘Essays’ - ToK helps to develop essay writing skills, constructing a narrative, use of a story arc, reflective insights, evaluative points, implications of outcomes etc.
ToK helps you to demonstrate that you can present complex, and sometimes abstract, ideas in a clear and accessible way.
Qualities:
Teamwork - (eg essay development, organising & holding the exhibition etc).
Reflective learner - ToK involves a lot of reflection, esp if you have been keeping a ToK Journal.
Resilience, openness…,
Q2. So, it partly depends on the application process that is used in the system that you are applying to. Can you tell us a little about how students could evidence their ToK skills & knowledge in a few selected systems please.
US: College Essay. Possibly scholarship interviews ?
UK: Personal Statement, interview if required (Med, Nursing, Arts portfolio ?)
Hong Kong: Personal Statement, interview if required.
Q3: Can ToK be at all helpful when students are studying in HE / at university ?
Understanding how knowledge is made in the subjects that you study underpins all courses in higher education.
Understanding the potential flaws / problems of methodology / knowledge production is increasingly important in all subjects as you progress through the education system.
Particular relevance / pertinence in Humanities, Arts and Social sciences.
Magda's contact details
If you want advice or help with your university application, support with your DP or wider life coaching support you can contact Magda by email at magda@unifymecounselling.com.
Her website is linked here, and her other contact details are in the slide above / left.
Magda will be back soon to give us some help on understanding the role of the DP Core (ToK, CAS & EE) in university applications.
I hope that you found this blog useful, if you have any thoughts, or comments, please leave them in the comments box below.
Stay Toktastic my friends,
Daniel, Bangkok, Sept 23