The United World Colleges are a group of colleges founded in 1962 by a German visionary by the name Kurt Hahn.
Kurt Hahn was a key figure in the development of experiential education. He was the founder of the the Atlantic College, the first United World College, the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, Gordonstoun, Outward Bound, and Salem.
After the Second World War, Hahn realised that the reason people are going to war is because of the lack of information and understanding about each other - What we now call International understanding.
He realised that the only way to foster this international understanding was to get children from all races, religions, backgrounds to study together, in the idealistic age bracket of 16-19 - and all this on merit scholarships. Therefore, it didn't matter if you were rich or poor. As long as you demonstrated a sufficient will to want to improve the world, or make a change etc - You were UWC material.
The United World Colleges (UWC) were one of the few colleges where you could apply for a scholarship on merit. The criteria was basic. You needed to clear your board exams within a certain cut-off. Beyond that, you had to prove to the selection committee that you are a leader of tomorrow – in some way or the other. It could be your knowledge of current affairs, your passion to follow a certain profession, to your leadership traits, to being someone very passionate about music or sports or dance.
Like most children however, my intention was to get a good stepping stone to go to the United States to study after. This would look very good on the resume!
However, all that changed after I went to UWC. It was here that I changed from being a boy who wanted to extract out what I could, to someone who wanted to change the world, and make it a better place.
The UWC’s were built with the ideal of each student making a positive difference to their world – in some small way or the other.And of the UWC's - The Atlantic College is by far the best (No, I'm not being biased!) Please see the Atlantic College Photo Albums, in the Photos section.
For me, the Atlantic College was a life-altering experience. Its hard to believe that something like that can have such a deep impact on your life - from the way you are as a person, to the way you think and act with others. I can honestly say that I went from being a completely obnoxious, selfish annoying little fool to.. well, I leave that judgement upto you!
Below are a few things I'd written to various people - kids, parents who wanted to know more about the UWCs.
Between that and the Photos section, one can get a much clearer idea of the UWCs.
Atlantic College (http://www.atlanticcollege.org)
UWC (http://www.uwc.org)
Indian Graduate Network
(http://www.uwcindgrad.net/site)
UWC Alumni Pages (http://www.uwc.org/UWCNET)
AC Email directory (http://www.nutoro.com/ac)
__________________________________________________
Hi there. This is Hemanth here. I'm from the Atlantic College (United World
College of the Atlantic) and created this page specially for most of my AC
friends who otherwise wouldn't be able to find me and for all those aspiring
UWC students hoping to make a difference in the world and in people's lives.
Welcome to my pages.
This page deals with certain aspects of The Atlantic College. I have recieved
a lot of emails from prospective students and their parents regarding life
at the most perfect place on earth. PLEASE read these and maybe they can answer
your questions..
-----Original Message-----
Subject: Atlantic College
I am very very interested in attending UWC of the Atlantic. I have read all
the info I can find at the UWC web pages and your responses to some questions
and I was wondering if you could please share some your experiences of the
school( especially about the lifeguarding) and any other info like the application
interview, the grades needed, the programs, the tuition, etc. Anything would
be greatly appreciated. Thanks very much Hemanth for your time.
Hello,
It's good that you've done all your web investigation on the Atlantic College
and I'm glad you dropped by my site.
Well, firstly in India when I applied, we had to have a minimum percent in
our final exams that was required to apply. So grades were not the emphasis.
It was a base requirementa and it was reasonable. I know that there were people
who had far better grades but didn't make the final cut. The UWC's are really
looking for the person with an all rounding character. What can you do to
contribute to the world tomorrow- either as a world leader, as a teacher,
as an environmentalist, as businessperson etc. Why should they invest in you
so to speak, Why are you so special?
The application interview: If its similar to what we had in India, we had
2 days - The first day had a group discussion on a certain issue and they
look to see if you have something intelligent to say and at the the same time
listen and give others opportunities to say something. Don't hog the time
trying to make yourself look good. You end up looking like the fool.
The second day is basically each person interviewed one after the other and
the rest are all around there getting to know each other, playing bonding
games etc.
The tuition: That's the best part of the UWC's. The UWC's were founded on
the principle that students be selected on their abilities and not their parent's
bank balance. So if you are selected, you are either given a full scholarship
or a half scholarship to pay for your time at the Atlantic College.
The teachers there are fantastic. You may have the odd teacher here and there
who though intelligent, is not such a great teacher. But that is rather rare.
The teachers are all very open and all have been put through the tests to
see if THEY are UWC material or not!
LIFEGUARDING! Where to start! Well, when I first came to Wales from India..I
was about 130-140lb...weak as a baby really! And most importantly - I couldn't
swim! Moreover, I was scared of the water- I used to think that Jaws was going
to come out and take me down.. Well, I somehow or the other, managed on the
second try to do my minimum 5 laps and got to go out and see the Lifeguard
induction.
Once I saw it, I made up my mind that I needed to get over this fear and learn
swimming...Why Lifeguards? Why not the Inshore Lifeboats or the Coastguards?
Well if you are out anywhere and someone is in trouble, you don't have boats
and jeeps and ropes and all these things..You really have yourself and your
skills to save someone. That is what the lifeguards were about. We go out
and save someone - On our own.
So after much determined efforts, I got my Surf Life Saving Award and Bronze
Medallion award, British Canoe Union Sea proficiency award and the Advanced
Resuscitation award. I was also made a Kayak instructor which is one of the
harder jobs in lifeguards in terms of physical and mental endurance. So your
hard work is also well paid! And while I always say that the Atlantic College
is the best place in the world, Atlantic College Lifeguards was one of the
best things that happened to me.
The experience: You don't realize it when you enter there..It's not like a
new dimension. Only when you go out in the real world do you realize what
the Atlantic College is - the people there, the late night talks on culture,
race, religion, love, science - Believe it or not - It happens. I'm not some
kind of super intelligent person. I was the same teenager but just in an environment
where you are made to think about such things...think about our yesterday,
our today and what we want to do about our tomorrow...AC is one of the most
phenomenal places in the world..And more so when you leave it!
Studying is obviously important. Everyone realizes that though they are there,
Universities rely on their grades inspite of the fact that you went to a United
World College. So of course, if you get in, all the experiences are great.
But studying is something that is taken seriously. Making friends there comes
rather naturally. Everyone is out there to make you their friend..They want
to know about your city, your country your background, what you did...
And the thing that strikes everyone at AC, is the AMAZING BEAUTY of this campus!
A beautiful 13th century castle, beautiful meadows, 2 pools with 13 century
barracks as a backdrop, Royal gardens, jousting fields, watch towers, a chapel,
the location on a beautiful coast line..I mean, this IS one of the most beautiful
places in the entire world! And you are given a two year pass to live there!
Is that unreal or what!
Well, I hope I've answered some of your questions. Of course, feel free to
ask away if you have more. And of course, all the best...And remember, if
you get in or don't get in, it doesn't take a school for you to go out there
and change the world..but it helps ;)
Hemanth.
________________
Hemanth Meka Rao.
333785, Georgia Tech Station,
Atlanta, GA-30332. USA.
The Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering
ICQ: 879892
hemanth@iname.com
http://welcome.to/hemanth
-----Original Message-----
Subject: Atlantic College Hi,
I'm an aspiring student for Atlantic College and I've been looking at your
page on the web. The whole place looks really cool, but I'm kind of wondering
what the other side of AC is like. Do you think I could ask you some questions
about it? Stuff like; do people take their stereos? What's the food like?
Are there breaks in the middle of term? What's the best, and the worst thing
about AC? Do you have to be extremely physically fit to help with the life-saving
activities? What advice would you give to someone thinking of applying to
AC?
I'll keep this really short since I'm in the middle of exams and leaving
on a conference.
First of all, Atlantic College was the best thing that happened to me. I would
repeat it in an instant as would anyone else who has been there. The place
is gorgeous and the people WANT to know you genuinely.
People do take their stereos! Definitely! It's an integral part of life there.
Food - I thought it was pretty good. In my second year, we got a new kitchen
manager so we would get avacado with shrimp etc. Sometimes if the food wasn't
too good, we'd just go back to the room and make some pasta or ramen or anything
else (I didn't have many cooking skills then!)
I couldn't swim at all when I first went to AC. I could paddle my 4-5 laps
through to go and see the induction (introduction) to the sea-faring activities
- such as the Lifeguards, ILB's and Coastguards. Couldn't even tread water
and was weak as a baby. After joining the Lifeguards (in my opinion, the best-
but MOST physically demanding activity), I learnt to tread water, swim, kayak,
surf, and do all kinds of life-saving techniques. In one year, I was a surfer,
a kayaker, a surf-lifeguard, a kayak lifeguard and a BCU (British Canoe Union)
Sea Proficient kayaker, and would teach the new students kayaking and was
even featured in a newspaper story.
Now all this is glorious -as I would be told when I was in AC...but I never
realized that I put in a lot of hard work and determination into it. So, to
answer your question - No, you don't have to know swimming to become a lifeguard
- but you need a lot of will-power and determination which comes automatically
if you enjoy what you are doing, or enjoy the outcome of doing it... I always
say "I'm a Lifeguard." It's something which will last with you all
your life - on land or water.
Long weekends are your mid-term break..They last from Thursday till Sunday
and happen about once every term. But there are other kinds of breaks as well.
Since you live in Wales, it isn't that much of a trek, but I would advise
you to have your parents or friends come down and be with you for the weekend,
rather than you go up. They'll enjoy it and you enjoy showing off!
It wasn't hard to adjust - everyone became family and friends to you immediately.
Any advice? Just do it...Do you want to see the world ? Or do you want to
be in stuck in your hometown all your life?
The whole experience changes you to a smart, intelligent well-rounded person.
The only bad thing about the AC/UWC experience is that it only lasts 2 years!
I have honestly been thinking -Hmm, what is the bad thing about AC since people
ask me that question all the time - And I always come up with only one answer...It's
too short.
Going back to short, I told myself that I'd keep this short, but I get so
involved when I talk about AC that I could just go on and on and on!
Well, I hope I've answered your initial questions Yes, please feel free to
email me or call me (though it may be expensive so I advise against it!) or
any other form of communication. I hope my webpage was a little informative.
In the mean time, apply and see what the outcome is because this is one wave
you don't want to miss.
Take care,
Hemanth.
________________
Hemanth Meka Rao.
333785, Georgia Tech Station,
Atlanta, GA-30332. USA.
The Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering
ICQ: 879892
hemanth@iname.com
http://www.theoffice.net/hemanth
-----Original Message-----
To: hemanth@iname.com
Date: Friday, May 01, 1998 11:38 AM
Subject: Feedback on AC Pros and cons
Dear Hemanth,
While surfing looking for info on AC found your page and thought you may be
best to guide me on pros and cons of an IB course at AC.
My daughter has just been informed of her selection with full scholarship
at AC .I am of course very happy and proud that she has achieved this but
there are a couple of points I want to understand . The main one relates to
difficulty of getting reccomendations/scholarships for further studies in
Universities , and why this is so .
Also I find many ex UWC students take a Gap Year and I want to understand
why . After all it is loss of a year .
Also IB courses are difficult but how difficult ?
Your honest feedback on your total experience and if/how it has helped you
would be appreciated .
We are anyway also planning to visit the College next week as we are on vacation
and want to know reasonable places to stay in /around the Campus .
Would look forward to your email reply as we want to consider all aspects
before taking a decision on this .
I would also like to compliment you on your home pages construction, content
,links et al . Good show. What are you doing now.
Lets follow this through .
Cheers
It was a surprise to hear from an email which I wasn't familiar with but
I'm glad you wrote.
As you already probably know, I went to the United World College of the Atlantic
from 1994-1996. The experience is still fresh in my memory, inspite of the
fact that it has been almost two years since I was there. I was apprehensive
as well to go. I know one parent did not want his son to go and that I think
was the worst decision a parent could make for a child. In today's world,
where cultures are meeting at a heady pace, on the internet, at work etc,
there is the need for people to come together. And that is what AC is great
for.
I can actually sit here and type continuously for 3-4 hours about why you
should send your daughter to AC. But you probably want to hear something different.
Q: Atlantic College is in Britain. Can you handle your daughter being so far
away for 4-6 months?
A: Your daughter is being given the chance of a lifetime - not just a scholarship..but
a chance to meet people from countries our parents would never have dreamt
of meeting. Rwandans, Bosnians, Norwegians and about 70 others..have friends
all over the world and learn leadership, understanding and about anything
else.
I studied in Mumbai as well...I went to Campion School and my sister studied
at JB and Cathedral. But inspite of the top education in Mumbai, Atlantic
College is just on a level that cannot be compared.
My mother was a little apprehensive. She didn't want me to go away-she would
miss me too much. It was extremely hard on my entire family since we are extremely
close-knit. But my parents let me go because they knew that it would be the
best choice for me. Do you want your daughter to be like the other kids standing
outside college wasting life away, when she could discover new things for
herself and be formed into someone the future would be proud of? If she stays
in her present school, what more can she learn that she hasn't already?
To answer your questions:
i) AC lets students apply to about 5-6 Universities in the US (and normally
they tend to get in). This is because they need to have enough recommendations
to all the students who apply. In the last few years, a large number have
applied and gotten into Universities in the United Kingdom, from Oxford and
Cambridge to Imperial, Kings etc. And the SAT's are also held by the Atlantic
College.
With respect to scholarships and financial aid - that is actually due to the
fact that the students who apply to Britain have a harder time. With regards
to the States, a large number receive aid. Again, that depends on your financial
status and not AC. I was accepted into 3 of my top 4 choices.
ii) Gap year: I know lots of parents who get worried that their children want
to take a year off.
I myself went straight to University. A lot of my friends did take the year
off.. Some enjoyed it thoroughly, some got bored after 3-4 months. The reason
for this is because once University starts, your whole life is a blur after
that. University, graduation, job, work, family...
For many people this is the ideal time to do the things they may not be able
to do later on in life.
Some people tour the world, some people work for children's support groups
in third world countries, some people work on Outward Bound programs. It really
is something different and is a good experience because it teaches students
a lot about life and being in the real world, which University doesn't always
prepare you for.
iii) The IB concentrates on your allround balance, which is why I think it
is a great curriculum. If I didn't have my Economics, English and Japanese
as subsidiary subjects, my Math, Chemistry and Physics higher would have killed
me. The course is good because it is spread out over the 2 years to some extents.
iv) I'm very glad you are going to visit the Atlantic College. It is one of
the most beautiful places and when my parents came there, they fell in love
with it. If you call the Office of the Director of Studies (SCO- Student Counselling
Office), they can give you a list of places to live close by. There is one
exceptional place which is something like a little castle, but very good prices.
I forget the name but it is halfway between the college and Llantwit Major
(They should be able to identify it if you say that).
I know I have not answered your questions at length which is what I'd like
to do. However, time does play the devil in this case. I am presently studying
Mechanical Engineering and Economics at Georgia Tech, in Atlanta, USA. The
Engineering program is rated as high as MIT and Stanford, yet keeping the
temperature and tuition costs at a comfortable and affordable level.
This is your chance to give your daughter the chance of a lifetime. My parents
say that it was one of their best decisions to send me to AC - And I don't
mean any United World College...I mean The Atlantic College. I hope you make
the right decision based on your daughters future. And I know you will make
the right decision.
My parents live near Samudra Mahal, in Bungalow 3, Madhuli. Please feel free
to ask my parents questions parents like to ask! They are Dr. and Mrs. Rao
and can be reached at 4933443 or 4936416.
Thank you for giving me the chance to narrate part of my experience. I've
only really answered your questions and looked at it from a parents point
of view. Feel free to email me again and if your daughter wishes to know more,
she can write to me as well. All the best, Hemanth.
________________
Hemanth Meka Rao.
333785, Georgia Tech Station,
Atlanta, GA-30332. USA.
The Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering
ICQ: 879892
hemanth@iname.com
http://www.theoffice.net/hemanth
