The admissions criteria of a school are crucial for applicants as they can help them prepare and highlight their strengths and experiences in their application. Read on to better understand their importance.
Starting tertiary education is an exciting and slightly nerve-wracking new chapter of one’s life. It can make the person anxious about the admissions process: what kinds of things is the education provider looking for?
One of the main factors providers will consider is the prospective student’s alignment with the program admissions criteria. They use different standards and requirements to evaluate applications and decide if the applicant will meet the requirements for the program.
The Engineering Institute of Technology (EIT) is unique because its singular focus is on the exciting discipline of engineering. EIT offers an extensive range of vocational, undergrad, and postgrad courses.
This means that the study pathways at EIT allow you to progress from technician to technologist and then to professional engineer.
But why do tertiary institutions follow this process?
That’s because these admissions criteria are vitally important – not just to maintain the standards of the educational institution, but for students too!
Institutions need to ensure they select the ideal candidates who have the right background required for the program.
Three EIT staff share their insights to shed some light on the importance of admissions criteria and to help make the process a seamless and easy-to-understand one.
Ensuring Suitability for Diverse Educational Backgrounds
EIT has always prioritized diversity and inclusion, reflected in its admissions criteria. It recognizes that engineering is a multidisciplinary field requiring diverse backgrounds and skill sets. For this reason, EIT’s admissions criteria encourage applications from individuals with various educational backgrounds.
Indumathi V, EIT’s Deputy Dean, highlighted that the admissions criteria are benchmarked nationally and internationally and aim to ensure that students’ ability to enter the respective programs has the necessary foundation and capabilities to succeed in their chosen fields.
“Our admissions criteria consider academic qualifications, such as previous educational achievements, relevant professional development, and relevant work experience.
“These criteria help us at EIT assess prospective students’ preparedness and ensure they have the appropriate background knowledge to benefit from the courses offered. It also helps us to reflect on additional support needed for students, if any,” she said.
The institute has set certain criteria to ensure that the courses at EIT suit diverse educational backgrounds. Applicants can come from various fields, provided they meet specific educational requirements, including a minimum qualification and certain levels of English language proficiency.
“EIT’s courses are delivered in English to students in over 140 countries. Therefore, we require all applicants to meet certain levels of English language proficiency to study at EIT and achieve success, noted Caroline Patterson, EIT Accreditation and Compliance Manager.
She said that students would be disadvantaged during their studies without the right English language proficiency level, especially in such a highly technical field. Students will also need the necessary level of English proficiency to communicate with our academic and support staff and fellow students.
By maintaining rigorous admissions criteria, the institution upholds the quality and standards of its programs. It helps ensure that students admitted to their courses have the prerequisite knowledge and skills to engage with the curriculum effectively.
According to the Deputy Dean, this contributes to EIT’s overall mission and goals, which include providing industry-relevant education and training to equip students with practical skills and knowledge that can be applied in real-world engineering and technology settings. It also helps with completion rates in the courses.
EIT fosters alignment with individual strengths and goals by encouraging diverse applicants with various educational backgrounds.
This aligns with EIT’s overall mission and goals, which focus on providing quality education accessible to everyone and preparing professionals for the global engineering industry.
Contributing to the Mission and Goals of EIT
EIT’s admission criteria contribute to the institute’s broader mission and goals. A key aspect of this mission is to provide a solid foundation to aspiring professionals who seek to make a meaningful impact in the engineering industry.
To achieve this, EIT follows a rigorous admissions process to ensure that students entering its engineering courses possess the practical knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in their studies and future careers.
Kamohelo Tsotetsi, a Lead Course Advisor at EIT’s South Africa office, said that anyone interested in studying any of the EIT courses must meet the entry requirements relevant to the course they are interested in.
“Their academic background needs to be related to the course as well. The entry requirements ensure that students excel in their studies as the courses offered at EIT equip them with the knowledge they can immediately apply in their respective work environment,” he said.
Tsotetsi emphasized that student applications are considered on a case-by-case basis, and the minimum entry requirements must be strictly followed.
EIT’s admissions criteria also contribute to the institute’s goal of providing quality education through its accredited engineering programs.
By only accepting students who meet the minimum qualification and experience requirements, EIT can ensure that its students receive a high-quality education aligned with industry standards.
Ensuring Practical Knowledge and Skills for Future Success
EIT strongly focuses on practical knowledge and skills; the institute’s admissions criteria reflect this. The qualifications and experience requirements for admission into EIT’s engineering programs are designed to ensure that students possess the practical knowledge and skills required to succeed in the engineering industry.
“EIT’s admissions framework is applied consistently and fairly by EIT’s Admissions team. Where applicants do not meet the entry criteria for the course they wish to study, one of our Course Advisors will endeavor to help them find a suitable pathway through EIT’s range of courses to help them achieve their academic goals,” noted Patterson.
The experience requirements (where applicable) specifically help to ensure that students have a practical understanding of engineering concepts obtained through work experience. This practical experience is essential to help students apply theoretical concepts in real-world engineering scenarios, which is crucial for success in the industry.
Additionally, EIT’s admission criteria help ensure students have the necessary skills to succeed in their careers. Through the practical knowledge and skills gained during their studies at EIT, students are equipped to enter the workforce with a competitive edge.
“Studying and working simultaneously can be daunting at times,” Tsotetsi said, adding that EIT does its bit to help its students.
First Step to Becoming Visionaries and Inventors
While the admissions criteria are important, students should not let them become a source of stress or pressure. The collegiate environment is one of learning, growth, and exploration. College can be challenging, but it is also an opportunity to develop strengths, make new lifelong friends, and contribute positively to engineering.
Indumathi V noted that the institution can attract committed and motivated students to succeed in their chosen fields by setting admissions criteria. “It helps create a cohort of students likely to thrive in the program, actively contribute to class discussions, collaborate effectively, and ultimately achieve their educational and career goals.”
By approaching the admissions process with an open mind and confidence, students can best position themselves for success. They can take the first step toward becoming visionaries, inventors, and leaders with patience, diligence, and support.
“EIT has a reputation for producing job-ready graduates. Our course entry criteria ensure all students start with the same base level knowledge, which they can build on during their studies at EIT, and ultimately graduate with the required skills and knowledge to contribute to the engineering industry,” concluded Patterson.
And that means you don’t have to be an overachiever in every area. Just be yourself, show them what you’re capable of, and let them know why you’re excited about pursuing a degree in engineering.
You got this!
