Month: November 2024

Entering a European university is a dream of many Ukrainian eleventh graders. It is not surprising, as this event gives the applicant access to the best education and provides opportunities to realize their ambitions and dreams.

One of the key stages of applying to universities in Europe is writing a motivation letter and passing an interview. Their purpose is to study the applicant’s personality, reveal his or her motivation, and check whether he or she is suitable for the chosen program of this particular educational institution. There is no room for cookie-cutter answers: universities want to find candidates who are ready to learn, grow, and bring something unique to the community.

Preparing for an interview and writing a motivation letter is a great opportunity for self-discovery. In the process, you can better understand your strengths, clearly articulate your goals, and decide on your chosen profession. This will help you not only impress the admission committee, but also confidently move in the direction of your dreams, knowing why and where you are going.

Preparing for an interview: what to look for

Most university admissions interviews have certain standardized questions. For example, you may be asked about:

• strengths and weaknesses;
• academic interests (What exactly fascinates you in your field? Why did you choose this program?)
• plans for the future.

Take time to think about these topics in advance. It is important to have sincere and specific answers that reflect your true aspirations and motivation.

When answering questions, try to find a balance between confidence and modesty. Exaggerating your accomplishments can give the impression of unconfirmed self-confidence, while being overly modest can come across as a lack of confidence.

Answer clearly and specifically, give real-world examples of your accomplishments, but don’t be afraid to admit that you are still a work in progress. For example, instead of saying, “I am very talented in science,” it is better to talk about a specific project or competition where you achieved a good result.

Don’t forget that not only your words are important in an interview, but also how you say them. Non-verbal communication: posture, gestures, facial expressions — has a significant impact on perception. A smile, light gestures, and an attentive gaze can help create a positive impression of you as someone who is interested in communication and ready to cooperate.

Cover letter: how to stand out among other candidates

Writing a meaningful cover letter is not an easy task, but knowing all the nuances, you can attract the attention of the commission and leave a positive impression.

A clear structure will help you present your thoughts logically and consistently:

1. The beginning. Write a short introduction that immediately outlines why you are interested in this program and university.
2. The main text. In this part, describe your academic achievements, personal qualities, and examples that prove your interest and readiness to study. Support each statement with an example.
3. Conclusion. End your letter with a brief summary in which you emphasize your motivation and readiness to contribute to university life.

The first paragraph should interest the reader. Try to avoid trite phrases like “I have always dreamed of going to this university.” Instead, start with a specific example or event that sparked your interest in your chosen field, for example, “When I first took part in a research paper competition, I realized that science was my calling.”

Remember that a motivation letter is your opportunity to be heard. Write it in such a way that the committee sees you not just as a student, but as a person with a unique experience and a desire to learn and develop.

Preparation is the key to success

The licensed lyceum “My Horizons” in Khmelnytskyi creates all the conditions for our graduates to be ready for the most difficult stages of admission to European universities. We help high school students discover their strengths, learn how to express their thoughts and present themselves confidently.

Thanks to the individual approach and support of our teachers, students not only learn theoretical knowledge, but also develop skills that make them competitive at the international level.

Your future starts here — at the Lyceum, where you are seen, heard and helped to grow.

Ukrainian Language and Writing Week

was, as always, fruitful. Our lyceum students, eager to learn and discover more and more facets of their native language, took part in competitions and creative contests.

Each student of our lyceum, starting from the 5th grade, had the opportunity to test their knowledge in the All-Ukrainian Olympiad in Ukrainian Language and Literature, as well as in the Taras Shevchenko International Language and Literature Competition.

Not only high school students, but also primary school students in grades 3-4 took part in the Yatsyk International Ukrainian Language Competition. The winners will take part in the second stage of the competitions. We are grateful to the wise teachers-mentors who prepared the tasks and supported our students in preparing and holding the competitions.

All-Ukrainian radio dictation of national unity

• is a traditional annual national event dedicated to the Ukrainian language. This year, it was broadcast on Channel One of Ukrainian Radio on the Day of the Ukrainian Language and Writing on 25 October. The radio dictation is called the most massive flash mob of autumn.

At the My Horizons Lyceum, it united teachers and students of grades 7-11 around their native language. Although alarms prevented the dictation, our school family felt a common belonging to the Ukrainian nation, which is extremely important today. Special thanks to 10th grade student Koretska Viorica, who did not give up and managed to finish the dictation in a shelter. This is an example of the strength and endurance of Ukrainian children.

Young scientists of the KhPL ‘My Horizons’ Duda Luiza and Shulhatyi Vadym became participants of the XVII All-Ukrainian Scientific and Practical Conference ‘Ukrainian Language and Nation: Prospects for Development in the Period of Globalisation’, which took place on 29 October 2024 at the Khmelnytsky Institute of IAPM.

Leonid Hryhorovych Bilyi, Director of the Khmelnytsky Institute of IAPM; Olga Vasylivna Finovska, Member of the Board of the Khmelnytsky City Taras Shevchenko Ukrainian Language Society ‘Prosvita’; Deputy Director of the Khmelnytsky Centre for National and Patriotic Education of Children and Youth; writer made welcoming remarks.

The speakers were students and teachers of vocational pre-university and higher education institutions, as well as pupils of general secondary education institutions. The conference facilitated the exchange of views and ideas on topical issues related to the preservation and development of the Ukrainian language in the context of modern globalisation challenges. Students of the 6th grade took part in the game-competition ‘Paths of the Mother Tongue’, during which they demonstrated their erudition, intelligence and ingenuity. Two teams answered questions, solved puzzles and came up with words. They recalled Ukrainian phraseology based on pictures created by AI. They demonstrated their artistic and acting skills by depicting proverbs and sayings with the help of drawings. Everyone contributed to the team’s victory.

Sincere emotions of joy, delight and enthusiasm were in full swing. During the event, the children expressed their thoughts on the importance of enriching their language, nurturing and preserving it, because it is our contribution to the victory, to the age-old struggle for the existence and prosperity of the native word.

The teacher of Ukrainian language and literature Rybchynska O.M. conducted an exemplary lesson in the 5th grade on the topic ‘Noun cases’. During the lesson, the students read proverbs and sayings, quotes from famous people about the importance of language in human life, about how our words affect other people. They discussed why it is so important to preserve the language in modern conditions and how it is connected with the freedom-loving nature of our people.

At the literary performance ‘In the beginning was the Word’, primary school students travelled through the history of Ukrainian writing. They saw how the language developed and how Ukrainian literary traditions were born, from oral art to modern books. Each stage of the story was brought to life by our young actors: girls sang folk songs, a chronicler copied manuscripts by candlelight, and a first printer created his first book. Taras Shevchenko, Lesya Ukrainka, and Ivan Franko addressed future generations with instructions. Lina Kostenko spoke about the deep and imperishable beauty of Ukraine.

The event host stressed that language is the force that unites Ukrainians. She encouraged the audience to read modern and classic literature while travelling, at school, and at home!

The artistic and musical performance ‘The Sixties. Creators of Freedom’ was the final chord of the week of artistic and musical events.

The student actors not only recreated the images of famous artists of the Sixties, but also conveyed the struggle for freedom of speech, cultural identity and truth that the creative intelligentsia waged under the pressure of Soviet censorship.

With this performance, we honoured the memory of the indomitable fighters for Ukrainian identity and reminded them that their contribution remains alive in the hearts of future generations.