Admission 2019: take the first step towards a successful career
In the upcoming days, the university will be filled with agitated applicants. The excitation of young people is quite understandable: they will have to undergo serious competition and win in a fair fight, and some will have to go through entrance examinations
We asked Andrei V. Zazykin, the secretary-in-charge of the Admissions Commission, to tell us more about the applicants and get a few tips for those who have not yet made the choice.
— Is interest in SPbGASU growing?
— Yes, the number of applications is going up, including those from other countries, especially from the CIS and developing countries.
— So, the University’s reputation is growing not only in Russia, but also in the world, isn’t it?
— The growth of SPbGASU profile in Russia can be traced by ratings, in which the university rises by several positions every year. Partnerships with foreign universities and companies, activities of the deans of faculties, participation in international programs, e.g., the Russian-Finnish SAFECON project, are actively developing, contributing to the university’s standing.
Our students participate in international competitions, double degree programs, summer international schools and practical field training. Foreign universities, general public and applicants learn more the high level of education at SPbGASU; young people are willing to study at our university.
— Have the ways of obtaining information about the university by nonresident applicants improved?
— We actively use IT-technologies: promotion of the university in social networks, conducting thematic webinars, opening of our channel on YouTube, posting information on educational and specialized portals, updating and saturating the university website with information. Presence in social networks is becoming the main way to advertise a university. Parents of applicants also actively use the Internet, and the choice of profession often occurs under their influence.
— The SPbGASU Department of Educational Quality Assessment conducted a sociological survey and found that 35% of applicants chose our university by their parents or friends’ advice. Do you think it is worthwhile for an entrant to listen to such advice or is it better to make a choice on their own?
— If parents have professional connection to the construction industry, this would be an opinion of experts. They would be able to explain to their children the pros and cons of the future profession. It seems to me that in this case, it is necessary to listen to the opinion of the parents. However, it also is necessary to take into account personal inclinations. In some cases, parents want their son or daughter to become an architect, but they do not understand how difficult it is to master this specialty. If a young man does not like the profession that parents recommend, then it will be difficult to study at the university.
Choosing a future specialty takes effort. It is necessary to study the content and perspectives of the profession, properly assess your strengths, and select a university that provides a quality education.
— The same study says that 38% of first-graders did not attend our university until the application.
— As the matter of fact, the percentage of nonresident applicants at St. Petersburg universities is very high: up to 70% on the average. We have even more. Local graduates need to be ready for tough competition. It is difficult for young people from distant regions to come to St. Petersburg, but some travel agencies organize orientation trips for schoolchildren to visit St. Petersburg universities. We cooperate with such travel agencies, show the university to nonresident children, tell about its history and present, as well as about the professions that they can obtain here.
— Does SPbGASU offer applicants new training areas?
— Yes. From the new ones, I would single out three new areas.
✔ First, it is the “Landscape Architecture,” admission to which will be held for the third time. So far, training here is only on the tuition fee basis.
✔ Second, it is the “Housing and Communal Infrastructure.” This year, the university has been allocated 25 state-funded seats in this specialization.
✔ And, thirdly, the “Restoration.” So far, training is only provided on a tuition-fee base, but for 2020, SPbGASU has already got state-funded seats for both the “Landscape Architecture” and “Restoration” specializations.
— Will there be any changes in the operation of the Admission Commission?
— Presently, the “Online Account of the Applicant” system is under testing. With its help, the application for admission to the university is formed. So far, certain errors occur in its operation. We hope that by June 20, those will be eliminated and applicants will be able to use their Online Accounts, which will simplify the application procedure. The idea is to replace the physical presence of an applicant with their electronic accounts, with the possibility of remote formal processing. This requires the use of electronic signature, and we are thinking how to make it available.
— Many people want to become architects or builders, but the university conducts training in a variety of other training areas demanded by employers.
— The name of “St. Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering” imposes an imprint; many people choose a higher education institution just because of it. On the one hand, this is correct. SPbGASU has been training specialists for nearly two centuries in the field of architecture and construction and has gained a lot in professional terms.
In the construction industry, not only architects and builders work, but also lawyers and economists. The transport industry, mechanical engineering are closely connected with it: it is difficult to imagine any construction site without technology. Most of the training areas implemented at our university are connected with the construction one way or another. This allows us to achieve a synergistic effect: the students study related disciplines taught at a high professional level. For example, economists and managers go through “Construction Materials” and “Construction Technology”, and builders learn “Construction Economics.” In the result, the graduates become highly qualified specialists.
— What would you recommend applicants who still hesitate with the choice of university??
— It is perfectly normal to hesitate before making an important decision in life. This means that the person is serious about the choice of profession and the decision will be conscious. An enthusiastic student will never abandon studying and will ultimately succeed. There is not too much time left to make the choice, but it could be used to good advantage. I would advise to study the websites of universities, read about specialties, and answer the main question: “Do I want to work in this profession?”
— This is not an easy task for a young man
— Yes, this is one of those cornerstone choices that each of us has to make and which would then impact the entire life. There are not too many other choices like this, and it takes time and effort to make the right one.
— What would you wish to those who decide in favor of SPbGASU?
— Successfully pass the competitive selection and find your name in the order for enrollment. And then, take the first step towards a successful career.
Interviewed by Elena Shulgina
✔ Learn everything about admission in 2019