LUMS Organises Summer Camp for 300+ NOP Applicants

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LUMS Organises Summer Camp for 300+ NOP Applicants

August 01, 2012

The LUMS campus is buzzing with activity and excitement, as the National Outreach Programme (NOP) applicants can be seen rushing across the academic block from one class to another. Shortlisted applicants have been invited on campus to attend coaching sessions on academics and personal development to fully equip them to do their best at the rigorous LUMS admission test.

One of the unique features of the LUMS National Outreach Programme (NOP) is that the pool of applicants is constructed nearly two years before admission (soon after the announcements of Matriculation results). High achieving students, particularly from remote parts of the country, and from the most economically constrained households are invited to apply to the programme. A shortlist is prepared from these applicants who are then invited to come to LUMS for a two-week Summer Coaching Camp during which they are taken through an intense and extensive test-preparation, life coaching, and motivational sessions. The Summer Coaching Camp also includes interviews and assessment tests, based on which a large proportion of those attending would be invited to appear in the LUMS admission test next year. The Summer Camp is funded by LUMS as part of it's NOP initiative, including board and food for those attending from out of town (this year, partial support for some training sessions has also been received from the US Educational Foundation-Pakistan).

This year, 337 very eager and enthusiastic applicants are attending the coaching sessions, oblivious of the heat and dehydration in Ramadan. On campus accommodation has been provided to applicants from outside Lahore. The LUMS management arranged a special session to welcome the group on July 29. They were also given an orientation of the campus and facilities. The coaching sessions commenced on July 30 and will continue till August 8, 2012.

A typical day starts with an Open Session conducted by either by a senior LUMS faculty member, the Deans or the VC. The Open Session comprises a motivational, interactive lecture on a different topic or issue each day. Students have been divided into 8 sections for these sessions which are 120 minutes long and start in the morning and go on till the evening. LUMS students are instructors for these sessions, covering 6 subjects; Verbal English, General Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Advanced Mathematics. Also, special efforts are being directed at providing mentorship and guidance to these candidates to improve their chances of admission and later adjustment at LUMS.

The NOP, which was launched in 2001, seeks scholars from extremely deserving backgrounds from the underprivileged areas of the country, representing the majority of the country’s population. Through this programme, students have been successfully inducted from all the provinces of Pakistan, including places like Rawlakot, Okara, Narowal, Rahim Yar Khan, Gojra, Bannu, and Mastung to name a few. They belong to families sustaining themselves on an income of less than PKR 250,000 per year. An education at LUMS brightens up their career prospects and puts them on the track for securing a better future for themselves and their families.

NOP scholars have proved their mettle at LUMS. The performance of the NOP scholars has been extremely encouraging as most have done exceptionally well both academically and in extracurricular activities, which reflects their ambitious drive. Of the 518 NOP scholars inducted to date, 145 have graduated and 11 have been awarded the Fulbright scholarship. Amongst those who have graduated, some have received fellowships to join top universities such as Harvard University, National University of Singapore, Cornell University, Columbia University, Georgia Tech, and Ohio Lakehead University. Those who have opted to work have been recruited by leading companies like Unilever, Procter & Gamble, Bank Alfalah, United Bank Limited, Standard Chartered Bank, Deloitte, UK and Alghanim Industries (Kuwait). They are not only eager to turn this opportunity into a life changing experience for themselves, but are also keen on improving the conditions of their families and communities in the process.

It should be noted that NOP is only one type of financial assistance available to LUMS students. Those not short-listed during the Summer Coaching Camp may also be considered for the programme if they meet its criteria, and all students can apply to various financial aid opportunities available. Since inception, the University has been proud to offer generous financial aid packages to qualifying students in all its degree programmes. To-date, nearly PKR 1.9 billion has been disbursed to LUMS students in financial assistance. Last year more than Rs. 350 million were distributed as financial aid in various forms, nearly Rs. 135 million of it in the NOP initiative.