Gradesmatch

👩‍🎓💉Why Gradesmatch Students Choose to Study Medicine: Reasons & Ambitions💉👩‍🎓

We've been exploring the deep motivation behind why our Gradesmatch students choose Medicine. We've learnt a lot from student stories like Phumudzo over the past 5 years, see: https://youtu.be/w31A7kXoaIk 🏥💉

In summary, this is what we've learnt so far (and more):

1. A Passion to Help and Heal Others ❤️:
Many students are driven by altruism, viewing Medicine as a way to "add value into people's lives" and make a tangible difference in the world 🌟.

2. Influenced by Personal Health Experiences 🛏️:
Personal interactions with the healthcare system often inspire students to pursue Medicine. For instance, students who had frequent childhood hospital visits developed a passion for the Medical field early in their development 🏥 .

3. Addressing Community and Social Needs 🏡:
Students are motivated by the opportunity to fill healthcare gaps in their communities, especially in underserved areas, aiming to improve access and equity in healthcare services 🌐.

4. Pursuit of Personal and Professional Growth 🚀:
The field of Medicine offers vast growth opportunities. Students are looking to practice medicine and specialize and possibly venture into business to further impact their communities through job creation and economic enhancement 💼.

5. Fulfilling a Personal Calling 🌟:
For most students, Medicine is a destiny. They feel called to use their knowledge to "alleviate, heal, and save lives," profoundly impacting society 🙌.

Becoming a doctor is driven by a mix of personal passion and the vision to effect societal change. These future doctors are not just aiming to treat illnesses but to transform healthcare landscapes 🎓.

See more on this Medicine series here: https://shorturl.at/ijtGL

Bridge student: Phumudzo Sathuma - MBChB Medicine (Stellenbosch University) Bridge - by Gradesmatch: Student's experience working with the Bridge App. www.bridgeapp.co.za - Powered by Gradesmatch. 2023 Matric Class.

👩‍🎓💊 Navigating Financial Trade-Offs: The Cost for Prospective Medical Students in South Africa | Part 4 💉👩‍🎓

The financial hurdles faced by prospective medical students in South Africa might seem insignificant. However, these obstacles are daunting and all too real for many aspirant Doctors, especially given the fierce competition for the fewer than 3,000 first-year spots available nationwide each year.

We've just released another blog, sharing and exploring the pre-university financial barriers for prospective Medics in South Africa. See: https://shorturl.at/tDQZ1


https://youtu.be/TlbUZ_aCMsA?si=CG1M8OgxfLFzVVgc

Bridge student: Iviwe Ntlangwini - MBChB Medicine (University of Cape Town) Bridge - by Gradesmatch: Student's experience working with the Bridge App. www.bridgeapp.co.za - Powered by Gradesmatch. 2022 Matric Class.

👩‍🎓💉The Road to Medical School Through Excellent Grade 11 Performance | Part 3 💉👩‍🎓

In the highly competitive world of Medical School admissions in South Africa, Grade 11 marks hold immense significance as they pave the way for a promising future in Healthcare.

Recognising the significance of academic achievement, especially in Grade 11, is crucial for those aspiring to enter the medical profession.

We've been putting together a Medicine Blog series, exploring the high standards required for entry into South Africa’s prestigious Medical Schools, and spotlighting the transformative role of Gradesmatch in bridging the gap between ambition and admission.

Blogs here > https://bridgeapp.co.za/2024/04/19/the-road-to-medical-school-through-excellent-grade-11-performance-3/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfWnSPtESqM

Bridge student: Tshwanelo Mokooe - MBChB Medicine (Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University) Bridge - by Gradesmatch: Student's experience working with the Bridge App. www.bridgeapp.co.za - Powered by Gradesmatch. 2022 Matric Class.

🎓🩺 Enabling Access to Medical Education in SA | 2 🩺🎓

"...I wanted to increase the number of Medical Doctors in my area." - Mpho

We have another doctor in the making 😊.

Thanks to the support from our partners, The Trevor Noah Foundation, Mpho is now pursuing her Bachelor of Medicine & Bachelor of Surgery degree at Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, aiming to bring important medical services back to her hometown.

Mpho's journey is a powerful narrative on the critical role of early student support. It showcases the transformative impact of eliminating financial barriers and providing access to essential educational resources and technology.

🔗 Watch how Gradesmatch has been pivotal in opening the doors of opportunity for Mpho and many others in pursuing a career in Medicine: https://youtu.be/xNpooAhUl8o

Bridge student: Mpho Menyo - MBChB Medicine (Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University) Bridge - by Gradesmatch: Student's experience working with the Bridge App. www.bridgeapp.co.za - Powered by Gradesmatch. 2023 Matric Class.

🎓🩺 Enabling Access to Medical Education in SA 🩺🎓

At Gradesmatch, we steadfastly commit to making quality education accessible and equitable. We believe that everyone deserves a shot at their dream career, regardless of their background. This belief drives our mission, especially in challenging areas like Medical School entry in South Africa.

We're excited to share the inspiring journey of students like Lebogang, a beacon of hope and determination. Despite significant financial hurdles and competitive entry barriers into Medical Schools in SA, Lebogang's dream of studying Medicine is becoming a reality.

🌟 Future Medical Doctors in numbers 🌟:
500+ Medical students have been placed so far through our BridgeApp
27.3% > Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University
19.8% > University of Cape Town
13.1% > University of KwaZulu-Natal
11.5% > Walter Sisulu University
7.9% > University of Pretoria
7.5% > Stellenbosch University
6.3% > University of the Witwatersrand..and others.

What's also exciting about this cohort is that 63% are female students. This high-level data is more than just numbers; it tells stories of dreams realised, barriers broken, and futures transformed. Our collaboration with Provincial Education Departments, Funders, and Higher Learning Institutions has been instrumental in this journey and other stories.

🎥 Discover more about Lebogang's inspiring story here:
https://youtu.be/mn-gMmRJjqk

This is just one of the many that drive us. By leveraging data-centric solutions, we aim to continue breaking down barriers to education, one student at a time.

Bridge student: Lebogang Matentse - MBChB Medicine (Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University) Bridge - by Gradesmatch: Student's experience working with the Bridge App. www.bridgeapp.co.za - Powered by Gradesmatch. 2023 Matric Class.

Gradesmatch

We're still building towards our 2025 goal for our special project: STEM Career Guidance & University Entry for Girls.

We still believe that any girl from an underserved community can dream, plan, and achieve their goal of becoming an Aeronautical Engineer, Software Developer, Mathematician, Marine Biologist, Electro-mechanical Engineer, Neuroscientist or any type of scientist with the best support structure that exposes them opportunities beyond their current realities.

We expect to transition specifically 15 000 girls from underserved communities to STEM qualifications through the Girls STEM programme by 2025. The transition also includes monitoring the students as they complete their post-secondary education. After graduating, the project's student success component is expected to provide economic opportunities to more than 15 000 women after the first three years of the deployment.

The three critical pillars of the project inspired by the SDGs are:
1. End all forms of discrimination..: We aim to end girls’ discrimination starting at home by socialising the idea of girls pursuing STEM career pathways. You can listen to these throwback radio interviews for our STEM career awareness drive: https://on.soundcloud.com/22AoZ
https://on.soundcloud.com/MZoMZ

2. Enhance the use of enabling technology…: The training and exposure of girls to the Gradesmatch & Bridge Programmes inherently introduce students to advanced use of technology for research and education purposes, enabling access to quality post-secondary education.

3. Ultimately, Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities…: In the long term, the result of the first 15K girls who will enter HLIs is that post-graduating, they will unlock over $220M per annum in graduate income, ensuring their participation in the economy.



https://youtu.be/t6LG9e7wbns

Gradesmatch: STEM Career Guidance & University Entry for girls project

University Application Sponsorship worth R2250

BridgeApp by Gradesmatch is offering a sponsorship worth R2 250 to assist with University applications and application fees for Township-Rural schools.

BridgeApp sponsors you to apply and manage University & Bursary applications from one central location, ensuring that all the admin is managed centrally from the application start until the first day of registration at the university.

The sponsorship is mainly for institutions that will be open until the end of October. Click the link below to see if you qualify

http://brg.mobi/kkaufwuy

Bridge App - Let us help you with your university applications Using our Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) technology, Bridge assists learners in finding out where they stand the best chance of getting accepted for their dream qualifications; prioritizing all the higher learning institutions according to learners location, preference and academic perfor...

Driving equitable access to quality education is one of our core pillars at Gradesmatch, and we're excited to open more opportunities for youth to enter higher learning institutions.

At the end of August, we celebrated our 20 000 applications milestone, with more than 2 560 provisional acceptances already released by universities across the country.

We're still super excited about the prospect of unlocking more education & finance opportunities for students in Africa and ultimately reaching our 100 000 per annum student transitioning milestone.

You can track the stories of our current university students here >>
https://bridgeapp.co.za/stories/

Yesterday marked the completion of the first half of the national university application cycle (April-July), and we're thrilled to have set our own new record by centrally processing 15 558 applications through the BridgeApp. What's more intriguing are the 1 640 provisionally accepted applications and early offers for our 2022 cohort.

As we enter the final applications stretch (August-November), we are eager to collaborate with more corporates and education-focused organisations that are mission-driven to meet our annual student transitioning objective of 100 000 p.a. [[email protected]]

We're also eager to engage with organisations interested in joining us in our annual STEM for Girls programme, which aims to increase education and economic opportunities in STEM pathways for young women.

Watch Thobja Racheku's tale, who is pursuing a BSc in Astrophysics & Physics degree at the University of Cape Town, for updates on the project's progress: https://lnkd.in/dMW4rApz

Bridge student: Thobja Gracious Racheku - BSc Astrophysics (University of Cape Town) Bridge - by Gradesmatch: Learner's experience working with the Bridge App. www.bridgeapp.co.za - Powered by Gradesmatch. 2021 Matric Class.

On the 30th of June, we celebrated our 10 000 applications milestone, with 1 475 provisionally acceptances already released by universities.

We're looking forward to unlocking more education & finance opportunities for students across the continent and ultimately reaching our 100 000 per annum student transitioning milestone.

You can track the stories of our current university students here >>
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTr6gURuw0BQ_I7s51-2Wjg/videos

We’re closing our youth month with Sanele Shange, another Velabahleka high school alumni. 😊

Sanele is from our 2020 cohort and is currently studying towards a BCom Information Systems degree at University of Cape Town, UCT Department of Information Systems Department.

As a technology enthusiast who is passionate about computer systems and coding, Sanele decided a pathway in technology was best for him in preparation for solving challenging problems in the future.

Watch how Sanele’s story is unfolding, from Velabahleka high school to University of Cape Town enabled by Gradesmatch

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKkz-8X9sTY

Bridge student: Sanele Shange - BCom Information System (University of Cape Town) Bridge - by Gradesmatch: Learner's experience working with the Bridge App. www.bridgeapp.co.za - Powered by Gradesmatch. 2020 Matric Class.

We have ANOTHER doctor in the making 😊 !!!

Equitable access to quality education is one of our core pillars, and we're excited that we're opening more opportunities for youth to enter higher learning institutions.

Meet Lifa Shangase from our 2020 corhort, now a second-year Medical student at University of Cape Town, UCT Faculty of Health Sciences. Lifa has one of the most inspiring stories of grit and hard work that we’ve come across. At 16 years old, Lifa matriculated at Velabahleke High School (KZN); achieving a 100% in Mathematics, 96% in Physics, and an 89% in Life Sciences.

Like most Medicine students, Lifa has been dreaming about being a doctor since childhood, and we’re glad we’ve been part of his journey.

Watch how Lifa's story is unfolding, from Velabahleke High School to University of Cape Town enabled by Gradesmatch with the support from Sahluko Sithole.

https://youtu.be/bwGaPNHSlm0

Bridge student: Lefa Shangase - Bachelor of Medicine & Bachelor of Surgery (University of Cape Town) Bridge - by Gradesmatch: Learner's experience working with the Bridge App. www.bridgeapp.co.za - Powered by Gradesmatch. 2020 Matric Class.

We have a doctor in the making 😊.

Meet Kimberly Botha, one of the future doctors from our 2021 Matric cohort. Kimberly is originally from Upington in the Northern Cape province. She is now pursuing a Bachelor of Medicine & Bachelor of Surgery degree that she’s been dreaming about since childhood.

Equitable access to quality education is one of our core pillars at Gradesmatch and we're excited that we're opening more opportunities for youth to enter higher learning institutions, particularly young people who are pursuing scarce skills-based career pathways.

Watch how Gradesmatch has unlocked the Medicine opportunity for Kimberly.

https://youtu.be/xPf8nFdQziI

Bridge student: Kimberly Botha - Bachelor of Medicine & Surgery (Walter Sisulu University) Bridge - by Gradesmatch: Learner's experience working with the Bridge App. www.bridgeapp.co.za - Powered by Gradesmatch. 2021 Matric Class.

June is Youth month in South Africa. As part of our for 2022, we will be sharing 10 inspiring stories of young people pursuing their dreams at higher learning institutions.

First up is Makwena Moloto, a future Economist from Tembisa in Gauteng. Makwena matriculated from Tembisa Secondary School in 2020 and is already in her second year at University of Cape Town, pursuing a BCom Economics degree.

Equitable access to quality education is one of our core pillars at Gradesmatch and we're excited that we're opening more opportunities for youth to enter higher learning institutions.

Watch how Makwena's story is unfolding, from Tembisa to Cape Town enabled by the BridgeApp.

https://youtu.be/9DjIqS2EeUA

Bridge student: Makwena Moloto - BCom Ecomonics (University of Cape Town) Bridge - by Gradesmatch: Learner's experience working with the Bridge App. www.bridgeapp.co.za - Powered by Gradesmatch. 2021 Matric Class.

We wrap up the month of May with Thando Thabethe's impact story. Thando is from Siyabonga Secondary School, a Khulani School of The Trevor Noah Foundation. She is currently in her second year, studying towards a BCom (Philosophy, Politics & Economics) degree at University of Cape Town. Watch how Thando's journey has been unfolding from Braamfischerville to UCT, enabled by The Trevor Noah Foundation.

Thando's story highlights how university application fees and access to technology can hinder equitable access to quality education. Her story is also a testimony of how early student support is essential for a successful and seamless transition from secondary school to tertiary education.

We're excited that we were part of Thando's journey to fulfil her dream of studying at University of Cape Town.






https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNt0qbr7vRQ&t=6s

Bridge student: Thando Thabethe - BCom Philosophy, Politics & Ecomonics (University of Cape Town) Bridge - by Gradesmatch: Learner's experience working with the Bridge App. www.bridgeapp.co.za - Powered by Gradesmatch. 2020 Matric Class.

Equitable access to quality education is one of our core pillars at Gradesmatch. Funding quality education for learners from underserved communities is still a significant barrier to entry into tertiary education. We're excited that we were part of the journey to unlock private funding for Thato Kolobe to fulfil her dream of studying at the University of Cape Town this year.

Thato is one of the 2022 beneficiaries of the prestigious Naspers bursary, and she forms part of 3 141 learners from underserved schools that we unlocked funding for the 2022 academic year.

Thato is from Eqinisweni Secondary School, a Khulani School of the The Trevor Noah Foundation. She is currently in her first year, studying towards a Bachelor of Business Science (Actuarial Science) degree at the University of Cape Town. Watch how Thato's journey has been unfolding from Thembisa to UCT supported by the The Trevor Noah Foundation



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fbir_WLIK8

Bridge student: Thato Kolobe - BBusSc Actuarial Science (University of Cape Town) Bridge - by Gradesmatch: Learner's experience working with the Bridge App. www.bridgeapp.co.za - Powered by Gradesmatch.2021 Matric Class.

We always encourage students to know their "Big Why". Why do I want to pursue the pathway I've selected? Why does it really matter that I study X qualification in the long term? Gift Mapampule has one of the most interesting "Whys" for her study option.

Gift is from Siyabonga Secondary School, a Khulani School of The Trevor Noah Foundation (Bram Fischerville - GP). She is currently in her second year, studying towards a BSc Occupational Therapy degree at the University of Cape Town. Gift is one of many inspirational young women in STEM who are keen to come back to their community to apply their skills post-graduation.

Watch how Gift’s journey has been unfolding from Soweto to the University of Cape Town supported by the The Trevor Noah Foundation.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1UZJZfMUjU

Bridge student: Gift Mapampule - BSc Occupational Therapy (University of Cape Town) Bridge - by Gradesmatch: Learner's experience working with the Bridge App. www.bridgeapp.co.za - Powered by Gradesmatch. 2020 Matric Class.

Our Gradesmatch May students are powered by The Trevor Noah Foundation. One of the most inspiring stories that we’ve come across is Fatuwani Mukwenda’s story.

Fatuwani is from Eqinisweni Secondary School, a Khulani School of the The Trevor Noah Foundation (Ivory Park - GP)- . She is currently studying towards a BSc in Mathematical Stats & Comp. Science degree at the University of Cape Town. She is one of many young women in STEM from our Bridge programme that we’re tracking for workforce pipeline across all in-demand STEM career pathways in South Africa.

Our BHAG for our internal young women in STEM programme is to assist 15 000 young women from rural-township communities to obtain STEM qualifications by 2025. The transition also includes monitoring the students as they complete their post-secondary education. After graduating, the project’s university entry component is expected to provide economic opportunities to more than 15 000 women after the first three years of the deployment.

See how Fatuwani discovered Bridge by Gradesmatch and her journey to the University of Cape Town.



https://youtu.be/aM3Y_NbGF9Y

Bridge student: Fatuwani Mukwenda- BSc Mathematical Stats & Comp. Science (University of Cape Town) Bridge - by Gradesmatch: Learner's experience working with the Bridge App. www.bridgeapp.co.za - Powered by Gradesmatch.2021 Matric Class.

Last week we started our 2022 season of with a tribute to our partner school teachers that are committed to preparing our country’s future workforce. This week we shift our focus to looking at our students pursuing studies in Law and the barriers to entry.

Over the last 5 years, we’ve built technologies (Gradesmatch, Gradesmatch Learn, Bridge, Bridge Marketplace etc.) that enable the smooth transition from schooling to higher learning institutions and skills-based programmes.

We've discovered how challenging it is to gain access to high-quality postsecondary education opportunities, despite significant efforts by some institutions to disseminate information. Finances (application fees, assessment fees, registration fees), ICT divide, family dynamics, academic resources, and psychosocial support are just a few of the barriers to a smooth transition for students; and it is precisely these barriers that we are addressing for thousands of learners in South Africa like Anele.

Anele Xaba , is currently studying towards an LLB degree at the University of the Witwatersrand. We’re well on track with our 3-year target of transitioning more students, especially from underserved schools, to in-demand career pathways with a high probability of access to economic opportunities post-graduation.

See how Anele discovered Gradesmatch Bridge and her journey to Wits.



https://lnkd.in/eD2vaABE

Bridge student: Anele Xaba - LLB Law (Wits University) Bridge - by Gradesmatch: Student's experience working with the Bridge App. www.bridgeapp.co.za - Powered by Gradesmatch. 2021 Matric Class!

Gradesmatch are back :). Our 2022 season opener is a tribute to our partner school teachers who work tirelessly, preparing our country’s future workforce. According to the School Teacher Supply and Demand in South Africa research, retiree attrition will cause a significant teacher shortage in the coming decade.

Almost half of all teachers are 50 or older, making it difficult to replace the enormous number retiring in the coming decade. New teacher appointments in public schools may need to nearly double to make up for the loss.

Keletso Shai from Burgersfort (Limpopo)- , currently studying Bachelor of Education degree at the Wits - University of the Witwatersrand, is one of many students from our programme who will help solve the qualified teacher shortage in the coming decade. We’re developing a workforce pipeline across all in-demand career pathways in South Africa and we can’t wait to share the stories of our students.

See how Keletso discovered Bridge by Gradesmatch and her journey to Wits.



https://youtu.be/HVPEv3iFJLY

Keletso Shai: Bachelor of Education (University of the Witwatersrand) Bridge - by Gradesmatch: Student's experience working with the Bridge App. www.bridgeapp.co.za - Powered by Gradesmatch. 2021 Matric Class!

Data-driven decision-making for student wrap-around services

Over the last 5 years, we've collected critical data through Bridge to improve student preparation and academic outcomes during the first year of postsecondary education.

We continuously imagine a world in which students, families, and bursars may make critical financial, resource-needs, and academic decisions far before entering post-high school life—safeguarding the educational investment and ensuring a great student onboarding experience.

This imagination is becoming a reality in numerous forms every year. We're happy to finally share the results of our Bridge Marketplace :D, a data-driven market for student resources and services. A customised market with laptops, stationery, textbooks, bedding etc., all customised according to the student qualification & institution.

We'll be providing more information about the Bridge Marketplace in the coming weeks, but here are a few feature highlights:
- Bridge Pay: a centralised and completely customisable wallet-based payment system
- Personalised concierge service: a dedicated team that serves students directly during the HLI settlement phase
- Academic performance, course selection, and tracker for tertiary students: aids pupils in navigating higher education courses and more.

Here's a sneak-peek at our 2022 first years with all the Bridge Marketplace goodies :D

*Watch this space*

www.bridgeapp.co.za

- International Day of Women and Girls in Science

3 years to execute the first half of our special project :D

https://lnkd.in/eKtSCGWk

Gradesmatch: STEM Career Guidance & University Entry for girls project

Congratulations to the learner from for their outstanding achievement. Bridge by Gradesmatch wishes all the best for 2022. 💃🥳👏

Congratulations to the learners from , Linksfield for their outstanding achievement. Bridge by Gradesmatch wishes all the best for 2022. 💃🥳👏

Congrats to the learner from for their outstanding achievement. Bridge by Gradesmatch wishes all the best for 2022. 💃🥳👏

Congrats to the learners from for their outstanding achievement. Bridge by Gradesmatch wishes all the best for 2022. 💃🥳👏

Kudos to the learners from for their outstanding achievement. Bridge by Gradesmatch wishes all the best for 2022. 💃🥳👏

Kudos to the learner from for their outstanding achievement. Bridge by Gradesmatch wishes all the best for 2022. 💃🥳👏