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UAE: How debating can help students get into top global universities

The extracurricular activity has also helped many in improving their social and emotional skills

Competitive debating in addition to academics could give students a shot at getting into top colleges around the world, according to experts in the UAE.

“Competitive debating has an immense impact on college applications, as most universities look for a range of extracurriculars rather than academic performance alone,” said Aryaan Asad, debate coordinator at the Cambridge International School (CIS) Dubai.

“Most of my debate students have gone on to study subjects like law, political science and economics at institutions ranging from UCLA to Kings College, London. The feedback on their application process has shown me that one of the common denominators between most successful university applications is a wide variety of extracurriculars; the highest valued of all being debate," he added.

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Another expert, Bhavani Kriplani, founder and lead coach at Vocalize, described debate as a “mental sport” that teaches participants valuable skills. “Engaging in competitive debating reflects a student’s commitment to intellectual growth and their dedication to developing analytical and rhetorical skills, giving them an edge over other applicants,” she said.

She further added that many students focus on debating as a core extracurricular activity from middle school. “This commitment has helped them gain admission to top universities like Cornell, Stanford, UCLA, Duke, King’s College London, and the London School of Economics, where they continue debating at the university level,” she said.

Impact

When Resat Demiral decided to attend a trial class for debating, he had no idea how much the skill would impact his life. Not only did it improve his public speaking skills and focus, it also played a pivotal role in his school life.

“It trained me to argue respectfully and stay composed under pressure, even with detailed issues,” he said. “It has made me able to appreciate various viewpoints, which has improved my relationships and communication. I also believe it contributed to my selection as the primary head boy at my school last year.”

He said he will feature his debating accolades prominently in his college applications when the time comes. “This activity reflects more than just academic performance; it demonstrates my determination and ability to tackle complex issues,” he said. “Debating has also taught me to value diverse opinions, a quality I find highly beneficial.”

Dubai Jumeirah College student Erin O’Reilly said that she found the courage to volunteer for new activities because of the activity. “Debating has helped me become more assertive and articulate, which has positively impacted other areas of my life, such as modelling for Emirates Fashion Week — something I previously thought impossible,” she said.

She said she is looking forward to joining the debate team at her university when she goes there. “Debating is a major aspect of my personal development and will be featured prominently in my college applications,” she said. “Receiving coaching from International Champion debaters has improved my performance, and coaching juniors has allowed me to share my knowledge. I’m excited to join the debate society at university when I graduate.”

Strategic game of chess

Anoushcka Bhat, a former Dubai student who is now studying law at King’s College London, said she has always enjoyed the challenge of formulating, defending, and countering arguments. “It's a strategic game of chess with words,” she said. “Debating has increased my confidence and adaptability. It has made forming friendships easy, as I’m accustomed to engaging with strangers and travelling for competitions. Debate frameworks are also helping me at university, teaching me how to enhance my case research, essay analysis, and argument creation.”

For Aryaan, his life came to a full circle when he took up the position of debate coordinator. A former student at CIS, it was debate that paved way for his law degree. “Debating helped me learn about topics that I had never interacted with before,” he said. “If I didn’t participate in debate, I would have never known that I would be a great fit for law in university.”

After completing his university degree, the Dubai resident returned to his alma mater as a law teacher. He said, in his experience, there were multiple reasons why students took up the activity.

“Most of the students I teach are aspiring lawyers, business owners and entrepreneurs, all of which gain positively from skills such as public speaking, argumentation and persuasion,” he said. “On the other had, I do also have students who take up competitive debating because it gives them a break from the arduous subjects that they study in school. Students who take up subjects such as further math, chemistry and physics make passionate debaters because it provides a fresh activity for them to engage in.”

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