Varsity Deadlines Loom

The clock is ticking and the deadlines for applications to universities abroad are looming. While the deadlines for some American universities have passed, there are some that have a rolling admissions policy and will accept students until they meet their student numbers.

Although January 15 is the cutoff date for UK applications, universities and colleges will continue to accept international applications until June. Can-adian institutions have deadlines in February/ March and some as late as May.

Ahead of the game

However, as most students applying from this region would be international applicants, it is prudent to apply early rather than wait for their final results. Students who must take TOEFL, SAT or IELTS can take the exams towards the end of Grade 11 or the beginning of Grade 12 to be ahead of the game.

The British Council’s Education UK Exhibition (EDUKEX) 2010 comes to the UAE on January 16 and the Council for International Schools brings 11 Canadian universities to the UAE next month.

Last week, a few Dubai based students now studying at institutions like Cornell University, University of Oxford, Rice University, Carnegie Mellon and Emory University met with a few high school seniors to share their experiences.
Tejas Sapre, who transferred from BITS Pilani Dubai to Cornell University, advised applicants to start seeking recommendations early. “Recommenders have other commitments and will not be able to submit a recommendation if asked at the last minute.”

Dharini Natrajan, recipient of the Edgar Odell Lovett Scholarship at Rice University in Houston, Texas, and formerly a student of DPS Sharjah, urged students to ensure deadlines are met. She also said applicants’ high school academic records greatly influence the admission decision. “Apart from academics, a lot of emphasis is also laid on your participation in extra-curricular activities, volunteering activities and leadership roles”.

Essay writing

All the successful applicants who spoke to Campus Notes emphasised the need to write a compelling essay or personal statement, meet deadlines, research options and the importance of being emotionally ready to make the transition.

“Recruiters only have your personal statement and the school testimonial. You will spend countless hours perfecting your personal statement, but don’t forget about the testimonial,” said Ridhi Dipac Kantelal who is reading Materials Science at St Catherine’s College at the University of Oxford.

“Generally, you will be asked about the activities you have been involved in during the time you were at the school. Make sure you inform the school of all the things you could not include in your personal statement”.

Harsh Jariwala, a sophomore from Carnegie Mellon University who attended high school in Ras Al Khaimah, said: “College essays are an extremely important part of the college application. Essays help the application review committee to know you as a person beyond just grades and they’d know if you are the kind of person that they are looking for.”

He told applicants that essays must be written with extreme care because a good essay can help you get into the school of your dreams while a bad one can get you rejected. “Your counsellor is a gold mine for tips on writing essays and one that you should make full use of.”

Things to consider

For students considering institutions like Oxford and University of Cambridge, Kantelal said the most critical stage in the admission process is the interview. “Questions asked are generally based on your personal statement, so read it over and pinpoint the areas that the interviewer will find most interesting and the most likely questions to be asked. You must show them you are capable of learning new things and are able to think beyond the textbook.”

Anisha Kunder who is a freshman at Rice University and a former student at Delhi Private School (DPS), Sharjah said: “It may sound unusual but when I first began short-listing colleges, after going through the usual rankings and reputations of colleges, my foremost concern was the climate of the place where the college is. Weather is seriously underestimated; it can make a lot of difference in how quickly you adapt to college. Houston has my favourite kind of weather-sunny with rain and that made getting used to Rice so much easier than it would have been if the weather had been cold and dull all the time.”

- The writer is director of Counselling Point with more than 22 years of experience in the fields of education and child welfare. Email counsell@eim.ae or visit www.counsellingpoint.com for more information

Top tips for a winning application

• Begin the application process early. One usually tends to underestimate the time it takes to complete the application and obtain all the required materials.
• Do not overestimate the importance of SAT and other test scores. While important, they are not the only factors in admission to universities in the USA.
• Give yourself enough time to research and write the essay. Have your counsellor, parents, and possibly friends proofread your essay. After writing your essay, sleep on it for a day or two, and then read it again with fresh eyes and a fresh mind.
• - Research the university and the programme that you are interested in thoroughly. This research will help you write your essay, and will help you realise whether the university is a match for you. Use the research to write your essay. Write about what appeals to you in the university that you are applying to, and how you will use it to reach your potential.
• Start seeking recommendations early. Recommenders have other commitments and will not be able to submit a recommendation if asked at the last minute.
• While good SAT scores are no doubt extremely important for gaining admission into universities, your high school academic record also greatly influences your admission decision. Therefore it is important to maintain a good academic record from Grade 9 to Grade 12.
• Apart from academics, a lot of emphasis is also laid on your participation in extra-curricular activities, volunteering activities and leadership roles.
• If you are planning to go abroad to your further education, you must be mentally prepared to make numerous adjustments. However if you go with an open mind, you will have a pleasant and memorable experience!