Things I wish I knew before applying to college

A lot of students work really hard to pursue higher education in their dream universities and colleges, if they envision pursuing their studies abroad, I am sure that this blog would definitely help them in understanding the procedures for applying to universities in different countries. 

One of the very popular countries to pursue higher education in the United States of America as it is home to some of the top institutes in the world. In the USA, the admissions committee of various colleges not only looks at one’s grades but also looks at the extracurricular activities that one has pursued, volunteering, internships, and fellowships that one has taken up. They look at the applicant’s background holistically and make decisions keeping an overall view in mind. There are two methods of applying to most colleges in the US, using the Common application or using the Coalition application. The Common application is much more popular and has a wider array of colleges one can apply to. For colleges that are not linked with these sites, they have their own application on the official site where one can fill the application. In the application, the applicant will be asked several essay-type questions, these questions vary from daily routine to some of the most important incidents in one’s life that changed their perspective towards others. The applicant must submit proof of their activities, certificates, and supporting documents along with the application. Admission decisions are made in two rounds, the early action, and the regular decision. The decision of the early action round comes around mid-December and the regular decisions come around early march. Applicants must note that certain universities have a policy as to how many colleges one can apply to during the early action round. The cost of submitting one application is roughly around 75 US dollars. 

For students intending to pursue their higher education from Canada, the process is very similar to that of the United States. Students must apply to various universities through a site called OUAC (For international applicants it is OUAC 105). Unlike the United States, there are almost no essay-type questions in the application; students must only present their certificates and their grades as an attachment. For Canadian universities there are various rounds in which admission decisions are made, they also work on a first-come, first-serve basis so applicants must remember to apply early and submit all the documents in time. The universities in Canada holistically assess the applicants. The cost of submitting one application is around 180 Canadian dollars. 

One of the hotspots for higher education in the United Kingdom. Students have been applying from various countries to the UK since time immemorial. Admission in the UK is very similar to that of India, students are assessed mostly based on their academic standing and their interest in a particular subject. Applicants must apply through UCAS, which is the site for applying to all the UK universities. In the application, the student must attach a personal statement where they discuss any topic of their choice in 1000 words or list their accomplishments throughout their life in essay form. Applicants must also note that certain subjects such as Natural Science, Medicine, and Engineering require interviews and entrance examinations in certain universities. The application decisions are mostly made around late March to early May. The cost of submitting one application is around 25 pounds. 

Many students apply abroad considering the ethnic diversity, one such place to apply is Australia. The application process in Australia is again very similar to the United States. They consider an applicant by assessing their application holistically. To apply to Australian universities, students must choose their preferred college and apply through their official website. There are very few essay-type questions in Australian applications; most of the questions are based on factual information. The decisions are very similar to Canada, they are also made through various rounds and work on a first-come, first-serve basis. The cost of submitting one application is around 100 Australian dollars. New Zealand is also one of the student’s favourites, the application process of universities in New Zealand and Australia are almost alike, but they only differ in their cost. The cost of submitting one application is around 100 New Zealand dollars.

Another country home to some of the top universities in the world is Singapore. Leading in research and science, many students aspire to pursue a degree in Singapore. The application process is very similar to that of the UK. Applicants must submit a personal statement indicates everything that they have achieved in their life along with their application. Students who have won International Olympiads or hold a national or state title in any sport stand at an advantage when applying to universities in Singapore. Singaporean universities only make their decisions when the final exam grades are submitted. They do not make any conditional offers. The cost of submitting one application is around 50 Singaporean dollars. 

One of the most famous countries of study in the world is Germany, Switzerland as it is home to some of the finest universities in the world and also because the cost of study in these countries is zero. The application process to most of the universities is very different from all the other countries. Applicants must take a photocopy of all the documents required including the application form, fill these documents and send them by post to the university. To study in Germany, one must also write and pass an entry-level German exam as most of the courses are taught in German. The admission decisions for most universities are made only after the submission of the final grades but some universities do provide conditional admission. The cost of submitting one application is around 80 Euros. 

Pursuing higher education abroad will definitely bring a new experience to one’s life but the tuition fee is also extremely high. There are various scholarships available in all the countries but only a few cover the full cost. So one must be sure of their financial status and their ability to obtain a scholarship before applying abroad. 

Hope this blog helps students in their endeavours.