So let's get started on those Application Forms and Essays!

So here you are, those glorious summer holidays are over. Studies for your final year at school have started, or are about to start, and you’ve just been reminded by friends, tutors, advisors or parents that it’s now time to start thinking about your university or college applications. You may be thinking, ‘But the year has only just started and I don’t need to apply until January or even later’. Last year’s graduating students will be able to tell you from their own experiences that you will need to start all the preparations now as there is so much to achieve in these next few months: Essays, Application Forms (some are 20+ pages long), CVs/Resumes, Meetings with Teachers/Advisors/Counsellors to request Recommendation Letters and Transcripts, Re-drafts of those Essays, and the list goes on. Here is a short list of Tips to start you off:

Tips to starting:

If you know the country (or countries) or specific institution to which you are applying, start filling in your PROFILE on the ONLINE APPLICATION FORMS.
Start writing notes (or your 2nd Draft) for your APPLICATION ESSAYS, PERSONAL STATEMENTS, LETTERS OF MOTIVATION (see Blog from May 25, 2016)
Meet with your Careers Advisor, College Counsellor, Homeroom Tutor to discuss RECOMMENDATION LETTERS & TRANSCRIPTS
Book your place on the required TESTS (SATs, ACT, BMAT, UKCAT, LNAT, TSA, HAT, PAT, etc)
Begin developing your CV or RESUME
Whittle down your LIST of Universities and/or Colleges to a maximum of 10
Start a SPREADSHEET with names of Universities/Colleges from your LIST and add information such as deadlines, academic requirements, non-academic requirements, fees, accommodation costs, meal plans etc

(Are you thinking about applying to Cambridge, Oxford, Medicine, Dentistry or Veterinary Studies in the UK? Then remember that the application deadline is October 15th! UCAL in the USA is November 30th. What about Scholarship applications – they too have deadlines! Keep up to date with all deadlines from around the world by doing your research and adding the information to your SPREADSHEET)

Whatever stage you are at with your studies and thinking about applications to higher education institutions, here is a list of web links for some of the applications systems and information sites from around the world. *(Please note that this is not an exhaustive list – you will need to do your own research for other countries)