Mistakes Students Make While Applying to Universities
Written By - The Young Vision Ambassador, Maha Shahid, Garrison College for Girls - Lahore, Pakistan.
A student’s most important, and usually the hardest, decision is choosing their university. After college everyone starts fretting over university admissions and applications.There are a number of mistakes students make when it comes to applying to their desired universities.
The following are some mistakes students make.
Missing deadlines
Not knowing the final date of applying to the university, and so missing its deadline, is a very common mistake. Due to misinformation or one’s negligence, students can miss the important dates for the universities they are applying for.
No backup plans
Another mistake frequently made by students is not having a backup plan. They usually stick to one subject, one major or one field and never think about anything other than that. After being able to get into the university they were dreaming for, they miss the chance of any other university for any other major and end up having a gap year.
No proper research
For their major, students don’t dig deep into other universities that can provide their desired subject but only go for the universities they’ve been hearing about from their family and friends.
Being unrealistic
Students need to be realistic with their grades and percentage when it comes to applying to any university. If they feel that they don’t quite make the grade for the university they were dreaming of, without wasting their time they should look for other options and not lose hope.
Ignoring extracurricular activities
Extracurricular activities can always help a student get into their desired university. Many students don’t consider their extracurricular activities, which is a big loss.
Following the stereotypes
Many students are forced to apply for universities where all of their family members have studied. Students also join universities just for their friends which is also completely wrong. Many students, in the search for “high paid” jobs, go into subjects they are not interested in, which further leads to low grades and drop outs. Your subjects and your career should be your choice and should be something you enjoy doing.
Choosing too many courses
Students out of desperation to get into their dream university apply to all the unrelated courses the university has. This type of behaviour can have a questionable impact on your application.
Not giving the right information
While filling the application, the utmost important thing is giving the right information. Many students don’t double-check their applications, sending them directly. Make sure to give all information accurately.
Not preparing documents in advance of deadlines
One of the biggest mistakes is that people delay making the required documents, thinking they’ll do it once the application days are near and later the documentation process takes many days, making the student miss the application date.
Losing hope
Lastly, but a very common mistake, is that students lose hope when they miss their dates and deadlines. They give up, which causes them to lose many other chances coming their way.
Applying to your university is a life-changing decision. Make sure to be responsible and sensible. Don’t rely on any of your friends or fellow mates to give you the information required. Make sure to keep your research strong and mark your calendars months before the application.