Are you interested in applying to study in the US or Canada?
It is not just any application that is successful. We are in a time when the competition is steep, and it’s more challenging to get admissions and funding. Therefore, your application has to stand out and say a lot about who you are and what you have done. This video describes how to boost or improve your application profile. As a prospective international student, this video and post will give you the important information to create a strong application profile.
You cannot be average if you want to stand out, get admitted, and get funding. Here is how to boost your application:
1. Volunteer experiences
More than ever, it is essential to be intentional in service to your community. You need to identify organizations and places important to your community and find ways to volunteer your skills and resources. Volunteering doesn’t only put you in a position where you can give back to society, but it gives you clarity on your future career, helps you connect with people, and gives you a lot to talk about in your application.
2. Teaching/Tutoring
Teaching is an excellent way to help people around you and strengthen your knowledge in a particular area. Teaching is also a relatively easy experience to get because you can do it formally or informally. While in school, you could organize tutorials for classmates or those in lower levels to help them understand a subject better. If you are an undergraduate applicant, pick a topic you enjoy and teach people. This skill and experience will look great on your application, especially if you are applying to study that same course. For example, suppose you have tutored classmates in mathematics, and you are applying to study mathematics as an undergraduate student. In that case, you will be a better applicant than a student who doesn’t have the same experience. As a graduate applicant, you can look for primary or secondary schools or tutorial centers around you and teach professionally or as a volunteer. This would also strengthen your application.
3. Shadowing
Shadowing involves spending time with professionals at their workplace, observing what they do as a way of learning. Admission committees take students who have shadowed someone in their profession of interest more seriously because they know the student is not speaking blindly. In addition, shadowing exposes you to your profession and thus, gives you valuable information and experiences to share in your application, especially in your personal statement.
4. Leadership
Leadership skills and experiences say something about who you are and what your priorities include. Everyone can say they want to change the world, but if you haven’t led or taken the initiative in a meaningful way, how will the admission committee know you are serious? Take advantage of opportunities to become a leader. When there are leadership positions, nominate yourself or contest for the position. Create or join clubs or student organizations in your school, create or join groups in your religious groups, create or join an online group/organization. Admission committees love to see students who have taken the initiative and stepped outside their comfort to do something good.
5. Get ‘Techy’
The internet has changed and is changing the world. Make good use of the internet to improve yourself. Use your mobile phone to learn new things, take online classes, and watch videos that enrich you. Like the point discussed above, you can create and join online platforms dedicated to solving a problem. Again this will give you information and experiences to share in your application.
As an international student, these tips are also helpful when it is time to get on-campus jobs. In addition, these experiences will form the foundation for your resume that will help you be better prepared to be successful in your application. So, we encourage you to invest your time in ways that will help you create a robust application.
Please, share your thoughts, comments, and questions below.
Make it a Winning Day.