University: when and how to start?
Hello, World!
This is something I can guarantee a student thinks about at least once in their lifetime and proceeds to do whatever it is they were doing. " I will go with the flow", " I will see what my friend does", " I will pay heed to what dad says." - believe me, I have been there, and I wish I had looked into it a bit more.
Since I will be discussing this topic, I find it necessary to provide some status quo on my University plans: I have been admitted into the University of Toronto Life Sciences program and I will be majoring in Neuroscience; moreover, I am quite lucky to have been offered co-op as well. All of this sounds pretty neat, but the journey was quite literally the opposite- why? Because I spent my time in grades 9 and 10 not thinking about University as much as I should have. When the discussion on University pops up, most of us have a pretty generic trail of thought, the primary one being something along the lines of: "I don't have to think about it till the summer of my final year"; or, to satiate our ephemeral desire, we look up Ivy league universities out of curiosity and skim through their general requirements. I don't blame anyone since I was pretty much the same- though I checked universities in Grade 9 thinking I was farsighted- so, here I am, hoping you make well out of my mistakes.
I am going to divide this article into four sections: Year 9, Year 10, Year 11 and Year 12, and each section is going to include two integral stages of University-related explorations. An important thing I want to mention is that these are my personal takeaways (mostly directed at international students/ students applying from elsewhere) which may not sit well with everyone, so feel free to use this post as an inspiration to write your own- possibly better- guide, and do share it with me!
Let's break it down:
Year 9
Don't think outside the box, stay inside- figuring out what to do.
Most of my life, I have been in a frenzy finding novel professions, which also prove to be lucrative, and earn me a name. What I discovered is that you don't have to know what exactly to do (at least not at this stage); you simply need to know what to do.
My advice would be to put your absolute attention into figuring out the stream you want to pursue. This primarily includes business (commerce), law, science, arts and languages. Year 9 and 10 are core years that lay out the foundation to what you choose to pursue in the future, so it is of utmost importance that you set your mind on a path that you best align with. Of course, there can be a change of heart, and it is always okay to take a few steps back and second-guess your choices. However, it is for this reason that I advise you to strongly think over what path is best up your alley. Remember, you do not have to know your career at this stage, you simply need to know the environment your career is most likely to fall in. The earlier you set your heart on something, the better your mind steers towards the goal.
It is all about research- figuring out how to do
It can be quite a knackering task to find your true north and to be sure of whether it is the right choice for you. To do this, you not only need to reflect on your abilities, but you also need to go about interacting with your teachers and peers, so you can have a good idea of your strong suit. In the words of Sharon Salzberg: “Asking questions is an opportunity for creativity and personal expression, both for the person asking and the person answering.”
Investigate yourself. Wring out the tiniest little details and get to know yourself. Most of my awakenings have come about in conversation with a friend, or a family member. You tend to be more curious about yourself in the eyes of another, so make it a habit to do this throughout the course of your life.
Year 10
Set some boundaries- discovering the destination.
Once you have an idea of the nature of your area of study, you need to start looking into potential universities. This is also the time to indulge in activities that will make you the perfect applicant for your desired university, so it is of utmost importance you have some places in mind. My advice would be to sit down with your parents or guardians and have a real conversation on your possible university choices. Not everyone has the resources or chances to go to Ivy League choices, so why expend time when you can utilize the same energy looking into practical choices. With that being said, it is of supreme importance that you also jot down one or two backup universities.
While applying, I made the mistake of opting for 4 out of 5 competitive universities (and choosing a rather demanding program in my backup university) and halfway down the line, I had a massive crack-up thinking I would end up nowhere. I was lucky enough to get into all 5 universities; however, I cannot deny the fact I took a colossal risk which I strongly advise against. So, sit back and research, discuss with your parents, and you should end up with a solid list of 5 places.
Communication is key- discovering the path.
Once you have jotted down your prospective universities, do not go haywire in the hunt for a program. Go through programs that fall under the nature of what you like (law, sciences, math, commerce and art) and try making a list of subjects they require. You will notice most programs have it one and the same, and always have one subject that cannot be compromised. In my case, i.e. for Canadian schools, math is almost always mandatory. If you have any questions, this is the prime time to get hold of your universities and ask them admission queries. Another important thing to ensure is that you are eligible for their language requirements since every reputed institute requires proof. In case their site is unclear, mail them, and start preparing if their requirements do not match with what your school provides.
I also advise you to look out for any summer programs, or opportunities your desired universities provide to prospective students (like yourself) and engage in them. A lot of the information I received was by attending a summer program at UofT back in 2019, and it is always worthwhile to get a feel of the environment you are likely to put yourself in.
Year 11
Open the lid of the box- understanding what to do
Now that you are just short of a year into university applications, your principal task is to strive towards finding a suitable program. Take your time (it can go up to months) and thoroughly read up on every program that piques your interest. Don't limit yourself to your top-choice, traverse through programs at all 5 universities on your list, as different institutes cater to distinct programs and combinations. Make a list of programs that you think you are likely to follow and discuss it with your peers and guardians, if that does not help, you can always email the university or contact students from that very program to help you come to a decision.
Discovering the destination- understanding how to do
Once you have formulated a list of programs, it is time to explore them in-depth. Oftentimes, competitive programs have a supplementary application, or a personal statement of some sort, so it is always best to read through this ahead of time in order to utilize your summer to work on it. These documents or questions, mostly, but not exclusively, demand a deeper look into your activities and extracurriculars in hopes of getting to know you better. I am planning on writing an exclusive article on this, as talking about it is beyond the scope of this blog post, so stay tuned for that.
At this stage, you should have generated a checklist of documents and additional requirements such as language proof and essays. Once you are done with your 11th year, proceed to work on completing your additional requirements during the summer. I honestly wish someone had knocked some sense into me while I was busy watching Tiktoks in the summer and not focusing on my supplementary application, which later proved to be a huge impediment during my final year exam time at school.
One thing this process has made me realize is that there is no such thing as free time- so act wisely.
Year 12
Red-tape - collecting documents
It is finally showtime.
The most vital part of applying is having your documents ready, and something that every university requires is your ID (birth certificate, passport or driver's license) and your high school results, so have those ready beforehand. Most universities also require predicted grades so inform your school of such requirements. You should be editing/finalizing your personal statements and supplementary applications by now, the reason you don't have to be done yet is that such documents have extended deadlines; nonetheless, it is best to be prepared. It is ideal to submit your documents and letters prior to the deadline as you may be considered for early admissions, and will avoid the long queue around due dates. Regularly check your university website or portal for updates, and regularly check your inbox as important announcements are usually sent over email.
Think outside of the box- collecting your thoughts.
Your documents are in, all your forms are complete and the only thing for you to do is hear back from universities. This is an extremely intense and anxious period in a student's life, and it can take a toll on your mental and physical health if not handled properly. I made the mistake of waiting on universities to make a decision on where to go; however, after much reflecting, I realized that you should be ready with your decision before the university makes theirs.
Get in touch with people who are acquainted with your desired program or school, and ask them the pros and cons. After a thorough talk with some people from all the schools you applied to, you should have a rough idea of where you want to go, so rank your choices/programs accordingly. The main purpose behind this activity is not to stress over making a decision close to the deadline and to have a clear headspace in order to proceed with other university-related things like course enrolments, housing, tuition etc.
Once you are done with this process or even mid-process, you will begin receiving offers of admission. Keep in mind that not all universities send their decisions around the same time, the more competitive a program, the more thorough and time consuming their processing time and decision-making. Don't rush through accepting offers, wait for all your universities to send in their offers, and only then go back to that list you made.
This list is the best thing throughout this process. It helps you decide on a university by ranking all your choices and making the decision for you, so you refrain from feeling overwhelmed and going astray after the university sends in theirs. Once you have heard back from all your schools, refer to the list and see the order you generated, and you will automatically know what school to go for. If you don't get in your top choice, that is completely okay, you can go on whatever is second on your list- so on and so forth.
It is only natural to feel down if rejected by your dream school/program but it took me quite some time to realize a couple of things. I will talk about it in detail in future posts, but the most fundamental lesson I learnt is to never stop learning and working on yourself- even when you feel like it is not required. I often think about the amount of time I wasted instead of reading up on university-related things that may have landed me a spot in my dream program. Anyway, my rejection taught me this crucial lesson and inspired me to start this blog in hopes of helping people so they don't make the same mistakes I did, so I guess it all played out well in the end!
I would love to hear about all of your university plans, so feel free to tell me about it!
Good Luck :)
