Just Googling “abroad consultancy near me”, handing them the money and hoping that they would do it all for you – it’s not a good strategy. You should be the biggest contributor in the research work and key stakeholder in the final decision.
Studying abroad in the best colleges in the USA, the UK and Australia is a dream of millions. However, only a few make that happen in reality. While there are many reasons behind that, the biggest one is the process itself, which isn’t as simple as many believe. The room to make some basic blunders is very big.
In that context, here are 19 unforgivable mistakes students make when planning to study abroad:
- Following their friends without having their own education and career plan.
- Listening to their parents and teachers more than you really should.
- Blindly following the “top universities in the world” online articles and chasing the top institutes without factoring anything else.
- Picking the wrong course; not factoring its future prospects in terms of financial returns and personal gratification.
- Overlooking the campus culture. Going from Bangladesh to some of the developed nations, and to their modern colleges, could be culturally shocking for many. So, it’s essential to consider if they can accommodate in that college’s culture or not.
- Undermining the competition. There are millions of students just like you who apply to the same top colleges every year. You must be competent enough to outshine them.
- Starting the planning process late.
- Applying to just one or two colleges.
- Sending the same essays and letters to every college they are applying; not contextualizing them.
- Trying to do it all by themselves.
- Hiring the wrong or inexperienced abroad education consultants.
- Not sufficiently reading (and re-reading) the guidelines and terms of individual colleges they are applying to.
- Not talking to the past students of that college to know more about their experience.
- Insufficient research on scholarships and other financial aids. Running after the banks for an education loan, which comes with a higher interest rate, isn’t always a good idea.
- Over-expecting from their Uni life. It isn’t as “cool” as those movies and shows suggest.
- Preparing inadequately for essential tests like SAT, ACT, TOEFL, IELTS, GRE and more. Many colleges have a high threshold. If you score less than that, they won’t even consider the application.
- Getting a letter of recommendation from someone who isn’t passably qualified or relevant.
- Not putting enough thought and creativity in the Statement of Purpose or essay.
- Failing to do proper research on the country and city they are going. The more you know about the place from beforehand – right from the culture and climate to the emergency and medical facilities there – the easier will you find to blend in.
These are 19 big mistakes many students make when planning to study abroad. Steer clear of them, get in the right college, enjoy your Uni life and give your career a perfect start.
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