How To Create An Application Plan

The key to any foreign university application process is creating a good plan. The first step to creating a good plan is to use a calendar. The reason why you need it because you need to see the timeline in order to make sure that you do all the steps on time.  

The first dates to circle on your calendar are deadlines. As mentioned in a previous article, deadlines are going to control your application process. A deadline in January gives you more time to work on your application than a deadline in November. 

When do you want to apply? If you feel you should apply early, mark that on your calendar. We suggest noting both the early dates and the regular decision dates on your calendar to be safe. If you have a rolling admission college on your list, mark the final application date on your calendar, and along with that note the earlier approximate date when you want to submit your application.

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Once this is done, you can add more pieces of information by working backward. There are no specific steps or order to add things to your plan, but there is a lot to consider. Start by thinking about your English language skills. Have you already taken the TOEFL or IELTS? If not, when do you plan to take them or to re-take them if you aren't happy with the scores? How happy are you with your scores? If your scores are on the lower side, how much time do you need to prepare for the next test? Do you need to enroll in an English coaching class? How much improvement will you be able to make by the application deadline?  

On your calendar, you will have to add simple things like test dates for the TOEFL or IELTS, or English coaching class schedule. Irrespective of its importance, you should be adding all details and steps to your calendar.  

Look at all your deadlines and start working backward, adding dates to your calendar. By when do you plan to finish your research process and finalize your college list? Until you don't finalize your list, you don't know how many essays you will be required to write, how many letters of recommendation you will have to request, and how many applications you need to fill out.  

If you are still choosing colleges in October, you will not be able to meet the deadlines in January. Pick a time period that provides enough time to do in-depth research, and complete all of your applications. Application to every college is going to have several pieces, and each of those pieces is going to take time. Writing one essay can usually take weeks, so what will you do if you have to write 10 essays? Requesting recommendation letters take time, as your professor or manager will take their time to write. You can only send 'gentle reminders' and not force them to write the recommendation by the date you want.  

The process for submitting academic documents might be different at each college. How long will it take you to procure those documents? Many universities require you to evaluate them through WES or other similar services, which can take months. So figure out how long will it take to submit the transcripts and other documents to the colleges.  

You need to be smart when you are creating an admission plan. There will be too much to do within a small time period. You will have to juggle a lot of things at once. The trick is to figure out how many things can you juggle at the same time. 

For example, it is a good idea to request a recommendation from professors or managers while writing essays. While you wait for the person who is writing your recommendation to submit the letter, you continue working on the essays. All this might take a couple of weeks and both can be done at the same time.  

As another example, it is probably not a great idea to schedule a GMAT and IELTS within the same week. They both need separate preparation and planning, so it will be too much stress and pressure at once. It also makes no sense to write the application essays at the same time as your college exams. You have to maintain a balance between college applications and your current life.  

If you are in college, you have to keep up with your grades and school work, look after your social life and family, etc. All this is crucial to maintaining your sanity. Do not feel guilty about having some time off or adding social events to your calendar. By creating a solid plan, you can spread the application steps over time. And by following the plan, you can easily meet the deadlines to submit your application.

Also Read:

• Application Process for UG/PG courses in Singapore
• Study in the UK: Documents required for applications