University Admissions Waiting Game
Congratulations! You have completed the difficult task of sending off all your college applications. The question is, what to do now?
My first bit of advice – reward yourself for the masses of hard work you’ve put in and relax! The strenuous task is over and done with. The worst thing you can do now is to fret, working yourself into a tizzy waiting. Remember that the responsibility is out of your hands now; no amount of worrying in the world is going to improve your chances of receiving those acceptances letters. Take solace in the fact that these admissions committees will be giving each of your applications both the time and consideration they deserve. There are thousands of students in the same boat as you, patiently waiting for that thick envelope or acceptance email.
Don’t drive yourself crazy by checking your email every five minutes. Remember it will take at least three weeks for any news to come through. One thing you can do is to make sure the university has received your entire application. You should receive an email three days to three weeks after submission to confirm they have your application. If you don’t happen to get this confirmation, contact the admissions office as soon as possible.
What happens if you’re waitlisted? Being put on the waiting list is not the be all and end all of your university experience. The problem being, it just entails more waiting! Most universities want to know whether you would like to stay on the list or not, so make sure you get in contact to stay on or to be taken off. Keep in mind; if the school is not one of your first choices, in giving up your place on its waiting list, you are improving someone else’s chance of attending their dream school.
Moving onto the more positive experiences that lie ahead of you, the fact is many of you will have completed your A-level examinations this January, which means you have around half a year before your first semester at college commences! So exactly what can you do in the mean time? I don’t suggest sitting on your behind, watching TV and hanging out for the next couple months. You have this amazing opportunity to explore and gain some real world experience before you begin your life as a college student!
At this point in time, the world is your oyster! You really have the chance to do whatever you want, keeping in consideration cost and time. The most common options taken during this waiting time include work experience (internships, shadowing or a job), volunteering or travelling.
Ask yourself - is there something that could benefit your experience at college? For example, if you want to study environmental science, taking up an internship at a local environmental agency would give you fantastic experience in the field of your interest. I know many of you will be thinking, “I know what I’d like to do in this in-between period; I just don’t know how to find it.” Start by getting proactive! Research is the key to finding out the opportunities that are available to you. Begin by narrowing down your choices. If you don’t like the sound of obtaining work experience, how about volunteering at an orphanage in Cambodia for a month teaching English to children?
Work experience is bound to be the most popular choice during this free time. However, there are many different types of work experiences you can become involved with. The most obvious is applying for an internship. These are usually unpaid or very low paid stints through which you can learn about the intricacies of a business. Internships are offered by the majority of large companies as a way to entice young talent to come and gain great experience while doing some of the grunt work. In addition, shadowing is another great work experience option. Shadowing entails following a professional in their working life and observing how things are done in a particular industry. The other option is to simply find yourself a job in the area of your interest. This is will pay far better than an internship or shadowing. However, you are less likely to gain truly valuable professional knowledge.
I’ve provided some great websites to get you started on your quest:
http://www.gapwork.com/work-experience.shtml
http://www.squidoo.com/gapyearlinks
http://singaporeinternship.com/
Finally, it’s important to remember that this time is about doing something that you’ll find meaningful and worthwhile. If volunteering doesn’t interest you and you don’t want work experience, why not take some time to travel around Vietnam to take in its cultural history? Whatever you decide to do, it’s your choice; don’t get caught up in what other people are doing. Keep in mind the experience is meant to be enjoyable, so make sure you spend this time doing something productive as well as fun!