How to Get into Any University You Want

There are many reasons why a lot of us strive for academic success. It could simply be to feel a sense of accomplishment. It may be in efforts to expand our scope of knowledge and apply the learned skills in our community. But, one of the most important reasons is that academic success also enables us to get into our dream school where we can further our education and perhaps even establish our careers.

Now, as someone who has gotten into one of the most competitive programs in Canada (more on this in a separate blog post), I'd like to share some of my PERSONAL STRATEGIES on how to get into any university you want.

1. PLAY AT LEAST ONE SPORT AND EXCEL IN IT

There is not a single school that will dislike the fact that you are spending quality time outside of academics. They all know that someone who is passionate about sports is more likely to lead a healthy lifestyle and succeed in their future professions, whatever it may be. Now, I specifically stated "at least one sport" because loving and excelling in 2 different sports would actually make you stand out more now that it is too common to see students already excelling in a single sport.

To share my own past athletic experiences, I've luckily been a well-rounded athlete who pretty much joined all the school sports teams throughout high school (gr. 8-12). The list of teams I played for include basketball, badminton, table tennis, soccer, and tennis. Specifically, I won city championships in badminton and tennis, and those 2 sports were the ones I decided to invest more time in. With the dedication, I was able to create a Tennis Club at my school where I served as the president to provide a fun, safe environment for students to learn, play, compete, and build a relationship with one another through the sport. Excelling in at least one sport will give you the confidence and a set of opportunities to branch out and do other things that will ultimately help you get into the dream school.

AIM: Excelling in 2 different sports throughout high school and producing good results (e.g. city championship, scholarship, advancing to Provincial, National, or even International level, etc.)

2. JOIN STUDENT COUNCIL

I believe that joining student council is one good way to demonstrate leadership and dedication to your school. Now, let's be realistic about one thing: you are not going to change how your entire school operates by joining student council. The council exists more to help engage students in learning, coordinate school events to hype them up and to create an overall positive environment so that students are more inclined to learn and excel. Now, joining council is in itself a huge accomplishment, but what I found more valuable was the opportunity to branch out and do other things through being able to network with your council, council supervisors, and school staff. To bring the Tennis Club again, the main reason I was able to found and be president of the club was because the council supervisor suggested the idea and taught me how to register the club at my school. Moreover, I actually found that being on council motivated me to be more diligent in my studies, get more involved, and set a good example to my peers at the time.

To add one last comment, when you set your mind to do something, it is important to dedicate yourself to it for an extended period of time (anything below 1 year is too short). Once you join student council, try your best to recommit the next year. I personally have committed to student council for 3 years, and it definitely played an important role in getting me into my dream school.

Joining student council is in itself a huge accomplishment, but what I found more valuable was the opportunity to branch out and do other things through being able to network

3. THE 3-2-1 STRATEGY

Join 3 clubs, 2 volunteer positions, and have 1 work experience (3-2-1). Now you may be questioning why so many? Well, for one, middle school and high school combined together are generally 5 years. The 3-2-1, I believe, is actually quite reasonable over that period of time. Second, we are talking about ensuring your acceptance into your dream school, and it certainly won't come easy especially with the fierce competition out there. Now, you may be wondering what the difference is between clubs, volunteer, and work experience. I'd like to lay out my own definitions for each.

a. club - extra-curricular activities within the school

b. volunteer - extra-curricular activities outside of school

c. work experience - paid work within school or outside of school

I'd like to emphasize that the 3-2-1 works because it shows some diversity in your commitment. To bring my own experiences again, I was part of Tennis Club, Key Club, and Korean Culture Club to which I've committed well over a year. There is actually a couple other clubs I was part of as well, but I am laying out the 3 clubs I had a deeper connection to.

Having volunteer positions is important because it shows that you are reaching places beyond the boundaries of school, and your dream school will see that you are more likely to do the same once you are accepted. The two volunteer positions I had were Music Team Leader at the church I went to and Korean Culture Festival Staff in my community.

Finally, having at least one work experience is beneficial because it demonstrates some degree of financial independence from your parents or guardians, and your exposure to monetary values. I worked part-time at a sushi restaurant as a server for several years. However it doesn't matter where you work so long as you are working.

4. THREE AWARDS (SCHOLARSHIP COUNTS)

I must say that in order to get into your dream school, it is ultimately dependent upon how well you sell yourself. Meaning, these schools will be comparing your achievements to those of others. Sadly, if you've put in a lot of effort but can't produce results, they will weed you out and accept the ones that in fact can (I know, it's a harsh reality). Throughout your middle and high school years, securing 3 awards (more the better) will tremendously help you get into your dream school. It doesn't matter what it is for as long as you have them. I personally had 3 or 4 awards just on my athletic performances, and I secured Honour Roll (average grades above 80%) and Principal's List (average grades above 90%) all 5 years. Honour Roll and Principal's list aren't exactly awards per say but it was an official recognition by our school. By grade 12, I had good enough grades to get me an Academic Excellence award, and I had a Passport to Education award for excellence and dedication in my Spanish course.

I know if you count up my number awards, it probably adds up to 5 or more, but what is more important is that you have 3 awards, each of which represents a different category (e.g. athletics, grades, language). Again, demonstrating your well-roundedness and diversity is a strong selling point for your dream school.

If you've put in a lot of effort but can't produce results, they will weed you out and accept the ones that in fact can (I know, it's a harsh reality).

5. HOBBIES AND ACTIVITIES

This is not really a selling point for you dream school to see, but it is more for your own self-growth and positive ways to destress. Preparing for your dream school is not an easy process, and sometimes you may feel overwhelmed and burned out. What helped me get through this is by engaging in my hobbies and various activities. If you don't have any hobbies, I encourage you to try various activities and find ones you enjoy doing. Some of my hobbies were playing musical instruments, singing, and enjoying lots of sports and outdoor activities. But it doesn't have to be limited to these. Here is a list of hobbies you can refer to:

a. Yoga and pilates

b. Sewing

c. Baking

d. Reading

e. Hiking

f. Knitting

e. Blogging

You may not understand at this point in time, but finding hobbies isn't simply to help you get into the dream school, but it is also beneficial while you're in school, after you graduate, and even when you start working. Moreover, it's a great way to network with others, make good friends, and lead a healthy lifestyle.

6. GRADES

I put this one last because it is such an obvious yet vital aspect of your achievements. All of the 5 points I mentioned previously would be nullified if you had depressing grades because it demonstrates that you had not fulfilled your basic duties as a student applying to competitive programs. I'd like to emphasize this point because too many students surprisingly get this mixed up. If your grades are suffering because of your extra-curricular activities whether it be clubs, volunteer or sports, then you need to cut them down and focus on getting good grades first. A simple reason is because most competitive schools have a minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) they require before they even look at your other stuff. So, if your GPA doesn't make the cut-off, then all your other achievements will not even be looked at (doesn't matter if you fixed global warming, cured cancer or climbed Mount Everest). So, keep in mind that grades are your top priority in order to get into your dream school.

If your grades are suffering because of your extra-curricular activities, then you need to cut them down and focus on getting good grades first.