University fairs and visits aid the application process for DP students

University fairs happen year round at the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad. Fairs are open to grades 10-12 to give students the opportunity to plan for higher education and think about important decisions that come with it. Zohair Gandhi of grade 11 writes about recent university visits and how they have impacted the university hunt for Academy students. In the first semester of the 2018-19 academic year, already over 50 universities have visited the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad. This exposure is a great advantage to Academy students. With multiple universities in multiple countries and with multiple majors to choose from, the choice of selecting universities to apply to can be a tricky task. In spite of information available on the Internet, it is nearly impossible to make this sort of decision alone. However, at the Academy, our staff, teachers and university counsellor are dedicated to guiding students every step of the way as we go through the process of applying to universities.

Universities of all kinds – private, public; liberal arts, specialized; national, international – visit campus to address our student body about courses they offer, life on their campus, scholarships and answer queries. University representatives talk about unique aspects of their institutions that make them the right fit for students. We are encouraged to pursue our passions, to look past a university’s ranking, and to think about whether we would prefer to study in large or small universities, in urban or suburban settings. We are taught to reflect on subjects we’d like to study, and to broaden or narrow our scope based on our interests, needs and fields. This is the goal of the university counselling department at the Academy.

Academy university counsellor, Ms. Pragati Pandey, works passionately toward finding students the university that fits them best. AKA Hyderabad graduates have had 100% university placement for the past six years. For her outstanding efforts, Ms. Pragati was voted Best Counsellor of the Year 2018, at the International Career Counsellors Conference in Delhi this August. Our Global Director of University Counselling at the Aga Khan Academies, Ms. Theresa Urist, a Stanford and Harvard alumni, oversees counselling across the network. She recently spent a week at the Academy interacting with students and parents through resource sessions on new university software programmes, personal statements, and streamlining the selection of universities to apply to. Together, Ms. Pragati and Ms. Theresa have a thorough grasp of admissions processes in India and internationally and are well connected with admissions offices across the world. They organise fairs to put a face on universities for students to speak with.

"University fairs provide us with the opportunity to explore the vast set of options available for our future destination," says Nihan Koja, grade 11. This face-to-face interaction engages students and leads to a greater understanding of education systems and helps us achieve greater clarity in our choices. Being able to personally approach admissions ambassadors makes us comfortable asking questions pertinent to our future and often allows us to make personal relationships and gain information beyond the Internet. The Academy wants to aid students get placed in top universities, and also to help them plan a successful life ahead.

Written by Zohair Gandhi, DP-1

At the time of writing, students applying for spring semester 2019 are polishing their university applications. We wish them the best of luck!