ROADMAP 2019 Edition

Contributors

Chief Editor Erum Iqbal Hashim

Key Contributors Abeer Ladhani

Saasha Gulamani

Samia Merchant

Shamim Merchant

Shazia Merchant

Reviewer Sajida Hassan Shroff

Photography Zanir Munir Ladak

Design and Layout Sahil Ahmed Parpia

Printing Prominent Printing & Publishing Co. LLC

Testimonials Aqil Rashid

Areeba Qureshi

Danniyal Lalani

Isbah Bandeali

Neha Lalani

CONTENT Welcome to ROADMAP ....................................................................................................................................................................... 1

Roadmap to UNIVERSITY APPLICATION ...................................................................................................................................... 2

How do I GET STARTED? ..................................................................................................................................................................... 3

Areas of EXPLORATION ....................................................................................................................................................................... 5

Selecting the right PROGRAM TO STUDY .................................................................................................................................... 6

Factors to consider when CHOOSING A UNIVERSITY .............................................................................................................. 7

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS ......................................................................................................................................................... 9

How to Build YOUR STORY .............................................................................................................................................................. 10

Tips for effective ESSAY WRITING ................................................................................................................................................. 12

Writing a STATEMENT OF PURPOSE............................................................................................................................................. 13

Getting RECOMMENDATIONS ........................................................................................................................................................ 14

Testimonials ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 15

1

Welcome to

ROADMAP

MARHABA! Welcome to the first edition of

ROADMAP. ROADMAP is a magazine for

secondary school students and their parents

who either have started or want to start the

university application process.

We believe education is the best way to

prepare you for your future. In order to take

advantage of the opportunities that

education provides, you must decide what

kind of future you want. The Roadmap will

help you connect the dots between

secondary school and career opportunities

by helping you navigate an educational path

to realize your aspirations.

The university application process can seem

daunting so we try to demystify the process

by encouraging students to start early. With

tips, insights, tools and advice from

professionals and successful students, this

guidebook is your university and career

planning Roadmap.

Disclaimer

This document is intended to provide guidance to the reader on the matters that are covered. However, this should not be treated as the

only or exclusive source of information or guidance on these issues. The reader is advised to gather other recommendations, speak to his

or her advisors and conduct independent research in making a determination as to the issues covered in this document.

This document has been prepared with support from the Education Portfolio and Sajida Hasan Shroff, CEO, Altamont Group as well as

from other sources identified, prepared or sourced by the publisher. This document is the proprietary material of the publisher and is for

educational purposes only. This document is for distribution to a specific private group of individuals identified by the publisher. The

reader or person in possession of this guide is not permitted to distribute, reproduce or display this document to any other person without

the prior written consent of an authorized representative of the publisher. The publisher does not make any comment or provide any

warranty as to the accuracy of the information contained in this document.

2

Roadmap to

UNIVERSITY APPLICATION

Students often underestimate the

amount of time required to prepare

their applications for a good college

or university. Especially for

institutions with competitive

admissions, applicants need to start

building their ‘story’ and thinking

about what they want to study from

as early as Grade 8.

Setting an annual schedule for

yourself is an ideal way to achieve

your objectives and to stay ahead of

the curve. Always remember, starting

the process early is the best way

forward. Allow yourself sufficient time

to not only think about what you

want to study but to also thoroughly

research the institution and/or

program that will best serve your

academic and professional goals.

Develop a list of universities and

programs that align with your goals is

just the starting point of the

application process. Once you have

the list of target universities/colleges,

you have to check admissions

requirements and ensure you qualify.

Then you have to ensure you meet

the application deadline, which may

be up to ten months before the

beginning of your 1st semester. The

application may require you to

complete personal statements,

provide recommendations from

teachers or others who know you

well, and complete standardized

tests.

3

How do I

GET STARTED?

Applying to university begins by asking yourself what

do you want to be and what do you want to do? If

you do not have any idea, the task may seem

insurmountable. However, it actually is not.

Choosing a career is a big deal. It is much more than

deciding what to do for a living. The average person

is expected to be on the job 71% of every year for 45

years until retirement. Although there is no failsafe

way to select the right career, making time to think

about your options will increase your chances of

making an educated decision resulting in a satisfying

career.

STEP ONE: SELF ASSESSMENT

Before you can choose a suitable career, you should

reflect upon your values, interests, soft skills, and

aptitudes, in combination with your personality type.

This self-analysis will enable you to determine which

occupations that are a good fit for you and which are

inappropriate. While there are career tests that claim

to match personalities and careers, you should try to

do this assessment yourself, taking into consideration

multiple variables including – is a high salary

important to you? Is it important for your work to

contribute to society? Are you willing and able to

commit the time required to acquire more advanced

or new skills than the career demands? In addition to

these variables, also consider your family

responsibilities and your ability to pay for education

or training.

4

STEP TWO: CAREER EXPLORATION

Based on the results of your self-assessment, learn

more about careers and professions that seem to be

a good fit for you or interest you. You can easily find

job descriptions, median salaries and other

information online.

After completing this preliminary research, you can

start eliminating occupations that do not appeal to

you and research more on those that do. Find people

from within your network who are intimately familiar

with the career that interests you. Meet with them to

ask questions that have answers you would probably

not find elsewhere. If possible, work out ways to

shadow them at work to learn more about what they

do. Internships are the best way to find out what to

expect in a job.

Give serious thought to preparation for your chosen

career. Some careers require specialized

qualifications and licenses e.g., medicine, law,

teaching, architecture etc. If for any reason, you feel

the path to that career may not be for you, then go

back and explore more options.

STEP THREE: FIND YOUR MATCH

Finally, it is time to make a match! Use your learnings

from self-assessment and career exploration to

identify the profession that interests you the most. Be

sure to select one or two alternatives in case you

cannot pursue your first choice.

STEP FOUR: TAKE ACTION

Once you have identified an occupation to pursue,

develop an action plan. An action plan is essentially a

road map that will get you from point A—choosing

an occupation—to Point B—becoming employed in

that career.

Start investigating appropriate education and

training programs that will help you to reach your

goal. Speak to a career counselor at your school or in

your community. When making an action plan, allow

yourself some leeway for potential challenges along

the way.

It is important to note that the career planning

process never ends. At various points in your life, you

may go back to the beginning, or other phases to

redefine yourself and your career goals.

5

Areas of EXPLORATION

Ever increasing advancements in

technology have made the world’s

job marketplace drastically

different than it was just a few

decades ago.

Sourcing career tracks today that

are going to be profitable now and

in the future can be a challenge.

While there are credible institutions

publishing lists of top jobs for the

future, it is more pragmatic to look

at their reasoning than the job

itself. Based on research from

multiple institutions, here are five

areas for exploration.

1. DATA ANALYSIS

Companies today rely on big data

to make everyday decisions. It is

safe to say that this trend will

continue in the future with more

and more companies

understanding the importance of

Big Data as a useful source for

gaining insights and making

informed decisions.

2. PERSONAL COUNSELING

Counseling as a career is booming

as more and more individuals seek

professional advice on topics

including education, relationships,

finance, and career development.

Mental health support in

particular, has seen a sharp growth

as societies realize the importance

of addressing psychological

problems.

3. FINANCIAL EXPERTS

Finance has always been and will

continue to be an integral part of

any business. As a result, financial

experts are in high demand to

meet business needs and comply

with new financial regulations.

4. DESIGNERS

Everything needs design.

Businesses increasingly focus

more on design as consumers

become design conscious.

Professionals with expertise in

product design, UI/UX design, 3-D

modelling, architecture and

augmented reality/virtual reality

experience designers will continue

to be in high demand.

5. ENTREPRENEURS

The demand for new products and

services to increase efficiency and

the quality of life will always be

high. Although entrepreneurship

is not for everyone and comes

with its own risks and rewards, it is

safe to say that entrepreneurship

will always be a career option.

6

Selecting the right

PROGRAM TO STUDY

Selecting the right program can be daunting and, in

some cases, frustrating, but it is certainly not

impossible. Studies suggest that 20-50% of students

entering university life are unsure about their major,

and this is alright!

First, what you need to do is think about what are the

things that you enjoy doing, think about what

interests you, what motivates you to work harder, and

what you can see yourself doing in the future. If you

choose a subject that you like, then there are more

chances of you will be exceptional student, and excel

in that field.

Once you have selected your areas of interest, select

your program of study. When you have narrowed

your selection of programs, think about the depth of

the program and see if it is relevant. Is it something

that would challenge you? Does it motivate you to

give your best? Think about all your strengths and

where you can put them to use, because “an

undergraduate degree is an undergraduate degree.”

It is not just about what course you're taking, it is

more about how much you learn during those

university years, and how many skills you acquire.

In addition, try to attend as many career fairs as

possible. These are the events where you can talk to

representatives of different universities, who will give

you a lot of information about the courses they offer.

Speak to them and if you are interested in any of the

modules, then do visit that university and discuss your

ideas with the program director, who may help you

with your decision-making. It will give you insight into

what the program is about and what is expected from

you.

Moreover, if you are really interested in a program

then try to talk to the graduates or students who are

already part of that program and ask them about their

experiences.

You can also inquire about the student association for

that program as that is a clear indicator about how

engaging the subject is. However, if you remain

indecisive then visit different job sites. Talk to the

people working there, or maybe even do an

internship to understand the field better.

Once you see things from a very different perspective,

it will be easier to decide if this is something, you may

want to go forward with.

7

Factors to consider when

CHOOSING A UNIVERSITY

Choosing the university and country of study is one

of the most important decisions you will ever make. It

can be confusing, as you will have perspectives that

may differ from suggestions of family and friends.

Here are some important factors to consider when

determining the university and country of study:

1. ACCREDITATION

Make sure the college/university is accredited! This

mean an officially licensed organized has examined

the school and approved its curriculum to verify that

it meets academic standard for higher education. You

should be able find this information on their website,

usually on the About or Admissions pages. And you

must verify this on the accrediting entity's website. In

addition, you must verify that the accrediting body is

government approved.

2. SCHOOL

If you are serious about a particular major, find out

where the colleges you are looking at rank in that field

of study. Most colleges/universities lean in one

direction or another. Think of the type of school as

your broadest level of criteria. Some colleges have an

outstanding program, where you will be able to get

the best education for the particular major. Many

schools also offer work placements to help prepare

for your career.

3. LOCATION

Sometimes students are hesitant about going abroad

for studies from their hometown. Therefore, carefully

consider whether you are ready to move abroad or

would rather remain closer to home.

It is crucial to factor in location when choosing a

university, as this will determine how often you visit

home and the expense of doing so. Ask yourself

questions like do you want live in a big city or

somewhere a little quieter? Does a party campus

sound like a fun part of the college experience or just

a distraction? What about weather and regional

culture?

8

Consider other elements such as accommodation,

transportation, proximity to Jamat Khana, etc.

Safety is also an important factor. Most universities

provide campus crime statistics, and many will

include surrounding areas. Do review this information

to make an informed decision.

Perhaps most importantly, can you afford to go out-

of-state, especially to a more expensive big city?

Geographic location can have a big impact on your

overall college experience, so choose wisely.

4. OVERALL COST

Other factors may be more important to you

personally, but in the end, cost may trump them all.

Determine how much you can afford to pay for

college, what types of financial aid are available and

whether you are eligible for scholarships.

5. ACADEMIC QUALITY

Academic quality is further down on this list, but not

because it is less important. It is more specific.

Rankings are fun, but they can be misleading. If you

know what field you would like to study, use that to

your advantage, and look for university ranking list for

that particular program.

6. ACADEMIC MAJORS

Make sure your career of interest is offered as a major

in a college/university. You do not have to decide on

one major; just have a range of options in mind. This

will give you the advantage of searching for schools

in the context of a larger career/life plan. You can then

investigate academic departments more thoroughly

and carefully select a school that is a good fit for you.

7. CAREER SERVICES

Students go to college/university expecting to find a

job in their desired career upon graduation, so it is

important that your college has a great career

services program that will help you find a job in your

field of interest.

8. TRANSFER RATE

You may want to consider the college’s transfer rate.

If it is high, it might mean that many incoming

students decide to transfer to another university mid-

degree.

9. STUDENT/PROFESSOR RATIO

Know what classroom style works best for you. Do

you like smaller classes where you can have a closer

relationship with your professor or larger class

sizes where professors give lectures and do not

interact as much with students? If you think you

would like to be a part of a more interactive

classroom style, you may want to consider a smaller

college.

10. STUDENT LIFE

Make sure the university’s student life excites you!

Browse through the school’s list of clubs and see if

any stand out to you.

11. ATHLETICS

If you are interested in a particular sport and want to

join a sports team while at college, you should look

into the college’s athletics program. Speak to the

coaches and some players on the team to get a better

sense of the athletic culture.

12. PLACEMENT RATE

Also, take into consideration how many graduates get

jobs in their fields upon graduation.

9

APPLICATION

REQUIREMENTS Here is a list of the documents that

you may require for the

college/university application

process.

1. APPLICATION FORM

Application forms are online.

Carefully, complete the form,

providing all the information

requested. Be save and do a

thorough review before

submitting the form.

2. CERTIFICATES

High school diplomas, grade

reports, senior secondary

certificates (SSC), higher

secondary certificates (HSC), etc.

will be required. Verify if these

need to be sent directly from your

school. And be sure to follow up

with the admissions office to verify

receipt.

3. STANDARDIZED TESTS

If English is not your first language,

some universities require TOEFL or

IELTS for your admission. Certain

universities require SAT or ACT test

results. And when applying for

graduate program, verify if the

GMAT, GRE, LSAT, etc. are

required. Also, check if subject

tests are needed. The scores of

these tests are only valid for a

limited time so verify validity

before submitting. You must

allocate adequate time for test

preparations and schedule your

practice and final tests well in

advance of university application

deadline.

4. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

A statement of purpose introduces

you and your interests to the

admissions office. This is the only

document in your application that

gives you the opportunity to

highlight what is unique about

you; i.e. what make you stand out

from the crowd.

5. RESUME

It is always a good idea to prepare

a well-written, concise and

powerful resume. Do not hesitate

to ask for help while preparing

your resume.

6. LETTERS OF RECOMMEND-

ATION

Many admissions teams see this

letter along with the personal

statement as a holistic process.

Together they provide a sense of

the student as a ‘whole person’,

rather than merely focusing on the

student’s test scores and grades.

The reference letter carries a great

deal of weight, and a strong letter

of recommendation can have a

powerful effect on admissions.

7. PASSPORT SIZE PHOTO-

GRAPHS

Always be careful and check the

dimensions of the passport size

photo, be it admissions or visas.

8. ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS

Make sure to submit any proof of

achievement and other certificates

that explain your talents and

extracurricular activities.

9. RE-CHECK

Once you have all the documents

prepared, double check them with

the ‘documents required’ checklist,

to make sure you have not missed

any document. Have attested

copies of all the documents in a

folder and arrange them according

to the checklist.

10

How to Build

YOUR STORY

Universities want to know what makes you unique

and what differentiates you from other applicants.

Why should the university choose you instead of

someone else? Determine what story you want to tell

about yourself. Incorporate your extracurricular,

activities, academics, sports, volunteer experiences

and hobbies, so that you verbally draw a picture of

yourself. Think about what you intend to do in the

future with your degree (and if you are working on

anything currently) that will make a difference in this

world - potentially solve an existing world problem.

Universities want to see passion, conviction,

leadership and impact in their selected applicants. Be

sure your story highlights these elements about

yourself.

By being involved in the following activities, you can

ensure your story incorporates elements important

for university applications and personal

developments.

1. ACADEMIC ACTIVITY

It is better to enhance needed skills beforehand, as

there is no better way to prove your passion for a

field. Universities want hard working and passionate

students who can potentially be innovator.

Choose an activity in school that relates to what you

are hoping to study in college; e.g. If interested in

Journalism, be a part of your school newspaper team.

11

2. COMMUNITY SERVICE

Choose a non-profit organization that allows you to

volunteer your time and energy to work with people

or support a good cause in your community; e.g.

volunteer at a senior center, or tutor younger

students after school or volunteer at fundraising

event. Whatever you do, make sure there is impact.

It is important that you select a cause you really care

about, as it will show that you are a concerned citizen

and an aspiring leader. Service learning is a great way

to reinforce the ideas that you have learned in the

classroom. Additionally, volunteering helps develop

skills such as decision-making, critical thinking, and

problem solving.

3. PERSONALITY BUILDING

Do an activity that displays something that is special

about you; e.g. an aspiring astronomy major may

have a passion for acting in theater productions.

The acting does not necessarily have anything to do

with what you want to pursue academically or

professionally; it is a chance to do what is important

to you and that you really enjoy doing. Universities

want to see the person behind the application so

show them your interests.

Your journey does not end when school finishes, you

must continue building your story during holidays,

also try shadowing someone in their workplace or by

doing research work for an organization or even by

gaining internships that relate to your field. This way

you will get a taste of how people and things actually

work in the real world.

As with anything in life, balance is very important. Try

to choose activities from different categories, both

social and academic, so that colleges are able to see

a wide range of talents and strong character traits.

12

Tips for effective

ESSAY WRITING

Structure your essay in the most

effective way to communicate

your ideas and answer the

question.

A paragraph must contain a topic

sentence that states the main idea,

a supporting sentence to explain

and support your main idea,

evidence to show the basis and a

relevance of your subject area.

Analyze your evidence with a

comment on the implication /

significance / impact and conclude

the paragraph with a critical

conclusion you have drawn from

the evidence.

Finally, end your paragraph with a

concluding sentence that

reemphasizes your point, analyses

the evidence, or provides a

transition to the next paragraph.

TIPS FOR EFFECTIVE WRITING

Begin writing early – the earlier the

better. This will give you time to

develop your ideas. Keep the

question in mind. Do not lose track

of the question – keep the

question in front of you as you

draft the essay and your argument.

Do not try to write the entire essay

in one sitting. Begin by developing

an outline. Then, start jotting down

a few bullet points or a few

sentences that will lead into the

body and work paragraph by

paragraph.

Write the introduction and

conclusion after the body. Once

you know the topic or argument of

your essay, then write the

introduction and conclusion.

Integrate your evidence carefully.

Introduce quotations and

paraphrases with introductory

phrases.

Revise your first draft extensively.

Make sure the entire essay has a

good flow and that the paragraphs

are in a logical order.

Put the essay aside for a few days.

This allows you to come back to

your essay a fresh eye.

13

Writing a

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

A Statement of Purpose — popularly known as “SOP”;

— is an integral part of the international admissions

process. The SOP should explain why you are

choosing the program that you want to study and

what do you plan to do upon completion of the

course. A well-written SOP along with good grades a

winning combination.

Most institutions specify a word-count, usually

between 3,000 to 4,000 words. So make sure you

check the parameters and that your SOP does not

exceed the prescribed word-limit.

Some Tips for Writing the Statement of Purpose:

Make sure the text is readable; stick to standard font-

type and size. Start by putting down some bullet

points, write a couple of drafts based on your ideas,

read, edit and then work on a final SOP.

Do not be repetitive. Use basic and clear language;

avoid over-complicating the SOP and be sure to do a

spell-check. Stick to the word-limit, we cannot stress

this enough

Give demonstrative examples/references of academic

brilliance or professional competence, instead of

making vague statements.

Why a Well-Written SOP Matters?

Remember when you apply for a specific program at

an international university, others are in the race too.

You are competing with a number of talented

students from around the world who have applied for

the same course that you have selected.

What can set you apart from other applicants?

Along with a well-written SOP and an impressive

academic score, letters of recommendation from your

lecturers/reporting managers also play an important

part.

14

Getting

RECOMMENDATIONS Universities often ask for two or three

recommendation letters from people who know you

well, as they can describe your skills, accomplishment

and personality. Colleges value recommendations

because they reveal things about you beyond grades

and test scores, provide personal opinions of your

character and show who is willing to speak on your

behalf

Make sure to request your references at least 2

months prior to you earliest deadline. The earlier you

ask, the better it is. Remember that some teachers will

be writing many letters, which takes time. Hence, your

teachers will devoid more time to your letter if they

do not have to rush.

It is your job to find people to write letters of

recommendation for you. Follow these steps to start

the process:

Read each of your college applications carefully, as

some schools often ask for letters of

recommendation from an academic teacher or a

school counsellor or both. Ask your counsellors,

teachers and your family who they think would make

good references.

Choose one of your teachers from junior year or a

current teacher who has known you for a while.

Consider asking a teacher who also knows you

outside the classroom. Consider other adults — such

as an employer, a coach or an adviser from an activity

outside of school — who have a good understanding

of you and your strengths.

Perhaps most important, pick someone who will be

enthusiastic about writing the letter for you.

Some teachers may write many recommendation

letters each year. Therefore, even if they know you

well, it is a good idea to take some time to speak with

them about the recommendation letter. You can

speak to them about your class participation, remind

them of specific work or projects you are proud of,

tell them what you learned in class, mention any

challenges you overcame and lastly, give them the

information they need to provide specific examples

of your work. However, if you need a

recommendation letter from a counselor or other

school official, make an appointment ahead of time

and speak about your accomplishments, hobbies and

plans for college and the future. Prepare a draft for

them that outlines your achievements and highlights

items they should reference.

Make sure to waive your right to view

recommendation letters. Admission officers trust the

recommendation letters more if you have not seen

them. Make sure your references know the deadlines

to submit the recommendation and follow up with

your references a week or so before the due date to

check in.

Once you have decided which university to attend,

write thank-you notes to your references and let them

know that you appreciate their support and let them

know where you are going.

15

16

Aqil Rashid Fourth year, Brown University

My name is Aqil Safdar Rashid, and I am a lover of

watermelon, good stories, and rooftops and always

looking for ways to bring all three together in my

life. I am a fourth year student, studying BA

Economics at Brown University. I am currently living

in Providence, RI, US but was born and brought up

in Dubai, UAE.

I found out about Brown University through US

News/Forbes University Rankings and a general

awareness of the university. I wanted a university that

did not put restrictions when picking classes, the size

of the class be < 1,500 students (as it would help me

to get to know my peers), and high achieving and

competitive environment but not through cut throat

competition (as I wanted to grow alongside my peers

rather than compete against them).

My experience thus far has been incredible! I was able

to grow academically through challenging classes

with extremely talented professors and set a path

professionally through the career preparation

resources offered at Brown.

I chose to study in the US for its incredible

opportunity if you have the right qualifications,

knowledge, and mind-set. Initially, I did suffer from

cultural shock, but it took maturity, understanding

and ability to relate to people beyond their social,

cultural, and superficial aspects to build those

relationships.

In terms of extracurricular, I was heavily involved in

the international community at Brown. I also enjoyed

organizing TEDx style events for students, professors,

and community members to come together, share

ideas, and have conversation.

Through its Open Curriculum, Brown University

allowed me to explore multiple areas before deciding

that I wanted to learn more about Economics.

Economics helps me understand what is happening

in the world (i.e.: business climate, governmental

decisions, political actions, and the direction where

the world is heading), structural disadvantages that

exist for multiple societies, recognize my own

privilege, and identify actions that can be taken to

create more equality in the world.

Post-graduation, I want to work in Management

Consulting as it allows me to develop a strategic and

analytical toolkit to guide my thinking of the

decisions that organizations make and how we can

make that an efficient process across different

functions of those organizations. Long-term, I would

like to be in a position to make direct, social impact

through my daily work.

My advice for prospective students, research your

school very, very well! While rankings are important,

your key priorities should be how well will you learn

in that environment. Is it financially feasible to attend

this university and can you get a similar level of

education elsewhere without such a large financial

burden? How will this university help you think about

and set you up for your career aspirations? How

happy will you be at the university?

If you are thinking about applying to the US, keep two

key areas in mind: a) Financial Aid is offered to

international students who would like to study in the

US but is very, very, very competitive at top-level

schools. b) Post-graduation, all international students

are guaranteed a visa for 1 year allowing them to

work in the US afterwards. If you do a STEM degree,

the US govt. offers you a 2-year STEM extension,

allowing you to work in the US for 3 years total.

Remember, 4 years is a long time, it is very important

to have an understanding of what you want to

achieve academically and professionally. These

aspects will ensure that you are learning and growing

but in an environment that you choose, which will

bring you some happiness during those 4 years.

17

Areeba Qureshi First Year, University of Toronto

My name is Areeba Amin Qureshi, and I am a first year

undergraduate student pursuing Bachelors of

Science in Biology at University of Toronto, Canada. I

am 18 years old and I am from Abu Dhabi, UAE.

My goal is to pursue a career in Research Studies

either in Biochemistry or in Pharmacology.

While choosing university, I had attended many

university fairs and spoken to my friends and family.

My main criteria was that it should have good

ranking, must have research program as that is my

ultimate goal, and also in a place that is more livable,

for I believe that to excel in your studies one must

have a good secure environment and social life.

Since I had visited Canada and I personally liked the

place with a culture so diverse and welcoming I knew

UFT was my best bet. In addition, the program here

offers a wide range of topics to choose from my

preferred subjects.

My University experience is very different from back

home. You become more independent trying to

balance your studies with your other chores.

As an extracurricular activity, I am involved in the

Ismaili Students Association as a first year

representative.

My future aspiration is to conduct research and

develop new medications for the new diseases that

are rapidly arising. However, before applying for my

Masters, I would like to get some experience in

research.

My advice for future students would be to look at

factors such as university ranking in the program that

you wish to study but also the city or country where

the university is based.

The University of Toronto has three campuses,

one in downtown Toronto (pictured to the

right), and two others in Scarborough and

Mississauga. The faculty of Arts and Science is

the university’s main undergraduate faculty and

teaches undergraduate commerce in

collaboration with the Rotman School of

Management. The Faculty of Applied Science

and Engineering is the other major direct-entry

undergraduate faculty. University of Toronto, Downtown Toronto Campus

18

Danniyal Lalani Graduate, Queen Mary University

of London

My name is Danniyal Lalani, and I studied BA Hons

International Relation at Queen Mary University of

London. I was born in Karachi but grew up in multiple

cities - Singapore, Amsterdam, London and Dubai.

I found out about Queen Mary University of London

by attending many University Fairs through my

school, Dubai American Academy (DAA). I then

narrowed down to the five universities that best fit my

aspirations and would accept me for my predicted

grades. I wanted to go to a University that had a

strong reputation in the subject I wanted to pursue

(International Relations), a strong reputation in the

career I wanted to pursue (Law) and was a member of

the Russell Group Universities.

My experience overall was very positive. In UK

universities, you only study your subject. If you are

studying History, you will only do History modules,

whereas in American/Canadian Universities you are

asked to complete modules outside of your major.

There is no hand holding either, you get out of the

University as much as you put in.

I wanted to become a Lawyer thus applied for a

contract in my third and final year (2016). You have to

be well rounded as an applicant and a simple UK

University degree is not sufficient in securing a good

job. Thus, I did summer school in different

universities, and applied for various placements

throughout my time in University.

In terms of my experience, it was a big adjustment

from Dubai but it gave me a strong sense of

independence and allowed me to carry out my goals.

Since I wanted to pursue a career in corporate law,

my extracurricular were related with this goal in mind.

The Ismaili Students Network (ISN) is also very active

in bringing students from all over the UK in various

events.

I am currently working as a lawyer in London, and

enjoy every second of it.

For future students, if you want to go to the UK you

should have an understanding of what career you

want to pursue, as this will be the quickest way to

reach your career goals.

Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) is

organised into three faculties – the Faculty of

Humanities and Social Sciences, the Faculty of

Science and Engineering and Barts and The

London School of Medicine and Dentistry.

Queen Mary is a member of the Russell Group

of British research universities, the Association

of Commonwealth Universities and Universities

UK. In 2018/19, Queen Mary ranked 119th in QS

World University Rankings. Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Campus

19

Isbah Bandeali Second Year, University of

California

My name is Isbah Bandeali, and I am currently a

sophomore at University of California, Berkeley. I am

19 years old and I was born and brought up in Dubai

but I am originally Indian. I am pursuing double major

in Economics & Data Sciences as well as minor in

Public Policy.

Berkeley had been one of my dream universities

when I was applying back then. Although, I had never

visited either Berkeley before, it is the reputation and

sheer opportunities that made me apply to the

university. Additionally, the wide variety of

opportunities such as global internships program,

research labs, participating in writing publications etc.

truly encapsulated holistic development of a student.

My initial university list was divided according to

location/country i.e. Canada, US and the UK. I then

decided to apply to the top, reputable universities

that had the best Economics program, as I was sure

that I wanted to pursue a degree in it. I also looked

into weather conditions, accessibility to religious

community, affordability, and type of university either

public or private, class sizes and most importantly,

the rate of acceptance especially for international

students. I had divided my options into dream, match

and safety in accordance with my grades, SAT scores

and overall portfolio for each country.

My experience so far has been very enthralling and

fruitful. Although, I face several challenges everyday

of being in a bigger university with over 40,000+

students, it has truly moulded me to face the real

world. The interview and application process for the

clubs and organizations, mimic the process of

applying to big firms. This process although has been

very challenging, it has taught me how to deal with

competition whilst teaches me how to present myself

uniquely. It also teaches me how to deal with

rejection and how to further strive harder by being

determined and motivated.

In terms of my career goals, I am not 100% sure about

the exact field I want to go into. However, some of

the areas that I am interested in are consultancy,

investment banking, data analytics and finance.

Selected for the Official Bollywood Fusion Dance

Team - UC Berkeley Azaad, last year, I am currently

part of a NGO, Project Rishi (Rural Indian Social &

Health Improvement), for which I am the Education

Committee Project Lead. Some of our projects have

been installing water filters, conducting eye and

dental camps, rainwater harvesting, college advising

sessions and more. I am also involved as a social chair

of the religious activities at Berkeley community in

which I organize bonding and outings for the small

community we have here. Moreover, I am also

engaged in learning new skills & programs such as

Python and Adobe Creative Design Studio tools so

that I keep expanding my expertise.

My future aspirations perhaps is to continue to learn,

grow and achieve the best I can. Although I plan to

get a good job and grow in it, I also would like to

work for the AKDN and contribute to social

development.

My advice for future students would be to stay

focused, determined and the hard work is all worth it.

The application process for international students is

very strenuous and demanding, so seek advice, reach

out to people and plan ahead of time. I started my

process three years before my application time -

especially preparing for the SAT exams, short listing

the universities and writing the essays. Particularly, I

would want to highlight the essays as a crucial and

one of the most important part of your application

because it is where you can show who you are and

how you stand out from other applicants.

20

Neha Lalani Fourth Year, Barts and The London

School of Medicine and Dentistry

My name is Neha Lalani, and I am a fourth year

student at Barts and The London School of Medicine

and Dentistry, specializing in Dentistry. I am currently

living in London but I have grown up in Karachi,

Singapore and Amsterdam.

I knew from a very young age that I was going to be

a doctor of some sort; it just took time to decide what

kind. Going into dentistry was the best decision I have

made and I absolutely love every second of it.

I was studying Physiology in King’s College, initially,

which is a quite well known university. Barts and The

London, School of Medicine and Dentistry, on the

other hand, I came across when looking for medical

school whilst I was in school doing research. Once I

compared it to all the other universities where the

degree was available, it became my dream university.

I choose Barts, for its standing in the league tables,

the structure of the course (i.e. when clinical exposure

begins), available extracurricular and the student

support structure at the university.

My experiences have been very different for both the

universities. King's is a university with a great

reputation to uphold and very big class sizes in the

science fields. So there, you are one of 400 other

students who need to get things done. At Barts, my

class size is 70 and all our tutors know us by name

and are able to mould and direct our education

towards our interests.

My career goal is to become a dentist, and since it is

a vocational degree as soon as I finish I will be eligible

to work as a dentist and will (hopefully) have a job

with the NHS or open my own practice.

However, like most other degrees, I need to have a

strong CV so that when it comes to interview for

placement I have something to talk about and

evidence to back it up. Hence, I have been involved in

playing netball, the dental society, charity work,

university’s student council and have had leadership

roles in all of the societies I have taken part in.

My advice for future students would be, if you want

to come the UK you need to be sure of what you want

to study. It is not easy to change your course once

you have started. In fact, with the UK and the medical

field in general, you need to have decided very early

your subjects for A Level/IB/AP and dedicated

yourself to having the highest grades and a well-

rounded CV on top of that.

Unlike US/Canada, you can go into medicine straight

from school so you finish within 5/6 years. However,

the application process is also different. Your UCAS

application is due in October rather than January, you

are required to sit additional exams depending on

your university choice (BMAT/UKCAT) and you will be

required to sit an interview. The format of the

interview differs depending on the university in

question but it is VERY important to have something

that helps you stand out and every single other

applicant will be the best in their school, have

extracurricular etc.

Moreover, for any medical degree, you NEED work

experience. Work experience involves shadowing a

person in your chosen field for a sometime. Without

this, your application will most likely not even be

considered as universities use work experience to

make sure that you understand the demands of the

profession and the potential negative aspects of it.

ROADMAP

2019 Edition