How to Get into a Top University

I would lie if I stated that this is a simple question to be answered.

I would also be lying if I said that there is a specific answer, since not only is every student different, but every situation isn’t the same neither.

When one wants to find an answer to this question, it would be essential to ask someone who has experienced a similar situation.

Personally, I was honored to have been accepted by McGill University, where I am currently studying. Therefore, I would be able to provide some insight for future undergraduate or graduate students.

However, please be reminded; this is based on my personal experience and the opinion I have formed from my first-hand knowledge.

I am attacking this crucial question of getting into a top university based on how I actually got accepted to one of the top 3 universities of Canada and a ‘top-notch’ institution globally.

How to Get Into A Top University — Grades

I want to be 100% honest with you: Most of the admission will be based on your grading scheme and your past academic efforts, going back to even the beginning of the high school years.

I have seen various students hesitating on the program they will follow during high school, considering the International Baccalaureate (IB), A-Levels, or any other pre-university preparation systems.

The harsh truth is that without high grades, regardless of the system that you are part of, it will be difficult to aim high.

It’s also essential to state that from European or American public systems, the admission system of top universities will prefer IB, A-Levels, and other programs since they are a way of engaging in the world of an international university before even applying. At the same time, the techniques and methods are based on the university learning and grading scheme.

Don’t get me wrong; even in the COVID-19 conditions, the admission requirements for most great universities are high, and it’s not easy to be accepted.

I hate hearing people state that the grading of their schools isn’t important or equally important to building a portfolio.

The only people you will ever hear ‘dissing’ school or the fact that grades aren’t important are the ones that, frankly, failed to achieve high grades.

Grades are the most important aspect of your application. Whether you are in the early years of high school or the final year in a pre-university program, it’s vital to achieve high marks because they will play a significant role once you choose to follow the hard path of applying to top universities.

How to Get Into A Top University — Progress

This point isn’t only limited to the marks of the academic performance, but it’s a more general aspect of University admission.

Generally, universities love seeing progress, which is interrelated with the student's performance throughout the academic years before applying.

I would go as far as to state that universities would prefer a student who didn’t begin with great marking but managed to achieve high grades rather than another applicant who might have been consistent initially but then showed a lapse in his hard efforts.

“It’s a marathon, not a sprint.” Heard that before, didn’t you?

At this point, it’s more than a given, and the continuous effort that enhances progress shows to the university that you are willing to change for the better and won’t settle for a mediocre performance.

How to Get Into A Top University — Work Experience

The following section is the beginning of building a well-rounded profile and showing the university your engagement and progress outside the academic spectrum.

To start, the admissions office needs to understand that you possess a great skill of time management and multitasking, which will be developed in the pre-university years with a combination of both good grades and valuable experience.

The first thing you have to understand is that the university wants to see an experience outside of the academic spectrum but interrelated to the career you want to follow.

At this point, when you are at the threshold of choosing between the directions of work you want to follow, you’ll have to decide between a valuable internship and a less valuable post of work.

I personally want to pursue a career in politics. Before university, I had to decide between becoming an intern at a political, legal, or diplomatic institution or trying to get a paid part-time job as an assistant.

Obviously, I couldn’t get a paid job in the political institution without even completing secondary — education, so I decided to become an intern.

This was my best choice up to this day in terms of my work experience, and after repeating it numerous times, I can proudly say that this is the best way to go. The university wants to see you in a constant ‘relationship’ with the field you are interested in and the field you are applying to.

Additionally, choose a challenging internship.

Don’t decide between being just a secretary and not taking upon difficult tasks and leadership roles.

This isn’t only an experience that provides insight and gives you new approaches to look into politics, let’s assume. Still, your position will show whether you have used and capitalized upon skills such as leadership or values as humility and respect.

How to Get Into A Top University — Volunteering

This is another crucial part of your application, but it’s different because you can show a part of your inner self and the way you want to give back to the community.

Grades and progress are vital, and the work engagement is showing your interest in the field. I get it. Nonetheless, we are all humans, and this is a strong part of showing your well-rounded profile and showing more than being a student; more than being represented by a grade.

The way you approach society today and your effort to provide better life experiences for other people. Volunteering doesn’t have to be paid because it’s a choice; you aren’t obliged to give back, but this engagement will show precious values for what kind of human being you are.

I know that many people are just volunteering for the sake of showing they are engaged in their community, and they will use that to apply.

Guess what? This is bad for them; the truth will be revealed when the time comes to use these values in an interview (assumption) or a university task.

Volunteering as an obligation won’t help you understand the real world, build a profile beyond the grades and internships, and be appreciated by the university for something more than a number.

Final Takeaways

The ultimate thing you’ll need to understand before applying to the ‘powerhouses’ of university education is that you have to be committed. Commitment is the vital key.

This devotion will give you the high marks you aspire to get. This same focus on your future will urge you to fill your summer with work activities and volunteering actions.

This is the only way you will move forward, and you will have a good chance of getting your number calculated in the next years’ acceptance rate statement.