Choosing a university can be a challenge. Let's hear one student's ideas on how to navigate the application process.

The university application process can be difficult and daunting when you face an overwhelming amount of information. It can be really helpful to listen to and learn from the experiences of other Thai students who’ve successfully completed the application process. Taisei Inoue, a graduating senior at St. Andrews International School, describes his journey ahead of an event featuring similar stories from nine students who recently went through the university application process.

I was never really interested when the topic of ‘university’ came up in conversation. I have always avoided the subject as I sensed no urgency in the process, and that mindset later came back to bite me. 

The spring of 2017, when I was deciding what to do with my summer vacation, was the moment I realised my mistake. All of my peers were applying to summer camps in prestigious universities abroad, while I only thought of relaxing and enjoying my summer. Not only were my friends getting ready gaining precious experiences, but the fact that they already had a clear intention of which university they wanted to study in frightened me. Still unsure, I decided to apply for a summer course at California’s UCLA. 

It was not until two months later that I had a clear view in mind. My mother (without telling me) had signed us up for a university conference in Bangkok called US University Student Conference 2017. What I didn’t know at the time was that this conference would be one of the most memorable and important conferences of my life.

This event was the first time I was able to hear personal experiences and difficulties involved in the process of applying to a university. For instance, I distinctly remember one of the panellists talking about the academic requirements to get into the top 20 universities. Listening to all the experiences was especially beneficial to me, as the panellists and I were in the same shoes when it came down to us being 'International Applicants' applying from Bangkok. The various culture shocks, the differences in diversity and the impact of the location were several things that I remember vividly from the Q&A sessions. 

After the conference, I rushed home to find universities that would suit me. Taking the advice from the speakers into consideration, I looked at various universities from all over the world. I researched their locations and the majors they offered, but most importantly, I focused specifically on the campus environment for international students. I remember shortlisting UC Berkeley, Brown University and the University of Toronto in my first findings. 

Following my first university conference, I was eager to attend more to get a better grasp of the whole process. Each time I attended these conventions, I would get new ideas in terms of finding new universities, tips for the application process and even came to know what to look for in finding the university best for me. 

Compared to my peers, I felt as if I had a better perception and mindset for applying to universities when I was finally in my senior year. While my friends were rushing their research on the universities and their requirements, I already had a decent understanding of which universities I wanted to apply to, giving me more time to write and edit my application essays. I knew the little tips and tricks to answer the essay question in my own way, as well as the necessary information to upload on my Common Application. It may have seemed like a waste of time going to these conferences to my former self -- but the day I uploaded my last application was when I truly realised that these conferences were more of a benefit to me than anybody else. 

An upcoming student-led event by UniGlo features nine student speakers from international schools all around Bangkok. Hear how they successfully worked through the university application process as international students from Thailand. The Student Conference 2019 is being held at the Rembrandt Hotel in Bangkok on Monday June 10. Check the Facebook event page for more information.