Hi guys!
I'm an international student who came to Canada to study at Centennial College, Toronto in January, 2009. I just wanted to write something helpful for the people looking to study abroad.
IELTS/TOEFL, GMAT & GRE:
These are the three tests which are mandatory in order to apply for various courses abroad. The first thing you need to do is find out what tests are preferred by the university/college you are applying to and what is the minimum score they require you to get in each of the preferred tests.
I would recommend the students writing these tests join a course for GRE/GMAT in institutions like TIME or VISU. Don't bother much about IELTS/TOEFL unless you really suck at English (just kiddint). I would say, you might need atleast 2 months to be able to successfully clear GMAT/GRE and these tests require a lot of dedication and hard-work. As far as IELTS/TOEFL are concerned, you don't need to spend more than a week (studying vigorously) for these tests. Especially, if you're already preparing for GRE and GMAT, you will be able to crack these tests with no difficulty at all.
ROLE OF A CONSULTANCY IN YOUR APPLICATION PROCESS:
Once, you're done with these tests, it's time for you to submit the scores to the university/college you're applying to along with all the other documents that they ask for. Make sure you review their check-list twice before mailing them the documents. I would also recommend consultancies like "The Chopras" who will be able to help you out with the application. But remember, these consultancies are hired on comission basis by many of the colleges and universities whose courses are promoted/recomended by them. DO NOT FALL FOR THE COURSES THEY SUGGEST WITHOUT DOING YOUR OWN RESEARCH. You might even want to take their help while applying for the Visa, they usually know all the ins and outs of Visa application and you might be able to save a lot of energy and time with their assistance, moreover, there are less chances of last minute rejection from the consulate as your file would have already been reviewed by experienced consultants at the consultancy in front of you before you send it across to the consulate.
Once you have your offer letter from the university/college, you apply for your Visa on that basis, it's then time for you to wait for a response from the consulate. Meanwhile, what I would suggest you is that you learn the simple and fast recepies. This would help you save a lot of money during your stay in the western country, plus, it would also keep you satisfied with the kind of food you're comsuming. Fast-food saves time, but firstly, it costs you a lot and secondly, it may cause obesity and other health issues.
AFTER RECIEVING YOUR VISA:
Once you have your Visa, it's time you make arrangements for your flight tickets. You might want to book your flight in advance if you have a vague idea about when you would be receiving your Visa because that would save you a lot of money. This is again a gamble because cancelling the tickets or rescheduling may cost you a lot in the end if you miscalculate the time it would take for your Visa approval. So, keep that in mind before doing anything in a haste.
I would strongly recommend you arrive to your destination city a month in advance or atleast 2 weeks before your course is scheduled to commence as that would help you a lot in the long run. There are several reasons why I'm saying this. A few which come to my mind right now are:
1. To find out the exact location of the college and other important things about the institutions which you might not be able to think of during/after your application process.
2. To be able to build a convenient time-table(THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE).
3. To make any last-minute ammendments to the course.
4. To be able to learn about the city (the transit system, important locations, etc.).
