Qimmah
Helping Arabs Get to the Top
Why Some Arab Students Don't Get Into Top Universities?
They don’t pursue their passion
When Arab students participate in extracurricular activities they seldom focus on their true passion and interest. You often find a student with 20 different experiences without a single focus. Focus on what you truly like the most; it will be evident in your application.
They don’t have a complete application
A common error students make is failing to supply the logistical required materials (eg. Recommendation letters, transcripts, school reports, etc.) Aiming to complete these documents early in the application process can help students avoid incomplete applications that may lead to rejection.
They choose the wrong universities
It's important to realize that there are great hidden schools beyond Harvard, Yale, and Stanford. Explore a number of different schools and try to find your best match instead of what looks best on your Facebook page.
They don’t answer the prompt
A great essay is not necessarily a great way to answer a prompt. Feel free to get creative, emotional, raw, or funny -- as long as you end up answering the prompt sufficiently.
They trust companies with their application
Always submit your application and material on your own. There have been cases where certain organizations failed to provide a complete application for its students. After all, no one cares about your application as much as you do.
They start late
Always start your work early, especially when it comes to essays. You will be surprised by the amount of time it will take for an idea to develop to its fullest. It is really easy for an admission officer to see that your essay was rushed.
They Apply to too many schools, or too few
Some Arab students tend to apply to every possible school there is. You have to realize that it is quite challenging to get write 20 brilliant different application essays. Focus on your targets and reaches. Start recycling essays for the other reaches after you are done with your top choices. Also, some great universities like Dartmouth, WUSTL and Duke require little to no supplemental essay questions. Apply to those if you are interested in them.
Some students fail before they even start because they don’t have the right mind set
We always see students who get lost after their first SAT because of a poor score. It's vital to realize that if you can be in the top 5% in your country's standardized tests, you can probably score in the top 5% in the US. Your peers in the US aren’t smarter than you. They just had the proper foundation that allowed them to excel in standardized testing. Luckily, doing well in the SAT and ACT is manageable with the right effort.
They don’t ask for reviews
Always ask people you trust for essay revision and feedback. Teachers, family, and experienced friends can often provide a new angle when reading your essay, from things to add or change. Although the purpose of the essay is not to test your grammar, a simple mistake might undermine its whole value.