UPDATE: This blog post was written in December 2022. As of today (14th February 2023), she has received an offer letter from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), UK.
Smriti’s story is stellar! She worked hard during her undergraduate degree by not only excelling in her coursework but also doing multiple relevant internships pertaining to her area of interest, Public Policy. She finished her BA degree in June 2022 from Ambedkar University, Delhi and started working on her applications with Faith Career's Co-Founder & study abroad expert, Tanmay Singh, in July 2022. In only 5 months, she received her first offer letter and 33% scholarship from UCD which is a prestigious & highly-recognised school in Ireland.
Hey Smriti! Many congratulations for getting selected for UCD’s MPP program and for receiving 35% scholarship! Thanks for agreeing to share your experiences! Our audience is excited to know your journey with Faith Career so far.
#1) What sparked your interest in Public Policy? What was your motivation behind selecting UCD’s MPP program over other programs available in Ireland?
I decided to pursue a Master’s degree in Public Policy and its allied facets because of the wide array of career prospects it has for me. Hailing from a background in Global Studies, I always wanted to do something which was at the intersection of International Relations and Public Policy.
UCD is one of the most prestigious and highly reputed universities across Ireland. I chose Dublin as one of the options particularly because of the post-study job opportunities available in diverse fields.
#2) How has your application journey been so far with your study abroad coach, Tanmay Singh? How has he been able to help you?
As soon as I signed up with Tanmay, he helped me navigate through the entire application process. I initiated with my IELTS preparation with him and we started Speaking Section mock tests on a regular basis. I believe the constant feedback that Tanmay gave me after every Speaking and Writing test has played a significant role in helping me perform well in my real IELTS test.
Alongside my preparation, we started working on my application essays. Initially, while I was writing the first draft I was extremely overwhelmed, it was daunting, to be honest. However, with Tanmay’s constant support I was able to brainstorm and ideate. He had helped me in drafting and editing all my essays very well while retaining my unique tonality and thoughts in the application. Nonetheless, he has constantly supported and guided me in submitting my applications and preparing all the necessary documents.
#3) How were your internship experiences? How do you think they have been instrumental in getting you this prestigious offer letter?
Initially, I was not clear with my field of study that I would want to pursue after my undergraduate degree. I realised that it would be best to do some internships and online courses to get some clarity. During the COVID-19 lockdown, while I was having online classes, I used the opportunity to utilise my time and gain some experience alongside. Irrespective of paid or unpaid internships, I was able to work in different domains which play a fundamental role in shaping my direction of interest. My internships and online courses strengthened my CV and made my profile stronger. Therefore, I do believe that a strong CV and prior experience has helped me secure an offer in one of the prestigious universities in the world.
#4) What are the top 2 pieces of advice that you’d like to share with study abroad aspirants? What should they be focusing on?
From what I have experienced and realised, I would suggest all study abroad aspirants to start their process as early as possible not in terms of applications but other aspects which would include doing internships and online courses to make one's profile stronger or preparing for exams such as IELTS, GRE, GMAT, to name a few. Since it might get overwhelming to manage your applications, I recommend that you start working early with Tanmay, so that he can guide you and can support various aspects of your application.
Another piece of advice would be to start gathering all your documents well in advance which could be your transcripts, degree, test reports, CV, passport (don’t forget to check its validity), etc. Before filling your application forms, I would urge everyone to glance through the forms at least 2 times as that would help you in arranging all the necessary documents in time. Some universities do ask for a short description of your work experience(s) or a supplementary statement/set of questions in addition to your personal statement. It is best to go through the form a few days before actually submitting, so that in case there is more than one essay you need to submit, you have sufficient time to work on it.
Thank you for sharing these useful advices and for talking to us today, Smriti! We will stay connected with you and keep our readers updated about your progress.
Our students have successfully received offer letters from various programs ranging from MIM to MBA. Work with one of our co-founders on your applications to enhance your chances of receiving an offer letter from your dream school.