What's In Store?

Here’s an overview for A Level Students about what’s in store for you in your upcoming future up until you secure admission into the Aga Khan University Inshallah. Considering you’re reading this in November, here’s how things will probably be going for you:

1. Continue studying for your mid-terms, then your mocks and then your A Level exams
2. Involve yourself in various extracurricular activities, such as debates, music, art and literature, writing, sports, Olympiads and intra and interschool competitions.
3.  Receive, collect and compile ALL certificates you have received (Academic as well as Extracurricular) and keep them safe. These will be extremely useful for you when you clear the test Inshallah, so make sure you’re not looking for them everywhere when the time comes.
4. Give mid-terms.
5. Get your O level Equivalencies made. Get this done early so you’re not worrying at the end in case there’s any kind of delay. This will also help you get familiar with the equivalency process for when you’ll be getting your A Level ones made.
6. Have a look at the AKU website, www.aku.edu Look at when their admission cycle is scheduled to open. Download (and print) the AKU test syllabus for each science and the sample test papers. Go further deep into the website if you’re interested and have the time.
7. Keep studying and living. Try and focus as much as you can on your science subjects because these will go a long way helping you, not just in the AKU test itself, but an A* in each science will get you a brilliant Pre-Medical Equivalency that will help you with every university in the country.
8. Mock exams.
9. A level Exams.
10. By mid to end of MAY, perhaps even during your A Level exams, the AKU online application will open. If you’re still having your papers, have a look at the Application deadline to see if you’ll be done with your exams and still have ample of time to fill in the forms. If this is the case then give your papers with your undivided attention. If it isn’t this way and your papers will be continuing till or even after the deadline, then you’ll have to plan wisely and undergo the application process alongside preparing for and sitting your exams.
11. You’ll receive your first letter from AKU with your admit card, a checklist of some sorts and information including the entry test date. For us, the Test date was 9^th July.
12. Your A Level exams come to an end. The date for this and your test will be very important and will determine your Entry Test prep planning and schedule. Our test was on the 9^th of July, and most of us (students that had 3 science subjects and Math) had our last A Level Exam on the 18^th of May. Our AKU application deadline was the 31^st of May and we were informed of the test date by the 5^th of June. So we had lots of time for almost everything. There were students, however, that had exams well into June (GPR and World History Students for example) and had a more constricted preparation time frame.
13. Enjoy a slight break IF YOU CAN AFFORD IT. I was through with my exams by the 16^th of May, and I spend 10 days enjoying, relaxing and not studying. After the 25^th I started reading through the books and sorting out my preparation plan, and I properly started studying from the 5^th of June. And I can safely say 1 Month was quite enough for a smooth and stress free study schedule.
14. Start preparing for the entry test. Details for this will be on another separate post.
15. Sit the test.
16. Receive Test Result, get short-listed for interview. We received the test results on the 31^st of July, Monday.
17. Receive a second package from AKU with an extensive form.
18. Fill out the form, gather your certificates and prepare for your interview.
19. Form submission.
20. A level result. Submit your provisional result to AKU via courier. Do not forget this.
21. Interview. Your interview may be scheduled for before your AKU result.
22. Get A level equivalencies made. 
23. Study for other Medical Universities. This is critical and will help you ensure a backup if things don’t go as planned. AKU’s decision comes somewhere during October, and the Provincial Medical College Entrance Exam takes place by end of October. I’d strongly advise you to study for the Provincial Entrance test as if you’ve been rejected from AKU. Then once you’ve been offered admission, Inshallah, you can let go of the accelerator.
24. Get Accepted into AKU. Have a look at your beautiful offer letter.
25. Fill out a lot of forms for admission acceptance, make initial payments, apply for scholarships and/or financial assistance
26. Appear for the Provincial Entry Test. AKU told us that sitting this test is a requirement of PMDC. They did not ask us for any minimum score so all you have to do is appear for the test to fulfil formalities.
27. Buy AKU lab coats.
28. Start university.