Do you want to apply for early entry at Macquarie? Do you want to make your application stand out? Then keep on reading!
Maria received an early entry offer into Macquarie University for her dream course, so she knows exactly how to write an application that will impress. She shares all her tips, from starting the application process early to what you should include in it and how to balance your application with the HSC workload.
Let’s take a closer look!
Why apply for early entry at Macquarie Uni?
Tip #1: Take Your Time
Tip #2: Think about Your Application Strategy
Tip #3: Personalise Your Application
What support can you get from the Pathfinder Program?
Balancing the Macquarie Early Entry Application and Your HSC
Why apply for early entry at Macquarie Uni?
Maria has always been interested in psychology. However, in one of the Pathfinder workshops, she learned about the value of combining degrees to open more doors in a competitive field.
That’s why she also decided to explore another field that complements psychology: business administration.
For Maria, applying for early entry was all about being proactive.
“It feels more like I’m grasping the opportunities, rather than waiting for them to come to me,” she said.
When she found out she received early entry, she was very relieved! “It just gives me more motivation to work harder, but not having that stress,” she said.
Tip #1: Take Your Time
There were three early-entry application rounds. Maria didn’t apply for the first one because she wanted to take the time that she needed to really perfect her application.
“I tried my best to carefully read through the website. I don’t know how many times I’ve read it, and try to integrate the criteria and try to use the keywords that they use there,” she said.
Maria told us that it was a long process and there were a lot of revisions. So, don’t leave it to the night before!
“I find that it was really helpful to start really early, and then have it edited by a third party, and then just kind of leave it alone for a little bit of time to revisit it,” she said.
“It’s easy to pick out your mistakes or pick out areas of improvement if you come back to it a while later,” she added.
Tip #2: Think about Your Application Strategy
Be specific
That means you must do your research!
“Integrate what the criteria is looking for because the keywords that they often use in these sorts of applications are things such as leadership, community activity, community involvement,” Maria said.
So, make sure you use those keywords in your application because it shows you’ve taken the time to properly read through the criteria and understand what they’re looking for.
“I would advise future students to do thorough research into what they really want to do and especially for a particular degree — they would have certain criteria for that as well,” she said.
“You can be smart about it — integrate those aspects into it that best matches you with that course,” she added.
Need to learn more about your degree of choice and the application process at Macquarie University? Our BEST advice is to attend their Open Day! Use our Comprehensive List of Open Day Dates for Universities to plan ahead!
Evaluate your achievements
Listing your achievements without commenting on what you learned from the experience is probably one of the most common mistakes in the application process — something which Maria said she was also guilty of.
Thanks to the guidance from her mentor, she quickly realised she needed to go further than simply listing her achievements.
“Universities right now are focussing more on personal experiences and rather than just listing achievements, we wanted to make it more personalised, and target more of the emotions, like balancing both of them out,” she said.
What activities/experiences to include
Maria had no problem choosing which activities to talk about in her application because they were the ones she was most proud of.
She said that the workshops at Art of Smart highlighted how “you shouldn’t doubt your achievements through those activities”.
“It kind of depends on how you present them to the university people and ultimately, it’s just what you learn out of those experiences,” Maria told us.
Tip #3: Personalise Your Application
That’s something Maria learned from the workshops and her Pathfinder mentors.
“Do a lot of research in the department, or the faculty that you want to study in, and having a look at professors or lecturers, and, if possible, contact them, learn about them, what things they kind of do. Including that in your application really showcases your dedication and that you’re passionate about that particular field,” she explained.
Maria doesn’t think she would have learned that without the workshops, so make sure you do yourself a favour and personalise your applications.
What support can you get from the Pathfinder Program?
The three main objectives of the Pathfinder Program are to help students lift results, find direction and stand out all while staying healthy! You get to learn from a mentor who knows how to make your application stand out and help you through the process so you can get to where you want.
“I feel like I’m falling behind” – Maria told us that was one of the most common phrases she used when she first started her sessions.
However, her mentor, Kathy helped her reshape that way of thinking. Maria then began to see the HSC more as “a mind game”.
“Rather than what you do, it’s more like, who you think you are, or who you want to become and that shapes your path,” she said.
Having a mentor helped Maria stay on track, even if she sometimes drifted away from her goals.
“I feel like being able to talk to her and being guided by Kathy, it brought me back to my original intention so that I don’t lose track and I feel like I’m in the right direction again,” she said.
In terms of the application process itself, Maria learned from her mentor what the universities are exactly looking for.
“I also learned to be more proactive, so to get engaged in extracurricular activities, or any activities that show dedication or leadership for example, and that helps a lot in standing out,” she told us.
Balancing the Macquarie Early Entry Application and Your HSC
It may sound a bit challenging, but it all comes back to starting early.
“I think starting early really helps because there weren’t as many assessments or Trials, so I didn’t have to worry much about it at that point,” she said.
Maria told us it’s helpful to have a schedule so if you spend a whole day on the application, you don’t forget to study and vice versa.
That way you stay on track and don’t fall behind in one of the aspects and succeed in both.
Wondering what ATAR you should aim for? Discover why you shouldn’t aim for a high ATAR.
Final Advice
“Make sure that you’re fully eligible for the application and do your best research to grab any opportunities early on rather than leaving it a bit later,” Maria said.
And that’s a wrap!
Remember to revisit Maria’s tips when you’re getting closer to starting your early-entry application. And don’t forget, start early — it does pay off!
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Tanna Nankivell is a Senior Content Writer at Art of Smart Education and is currently in Germany completing a year of study for her double degree in Communications (Journalism) and Bachelor of Arts (International Studies). She has had articles published on Central News – the UTS Journalism Lab and wrote a feature piece for Time Out Sydney during her internship. Tanna has a love for travel and the great outdoors, you’ll either find her on the snowfields or in the ocean, teaching aqua aerobics or creating short films.
