My introduction
Yasrab here, from the class of 2022. This is my first post, so I'll begin with a little introduction about myself. Just like you, I was searching frantically a year ago for any help/advice/guidelines for helping me achieve my dream of gaining admission into Aga Khan University's MBBS programme, and that's when I came across this wonderful blog. A year later, here I am in my hostel room, writing this post, as the responsibility of running this blog has been passed down to me by the wonderful people who set it up in the first place.
This blog played a major role in helping me achieve my goal, and I cannot thank Sohaib, Lubaina, and everyone else who contributed to it enough for the help rendered. After I got in, I felt that it's my duty to play my part and independently wrote a complete guide based on my experience regarding the admissions process, preparation, the entry test, the interview, what I think is required, and so on. The founders of this blog not only gave me the opportunity to share my guide but also take up responsibility of running this blog from this point onward.
As the admission season has started, I felt that this is the perfect time to make my first post here. Through this post I aim to provide some basic guidelines regarding what you need to do and how you should orient yourselves to efficiently get your applications going. I will continue to update this blog.
Complete guide on preparing for admission into AKU's MBBS programme based on my experience
Firstly, here's the guide I wrote, titled, "Preparing for admission into AKU's MBBS program". It's nearly 18,000 words long (around 70 pages) and deals with everything that I deemed necessary for aspiring students to know, including: applying online, overview of the entry test, preparing for the entry test, filling in the Stage II Information Form (that comes after you clear the entry test), everything pertaining to the interview from sitting posture to questions that I was asked, acceptance letters, how candidates are selected (in my understanding), and so on.
I honestly feel that this is all of the advice and tips that I have to offer in one document and suggest that you keep this with you and go through it as you progress through the admissions process in the next couple of months. Of course, this is simply advice and a narration of my own experience and interpretation of the entire process, so do take it as nothing more than that. At the end of the day, it is your own journey, and all we can do is share what we experienced. Derive whatever benefit, good, and help you can from our experiences.
Here's the guide: https://goo.gl/Q4e8Wg
Do access it from this link, for I do tend to update the file and it automatically gets updated in this link. There's a version number on the cover page with the same link above so do note that when opening the file to see if it's been updated or not. If you decide to download it and keep it offline, click the link on the cover page from time to time to make sure you have the latest version.
Let me know if any link is not working (either in this post or within the guide above) and I'll be sure to look into that as well.
What to do at this point in time
The first thing you should do is familiarize yourself with the AKU website and the main MBBS page in particular: https://www.aku.edu/admissions/mbbs/Pages/home.aspx It's going to be something you'll keep referring back to until you get the final decision regarding your admission.
Next, you should download the Programme Information Booklet (which you can see on the right side of the page underneath "Related Information", or click here: https://www.aku.edu/admissions/Documents/programme-information-mbbs.pdf) and make sure you go through it.
At this point in time, the sections most relevant to you are going to be the "Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery" section (pages 12 to 18) and the "Apply Online" section (pages 24 to 27).
Make sure you understand the entire online application process. The steps in the Programme Information Booklet couldn't be any clearer than they are.
From the main page, you can also click on "How to apply" and that link will also lead you to a very straightforward description of the entire process. The actual link where you fill the online application form is: http://www.aku.edu/apply-online
Once you open that link, you can begin your online application. If there's still confusion, I highly recommend going through the "FAQs" towards the upper right (or click here: https://www.aku.edu/admissions/Documents/faq-online-application.PDF) and "Understand the Online Process" towards the upper left (or click here: https://www.aku.edu/admissions/Documents/online-process.pdf). Have these files open while you go through the online application process.
If you have any questions for which you can't find answers in the FAQs or the details AKU has provided, then feel free to email them at email addresses they have provided:
- In the "Understand the Online Process" document they have on the online application page, they mention online.application@aku.edu
- Then there's mbbs.query@aku.edu in the Programme Information Booklet
- They also mention admissions.query@aku.edu when you open the "How to apply" link
And of course, feel free to comment below any queries you may have and I'll be sure to address them to the best of my ability/knowledge as well.
Good luck!!
