Mistakes students make in their letters of intent while applying for college in Canada

The dos and don'ts while creating a Letter of Intent (LoI) for the Canada Educational Program.

Simple mistakes in writing a Letter of Intent (LoI) when applying for admission to a college abroad may reduce your chances of acceptance.

Choosing a college and arranging finances and housing are not the only things you must do. In order to get admission to many international educational programs, you must also compose a well-thought-out letter of intent.

According to experts, the letter of intent is a make-or-break document. It explains why a student wants to study in a different nation, at a specific institution, and what his or her future plans are. In a nutshell, it should distinguish the pupil.

It is much easier stated than done. Students frequently make basic mistakes when writing an LoI, which reduces their chances of admission. Here are some things to consider:

According to the President of an e-learning providing Company, candidates should aim to deliver a holistic presentation of their credentials, but more significantly, it should be relevant to their sought domain—especially achievements they believe would set them apart.

And one should not employ superlative adjectives to appease institutions in a submissive manner. Rather, be realistic about what drew you to the institutions in order to apply to them.

"The jury is experienced and can see the difference between honesty and adoration," Dhawan says.

Also Read: How can I come to Canada as an international student and settle down?

Conduct research and never copy.

Candidates should research the institution's professors, infrastructure, research facilities, and industry partners before submitting an LoI, he advises. "Only share information that you have thoroughly researched," Experts suggest.

While Pragati Singh Parihar thinks that doing some research before writing a lot is beneficial, she cautions students not to steal concepts they come across in the process.

"A college admissions department receives hundreds of Lois, so they will find out if your LoI is a replica of anything they found on the Internet," explains a prominent abroad education expert, who has a Masters's degree from University College Dublin and was a UCD Global Scholarship recipient.

Plagiarism has an impact on decision-making. An LoI is intended to highlight your abilities and make you stand out. It must be unique and personal.

If you apply for admission to a political science program, for example, and merely state that you have been interested in politics from childhood, you may not be able to make a favorable impression. Your chances improve if you can back it up with work experience, publications, or a record of relevant volunteer work.

"Your LoI can set you apart from thousands of other applicants, boost your chances of admission, and even open the door for a scholarship," an Expert education consultant adds.

Never express a desire to stay in the host country.

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According to Experts, the largest error students make while writing an LoI is expressing a desire to stay in the host nation because it is their goal to work overseas.

"Ideally, your ambitions should be motivated by the type of work you want to specialize in, not the country you want to work in," says Aboard Education Expert

In most cases, citing immigration as a motivation for wanting to study abroad reduces your chances because colleges want to recruit students who are eager to return to their home countries for employment.

Biswas deduces that this is simply due to the fact that as more international students take up existing jobs in nations where the labor market is already shrinking for locals, employment options for local students are impacted.