KLU Admission Process: what’s going on backstage?
By
Submit… click! And now what? We all know that feeling. This little anxiety full of excitement and the impatience of wanting to know as soon as possible if we will be admitted for the desired university. “How long did it say the admission process would take again? Uff… 6 to 8 weeks! What am I supposed to do with this uncertainty for all that time?” Well, first of all, patience. This time is only an estimation. Some applications are processed faster than that. It all depends on the amount of work and number of applications that the Admissions department handles at that point in time, and of course, how long it takes to go over your application. Some systems (countries) require a more detailed review, which can delay this process, while others are pretty straight forward. And accuracy is the key to a high-quality admission process. But let’s discover the nice journey your application goes on while you’re at home biting your nails and thinking what clothes are a “yes or yes” in your future suitcase.
(Reading time: 6 minutes )
Application submitted: is it complete?
The first factor that the Admission department will check is whether your application has everything they need to evaluate it. Are the transcripts and certificates uploaded? Are they in the right language (English or German)? Are there any other documents missing? Did this student need to pay an application fee? If so, has it been paid? If you haven’t paid the application fee you will receive automatic notifications that your application is incomplete. If you did pay, maybe it wasn’t received for some reason. Make sure to get in touch with the Admissions department. If Admissions finds that something else is missing, they will be in touch with you, so always be attentive to your emails. Also to your spam and ad folders!
Checking on the formal eligibility
Once it’s clear your application is complete, it’s time to check on the formal eligibility of your submission. This is the moment when our Admissions team put on the thick glasses like a diamond dealer. Different high-schools and universities, different countries across the world, different grading systems, and above all, the rules of the German Council of Higher Education. Now you get why it takes a while, huh? Admissions will check that your academic background is valid for the program you applied, either a bachelor’s or master’s, that your institution is recognized by the German system, and for master's applicants, if you have completed enough business courses in your initial degree. And if you have already provided your English proficiency test results, these will also be checked at this stage. Once all of this is done, your application will be changed to the next step. Every time your application moves forward in the process and its status changes, you will receive an automatic notification in your email.
Checking on your profile suitability
After knowing you are all set with your paperwork, Admissions will evaluate your profile. Our colleagues have great intuition, but hey, they also have limited information about you and haven’t gone out for dinner with you to see how smart and incredible you may be. So of course, they can only assess with what the world says about you. At this point they will convert your GPA (from you own country’s system) into the equivalent German GPA. German GPA ranges from 1 to 6, and just as in most rankings, you want to be the closest possible to 1. Your GPA is important, for sure. But it’s not the only thing they will take into consideration. At this stage they will check all information provided in addition to your transcript: your work experience, recommendation letters, your international experience… and of course, your motivational statement, which at KLU is named “statement of purpose”. This statement is the best tool for you to demonstrate that you are a suitable candidate. They will want to know about your skills, your goals, and the motivation behind you wanting to study the program. Did you hack the CIA database when you were 12 with your amazing computer skills? Did you distribute 2 Million aid bags after the last flood in Haiti? Well, say it. Find something that really makes you stand out of the crowd.
Admissions will give points to every detail in your application and total them up to provide a final evaluation on how fitting is your profile under KLU standards.
The final countdown
Your transcripts and your words have traveled a long way through all the stages of the admission process, but they are about to face the final verdict, which is determined by the Admissions Committee of KLU. The committee is made up of five members: three professors, a student representative and the KLU President himself. All are very wise people (which in this case does not mean old!). They have access to the Admissions report (points, points!) and also to all the documents you submitted. They will definitely read your statement of purpose. And taking all of this into account, they will determine if you are a suitable candidate to be admitted as a KLU student. Each Admissions Committee member votes independently and true to their own vision of the student. So no peer pressure, and no cheating. Having a majority of votes determines whether or not the student is admitted.
Wait a second… you are a Bachelor student!
All the candidates who are pursuing the Bachelor’s in Business Administration have one final extra step to do: the personal interview. “Eeeh! But you told me my application review was done!”. Yes, you are right. But at KLU we know these years are going to be very important for you and you will definitely still shape your personality during your bachelor’s. And let’s be honest, they are also going to be some of the most fun years of your life. So our Admissions department wants to get to know you better. They want to know “who” you are and what drives you. This way we ensure an amazing vibe, with bachelor’s students that, as experience has demonstrated, connect from the very first moment they set foot on Campus. If you’ve made it this far, follow the cliché, just “be yourself” in the interview (yes, I can feel your eyes rolling, mine are too, but it really works), and you will be alright.
Admission and… rejection?
Finally, your application will reach the point where it stops being an application and becomes an admission (wow! has it already been 6 weeks?!). The Admissions department will communicate your results via email, and will let you know how to sign your study contract and which are the next steps. But that would take us a whole other article to explain. Welcome to KLU! We are so happy to have you here!
Of course, not all applicants will have the same fate. At any point of this process and for many different reasons your application may not end up turning into an admission. We hate the word “rejection”. And you should avoid feeling rejected, too. Having your application turned down by KLU does not mean a rejection to your dreams. There are many factors in the game, and many you cannot control (like German regulations, or the grades you got in that disastrous second semester…). Only you know what you have been through. Maybe your grades were not the best because your family was having a hard time, maybe you had great grades but are not really sure about the path you are taking, maybe the German system did not recognize your university… But if you are sure of what you want, and that you are worth it, you just have to find another path to get to the same goal. And who knows, maybe you’ll come back to KLU in a few years as an amazing leader taking part in our Executive Education programs. The world is full of opportunities, when you are ready to seek them out.
See you very soon!
Contact:
Career Services, Email: recruit@klu.org
Student Recruitment, Email: study@klu.org