Applying via agents/reprenstatives vs by yourself

[Bullettime]

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Do agents or representatives of universities such as Oztrekk and Australearn get priority when universities receive applications via them? Or do they place the same emphasis as when you apply on your own? Just curious since i would have opted fro the agent if i knew it was going to take this long to hear back!

 

[Boxsterluv]

I'd love to help you out with this one, but I've never heard of this stuff before.. How exactly does that system work?

 

[Bullettime]

So these agencies are supposed to ease the process of applying to vet school (I plan on doing vet school abroad, namely in Australia), so they help by sending out your app, giving you the decision, help getting your visa, about the place your going to study etc etc.
My biggest query was that whether it would take a uni longer to get back to you just because you applied without an agency rather than with one (ie. priority given to applications sent via agencies, hence earlier response time)? Logically it shouldn't, but then again i could be wrong.

 

[lazyjayn]

Honestly, the process for the au/ nz schools isn't that difficult. I did it myself, and I'm sure most other people do too. It's also probably faster to do it yourself- one less set of hands for it all to go through.

The visa app process isn't that difficult, they lay it all out, and the people at the consulates are really helpful- all about answering stupid questions (heck, I sent them enough).

About the only advantage I can see to applying through australearn or whatever is if you can't come up with the first deposit yourself. They'll front the money, your loan goes thru them, and... I'm not sure where their money comes from- they probably charge processing fees or something.

Really tho? other than the deposit thing, all they do is tell you when to do stuff and do the international mailing. And you can easily do that yourself with a callender and some alerts on your computer.

j.

 

[Nexx]

I used AustraLearn to apply and have found them ridiculously helpful as well. Then again the staff at the Australian universities seems WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY more helpful than those you find at the typical American school.

If you don't have a lot of time to research stuff yourself or call around, I would suggest using a company like Australearn. They have answered a ton of my stupid questions as well.

I wasn't aware they would possibly loan you money if you couldn't front the initial payment however. Then again, I never checked on it--just used one hefty credit card balance that is a no-interest til april.... although when that bill starts coming in April its going to be a rough few months until Aid comes in July!

I haven't heard anything about priority being given to an agency. I applied to Melbourne as well as Murdoch but have heard nothing from Melbourne (rejection or otherwise...) so I am left to wonder if I missed the deadline or what. Doesn't matter so much now though I guess 🙂

From what I read at Murdoch's website and such it seems I heard back in their usual timeframe, regardless of using Australearn.

 

[lazyjayn]

I don't know if they all do it, or they always do it- but it was listed as something they offered when I looked at it, before I decided to just do it myself- I was already organising the stuff for a trip to africa, it wasn't that much more work. Something about making the visa easier, or something.

Hey, nexx- how much did they charge?