Through with the SAT...Get ready for the next step... For a start, here' s what you need to know...
Ambitious high school students in India dream of studying at the world’s top-notch universities like Stanford, Harvard, MIT or Penn State. Taking the SAT is just the first step towards achieving this goal and accounts for barely half of your application process. World-renowned universities seek students who deserve to be a part of their classrooms-students who are not just academically strong but also achievers in other spheres like extra-curricular activities and community service endeavors. Every application undergoes thorough assessment at different levels of the application process and at each level there is a chance of rejection. It is thus essential that your application is unique and impactful.
Once admitted, you will benefit from the international exposure in a diverse classroom setting amongst like-minded yet distinct peers. The experience can serve to widen the scope of not just your imagination but also your career. State of the art infrastructure, hi-tech research facilities and experiential learning opportunities combine to offer a rich scholastic experience.
There is no single academic path we expect all students to follow, but the strongest applicants take the most rigorous secondary school curricula available to them
-Harvard on High School Preparation
We read all applications with a sensitive awareness to the applicant’s personal experiences, family background, and potential to add to the rich and dynamic texture of our campus. We recognize special circumstances, and we pay close attention to the unique educational contexts and life experiences of students from low-income families and nontraditional backgrounds
-Stanford on Affirmative Action
Follow an accurate Process of Elimination to decide on where to apply… Increase your probability of admission
Colleges and universities that figure in the US News ranking have a consistent, proven track in terms of academics, research and overall student development. Since school rankings are varied, it would be prudent to consult a range of such data for a 360 -degree analysis.
Students must also look for specific subject-rankings. For instance, an aspiring engineer should analyze the ranking of Engineering colleges, aspirants for courses in Management, Finance or Economics should consider Business colleges’ rankings and likewise for Liberal Arts and Life Sciences.
Once you have identified the college/s you intend to apply to, spend some time conducting intense research on the same. You could look for:
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Key classroom demographics (usually published on websites): will tell you whether or not you fit into a certain class profile - in terms of your general academic profile or cultural diversity. Look at the past admission pattern to find a fitment for yourself.
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Faculty Members: Being taught by academicians who have been published for their thoughts and observations is always a good idea- educators should constantly be upgrading themselves and must be flexible and adaptable. Check the faculty page and do a quick ‘Google’ search to assess the strength of the ateaching body.
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Pursuing your undergraduate education is an exciting journey and selecting the right college or university can certainly jumpstart your career.
ITP speak on the shortlist: Neither follow a friend nor go by a trend. Customize.
To someone in the International Admissions Office, a student with substantial extra-curricular involvements means that the student
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has a holistic approach to education and a capacity to learn beyond the books
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has the competence to become an active member of a classroom that includes culturally diverse peers
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has had an active scholastic experience
The application of a student with rich extra-curricular experience will be evidential and content rich. Give it a thought - Wouldn’t a candidate who has ventured beyond the classroom, explored and participated in different activities create a strong stance for admission at an international university away from his country?
Let’s assume that you have not gathered the required extracurricular exposure yet… Does it mean that you are out of the race? No. You still have time to build your profile. Identify opportunities in school and speak to your teachers about the school’s affiliation with NGOs and inter-school activities and start participating. Even if you cannot initiate organizing a festival or event in school, participate. Your teachers would be able to testify in the Letter of Recommendation.
Bear in mind that community service activities are not limited to the school ‘zone’. Look closer to home, meet representatives of your local Residents’ Welfare Association and get involved with the activities they conduct. Most RWAs set up blood donation camps, health check-up camps, tree protection and plantation drives and water harvesting which could be useful to your application. Even problems regarding water, electricity, garbage collection can be taken up.
Applying to certain colleges involves answering some questions that are presented in an essay format, that need to be answered at the time of application. The idea behind asking you for the write-ups is to get a complete assessment of your profile at a qualitative level – your career goals and extra-curricular involvements will tell the admissions office a lot about who you are. Besides what you state, they will be reading between the lines – dwelling on aspects like the language, expression and descriptions to finally get a hang of your personality.
Besides asking you to state your career goals, they might ask:
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What interests and occupations do you pursue in your free time?
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What is unique about your background and experience that you would bring to your classmates at XXXX?
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Who is your hero and why?
Such essay questions need to be answered in theme and spirit after considerable thought.
How to write a winning Essay/ SOP
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While describing events, lay due emphasis on specifics to successfully deliver the impact of your participation.
Introspection and retrospection will improve your quality of writing further. While creating your essays drafts go back to your experiences since childhood and beyond – underscore events that have shaped you academically and holistically as a person who can make a suitable addition to their challenging classrooms.
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Contemplate on people and places that have influenced and challenged your thoughts and your imagination so far.
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Relate and present your write-up in a manner that strengthens your candidature as a prospective student.
ITP speak on the essay-writing: There is a fine line between being honest and being modest. Find yours right away.
Remember, while writing essays:
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Write with color and fervor
Edit mercilessly -Don’t get emotionally attached to your creation
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Avoid pretentions – Be yourself
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Enlist the services of a qualified critic to evaluate your inputs
When you apply to a foreign university, you need to present yourself as someone who is completely adaptable amongst peers hailing from across continents. You are expected to network and gel with people effectively and this should reflect in your choice of recommenders.
Your teachers would be your best recommenders as they have had the best opportunity to assess and observe your development. What you should keep in mind of course is that it is better if the teacher who is recommending you teaches a subject that is relevant to your application. For instance, if you are applying to an engineering program, it is advisable to ask the Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics teachers to provide a recommendation; if Computer Engineering, the Computer Science teacher; if Business Administration, the Economics, Business Studies or Mathematics teacher; if Life Sciences, Biology.
You must select recommenders who can provide an objective appraisal of your academic development, faculty members who can take the time and make the effort to peruse through your background and provide evidence of why they consider you worth recommending. Someone who can honestly state a previous mistake and how you learnt and grew from it will be a better choice than someone who is just acquainted with you at a cursory level.
Rather than going far back to your formative years at school, consider individuals who can provide a relevant, candid, current assessment of your abilities. Very often, students ask the School Principal for recommendation. This is only advisable if the student has been in regular touch with the principal and has a background that reflects the same.
If you thought that undergraduate colleges/ universities provide few and restricted means of Financial Aid, guess again…Although it is widely believed that options for financial aid are limited or restricted, this is a myth. In actuality, a range of financial aid options are available to an aspiring SAT applicant:
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Private or Public Research-based Grants, Scholarships and Fellowships
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Tuition Waivers (part or full) are also provided by the college/university in the form of Institutional Aid.
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On-campus jobs: You can try for an on-campus job from the Second Year or Second Semester onwards as some universities restrict employment opportunities to freshmen. You can start by working for 8-10 hours a week, and then progress to 20 hours a week, which is the maximum permissible limit for international students.
Besides easing the financial pressure, on-campus jobs offer an excellent opportunity for personality development. By being out there, interacting closely with the local community of the region, you can avail an excellent opportunity to develop cultural understanding and enhance your social network. A strong social network will not only provide a diverse peer group but can also be leveraged to explore career opportunities.
Common places for students to work
Academic Division or School Library: Consider yourself lucky if you land a job with the Academic Division or School Library of the university. The jobs pay reasonably well, are neater; less demanding.
Cafeteria, etc: Fast-food joints within and outside the campus employ students as well. However you need to inform your university and acquire the requisite permission beforehand.
ITP speak on the Admission Interview: We have helped students get through top colleges/ universities with Financial Aid.
