<p>Thought I will start a thread on students who can relay their experiences, what they wish they had known, what they could have done differently, and general guidance for new students. This will help new and incoming students from India.
Feel free to chime in..Enjoy !</p>
<p>An example is <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/admissions-hindsight-lessons-learned/906173-what-i-wish-i-had-known-14.html%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/admissions-hindsight-lessons-learned/906173-what-i-wish-i-had-known-14.html</a> but it is geared more for US students.</p>
<p>Ok…I will start off myself based on my experience in this board over the past year.</p>
<ul>
<li><p>A lot of indian students apply only to the top 5 and then couple of state schools. At the end of the day they have very limited options. So important to have reach, target, match schools.</p></li>
<li><p>Also important is financial safety schools. Dont just apply to carnegie mellon or UCLA or Berkeley if you dont know how to come up with the 50K/year. Apply also to smaller privates where you may get better financial aid.</p></li>
<li><p>Here is a list of colleges that are less expensive if you don’t have financial aid
[Best</a> Values in Public Colleges, 2011-12](<a href=“http://www.kiplinger.com/tools/colleges/]Best”>Best College Values, 2019 | Kiplinger)</p></li>
<li><p>Do some research in your college list website to get an idea of the college town. I have seen indian students go to remote colleges in USA and end up depressed because of isolation. Check out the international website in the colleges.</p></li>
<li><p>Do not underestimate the SAT or SAT2 subject tests, prepare for it.</p></li>
<li><p>Get feedback on your personal essays</p></li>
<li><p>Lastly, it is not in your control but well known private high school students have an edge as they have better counseling and resources and better extra curricular involvement. So if you are still in your 9th grade and wanting to pursue undergrad in US, if feasible, switch to the internatonal/private schools. Again it is ok if you cant but just telling you the pattern here. </p></li>
</ul>
<p>[What</a> International Students Should Know Before Applying to U.S. Colleges - US News and World Report](<a href=“http://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/articles/2011/11/15/what-international-students-should-know-before-applying-to-us-colleges]What”>http://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/articles/2011/11/15/what-international-students-should-know-before-applying-to-us-colleges)
[EducationUSA</a> | 5 Steps To Study](<a href=“http://www.educationusa.info/5_steps_to_study/]EducationUSA”>http://www.educationusa.info/5_steps_to_study/)
[Before</a> Applying to College, Answers Every Indian Student Should Know - NYTimes.com](<a href=“http://india.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/14/before-applying-to-college-in-the-u-s-indian-students-should-be-able-to-answer-why/]Before”>Before Applying to College, Answers Every Indian Student Should Know - The New York Times)</p>
<p>Last important advice - Don’t compromise your 12th grade exams and your India Entrance exams. And forget all the preconcieved notions of the USofA that you get from watching cable tv in India. It is a work hard mentality here…more so than Europe and other Asian countries - JMHO.</p>
<p>I really have liked your advice and would request to guide me on further questions I have so please contact me at my email I’d:<a href="mailto:Ishaan.chhabra@ma.com">Ishaan.chhabra@ma.com</a> and provide me an oppertunity to seek your guidance. I would really love to hear from you.</p>
<p>Thanks & Regards
Ishaan Chhabra</p>
<p>Hey f2016p, this is a great idea. This should help the others on here.</p>