Chance an average Indian Grade 12 student who is really nervous about his admissions!

<p>Hey! I am an Indian male studying in a CBSE affiliated school.</p>

<p>Please chance me for Cornell, Williams, Tufts, Georgetown, Yale, Columbia and George Washington University.</p>

<p>MY STATS:-</p>

<p>SAT: 2180/2400 (CR-710, Math-680, Writing-790)
SAT Subject Tests: Math Level 2-690/800, World History-800/800
Present class Rank: 2/36</p>

<p>CBSE Grade 10 Board Exam Marks-
Social Science-97/100
Science & Technology-91/100
Mathematics-88/100
English-92/100
French-83/100
Overall Percentage-90.2%</p>

<p>Grade 11 Final Examination Marks (COMMERCE STREAM)-
Mathematics-81/100
English-92/100
Economics-90/100
Business Studies-88/100
Accountancy- 84/100
Overall Percentage-87%</p>

<p>Grade 12 Pre-Rehearsal Examination Marks (Taken in the month of December)-
English-89/100
Mathematics-85/100
Economics-94/100
Business Studies-86/100
Accountancy-84/100
Overall Percentage-87.6%</p>

<p>Expected Percentage in CBSE Grade 12 Boards- Hopefully around 90% because the question papers set in our school are extremely tough and competitive. Also, the correction is even stricter than the actual Board correction pattern.</p>

<p>MAJOR SCHOLASTIC ACHIEVMENTS AND AWARDS:-</p>

<p>Prizes for obtaining the highest percentage in English (Grades 9,10,11,12)
Prize for obtaining the highest percentage in Economics(Grade 11)
Prize for obtaining the highest percentage in Business Studies(Grade 11)
Gold Medal from my school for obtaining above 90% in the CBSE Grade 10 Board Exam</p>

<p>Essay-I think its pretty good. I received a lot of positive feedback from my peers and teachers.</p>

<p>Recommendations- Superb recommendations from my principal & teacher.</p>

<p>Will apply for Financial Aid-Yes</p>

<p>EXTRA CURRICULARS:-
Public Speaking, Quizzing, Swimming, Athletics, Cricket, Writing, Chess, Dramatics. Won loads of accolades in the above mentioned activities.</p>

<p>COMMUNITY SERVICE:-
Well , I do volunteer work in special needs schools once a week. I interact and play woth 10 year old kids.</p>

<p>LEADERSHIP SKILLS:-
I am the captain of my school Cricket team ,Quiz Team and Relay team.
House Leader in Grade 9 & 10.
Currently I am the Assistant Head Boy of my school.</p>

<p>Intended Major-Intl Business/Politics
I also want to minor in Economics.</p>

<p>Thanks everyone for reading such a long post! Please be as honest as realistically possible.</p>

<p>I really dont know :frowning: But then you might want to concentrate on a few ec’s rather than just list the whole bunch</p>

<p>Well..My essay does showcase my talents on the cricket pitch and my experiences as a keen quizzer. Plus , I have highlighted my achievments in track and field events in the Common Application.</p>

<p>So what are my chances? Could anyone please give me an answer in terms of “Accepted” and “Rejected” and “Can’t Say”..</p>

<p>Thanks! Appreciate it!</p>

<p>It’s a bad idea to write your essay on two (or more) things. Colleges ask you to write essays to get to know you apart from you laundry list of activities, and so writing it on both cricket and quizzing isn’t a safe bet.</p>

<p>Your profile is humble compared to that of most Indians applying to these schools. The average percentage of Indians (CBSE) who make it to the colleges you mentioned is 92-94 in every class. I haven’t seen anyone with lesser than 92% in any class make it. The competition is really tough and you need to be the best to beat it. </p>

<p>Your activities are like those of the typical Indian, nothing stands out. Applying for Financial aid will toughen things up for you further, but anyways, best of luck.</p>

<p>I’m going to be extremely blunt here - you stand close to no chance at any of those places. You lack a major national award such as an olympiad (agreed, an olympiad win isn’t a be-all-end-all, but in a resume where nothing else pops out, it sure can add some gloss). Your essay doesn’t sound like the one that adcoms will leap over each other to read. I’m assuming that your athletic involvments are at a local leve (forgive me if I’m wrong, but this is what i construed). And the real killer? The fact that you need financial aid. Yes, I know Yale and Williams are need-blind, but do you know the profiles of international students who are admitted there? You need to have something that…catches them, something that they just gotta have. And unfortunately, you don’t have it. Sorry pal, just my frank opinion.</p>

<p>And hey about the marks - gouchicago, class rank matters a lot more than % in this system that is riddled with grade deflation.</p>

<p>How can I participate in Olympiads when I am in Commerce?? Math Olympiad is one thing which I took part in , but only in school level.
And for my athletic events some of them are state level though I haven’t really shined in them.</p>

<p>And yeah..I am certain I can bring my Grade 12 overall percentage to a decent 90+.
Heck! I won’t hide the fact that I am disappointed. I was under the impression that most Indian students applying to such colleges are usually in the Science stream.Even for Commerce it is so competitive I had no idea.Won’t the Admission guys consider this? And yeah..I forgot to mention.I can pay upto half the tution fees of the above mentioned colleges.
I don’t want to do my undergrad in India.Indian commerce colleges don’t even come close to U.S colleges in terms of quality education & infrastruture!</p>

<p>Any other college where I have a decent chance in getting admitted?</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

<p>but still apply though</p>

<p>Yeah I meant Math Olympiad…you took part only at the school level, but had you done really well, you would have ascended the ladder in that and could’ve gone all the way…mere speculation, but just saying that this was an opportunity. Anyway, there’s no point crying over spilt milk now.</p>

<p>Hey I’m sorry if I sounded really harsh…you’ve already applied, there’s nothing you can do now, is there? Just sit back, pray (if you believe in religion), and hope for the best.</p>

<p>See, it doesn’t make a difference what stream you’re applying from. For internationals, what really matters is nationality (Indians are way overrepresented, no advantage for us here :)), financial status (as I said, aid is the real killer…if you didn’t require aid, you’d probably get into at least a couple of those schools - I know it’s sad, but it’s reality), and the usuals - grades (your rank is fine) extracurriculars (OK, presentation goes a long way here…I think you hurt yourself by trying to write about 2 EC’s instead of majorly focussing on one), and test scores (SAT I is OK, World History is OK, Math is not so OK).</p>

<p>Hey why don’t you try for UK/Australia in addition to Singapore? They’re both purely based on numbers…</p>

<p>The deadline for most British colleges has passed. Except for Imperial , Oxford ,Cambridge and LSE I don’t think there is any point in applying elsewhere.</p>

<p>I am focusing on the States as I have relatives in and around the colleges to which I applied. Plus , these colleges have superb courses in Politics , Business and Eco.</p>

<p>As for Australia I will see. Any world class institution in Aus which offers world class majors in Politics/Business/Eco?</p>

<p>Anyone else???</p>

<p>147 views and 4 replies?</p>

<p>Bad scores arent the the end of things, provided you have really been passionate about something in particular.. Agreed, most students are of the science stream, but there are commerce students applying too… like what tetris said, you cant do anything now since you’ve already applied… But I’d say, you can try for the University of New south wales in australia, or their singapore branch… its pretty good, and admissions are only in late march(check that one out, not very sure)… Dont lose hope! All the Best… If you have anything else to ask, you could always pm me</p>

<p>Hey thanks!
Btw are you in Science/Commerce?</p>

<p>I know Melbourne, Sydney, New South Wales, Queensland and ANU are good…</p>

<p>Universities consider even the difficulty of your courseload while evaulating your profile. An A- student with the most rigorous courseload his school can offer would be prefered to an A student with the easiest one. I’ve never seen a commerce student make it to an American college. This does not necessarily define a norm, but yes, Science offers a tougher courseload than Commerce and colleges will take that into account while evaluating your profile.</p>

<p>But don’t get demeaned by the kind of response this forum is getting you. No one but the adcom reading your application can predict the outcome. I would advise you to take our response with a pinch of salt.</p>