<p>Hey!
I am an Indian student, and will be applying for class of 2016. I have above-average overall grades, and expect a good SAT score. I've moved around a lot, so I'm having some problems with deciding whom I should ask for a recommendation, but otherwise, I think my application will be pretty generic.
The thing is, in all of the towns that I have lived in, no one ever focused on ECs. You were expected to focus on your studies only, and ECs were considered a waste of time. Even then, I participated in a range of activities, but sadly I stopped doing that when I entered 9th class.
My "passion", so to say, is the English language. Even when almost everybody around me had a lax attitude towards English - I've had English-medium school teachers who weren't good at English - I developed my English myself, reading/writing articles and poems - and reading a lot of novels. Also, when I understood that I did not want to become an Engineer, like 90% of my peers, I looked for alternatives, and found them.
Can anybody provide some advice? I know my application won't stand out, and that the results can't be predicted, but I just wanted to know how high - or low - my hopes should be, as I have to prepare Plan 'B', 'C', 'D' and so on in case I don't get selected.</p>
<p>It’s always a good idea to play up your strengths in an application, I would imagine. So, you love English, and you’re good at it? Then perhaps indicate that as your potential major. Make sure your SAT CR score is as high as it could be. Take the SAT II in English Literature. Maybe send a sample of your writing or poetry in as supplementary material (you can do that).
The most obvious and striking way to illustrate your affinity for English, though, is of course through your essays. Princeton’s supplement essays really lend themselves to a sort of literary exposition; you get to show off.
At the same time, consider that they’re not just looking for people who like to read and who happen to be able to do it well in English (they’re a dime a dozen), they’re also looking for applicants to demonstrate certain personal qualities (“intangibles”, they’re often called). Happily, your post indicates you already have something to work with: if you went against the grain in your decision NOT to become an engineer, mention that. Your dissent is an act of courage, and a demonstration of independence. If you can manage to articulate that about yourself while you’re telling them about your love for Literature or Language (in the essays), you may sway them.</p>
<p>I was in a similar boat (also international, also interested in language, also a dissenter of sorts), and I got in this year… Although I found it, and actually almost still do find it, overwhelming, it is possible if you’re willing to work hard and take some risks.</p>
<p>But whatever you do; apply to more than one school. Nowhere is a safe bet; not these days…</p>
<p>Congrats on being selected!
Thanks, that’s some very good advice. I’ll keep it mind when I write my essays - as soon as the prompts are up on CommonApp.
What risks are you talking about? If it gets me into the college I want to get into, I’ll work as hard as I have to.</p>
<p>I am also an international from Romania and I got in this year. I too was somewhat different from the other Romanian students who applied in that I was not an international olympiad medalist in Mathematics or Chemistry and I did not want to pursue any of these sciences (even though my interests lie 100% in the natural sciences).</p>
<p>Instead, I want to become an Earth Scientist because I also love nature and the environment. So my essays and application (which btw was a large application portfolio sent through regular mail that contained many additional items and certificates and everything. Even though it is not recommendable to send in additional stuff, we Romanians do that and it has worked out well for us. I don’t know how Indian applications work, however) clearly pointed out that I am interested in being of use to this world before I die (by conducting research in environmental issues) and that I am not at all easily influenced. My family and teachers disagreed with my intended career because they thought and still think it is not a financially safe career and blah blah.</p>
<p>But I didn’t care and you shouldn’t care either about what other people who are may more shallow and driven by money choose to pursue. and you should definitely make this visible in your application.</p>
<p>Also don’t go around your application making excuses for your lack of EC’s. Don’t even mention what you told us here. Your passion for English, your writing and reading- those are great EC’s and you should talk about them until the admissions officers forget you don’t have anything else. Also some community service would not be bad for you and you still have time to do a lot of things. I’m sure you can find places to volunteer or places you could go clean-up with your friends and then talk about these experiences in your application. princeton really appreciates community service and sustainability.</p>
<p>I for one, had a ton of photos in my application showing me while I was helping build bridges in natural parks and while I was cleaning up and stuff like that and I’m sure it helped.</p>
<p>Good luck with your application next year.</p>
<p>I tried looking for community service, but I can’t find anything. I’ll keep looking. I don’t care much about the financial aspects of jobs as long as I enjoy what I’m doing - and what doing has a purpose, one that I agree with. I’ll make sure my application shows all of that.</p>
<p>I’m submitting my application online, and as I don’t know anybody who has been selected from India at a personal level, I can’t say anything about the Indian way of doing things.</p>
<p>There are a few people on the India forum who have been admitted this year (I think two girls). Check the 2015 India admissions thread.</p>
<p>I’m not sure what boogaloony means by “that’s how we romanians do it” and “not sure how Indian Applications work”-- Princeton does not have an individualized admissions process for anybody, and they don’t have a customized process for any national group either. All applicants are evaluated in the same pool (which is to say in the same pool as American students as well), and because Princeton is need-blind for internationals, not even those who require financial aid are separated out as in some other schools.
And in general, the submissions of certificates and things of that sort are discouraged, but if you’re using the common app online (as you sensibly are, sirfkartik) you have space to mention them (by name) anyway.</p>
<p>For interest’s sake though, the Princeton Admitted Students Website indicates that seven students admitted from India have created profiles (although this might not be all of them, since only 1811 people have created profiles so far and 2282 offers of admissions were made). China only has 4.</p>
<p>JAupiais,</p>
<p>Although Princeton looks at all applications as one, OP is looking for what makes an application from India stand out since he is lacking in ECs. So he would need people in India to give him a perspective of what they used on their applications.</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/india/1101195-india-class-2015-results-thread-rd-29.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/india/1101195-india-class-2015-results-thread-rd-29.html</a></p>
<p>There are at least two people here who mentioned getting into Princeton who can provide you insight into what you can do in India for ECs. There are also a lot of others going to different schools in US to explore other options.</p>
<p>Does the lack of commmunity service affect my application? Does the fact that I want to do something, want to help people out on a larger scale than just donating money to organizations (who don’'t explain how and where the money goes), and want to be of some use to everybody, help?</p>
<p>@texaspg - I looked at the profile of one of the selected students. Her ECs were nothing short of spectacular.</p>
<p>Kartik - I have seen that thread and they seem to be advising each other. I understand the person who got in had spectacular ECs but she needed to think about it and put it together with the opportunities available to her. If you are looking for ideas, it is best to ask the people who got in this year from India for advice. As you can see, someone in Romania has different ideas and opportunities vs you. </p>
<p>Btw - giving money to charity is not an EC. If you went out and raised money for that cause, then it becomes an EC.</p>
<p>Everybody who got selected has a list of ECs that are so shiny it makes my eyes hurt. And my hopes plummet.</p>
<p>Yes, donating is not an EC. I was using that to point out something else.</p>
<p>Not to sound conceited, but I don’t think my contributions would be entirely superfluous, texaspg, even though, as you do correctly point out, I’m not an authority on Indians in Princeton. It’s certainly a good idea to talk to other indians who got into Princeton. However, since an Indian applicant isn’t merely interested in what will make him/her stand out amongst fellow Indians, but indeed in what will make his/her stand out among EVERYONE’S, I believe I may comment insofar as I can help arrive at a conception of how do that.
Specifically, I would say that with regard to EC’s, it may be helpful to remember that although we talk about “impressive lists” of EC’s, breadth is not necessarily any better than depth. If you pick two or three things that you do well and focus on them, instead of trying to dish up a smorgasbord of impressive-looking activities that serve more predominantly to pass the time than to excite your passions, you may find it not only easier to craft your application, but also more engaging.
Community Service is always helpful though…</p>
<p>Any advice is good advice, as long as it is followed correctly - the “correctly” part differs from situation to situation.
If I could have ECs, what ECs would you recommend? Please mention things that are related to English, and can be done online.</p>
<p>And no, I don’t mean to say that I’ll only do things that make my application look good. If there is anything relating to English writing that can be done online, and that you think I might enjoy doing, please suggest, it.</p>
<p>J - I did nt mean to imply you can not contribute here. I am merely guiding him to seek advice on the India board about activities that are available to him locally. I myself live in US and so it is not possible for me to advise him on what is possible.</p>
<p>You have to remember that having lofty ideas for ECs is onething but being able to implement on the ground is another thing based on the exact location in India, to be doing an activity locally.</p>
<p>Your application is judged by what is available to you in your school, your community, your country, your financial status etc. and the fellow applicants from the same country. So although the application process is considered open, Princeton will not be taking 200 people from India or 100 from Romania even if they are qualified because the international pool is restricted to a specific number. So the requirement usually is to shine within your country.</p>
<p>I’m sorry if I seemed stand-offish. 
I don’t think there are any quotas for international students at Princeton-- that’s why not every country that has people sending in applications get admits every year, and those that do (like China or India, who every year see a considerable number of applications being sent) don’t have static admit numbers.
I do think you’re completely right about EC’s being evaluated within context, and you are further right about the need to ground your ambitions in such situations. What I can say about my own experience, sirfkartik, is that EC’s weren’t a deal-breaker. I didn’t have an opportunity to do terribly much outside of my own school, as it seems you don’t either, but nonetheless you’re going to have to actually work with people if you want your EC’s to be impressive in some way. I’m sure texaspg and others will agree, Princeton and their cohorts like especially to see leadership roles in ECs. So I don’t know that it’ll be very useful to you if we suggest English-related activities that you can do exclusively online, except maybe if you start a blog or forum or something like that. You may consider doing a Public Speaking course online, if you can find one. Toastmasters, if it’s available locally, would be a good thing to do (in person). Consider Debating, or Model United Nations, or Mock Trial, or something like that (activities related to rhetoric and linguistic-based analysis, which challenge and develop your language skills).
Otherwise, poetry-clubs or book-clubs (you can find a book-club almost anywhere in the world; actually you can probably find some online too!), or even Philosophy-clubs, can be great options for you. If you don’t have these sorts of things around, consider starting one! If you can take initiative and lead a group of people into something new, that will definitely set you apart.
But, I do know this can be daunting. Find out from your school (your counselor, or if you are like I was, and don’t really have one, maybe your principal or English teacher) or a local university if there are any programs you can participate in.
Whatever you do, I think it’s imperative you “get out there”…</p>
<p>To take further what texaspg suggests so rightly, have you considered PMing one of the people admitted from India? (perfectpixie maybe?)</p>
<p>Perfectpixie seems to have a lot of ideas. I am sure Kartik will be able to benefit.</p>
<p>I do believe there is an overall number at each of the elite schools for how many undergrads they are willing to accept from abroad. It may be between 100-200 is my guess since they try to point out 50-60 countries each year. If 2000 equally qualified people apply from India or China, they will still restrict the actual admits to between 5 and 10 in all probability.</p>
<p>^Thanks for your faith in me texas! I had a feeling that I’d offended you previously. :o</p>
<p>Anyway, I’ve PMed karthik with my thoughts, but I don’t think they are what he would have liked to hear.
The best idea would be to take up ECs now, and focus intensively on them by taking a gap year…but really, after going through the process, I feel that it <em>still</em> might not be enough. Princeton takes 8 applicants from here (no, not out of 2000, it’s ~500), and while adcoms do proclaim to look at the applicant “in context”, there are always those few people who have a really good profile who are preferred for obvious reasons… :/</p>
<p>Yes, I didn’t particularly like what perfectpixie said, but the truth’s like that usually. I’ll try to find more oppurtunities, so to say, around me. I expect I’ll have more of them - or rather if - when I transfer.</p>