<p>My question is simple and straightforward::" Should I stop preparing for JEE/AIEEE exams, and concentrate only on SAT I, SAT II, Building Up ECs, application, essays?"</p>
<p>Brief story:
I have been preparing for IIT/AIEEE for one and a half year, and I am now in 12th. I didn't know much about SAT earlier, but when I did find out about it, I took the next month. I got a 2040 ( HAVE TO IMPROVE!!) . Now I am focussed that I will go the US for my undergrad, if and only if I get into a good college.
'Good', a subjective word. Good for me means a college in the top 25 of the USNEWS ranks for Best Undergrad Colleges. (I know it's a provincial approach, but you know it is somewhat correct)</p>
<p>So, should leave my JEE and AIEEE coaching, and focus on CBSE, build up my resume by taking part in competitions, work on my applications, take my SAT 1 again in October, and SAT II in November, and prepare for the Board Exams?</p>
<p>PS: MOST of my friends here in India, face this dilemma. My friend in UPenn, advises me to Stick to ONE thing, either concentrate on studies here, or SAT stuff. He says, otherwise, I won't do well in either.</p>
<p>Well, if you’re HELL BENT on going to America for your undergrad like me then I’d suggest you leave your IIT coaching rather than do it half-heartedly. </p>
<p>If you do both, unless you’re really capable of managing both things, you’ll most probably be in the middle of nowhere. It’s like putting your two hands between the banks of a river. </p>
<p>What are your stats like anyway?</p>
<p>And do you think you’ll get time to improve upon your ECs in the 12th grade?</p>
<p>If you’re already in 12th, its probably too late to prepare a competitive application for top 25 schools.</p>
<p>You’ve got essays, a possible SAT I improvement test, SAT IIs, possible TOEFL, extracurriculars, grades, essays, letter of recommendations, and all of that, all in the next 4 months. Most are manageable individually. Doing it all in 4 months is not. Especially with extracurriculars. Colleges require you specify the time period of activities (how many years you’ve been doing such-and-such activity). Having an activity with a 6 month time period does not work in your favour.</p>
<p>anirudhhc
My stats are okay. 2040, on my SAT. Taking it again in October. 9th - 12th high school score as good as they can be. Top of class, hmm, 2nd once. Interest in debating, play the piano. Won loads of chote-mote competitions, and maybe 3 -4 nationals. Hmm hmmm, Community service and all that is pretty good. </p>
<p>my only fear is that, if I leave iit prep, it’s like, i have nothing to fall back on. If I don’t make into any college… :|</p>
<p>blue_box
If you put it THAT WAY
Yeah, LOADSSSSS of stuff to do. And I am applying ED to Cornell! So I need take my Nov SAT II test, AND apply ASAP. So I have barely 3 months. Well yeah, ECs I have been doing stuff for sometime. But in the last year, I havent done anything, really. This year I have picked up on some stuff, but you never know.
So I believe you’re suggesting leaving jee prep, for good?</p>
<p>itsmylife99:
i have no idea what u Indian applicants go through. however, i feel u can do both if u manage ur time well. don’t get addicted to college confidential, u will end up losing interest in iit …</p>
<p>it is relatively easy to score well in SAT subjects. most schools don’t care for SAT writing. my gut feeling is that u don’t have to spend too much time preparing for SAT subjects. go over a sample test and brush up as needed. i think ur iit prep should help here. if u r good at taking multiple choice tests then u should be fine.</p>
<p>if someone in ur family can take on the role of ur secretary by reviewing your stuff and taking care of logistics, monitoring correspondence with schools etc., then it gets a lot easier.</p>
<p>apply for EA wherever possible. in theory u should be able to complete all ur apps by some time in Nov. that should leave enough time to focus solely on iit. no?</p>
<p>Okay, since you already have basic ECs, do this:</p>
<p>Participate in, and win as many competitions as you can. Contrary to popular belief, it is not just participation that counts. Next, complete your essays ASAP. Start now. Try to finish them by mid-September. Get your letters of recommendation around end-September, but identify and talk to your teachers about those right now. Since you’ve been doing IIT prep, the SAT IIs shouldn’t be too tough. Study for a week max for each of them, and give them in September sometime. The SAT I improvement test should be low priority if you’re applying EA. Its a huge time sink. You can give the TOEFL later. After your IIT exam actually. Don’t worry about that. As for grades, there’s nothing you can do about that now.</p>
<p>As Tippu suggests, complete all your applications by the early deadline. Also focus on IIT JEE. After a year and a half of JEE prep, its not a good idea to abandon that now. If, as you fear, you don’t get in to any college with your competitive exams, enroll in Manipal University’s ICAS program. You do 2 years here, and 2 years in a university in the US, and graduate with the US university’s degree.</p>
<p>Tipu
You have a point. But it’s indisputable that if you are doing the two things together, your attention is bound to be divided. No matter what you say, when you are applying to US colleges, you think a lot about it! (Even if you’re not on CC.)
That’s the prime reason I want to get this over with. Either I am applying and not going with competitions here, or I am not applying. It’s not gonna be that I will apply just for the ‘sake’ of applying, and give minimum time to it. It doesn’t happen that way.
US colleges was initially a ‘fallback’. But the more I am studying for SAT, the less I am focussing on the iit prep.
(You’re not from India? Neighboring state?)</p>
<p>blue_box
Agreed. I am taking part in a competition this year which is organized by the British Council, Debating Matters India. It’s one kickass debate, with 3 rounds, finals at UK. Live streamed to 20 countries. Again, if I am doing stuff like THIS, how in the world do I cope up with coaching here? I guess a ‘one-track-mind’ is imperative for ordinary people like me, who cannot do everything together. Of course I know of people who do both the things and be successful too! But those people are very few!
On top of that, I plan to take a Physics Olympiad in November. (Showing passion for my subject lol).<br>
What do you mean I can take toefl later? After May? How? Wouldn’t the college require toefl score at time of admission process?
I’ll research a little more about MIT. (HAHA! That wasn’t intended!)
Oh , Financial aid. Man, that’s still something I am REALLY confused about. Yes, I need financial aid, but if that’s gonna severely hurt my chances then I rather not ask for it. I’d obtain that aid in the form of loans. And if you do get into a great college, say Stanford, Berkeley or maybe Cornell… Isn’t the loan really a worthwhile investment?
(How do you like it at UNC? Great school! )</p>
<p>gary7
Sorry not UPenn. Penn State. I know, huge difference. Anyway, his name’s Vaibhav Sharma. (I don’t think this info is of any use to you… now)</p>
<p>As much as I appreciate your feelings, I’d suggest you to keep the option of IIT-JEE wide open, especially if you’re into engineering. </p>
<p>You don’t neccessarily have to be in a coaching center to succeed although it helps a lot to be in one. Self-study as much as you can. ( that’s what I’m doing)</p>
<p>Hey I can understand the turmoil you’re going through. As aniruddhc said, We’re all pretty much in the same boat.</p>
<p>I appreciate your suggestion man, but let me level with you. I haven’t been very seriously preparing for JEE. It’s like, I have been doing something, but nothing concrete… Like going with the flow of things. Definitely not putting in as much as is required to secure a rank in the top 2000. But I do know one thing for a fact, that if right now I stop pursuing SAT and related stuff, I will manage to get a seat in a good college here in India, if not the IITs.</p>
<p>TOEFL is often not required for university admissions, if your school teaches in an English medium. It could be required for visa interviews, which take place in June/July. I didn’t take it at all.</p>
<p>blue_box
I believe it is actually an admission requirement for most colleges, unless you have a 690+ score in your CR. Toefl requirement is waved then.</p>
<p>debarghya9
hmm, I said I will be taking part this year…</p>
<p>Hey people!!
Ok, so i have the same story. I am in the twelfth grade, have been preparing for IIT for a year, am hell bent on SAT… so, you know, the same old…
So, while on this chance thread, can you chance me too?
SAT score-2230
Lots and Lots of ECs (unfortunately, all before the 11th grade, ie, before i started preparing for JEE)
Always maintained a good class rank… not top 2 but definitely top 5-10…am a national level player… so, you know, good things.
Plus, i have an elder brother who’s like my counsellor… so, having that the easy way…
SO, what do you think? will i get through? Like everybody else in India, i will be applying on the TOP UNIVS (god, how cliched)…
CHANCE ME PLEASE???</p>
)</p>