<p>^ I’ll agree with Pratyush on this, but you still have to decide smartly. For example, if one has a 1900 SAT and 4.3 UW GPA and isn’t otherwise dazzling then would that person profit from not spending the $60 HYPSM/Caltech/… fee? Yes.</p>
<p>A couple of things, </p>
<p>One reason not considering schools in the Uk is that I would need to complete 1 year of college in India, and I am not really up for it.</p>
<p>2nd @tizil7 I believe here are currently only seven U.S. higher learning institutions that are need-blind and full-need for all applicants</p>
<p>Amherst College
Dartmouth College
Harvard University
MIT
Princeton University
Yale University </p>
<p>And i would really love to go to one of these, and I know that I may not get in. But I still have time, so how can I improve my chances…someone willing to shed some light on that?</p>
<p>Would I need more EC’s? Better SAT Scores?? or Better grades in school, as compared to what I already have/expect as listed in my initial post.</p>
<p>What you need is a an extremely good essay. I believe that most top applicants to the colleges you have mentioned would have similar ECs to you, and top stats.</p>
<p>You need to differentiate yourself, and that can be done through your essay. Introspect, write and rewrite. Do not look for what you think the colleges want, rather, put yourself in the essay.</p>
<p>It is tougher than it looks, so get started now, with practice essays from past years’ topics.</p>
<p>Also, I believe Cambridge now accepts students with only 4 years of high school. However, like Harvard, Yale, etc, Cambridge is also a crapshoot.</p>
<p>Also about UK colleges, I don’t think you need a year of college, plenty of my friends have applied to colleges in the UK.</p>
<p>Are you sure (About Uk Colleges I mean)??</p>
<p>I guess then I’d better get some ideas down for the essay, and polish and perfect it over time, rather than doing it right before I apply.</p>
<p>I think I can write a good essay.</p>
<p>You can do a foundation programme, which would make you have 4 years before you complete your degree, but with the lower fees it would still be less than US universities. Plus, there are scholarships available for international students.</p>
<p>Will someone educate me on the application process?</p>
<p>I will apply while still in 12th as someone already pointed out</p>
<p>So a) I need to submit all grades and reports from 9-12th, right?
b) will my board results weigh in on my admissions? I mean will they be asked for at a later date?</p>
<p>And suppose if I am accepted and I screw up my 12th result, what happens then?</p>
<p>By 12th result I am referring to cbse class 12 board examination results.</p>
<p>a) yup.
b) Once you’re accepted by a university, you may be made a conditional offer which means that the university will only confirm your acceptance once you achieve a particular benchmark score. Not all universities do this though.
c) With respect to your previous scores, colleges expect you to maintain a certain standard in your grades. A little drop, however, wouldn’t do any harm. A really significant drop in grades may get your offer of admission rescinded. It’s very rare for that to happen, though.</p>
<p>As for (b), no university will make a big deal out of it. You’re fine with ±5% or more of whatever your expected score is. Unless you’re applying to a UK university, where they make a big deal of it.</p>
<p>@Tizil7 My expected score would be given by my school right? Or do I write down what I expect?</p>
<p>And as for benchmark score…what is the going rate, cause no university website has mentioned it explicitly? Sorry I am total noob, I have just begin to explore my options</p>
<p>The obvious and logical choice would be your school to guess your expected marks ;)</p>
<p>Going rate ? I cannot tell you for sure, because … no one knows. However, depending on the universities you’re applying to, it should be within a reasonably representative range.</p>
<p>Do things that you really like. One thing that separates all the prefrosh of Caltech, MIT and the likes, is that whatever they do, at least mostly what they do, its all because of their interest in it. </p>
<p>You like playing a guitar, play it, take part in competitions and all. You like quizzing? Do something in it…</p>
<p>Sure I like quizzing and I have a couple of titles to my name as well.</p>
<p>One thing I am getting done this year is having a quiz society set up in school. I hope that would work out.</p>
<p>I love guitar and have taken part in a few school competitions, only thing is I haven’t won any. That is what bothers me, is it necessary to have won something??</p>
<p>Hey Tizil7, so am I good with 90-95% (more if I can manage) in the 12 boards? Very rarely do people in our school get above 86-88% in 11th, so would that be an issue?</p>
<p>Oh and tell me something, should I save 60$ on that Harvard form? Or do I have an infinitesimal chance? </p>
<p>And where do you recommend applying/attending? I plan to study biochem and molecular biology, leading schools in these fields?</p>
<p>Don’t fret over your marks. If you can get around 90% in 12th its cool. And yeah the colleges do know about how everybody goes down in 11th and they are willing to overlook it. </p>
<p>Focus on other parts of your applications. Build a good rapport between the teachers who you would ask for recommendations. Work on your essay and also work towards getting a high score on your SATs. </p>
<p>And no its isn’t necessary to have won something. Its more about the subjective part of an activity. For example anyone mugging day and night can score really high. But not all of them will take in what they learnt. So the universities are basically asking how the things you have learnt have changed you. Likewise they are more interested in knowing about how you feel and enjoy the sounds when you play your guitar. Having won something is just an indication of how good you are in playing. </p>
<p>And also, you can apply for application fee waivers from almost all the colleges you apply to. So I would really say, apply. Because you have zero chance of making it if you don’t apply, as pratyush put it.</p>
<p>And then there are things like the fact most Indians who do make it to places like MIT are Olympiad winners, have a patent or two while still in high-school maybe, have a startup making android apps and these are the profiles I have read on CC forums.</p>
<p>I can’t compare with this lot. </p>
<p>The only thing I have going for me is that I am passionate about the things I want to do, ever since I was kid I have wanted to attend the place like MIT or the Ivies and now that I am an year for applying I am not quite sure that I will make it. </p>
<p>That is probably the major reason I wan’t to be “Chanced”.</p>
<p>And again can someone recommend leading schools in the fields of mol biology and/or biochem (realistic ones-where I may make it and throw in the dream destinations as well)</p>
<p>Woah, No replies since morning. Come on people.</p>
<p>Someone recommend leading schools in the fields of mol biology and/or biochem (realistic ones-where I may make it and throw in the dream destinations as well)</p>
<p>John Hopkins.</p>
<p>Okay I know about JHU, but that is just one. Name a few more :)</p>
<p>Okay so is someone going to recommend more schools anytime soon or should I start a new thread? :)</p>