The Indian Thread (TiT) # 17

Student Lounge International Students
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<p>Wow! Subatomic physics … one word of caution … please do not narrow down your field of study SO much in your pre-undergrad days! Who knows, you may fall in love with Radio Astronomy in your sophomore year, so it’s really important to have a broad outlook and keep your mind free and open.</p>

<p>@All those who are aspiring to get into great universities in the US: Remember, they take in 3-4 people from our country. So, you must, must and must have something that is unique and sets you apart from others. If you can pay 40-50K a year to the need-aware universities, you can afford to be less sparkling than what would be expected from a student who hopes to get a scholarship to continue his studies. I don’t mean this in a deflating way but seriously, don’t please don’t daydream about going to Yale if all that you have been doing is IIT coaching. Not that you people aren’t worthy of that, but it hurts to fall, hurts a lot, just like some of my friends are learning this year. So, set your goals in a way you can reach them. At the end of the day, happiness is the key. Isn’t it?</p>

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<p>Last post reminded me of the movie ‘In pursuit of happiness’. And for a fact I can’t day-dream about Yale as I hardly know about it :stuck_out_tongue: But yes, I am a big dreamer, and accustomed to falls… (Argh! The SSP rejection letter I got yesterday!) But I’m more or less used to it, so I don’t think there is much of a prob there. I just don’t wanna say, IF I had tried this I might be in a better position than I am in today. Rather, I’d like to be in a situation where I can proudly say, I did my best without unnecessarily sacrificing my IIT-JEE, and I’ll just make the best possible use of whatever I have now.
As per turning up as ‘exceptional’, I have hardly anything to show-off now, but there are ‘plans’, whether they’ll work out or not only time will tell…
Another request, there seem to be a good number of poets and writers here, so could you please direct me to some quality contests etc. where I can have real proof of my ability? I have full faith in myself that I have the ability, I just need a few oppurtunities.
@gary: What is your profile like? School marks, board marks, extracurriculars, SAT scores…everything put together? </p>

<p>School marks, as I said 79% or so. Rank? I dunno, but I’m pretty sure top 20/263 or so taking the eco guys as well. In my section 4/46 odd.
Board marks- 91%~(Not best five-all)
ECs- [hide]Suck when it comes to proof. I write poetry/short stories, like to debate but there aren’t any prizes beyond city level. That too lame ones like one at Regional Science Centre in 9th I think for debate and another story one in class 6 lol.
I was into swimming when I was young. Was going to represent my school at inter-school and possibly district level contests, but just as my first competitions were coming near, I fell very sick and was subsequently diagnosed with asthma, allergic rhinitis, DNS and all stupid malfunctions. So my parents put a ban on my swimming. I still love playing basketball and stuff but nothing really to be proud of. The best I’ve done is been a part of my losing house team.
Apart from that, I’ve just started writing songs and am a part-time singer in an amateur band. Just one public performance outside school for now :frowning: Though I do think the rest of the band members are VERY talented, and maybe if you guys suggest I could write a new song and record a video of our band performance as supplement material to whichever universities accept it.
I’m also working online as a writer in a new game designing studio. Its currently unpaid and kinda voluntary, but we’ve been working for something like 6 months and have made considerable progress with our first project. I dunno if dialogue/story writing for some game designing company or a passion for computer games is even an EC haha!
And in case this doesn’t come under 'writing, I love creating quotations when I’m in a good mood. On holidays you are likely to find 3-4 quotes stored on my cell’s calender for the day when I go out for a walk :stuck_out_tongue:
I also like to solve informatics problems and participate in participating in programming contests, but I started this only a couple of months ago and have no prizes to show off. So its more of a really fun hobby rather than an academic commitment for now.
What else? I’d love to go into social service but my parents would kill me for wasting time…
So that’s it I guess unless I’m forgetting something coz I’m really sleepy.[/hide]</p>

<p>Coming to SAT, [hide]I got 2020 on the first attempt, but that was with just around 3 days of prep coz INMO and KVPY interview were round the same time. The practice tests put me a lil above 2200 so I was a bit disappointed. I do believe I can do much better in the next one. With some practice I can realistically get to 2300-2350 but if I were to lay a bet, it would be between 2200-2300.
The breakdown in my last SAT was-
CR-660
Writing- 640
Maths-720(silly mistakes & drowsiness!!)</p>

<p>I’m taking my ACT on 4th in Mussorie. Lets see how that turns out. Studied from all sorts of ebooks. Will take full practice tests when I’ve completed all the prep material first. Just taken the Maths one, scored 100% going 33% lengthier test in 75% of the time. The english will undoubtedly be a lil more unpredictable. Wish me luck! hehe
[/hide]
About other competitions,[hide]
AIRs 60,67,163 in different years of NSTSE
AIR 172 NCO
AIR 126 NSO
Won 1st prizes in Inter-Branch Olympiads for Physics(twice) and mock NTSE conducted by City Montessori School(My school holds the world record for most students(35K+) in a single city with its 22 branches and has also won the Unesco Prize for Peace Education)
1st prize in Elocution and Quiz competitions conducted by Regional Science City.
1st position in Science Talent Search Exam in West Bengal(But that was long ago)
Came in top 3 in the written round of Birla Scholarship exam and won the interview round(Conducted by South Point High School. Kolkata. Scholarship included completely free education till I was studying there but I had to reject and come to Lucknow the same year)
Came third in the regional round Discovery Kids Quiz(team of 2)
Placed in top 10% of candidates enrolled at my centre for NSEA Sr. and in NSEP(Physics) only one other guy from our school gave it from 11th, but it is cumpolsary for class 12th and only 1 senior(or maybe 2 at the most) scored more than me on the same paper.
Cleared RMO(11th) and NSEA Jr.(class 8)[/hide]</p>

<p>So there’s it. Nothing really I can hold on to with pride, though NTSE and KVPY are pretty prestigious.</p>

<p>Is there anything else you’d like to know to give me better guidance?
Thanks a lot to all the helpful seniors and competitors in this thread!</p>

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<p>Phew … that must have taken a long time to write, eh? </p>

<p>Alright, so you have have got plenty of things to boast about! But whether they might take you to the best universities in the world, is another story. I like your passion about writing, why don’t you try some magazines? Writing isn’t something you can judge from competitions. The best way to showcase your talent is write for your school magazine. Then, there’s always bigger magazines and newspapers. You can become the young correspondent, a freelance reporter, write a blog wherein you show your writing skills and the link of which can be heartily sent to the college in the application. There’s SO many ways, winning competitions is just lame and wasteful of your talent. Use it in better ways. </p>

<p>You’ve got lots of Olympiads but so do SO many others, isn’t so? Just a thing, did you do the IMOTC? If not, the RMO really doesn’t count. And are you a KVPY scholar? Again, if not then no use of the qualifying exam. </p>

<p>So, project your writing talents well, they will take you a long way.</p>

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<p>Thanks fir the advice! Can you name some magazines where students like me can write stuff? And no I didn’t make it to the TC. I’m pretty hopeful of making it to IPhO and INOI TC. I’d give myself a 40% chance of making it to at least 1 TC but it won’t count I guess coz the apps go in early.
About KVPY, yes I am a KVPY scholar. And NTSE also, I cleared all levels :slight_smile:
In fact just got my KVPY ID card a couple of days ago <em>beams</em></p>

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<p>yup…finally a good news
i am shortlisted for the second time for the national science fair
hope i make it to US this year
@gary: u guys still have time,coz u r participating for the first time…</p>

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<p>The experienced Blue Devil shall lead us into the light :p</p>

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<p>although i haven’t read the entire post Gary here’s some
another advice
also try contacting the British Council and ask them too…they sometimes have competitions</p>

<p>[Poetry</a> Competitions](<a href=“http://members.rediff.com/poetrysplash/poetrycompetitions.htm]Poetry”>http://members.rediff.com/poetrysplash/poetrycompetitions.htm)</p>

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<p>Oh come on, everybody knows you are the boss here, tetris! :P</p>

<p>@gary: Magazines … I dunno. But I am pretty sure somebody in your school or your English department may know!</p>

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<p>Has anyone heard about an organisation called “The College Source”. It provides counselling about the admission process. Is it good ? Is anyone working with them ?</p>

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<p>Who’s the essay master, adrivit? :p</p>

<p>Never heard of this organization…</p>

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<p>Thanks prateek! That link lists some really good looking competitions :smiley: I sent the British Council a mail.</p>

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<p>@bigcheese: You can have all your counselling free of cost from all of us here mate. Why pay for the same deal albeit in a drastically less personalized way?</p>

<p>@tetris: ;)</p>

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<p>Haha! We can all open a fake CC India counseling organization and earn money for college expenses :P</p>

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<p>some guys at school are working with this organisation, and they were all invited to meet admissions officers from some really good LACs (think Claremont Colleges,Williams,Vassar,etc). I think that if i could meet these adcoms,it would give me a leg up on my college search</p>

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<p>@ gary7 : i totally second Adrivit. be passionate about your writing, look for vistas that might prove invaluable when you apply. </p>

<p>good luck, everyone.</p>

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<p>does claremont offer FinAid to intl’s</p>

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<p>British Council replied within 5 mins or so. But they were no use… I’ll have to search there site myself I guess lol.
Btw, how many of you applying to NTU/NUS?</p>

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<p>claremont is a college,its a consortium of LACs. They do offer aid to internationals.However a few them are women only colleges. Just wikipedia Claremont Colleges.</p>

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<p>thanks well i was talking about claremont mckenna college
btw ill wikipedia it</p>

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<p>computer science uiuc vs georgia tech vs purdue </p>

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<p>I am an international student from india and want to pursue B.S. in computer science. I have already got an acceptance from UIUC , Georgia Tech and Purdue. Kindly guide which one should I choose ? My Cornell and Michigan result is awaited.</p>