Today’s expert is Mr. Viral Doshi, Mumbai's prominent counsellor who has guided thousands of Indian students to the world's most elite colleges. He is also known for authoring 'Indian Roots, Ivy Admits.’ Mr. Doshi's book is an anthology of essays that have helped his students secure a spot into the Ivy League and Stanford.
Mr. Viral Doshi
Here's what you should keep in mind before making the decision to study abroad, according to Mr. Doshi :
1. Read, read and read:
Most standardized entrance examinations have a reading section. Students need to get into the habit of reading so they are not caught off guard during the test. Both TOEFL and IELTS present a reading section to all the students.
2. Have a strong Academic Foundation
A lot of students only think about CVs and SOPs when applying to colleges abroad. Although these matter, it is your academic scores and consistency that the universities look at while assessing the applications. When it comes to getting admission abroad, colleges first look at your academic grade, your grade in standardized tests, your extracurricular activities, your recommendations, and then your essay.
3. Nourish your interests
This one concerns parents more than students. Allow your children to follow their passion when it comes to extracurricular activities. When students are interested in an activity, they often do exceptionally well at it. This will also aid their applications.
4. Do not hurry
Parents and students should utilize Classes 9 and 10 ‘years of exploration and not to solidify a future plan. In these years students should try to understand what they really like to do. Parents should invite relatives over for dinner table conversations to open up new avenues of thinking for students. Students can then use Class 11 to consolidate a plan and Class 12 to apply to colleges.
5. Scholarships or student loans?
When it comes to pursuing your undergraduate abroad, scholarships are rare. While Canada has some, UK and US offer fewer scholarships at an undergraduate level. Keeping this in mind student loans for undergraduate education is not the best option. With the current dollar to rupee rate, all parents should be amply comfortable with the costs of sending their child abroad for education.
(This column by Education Consultant Viral Doshi is the first in a series of articles by the Free Press Journal, Mumbai’s Study Abroad Guide for August 2022.)
