The way forward ..

Dear Student, Please find enclosed some essential parts of the application process that we have documented for you and that you can follow till you mail out your applications. Wherever possible we have given you samples to make the process easier for you. Finally, please adhere to all given deadlines so we can mutually work till the successful completion of your application process. Regards, The College Counselling Team.

ESSAYS

Essays: What differentiate you from your peer applying overseas are your essays. The Mission/ Personal Statement plays an extremely important role in determining your admission, once you have met the academic caliber requirements. For the UK: you need a Personal Statement that mainly revolves around the subject you will study at University. Briefly mention extra curricular but you could stress on one that you are passionate about. Hot Admission Tips

Allow friends, family, and teachers to read through your personal statement and provide feedback. Write in clear English. Be positive and enthusiastic. Remember that admissions tutors will read thousands of personal statements, and you want yours to be the one they remember. Write in short and succinct sentences. Be as clear as possible about why you have chosen your course of study. Set out the unique features and extracurricular activities that will allow you to be selected ahead of your peers. Take the opportunity to point out any occurrences or circumstances that may have affected your academic results. Construct the personal statement into 4 to 5 paragraphs.

Understanding what the admission officer would like to read, will be advantageous and make your statement stand out. Below are comments from official admission officers: "The personal statement is very important, because it gives the applicant the opportunity to explain why they have chosen their course of study and university and why they think they would perform well on the course. It also gives the applicant the opportunity to set out their unique features, which they feel should lead them to be ranked ahead of their peers". "We are seeking aptitude, enthusiasm and genuine passion for the subject. The personal statement is important as a way of gauging motivation and enthusiasm, and helps us to assess the character of the applicant what interests you and how you express yourself. Admissions tutors want to read statements that are clearly written and show why you are interested in the subject. Above all, be honest it is easy to tell if work has been cribbed or copied". It is important that you are aware of your readership because the personal statement should be tailored to what the reader wants to hear. There is no need to embark on writing a long assignment or detailed account of your life as you only have 600 words. A good place to start is why you wish to study your topic.

Who has influenced you to study your subject? How have you learnt about your subject?

What experiences and qualifications do you hold Your future intentions and goals?

For the US: UG Essay Inputs: Please answer the following in as much detail as possible, the more you express, the better we can make your final output. 1. Statement of Purpose/ Mission Statement/ Statement of Goals - Write an essay on your educational objectives and activities, address the following: Why have you opted for this specific line above others? The career you plan to pursue on completion of your degree? Talk about current developments in your specific field What research/ projects/ portfolios have you done in your related field. Talk of your family business and work experience if any. Your background, talents, honors, interests, community service. List and discuss your achievements to date. (This essay has to be sent to all colleges, for the rest, we need to check application packages & work accordingly). 2. Write an essay on the most Significant Event (personal/ local/ global) that has influenced your life? How? Why? Hints on writing the NEAR PERFECT essay! It is time to pen down the essay that will make or break your admission decision. Remember an essay should be mentally broken by you into three parts: 1. Introduction 2. Body and 3. Conclusion The introduction and conclusion should normally be restricted to a paragraph each as they speak in brief. The body on the other hand is the explanatory part of the essay, which can range from 3-8 paragraphs, making the entire essay a maximum of two pages. The introduction should talk about the current issues in the field of your interest and how these effect you or the society you live in. The body should explain what you have done till now, what you are doing and what you want to do. This should include matter on your activities, achievements, experiences that have helped you grow and become the person you are today and how these skills gained will help you in the future. Finally the conclusion should give the essay the punch that will help the admissions committee decide that this is one candidate that they want in their school. Relating the current issues and how they connect to you along with a quote that fits well would be a good end. Please find attached a bunch of essays that worked for the UK and the US. These are only for reading, any content copied could land you in trouble.

REFERENCES

DECIDING WHOM TO ASK By carefully choosing the people who will write your recommendations, you can ensure that each of your student recommendation letters share a different positive quality about you. Recommenders should be people who know you well and know about the quality of work you have done in their classes such as a teacher. Recommenders should write positive student recommendation letters detailing your academic abilities, personal traits, and motivation for higher education. Taken together, your student recommendation letters will portray a well-rounded view of you. For the UK you need all 6 subject teachers to write 4-5 lines on you and your performance in their subject coupled with a Predicted Grade that they then need to forward to us. We will create a comprehensive Counsellor Report and upload on the UCAS site. For the US you need 2 all-rounded recommendations (one-page long) from teachers in your stronger subjects and in some cases as you may read on college websites - you may require English & Math. To help decide whom you will ask, make a list of possible recommenders. Think about their position (head of the biology department, English teacher, supervisor of CAS etc.) and then ask yourself. Does each person know me well enough to write a strong letter? Does each person think highly of me? Which set of people can write student recommendation letters that will best reflect my background and strengths? Which set of people will be most highly regarded by the college admissions committee? Guiding your recommenders Once you decide whom you are going to ask, think about the different aspects of your background, character, academics, and activities that you want reflected in your student recommendation letters which should be the things you believe are most attractive to the admissions boards! Each letter should focus on things that are not covered in your essay so that the college can get a broad sense of you and your skills. Next to the names on your list, describe what you would like each recommender to emphasize. For example, your list might look like the following: Mr. Nair, chemistry teacher: good grades, class participation, interest in chemistry competition, developed algebraic method of balancing chemical equations, career goals in science.

Mr. Mehta, English teacher : writing and conceptualization skills; public-speaking; leadership in medieval literature; academic performance in class, goal of combining speaking and writing skills with a career in science. Ms. Malti, student council co-ordinator: participation in high school student council; leadership and public speaking; interpersonal skills; commitment to representing all groups of students; goal of continuing involvement in leadership activities. Mr. Contractor, CAS coordinator community involvement; work with the deaf and retarded; devotion to work; ability to relate well to people from diverse backgrounds; participation in other humanitarian activities (Select a few key activities).

You should also provide your recommenders with information about your background, any hardships you have overcome, and your personal goals and skills. Some additional items you may ask your recommenders to mention are: 1. Your personal background, including your family situation, such as if you will be the first in your family to attend college. 2. Hardships you have experienced in seeking higher education, such as being from a low-income background or living with parents who do not speak English. 3. Personal strengths that will make you a good college student, such as being inquisitive, motivated, and hard-working. 4. Your commitment to other students and your community, as demonstrated by your volunteer work, willingness to help other students, and involvement in humanitarian causes. 5. Your leadership skills and experiences. Writing to your Recommenders When you finish your list of what you want each recommender to emphasize, write a formal note requesting that they write you a letter of recommendation. Your student recommendation letters should be personalized for each recommender and should list the specific skills and attributes you want them to emphasize. Remember, the more detailed your letter, the easier it will be for your recommender to write a strong argument in support of your application using the information you provide. You should also provide your recommenders with a simple resume that describes the classes you have taken, your grades, and your work and volunteer experiences.

Meeting with your Recommenders After you finish your letters, call or stop by to see your recommenders. Ask them when you can set up a meeting to talk with them for a few minutes. Make sure that each recommender has plenty of time to write you a great letter. When you meet with your recommenders, give them the personalized letter you wrote and your resume. Remind them how had you have worked to get this far and how excited you are about attending college. Let them know that their letter will be an important part of your application.

General Tips for Students Dont wait until the last minute to ask for your recommendation. Your request needs to be proper and polite. Remember that you are requesting a significant favor. Be sure to indicate for what purpose the letter is being written. The more specific the purpose, the more specific (and pertinent) the letter. Supply as a minimum: 1. Your full name. 2. Classes you have taken from the referrer (also when and grade received) 3. Other coursework that is relevant (when and grades received) 4. Special skills or talents and how you demonstrated to them. 5. List of relevant extracurricular and summer activities. 6. Honors received. 7. Please tell your teachers that these recommendations should be emailed to the College Counselling Centre at: Michelle.Abel@ril.com ~~ Four Steps to Getting Perfect College Recommendations: In College admissions, application forms and essays give admissions officers your own perspective on your achievements. However, to get another persons viewpoint they often turn to your letters of recommendation. When you apply to College, you will typically submit between one and three recommendation letters from teachers, employers, who can vouch for your academic achievements or personal character. Even though others actually write the letters, you might be surprised to discover that you can influence the results by who you select and what information you provide them. Here are some strategies for getting the best possible recommendation letters:

1. Start Early Most colleges require two teacher recommendations and a school report completed by your counsellor. Some schools also allow you to submit an extra recommendation. Giving out the recommendation forms early should be your first priority. 2. Hunt Down the Best Recommenders Identifying quality recommenders is much like finding star witnesses for a courtroom. You want people who can testify in support of your strengths, who are believable, and who wont reveal anything incriminating. Essentially you want to find people who know your strengths and will attest to them. For example, if your English teacher thinks that you are the next Hemingway, then you should ask him. Or, if biology is so easy that your teacher asks you to grade the exams, then you should ask her. Obviously the teachers in whose classes you excel will be your most likely candidates. 3. Give them everything they need Once you have your recommenders, put together a packet with a cover letter, resume, and the information that they need to write the letter of recommendation. 4. Check in often Make sure that none of your recommendations are turned in late. Its your responsibility to make sure that your recommenders are aware of the deadlines and complete everything on time. While you cant control every word your recommenders write, by following the above four steps you will greatly increase the chances that you will have stellar recommendations. Most colleges and scholarship programs will take letters from teachers. Thus, teachers dont usually have to fill out individual forms for each college/scholarship program that you apply to. The earlier that you ask your teachers for recommendations, the better. The more supporting info you give them, the better. The supporting info should be specifics about things that you did in their classes (e.g. a copy of the best paper or best test that you did in their class) or in organizations that they advised. You will remember such details better than the teacher will, so even if you were very close to the teacher, provide such supporting info. This will help jog the teachers mind about specifics to include in the letter. The colleges will be interested in things that the teacher saw in class or in organizations they advised. They wont be interested in things that the teacher was not involved with you in.

Teacher Reference Guideline Dear Student, This is a questionnaire prepared to assist your teachers in writing recommendations that will cover all aspects pertaining to your academic and non-academic areas. When you are speaking with your teacher, make sure that you provide them with information on your performance in their subject and other areas that you feel they should mention. Also it is most important to give them time to do the reference well, do not give them a reference that has to be sent out the next day. Please also let them know of the date they should give it to the counselling office. We have prepared some questions here that you should answer in detail & then hand over to each teacher you are requesting a reference from. Please answer to the point: 1. What academic qualities do you have which make you believe that you will successfully complete the degree in the ______________ (country)? Eg. Creative thinking, independent thinking 2. What are your strengths (any 2)? What are your weaknesses (any 2)? 3. Have you participated in any special class project/ assignment/ national tests etc? Please provide details. If you were graded on the project or your work was recognized please mention this as well. 4. Please mention all the co-curricular activities that you have participated in, such as Sports/ Dramatics/MUN/ Community Service. Do you have certificates for any of the above? 5. Are you a member of any association? If yes, give the organisations name, the work you do and your role in it? Example (Junior President of an NGO). 6. Write a 5 line essay on yourself (example your personality attributes, your working style). 7. In the conclusion write one line on why this teacher should recommend you. 8. Any additional information that you would like to add. (You could site an event where you did something noteworthy in this teachers class).

RESUME

701 A, Harsh Vardhan, Saki Vihar Road, Andheri (East), Mumbai 400072, India.

Phone +9122 2857 4425 E-mail angad_kapoor@yahoo.co.in

Angad Kumar Kapoor

Education [ June 1992 March 2004 ] Mumbai, India March 2004 - 90.6% Awards received 3rd Prize in the school education program on BURNS (2000-01) organized by the Burns Association of India Arya Vidya Mandir Bandra (West)

Preschool Grade 10, ICSE (Indian Certificate of Secondary Education) -

Led school house march past team to 2nd position (2002-03 in Arya Vidya Mandir Bandra West) Led school house to win overall inter house trophy (2002-03 in Arya Vidya Mandir Bandra West)
Interests and activities Languages Computers, Electronic Music English Hindi Sanskrit (4 year course in the ICSE syllabus from the 5th to the 8th grade) French Volunteer experience Usher for DAIS Annual Day 2005 We the people

Backstage work for DAIS Annual Day 2004 Jivtara R.K Laxman Festival 2003-04 in Arya Vidya Mandir Bandra (West) (10th Grade) Tulsidas Festival 2002-03 in Arya Vidya Mandir Bandra (West) (9th Grade)
DAIS Sports Feste 2004 Hobbies Reading fiction

Listening to music, especially electronic music Mixing music

Cooking

Extracurricular activities

1.

Model United Nations Program i. Delegate of the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights (UNHCHR) in the Human Rights Commission at DAIMUN 2004 ii. Delegate of Japan in the General Assembly at Mumbai MUN 2005 iii. Head of Administration at DAIMUN 2005

2. Perspective School Newspaper (2005-06) 3. Creativity Action Service (CAS) Website (2005-06) 4. Film Club (2004-05, 2005-06) 5. Student Council Member - House Prefect (2002-03, Arya Vidya Mandir Bandra West) 6. March Past i. Member of the house march past team which secured 1st place at the Arya Vidya Mandir Bandra West Annual Sports Day (19992000) ii. Member of the house march past team - Arya Vidya Mandir Bandra West Annual Sports Day (2000-01) iii. Leader of the house march past team which secured 1st place at the Arya Vidya Mandir Bandra West Annual Sports Day (20022003) iv. Member of the house march past team which secured 1st place at the DAIS Annual Sports Day (2004-05) 7. Tennis (2004-05) 8. Judo (2004-06) Green Belt
Participated in the Standard Chartered Dream Run Marathon 2004

Community activities

Leisure For All (2004-06)

Spastic Society Of India (2000-01)

Was part of the school organized initiative to help flood victims in July, 2005

BANK LETTER

Financial Documents: Each student has to send a Bank Letter to all the colleges that he/ she is applying to. This is a certification from the Bank authorities that the students parents are willing and able to pay the fees of the degree. The letter needs to prove at least one years fees. This certification is a requirement set by the INS (Immigration and Naturalization Services) of the USA. The certification is obtained from the Bank on its letter-head. This has to be ensured by the colleges and only then can they offer a student admission and thereon send the required documents for obtaining a visa.

Sample Bank Letter

August 18, 2011

TO WHOMSOEVER IT MAY CONCERN

Dear Sir/ Madame, This is to certify that Mr./ Ms. _______________________ has the required financial ability to pay for his/ her son/ daughters education in the United States of America for the sum of Rs. __________ p.a. which is equivalent to US$ _______________ (amount to exceed one years total fees) for the period of his/ her Bachelors degree. This letter has been issued at the request of the client and is no way binding to the Bank or its officers. Thanking you and regards. Sincerely

_______________________ (Bank Manager - HSBC)

FINAL SCHOOL FORM

DATES TO REMEMBER
14/09/11 Presentation on essays etc .

15/09/11

OXBRIDGE

30/11/11

US Early Decision/ Action Deadline (Invites sent to 2 teachers + 1 Counselor on Common App)

07/10/11

US Early essays submitted for editing

14/10/11 07/11/11

US Early Complete Common App and submit US Regular Final University list + send invites to 2 teachers and 1 Counselor US Regular essays submitted for editing US + UK Final Deadline

15/11/11 21/11/11

NOTE: If you wish to apply to Oxbridge, you must have an IB prediction of close to or more than 40 points. For the US Early Decision/ Action, the 40 points also applies as well as having between 700 - 800 on all sections of the SAT. If you have any questions, please speak with the counselling centre.