I am from India.
A alarming novice question from a concerned parent whose child is in sixth standard. I belong to a small town no one to advice. I would like to share this and seeking an advise also for my child who is in sixth standard and i want to start early. Since no other option is left for an indian i also wanted my child to go for IIT how to start at this stage what are the coachings provided which are the institutions provide good coachings for its entrance. Are there any other institutions also which run parallel with IIT and having the same reputation as IIT in INDIA and abroad. Some have suggested to have C.B.S.E. or NCERT syllabus for studying since my child is in an I.C.S.E. school should i shift him to some C.B.S.E. school and adding to it take some dummy seat in an C.B.S.E school so that he ccn concentrate in his studies or will it be a wrong decision. I also want him to prepare him for some good and economical universities or institutions abroad if possible which are better then premium institutions in INDIA and how to prepare for them. Should i send him early or some has suggested to have his bachelors here and masters abroad. If yes can u suggest some good universities abroad.I have heard about MIT how to prepare for it . Is TOEFL GMAT GRE IELTS SAT etc. Are required to qualify for these big universities and what extra. Should i go for school education also abroad. Are the skill test exams such as olympiads Ntse KVPY are of some help in getting admissions abroad are other curriculum activities also are to be considered in providing admissions abroad. I know it may be early but i want to be prepared as soon as possible since it is a question of my child future. I may have quite a confused apapproachbut some help from an expert will be of great help. Please reply soon.
The odds of eventually getting your 6th standard child into MIT are not in your child’s favor. But there are plenty of other good options, both in your native country as well as abroad.
Read up, and then see if you have specific questions.
How old is your child now? When will he be entering college?
If your child is in 6th grade (standard) how do you know the child is interesting in a career in technology/engineering. I They maybe interested in some other field. Has the child already decided his career path or are you deciding it for them?
Enjoy time with him while you can, it flies by very quickly. Encourage him to do well in school and be open to letting him discover what he likes.
First of all, from looking it up it looks like 6th standard is ages 11-12. There is such a thing as starting too early - you can produce a lot of stress and anxiety in a kid by trying to force them to think about career choices and college admissions before they really have any control over that stuff. Allow your child to enjoy being a child, and revisit this in high school.
I don’t know anything about the Indian higher ed system, but SAT or ACT scores are what’s needed for undergrad. The GRE is a grad school exam and the GMAT is for business school. If English is not your son’s native language, many schools will require the TOEFL. MIT does not require it but strongly recommends it if the student does not speak English at home and/or school. But definitely don’t worry about entrance exams now - way too early.
Do NOT obsess with college so soon! I know of many Indians who have migrated to the US since my husband is from there. IF your son/daughter wants to study in the US or work here that is a decision to be made later. Some choose a US education for a masters degree, others work here in tech fields utilizing their Indian education.
As others have stated- it is your child’s, not your decision. Even (especially) gifted children need to enjoy their childhood without being pressured to perform. Bright students also need to be children first. Despite what you may think life is to be enjoyed while growing up, not just to be a step to an elite school or job. Not all brilliant Indians want to leave their country, nor do they need to to have excellent opportunities in current times.
There is a lot more to life than one’s job. Really think hard about your culture. Do you want to have your grandchildren on the other side of the globe, growing up with a different culture??? Children of Indians who live in the US are Americans, not Indians. Even in areas with thousands if Indians life is different here than there.
My husband was not typical, he really embraced American culture before we met. Others have had one foot in each country- some have returned to India permanently. It is far too soon for your child to consider these issues. And wrong for you to try to impose your will on this.
@Deeppak Judging from this first post, you seem to be creating yourself and your child a recipe for disaster. Please correct me if I am wrong, but I see several issues:
- Your child is in 6th standard and it will probably be at least 6 or 7 years before he/she applies to the IIT's or MIT or other universities. Do you even know what your child wants to do in life? If your child doesn't want to study engineering, mathematics, biology, physics, or related fields, I am not sure why MIT is the best fit. If it is because of prestige, then that is not a very good reason.
- You referred to the GMAT and GRE in your post, which indicates you likely don't know much about how admissions works in the US. And you shouldn't need to know about them for several years. But those tests are not used for undergrad admissions; typically the SAT or ACT, SAT subject tests, AP exams, and TOEFL are more important.
- MIT is one of the most selective schools in the US and is even more selective internationally, to the point that it would be unwise to fix yourself on one school.
I agree with the above posters; let your child do things he/she likes, be a mentor, definitely encourage your child to pursue passions, and worry about college admissions in a few years.
To @Deeppak
If your child is really only 11 or 12 years old, really, put college preparation on the back burner for a couple of years…at least. Encourage your kiddo to do his best. Teach him good organizational and study skills…but don’t make him study 12 hours a day. Help him find things to,do,that he likes,that are NOT academic…sports, music, art, friends.
In other words…don’t create an anxiety ridden kid who thinks the only purpose in living is to attend an elite college anywhere.
@Deeppak I also live in India but I am an American expat.
I do understand that schooling in India causes parents a lot of stress because there are so many choices of curriculum. From my point of view, the first decision you want to make is will the child be studying in India or abroad after 12th. If the child is going to stay in India - you need a syllabus that will prepare them for the Indian boards. CBSE is a very good syllabus that is trying to modernize and meet the needs of students. The most important thing is the quality of the school and the teachers. If you have a good CBSE school in your town - you should stay with that school.
If you want to send your child abroad after 12th you have to take a different approach. While some very talented CBSE students are able to study abroad, it is a difficult challenge for them because college can be very challenged as the change in teaching and learning methods may be huge. That is why parents who know that their child will go to the US choose the IB syllabus or IGCSE. However, if you are in a small town these may not be available.
If you want to send your child abroad you must be prepared for the expense. You should be ready to spend close to $60,000 per year as a rough estimate. And a child from outside of the US has no guarantee for scholarships or financial aid. Therefore, unless you are a very wealthy family, it may be best to look at Indian colleges.
Apart from IITs there are other very good colleges in India now that are more like American liberal arts colleges. Schools like Ashoka outside of Delhi have a very good reputation for a well-rounded education.
Things that are important in India (like Olympiads) cary very little weight outside of India unless your child is a national topper.
You might also want to consider that there are very good colleges in Singapore and other locations a little closer to India. These options are also cheaper than the US.
Right now here is my suggestion:
Find out your son’s interests and aptitudes - help him discover those.
Put him in the best school you can find in your town - one that will help him reach his potential and be a well-rounded person.
When he gets to high school you will probably have to start considering what coaching to get him into. I recommend an integrated coaching-school program. My friends have kids in those integrated programs and it works out much easier for the child.
Remember - he is a child. Let him pursue arts, sports, music, theatre, drama or whatever he enjoys. He only has a childhood once.
Best of luck!
If you are thinking about University in the USA, contact:https://educationusa.state.gov/
Please, before you do anything, read the book “How to Raise an Adult” by Julie Lythcott- Haims.
http://www.howtoraiseanadult.com/
Especially Part 3: “Have a wider mind set about colleges.”
We are actually HARMING our kids by over-involved and over-preparing when developmentally, 10-12 year old kids should be having FUN and enjoying life! Now is not the time to focus on college. Especially specific colleges that reject most students. You are just going to stress out your kid. And yourself.
Refer to my question to some INDIAN he will understand my problem thanks revert back.
While I don’t disagree with many of these posts, keep in mind that the “too early” mantra is culture-specific. That’s what we believe in the US. But in many countries, India included, a 12 year old’s future is already being cast. There, it may NOT be “too early” to start navigating that child’s path.
@CValle thanks for your suggestions u almost understands my situation.
As far as my child is concerned he already have decided to be an engineer.
He asks me most often questions how to be a good engineer . I believe that he can be good engineer only if he got admission in a good college or institution for that i have to be well versed with all the answers he asks so that as he grows he knows what should be the approach to get an admission in a good ininstitute.
I only have some knowlege regading IIT that is that he have to prepare for JEE for that coaching is required when it will start. And if he codnt get admission in IIT then what all are the other options available i mean by good colleges.
Should i opt for dummy seat in some CBSE School. At present he is in one of the renowned school but is teaching in ICSE no other option is available here.
Is this place i mean by forum only for US admission seeking students. If it is please advise me some other place to take guidance for my child education in general.
Please read my post once again most of the points are left out.
People suggested that u can opt for abroad study after the child completes his bachelors for that also the base should be costructive enough i.e. bachelors should be from good institutions may be from IIT or some other institutions in india please suggest.
As far as expences are concerned student loan is available in INDIA for studying that is why i asked going abroad can be the right decision or not it may in the US for bachelors degree and then promoting for masters also there.
This question is also referred to other posters if they can help as well as to u sir.
U wished me luck thanks for that but i believe that luck will be with us only if we do something to achive our fate luck is just a helping hand. Please advise .
I do not want that what all mistakes i have undertaken in my life giving it a careless approach by saying that things will happen as the time comes but how untill we are ready for them in advance and loose all the time enjoying. Here i have been advised that be patient till my child is in high school that is ok but i just want him to be ready with all the situations before hand and enjoys his childhood and by the time be alert that this is my goal. I have to enjoy but not at the sake of my career in life
Please advise i again thank all the posters for their valuable suggestions.
@MITer94 sir please refer to the post i just posted for @CValle and please revert back soon. Your post was helpful and believe that u can help me in the best way.
Thanks once again.
@juillet thanks for replying u almost helped me a lot please refer to the post i posted for @CValle and answer accordingly i have so much to ask. Lol i believe people wont get panic by my novise questions. Thanks once again.
@wis75 your suggestios was very helping please refer to the post i posted for @CValle and please revert back. Thanks i wanted to be a concerned parent so that in future when my child asks me questions on his interests i can answer them and he could sau that i achieve my goals with my patents help and not that i had no one to guide so i could not achieve my goals i may be wrong but my wit says this only to be ready for time to come and not to repend after the time passes because time once past cannot be atained back this i am saying by my personal experience.
Please revert back soon.
Yes, time once passed cannot be reclaimed…and that includes your kid being a kid.
You sound like you want your son to study in the U.S. Many students…engineering students included, have interests other than engineering which they bring to the college admissions process. Please remember that if your kiddo comes here, he will meet others his age with interests other than academic ones. You want him to have good interaction and social skills too…and things he can do to unwind.
My engineering major was a musician also, and a swimmer. To relax, she played in the college orchestra…and went to the fitness center and swam. It wasn’t all about engineering 24/7.
It sounds like your 12 or so year old really loves science and math. But really…unless he spends a week or so shadowing an engineer, I can’t imagine how he would KNOW for sure that this is what he wants to do forever. And beside that…there are many different kinds of engineering.
He could change his mind if he is allowed to,explore other areas.
And he might change his mind when he gets to college. The vast majority of college students here DO switch majors.
Revert- you mean reply. Definitely let your kid be a kid. Just because past generations focused too much on the adult to be and did not let children be children does not mean it should be done now. ALL parents make mistakes and children vow not to repeat their parents’ mistakes(and then make their own). Relax. There are many ways to be a good engineer, if that is what your son chooses when he is 18 or older. Right now he does not know all of the options in his life. You sound too intense, which may be typical for some Indian parents. Again, relax. In the next few years your child will undergo many changes as s/he matures both physically/mentally/emotionally and in other ways.
Top grades and test scores are not enough to get into most US colleges. So called “extracurricular activities” are also needed. It is not enough to just be an academic whiz, kids are expected to broaden their horizons. Other posters have mentioned various activities your child may be interested in. If cricket is the passion, allow that. If playing any instrument or singing is let your child spend time doing that instead of an extra academic study period. Sports, arts, music and other activities enrich one’s life. But- do not force your child to continue in any just because you think it will look good on an application.
So many good posts here. Remember- times have changed since your youth. Plus, with any intention of being in the US, even if only for some schooling, it is important to embrace the American mindset regarding college and the years preceding it. Do not sell yourself short- you are and will do a fine job. It is important to realize that your child will become more and more autonomous, eventually taking charge of decisions such as what to major in and where to apply to colleges. Now it is important to reassure him/her that things will work out. Also remember to tell your child it is important to have fun in life and not just worry about the future.
No parent can ever answer all of a child’s questions. Telling them to look things up is a good idea. So, at this time your child thinks s/he wants to be an engineer. Encourage him/her to look up what types engineering there are and what subjects are needed in college. This may be motivation to do well in school subjects in the coming years. btw- when I was in 8th grade I vehemently stated I hated science and would only take the minimum required in HS (I was an A student in all academic subjects). I took all of the science offered to me in HS and majored in Chemistry in college, then went on to medical school, having changed my focus while in college. So much for a girl’s statements at age 12 or 13.