<p>Hi,
I have a friend back in India who is looking to study at an Ivy League institution. Can you please give me some suggestions on what he should be doing to improve his changes at applying? I know about the AP examinations being offered near where he lives, and also the SAT centers. However, one question I had was does the high school he studies at make a big difference?</p>
<p>I don’t think what high school you study in matters. Yes, places like DPS RKP and Model Barakhamba have proven success, but that is probably only because they offer a wider range of extracurricular opportunities to choose from. If you manage to do a lot even from a relatively obscure school, you’ll get through. My school has probably send only one other person to the ivies for undergrad in its history, AND he was an academic and extra-academic superstar, but I managed to get through. I also know a Yalie from my city from a similarly lesser known school. Also, perfectpixie, the star of Tit 14 and a H and P and UPenn cross admit comes from a school in Delhi which is not DPS RKP or M. Barakhamba or one of those extremely famous ones which send tons of kids to ivies every year.</p>
<p>^eek! lol thanks tiyas! take care of my anonymity!</p>
<p>So it’s true that if you’re a good applicant then it doesn’t really matter which school you are from, as long as it’s a relatively “good”/recognized school (actually by my definition of great schools DPS RKP and Modern don’t even figure in the list) since although the adcoms may not have heard of your school, the job of the interviewer is to find out all the intricate details. My harvard interviewer was significantly impressed when I mentioned my school’s name/ my dance instructor’s name but from my resume a regular american wouldn’t be able to gauge if my dance guru was renowned or not.</p>
<p>That said, if your cousin can be shifted into modern (bk or vv), dps (rkp, or mathura road or vk), sanskriti (my favorite school in delhi!), mother’s international (another favorite of mine!) then by all means shift him/her. In fact, try for the former two only, since there your cousin will receive proper guidance as to how to build up his/her resume, which is important. I mean, it’s true that people from ‘other’ schools make it too (like tiyas, me and desparado) but it’s a much more difficult feat to do it all on your own than with a row of seniors, fellow classmates and a good school counselor guiding you. You sorta already know where you’re going to get in. You get good wise points on which schools are great with FA and which aren’t (this is not easy info to get otherwise). Of course, if your cousin can use CC, then that does the job too. :)</p>
<p>If you don’t want to shift him, then just make sure that the school your cousin is isn’t <em>too</em> obscure. Fine, the adcom hasn’t heard of it, but your transcript and teacher recommendations should hold some credibility.
Also, if you’re wondering cbse vs APs/IBs, cbse is just fine.</p>
<p>Some schools, like the previous two posters said, have traditionally gotten acceptances - but that doesn’t mean that it’s a requirement to be from one of those schools. </p>
<p>If it isn’t too personal, where does your friend live? If it’s in or around Bangalore there are half a dozen international schools to choose from, and Mumbai has it’s fair share too…I can’t speak for other parts of the country.</p>
<p>But, if your friend is in Grade 8, there’s no hurry to jump into an IGCSE curriculum or the like - I find that they’re not that different from Indian boards until grade 10 or so. No college really cares (much) what board you were in before Grade 11.</p>
<p>After that a decision can be made, but Indian boards are still very much an option (pixie is clearly proof of this). Plus, I have friends who do CBSE and still took the APs and did fine on them.</p>
<p>Hope this helps.</p>
<p>Most indians who got into Harvard/Princeton/Yale are cbse/icse/isc board.</p>
<p>If you’re in any of these, then APs will be a cakewalk for you. The syllabus is more or less the same or easier.</p>
<p>Charter House, Sevenoaks</p>
<p>In england</p>
<p>Your schools reputation matters a lot more than you think. You don’t see municipal school students getting into Harvard do you? Keep that in mind, and pick a program you will be comfortable with.</p>
<p>In my honest opinion, IGCSE=ICSE=CBSE>State board for the 10th and ISC/CBSE + APs>IB>Just ISC/CBSE>State board for the 12th.</p>
<p>Most importantly, you have to well in whatever you undertake - that doesn’t mean you need to top, just do well on an absolute scale.</p>