<p>I am in a conundrum (as for the essays). I will be finishing a rough draft today.</p>
<p>Also, do you need financial aid?
Your college list will depend on the amount of FA you need.
Also, how does your extra-curriculars (EC) look like? Colleges have a holistic approach towards your application, so, you should be fairly involved in various EC activities.</p>
<p>Essays are divided into two parts.
1- CA essay. You can get it online
( last years, since this years will CA will open in August)
Some essay prompts are the same ( especially the 1st and the 5th one)
2- college supplement essay, which releases at the same time when does the CA. College supplement essays also don’t usually change. Previous years supplement can be found online ( search for “university-name supplement”)</p>
<p>Do you know the basics? Like the essays should be personal And their format is totally different from the essay that you write in school?!</p>
<p>So what are the topics you are writing on?</p>
<p>I actually don’t know whether I need FA or not, because I don’t know many details about family income etc. I think a bit for Financial Aid will be good because I have a younger brother who will have to attend college later on as well…</p>
<p>If I compare my ECs to other people in my school, I think I will stand maybe 6th/7th amongst the people who are applying to US. I am a Brown II in Shotokan Do Karate, I have also stood 3rd in an international business plan competition. Apart from that it’s trivial stuff like member of debating society, prefect in 9th grade, actively involved in computers etc.</p>
<p>slayzaz, Welcome to the board !! 
Those are some awesome stats, and I am sure you csn explain that low 11th score. Everything will be fine. Don’t fret.
rew and all the others are here to help you out, so ask all you want.</p>
<p>Haha Thanks Mrinal! The only explanation I can give is that I was extremely distracted 
(and maybe one involving Vidyamandir Classes )</p>
<p>What colleges do you think I should apply to?</p>
<p>As far as the essays go, I do know that we need to write a personal essay, but I’m confused about the format and topic.</p>
<p>Since you are applying as an Engg major, you should check out:
Stanford; MIT; Georgia Institute of Tech; UCB; UCLA; PennState; Harvard( if you prefer a name )</p>
<p>I think most of us are still writing their CA essays and taking the SATs/ACT this October. Pay heed to the advice the other give you( don’t mind me, I just ■■■■■ this board ) and concentrate on your essays, your SATs are already good enough unless you can improve that score to 2300+( don’t dwell on this much).</p>
<p>*others</p>
<p>On a completely unrelated note, 4th of July San Diego fireworks. Made my day ;)</p>
<p>But do I even stand a chance at schools like Stanford,MIT,GTech,UCB,UCLA etc?</p>
<p>I’m giving the SAT IIs in October, do you think I should be giving the SAT for a third time in November?So what topics have you chosen for your essays?</p>
<p>^What do you mean ?? :p</p>
<p>Certainly, you do stand a chance. Everyone does. Leave the chances aside, focus on your essays for now.
Take it, I took the ACT three times. :)</p>
<p>I mean with my awful grades, and ok-ish ECs and SAT scores, do I really have a shot? :P</p>
<p>So what topics should I write on? What topics did you choose? </p>
<p>What do all you other guys say about taking the SAT the third time?</p>
<p>Your grades are not awful… Its only your 11th grades which are not upto the mark… Also you should not worry about your chances because its the admcoms who decide who has how much chance …
My view on taking SAT third time is neutral because if you think you can really improve your score then you should go ahead otherwise not :)</p>
<p>Also I am not experienced I am in class of 2018, so these are just my views :P</p>
<p>Well I think I can improve a bit in reading, but I don’t know by how much. In maths I got one question wrong and for writing, my score was same for both my attempts, so I don’t see scope for improvement in maths and Writing (though writing should have improved this time 
)</p>
<p>Well my class 9 and 10 scores were okay, I wasn’t a topper or anything, and yeah 11th was really bad. I’m trying to get my 12th grade scores back on track but I don’t know if I’ll be able to manage that because I have loads of course left before my UTs. Plus I still have to start preparing for my SAT IIs…</p>
<p>And I am sure that you are not inexperienced :)</p>
<p>Hello Slayzaz!</p>
<p>I am a bit confused about essays too. I don’t know whether they make me look strong or invite pity.</p>
<p>Hey!
Have all of you started writing essays?
What all are you guys writing on?</p>
<p>Me thinks so.</p>
<p>Oh, I didn’t see question 2.</p>
<p>I am writing on:
Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you.</p>
<p>Slayzaz, you can get into any of the before mentioned unis.
Although, UCB, UCLA and Stanford doesn’t give FA to internationals.</p>
<p>IMO, UCB has an amazing engineering program and TiT has a person who is attending Berkley as the class of 2016 , tizil7, and If you’re interested, just send a PM and he’ll help you out. He also got In at brown, but he chose Berkley over Brown.</p>
<p>I am writing on- Who is the person who influenced you the most and in what way.</p>
<p>Also, you EC are simply amazing.
Are you from a feeder school in Delhi? </p>
<p>Btw guys, I know of a girl who got in at Stanford, had SAT-1 scores in later 2100s, had a 600s in one of the SAT2. She had okayish ECs.
But then she was an American permanent citizen and was from a feeder school.</p>