Our Student Spotlight is a series of interviews and conversations that will be helpful for everybody applying abroad for higher education. From students who are studying in colleges abroad, to kids who’ve made it for the Fall 2015 admission and are eagerly waiting to go, to parents and teachers who were an integral part of this overall process, we bring to you perspectives and stories from a diverse population for a ring side view on how to get into college.
Sohail, a student of Don Bosco Park Circus, Kolkata. Sohail spoke to us on how dance got him into Business School. Ok that’s an exaggeration, but he’ll give you a glimpse of the varied aspects that he worked on to make his dream college – Kelley School of Business – a reality that he is going to live.
Below are Sohail’s answers (completely unedited) to a volley of questions that we posed to him.
Why did your dream school admit you?
Kelley School of Business was a school that I may not have got through had it not been for my “equilibrium” as I spoke about in my essays, which centred on a total personality change. Dance and Business Economics have no link whatsoever. I used to think that too. I realised that intricate connection between the two, and along with that 4.0 GPA at school, I did come across as “different” to the admissions office.
What advice could you give to prospective dream school applicants?
‘The early bird catches the worm’ sounds apt when it comes to getting through your dream school. Start early. Most of the EA/ED deadlines are in early November, and there is stiff competition out there. Your application would be placed against of those who have served in the Army, invented a machine, or started a business, as a child. It is crucial to start the applications as soon as you realise that studying abroad is the best fit for you!
How important an activity was Dance in your application process?
Firstly, dance is not an activity for me. It is what has shaped who I am today. Becoming an entrepreneur in sixth standard, I formed the youngest dance crew in the city, together with my best friends. Winning all the 8 inter-school dance competitions in the city in the year 2012, and breaking all such earlier records is not just what dance means to me. I learnt much more than winning fests. Trust me; colleges want to hear your TRUE story.
What was your greatest impediment in the college application process?