How can I get into the Top Universities of the World?

Getting into a prestigious university in the US, UK, or Europe is a dream of many students, and many a times students find it an impossible task. The entire admission application process is very competitive, which might make it seem like an impossible task. But you are not alone in this situation. And, universities also want you to feel comfortable and confident. 

How to Prepare for Top University Admissions

There are a few basic tips to remember when you start the application process.

Don't be afraid - Initially, you may find the entire process challenging, but take one step at a time with confidence. Fear will not help you focus on the task at hand.

Be yourself - Extracurricular activities matter a lot in your profile building for your admissions to IVY League schools, extending to top 30 universities in the US & UK. But, be true to yourself; don't do activities for the sake of an admission.

Research Well - Don't underestimate research as extensive research will help you to focus on details will overall help you in US admission application process. In early years of high school, one should start reading about areas of interest, courses, or activities to improve your skill set. 

Start Early - It is good to start early in terms of thinking about your narrative for your application and even start preparing your application with enough time in hand. To write odd 20+ essays which includes common app essay, supplemental essays, UCAS essay and many more is not an easy task to do. 

Best-fit University - You should look for a university which is aligned with your personality and the subject you want to learn. It doesn't make sense to choose the university according to the ranking of the university.

Passion and Honesty - Often admission officers like students who are passionate and honest about themselves. They look for long-term activities or projects that a student is passionate about rather than a list of 20 activities that doesn’t lead to any depth. 

Don't Compete with Others - It doesn't make sense to compete with others or do something for the sake of competition. You should be comfortable with your own choices of subjects and universities.

Now let's move ahead with how to build a strong profile to get an admission to good universities.

The short answer is “doing the things you like really well, and then being smart in presenting your case”. Actually, you do not prepare to get into a top school; you prepare to be successful!

Two Paths to Success: Young Geniuses and Old Masters

We usually come across 2 types of successful innovators in the world: Young Geniuses and Old Masters. There is also a common perception that innovation is uniform across all stages of life and both groups follow the same processes. However, a Chicago economist, David Galenson, has postulated that each group follows a different style, and this leads to different levels of productivity. Young Geniuses follow a conceptual innovation model, formulating big ideas and then executing on them, while Old Masters follow an experimental model, trying out different things, learning and evolving as they go.

Step 1: Build a profile

To be a student attractive to a top university, (s)he has to follow one of these 2 paths diligently. The Young Genius shows enough promise early itself and is usually identified at different levels in the system (school topper / young inventor / Olympiad winner, etc.) and has an easy entry into his/her choice of schools, as they are looking for him/her.

But the average student can also build up adequate attractiveness by following the experimental model to build up competence in any chosen domain. The primary tools of an experimenter are his/her inquisitive nature and persistence, two things most human beings are born with, and tapping into these traits can help a person become an expert. Once these domain areas are identified, this person could potentially spend years refining their skill sets in this particular area. Often, such people are able to showcase a more compelling narrative beating down Young Geniuses!

This process of building the narrative is what is often called building a profile. We fundamentally disagree with an approach that is focused on building a profile to get into a school. Rather, we have seen that identifying the right area and then choosing to excel in that, for the sake of love for that particular domain, delivers far more successful outcomes. This process often takes years and may need the help of a coach/ mentor who can hold your hand as you push beyond the envelope of your existing capacities.

Step 2: Tell a story

The second part of a successful application involves a smart approach to presenting your case to the school you are applying to.

The Young Geniuses have it easy here too. In fact, sometimes they do not even need the second part, as their reputation and achievements get them easy access, and the presentation of their case does not even matter.

For the rest, standing out from the crowd involves a smart presentation of their cases, highlighting the uniqueness of their experiences, and stringing it through into a coherent story that would help the admissions staff visualize the value-add that the school could provide, and the end product that would come out at the end of the course. Depending on the parameters that the school prides itself on, the smart applicant makes it easy in his/her application to visualize his/her situation at the end of the course.