Beyond High School - March Edition [Final]
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“Where you live for the next four years is an extremely
important, oftentimes, an underrated choice!”
One of the best and the busiest times in my life was
when I was applying for undergraduate programmes. I
was clear I wanted to apply within India exclusively, for a
multitude of reasons; but I was also clear that I did not
want to restrict myself to one discipline that early on in
my life. For instance, I had a fair idea that I wanted to
study Political Science, but didn’t realise that I also loved
International Relations till I arrived at Ashoka. There are
things that everyone thinks you should figure out —
which between you and me, aren’t that important — and
something you should definitely know beforehand.
I won’t go into what other people find important (I’m sure you already know!) but one
question that you should definitely ask yourself is about what environment can make you
feel excited and intellectually stimulated.
It’s convenient to get swayed by your peers applying for specific, fancy sounding
programmes to highfalutin colleges but you must sit and research each of your options.
For instance, I only applied to four universities in India including Ashoka; but researched
three or four things which were the most important to me: the faculty, the environment on
campus, the extracurriculars and the placements. In fact, the excellence of the faculty was
my primary motivator for choosing Ashoka. Further, because I was based out of India,
visiting campuses during my break was easier. Where you live for the next four years is an
extremely important, oftentimes, an underrated choice! I even discarded one of my
applications because I felt like the campus wasn’t for me.
Lastly, make sure you pursue a program that you know you will benefit from; especially
something that caters to your interests and feels closest to you. Everyone has different
needs, behaviours and expectations — your choices are completely your own. Don’t feel
compelled to do something everyone is doing: if it’s not for you, don’t do it. And not
everyone has a dream college! I only realised Ashoka was the perfect choice for me when I
actually started attending university. Finally; if I could go back in time, I’d definitely try to be
less harsh on myself. Yes, boards and admissions are important — trust me, I get it — but
don’t overwork yourself.
FROM AN ASHOKAN
Beyond High School | Page 6
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Ritikaa Kaila
4th Year, Political Science,
Ashoka University
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