How Saloni Verma Got Into IVY Leagues from India – And YOU Can Too

CRAZY MEDUSA: A CASE STUDY

Often while investigating someone’s life, a helpful exercise is spotting where and how they deviate from the norm. Try spotting them yourself, but we’ll help you out 😉

SCHOOLING:

She started her education in California, Orange County from classes 1 through 4 (because of her dad’s work). She later moved back to India, where she studied in Bangalore through classes 4 to 12.

• In both California and back home, she never backed away from any school event, whether it be annual fests, cultural events, karate classes, or playing the violin.
• At her school in Bangalore, she didn’t leave a stone unturned, actively participating in every sporting event, including Basketball, football, and tennis.
• She rose in position, from house captain to the first-ever female school captain of her school
• She scored an 89% in her class 10th boards and an 80% in her class 12th boards.

Glossing over these points, one might think she’s a very average student. And you’re not wrong. But here’s where it makes the difference :

KEY POINTS :

•   Extracurriculars: Her participation in multiple interschool sports like tennis, football, and basketball is a definite sticking point in your resume for an Ivy school.
•    Active participation: Most of us have a strange lethargy coming over us when it comes to school events. But not shying away from them gives you essential lessons in leadership and team-building.
•    Grade hyper fixation: Foreign universities aren’t looking for straight-A students, there are plenty of those. At least while in school, focus on what you enjoy and being well-rounded– it may be sports, art, music, or whatever you fancy.

Despite her fall in grades from class 10-12, she chanced upon a single paragraph on biomedical engineering in high school. And after she decided that’s what she’s passionate about, consistent improvement in that field makes her an ideal candidate for the Ivy League or Universities in general.

COLLEGE:

  She entered SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, Tamil Nadu in biomedical engineering. Yes – there was still no plan of applying to Harvard or Cornell.

• Attended several undergrad innovators’ challenges and workshops
• First two years in college – she secured internships at Greenview and TBS biomedical
• Went to BITS Pilani for a research program conducted by Covidien (Ireland). This program was life-changing for her, where she developed a hand tremor suppressor – a prototype that was cheaper than the competition developed in top universities – and had no electrical components.
• Circulation of her project to hospitals in India and Australia caught Harvard Medical School’s eye and she was accepted into a research program there.
• Her application to Cornell for her Master’s study was accepted.

But woah woah hold up, what just happened?

KEY POINTS :

• Passionate work – not hard work: You can only score well if you have a deep connection to your subject like Ms. Saloni did once she fell in love with biomedical engineering – combining her love for physics and biology. Keep in mind that she scored a mere 78% in Biology in grade 12 but maintained a total 9.2 GPA in SRM College. Improvement is key.
• Vocational/ research work: It’s way better to have a certification that you’re good at than just telling it to the Ivy League. Plus – internship programs connect you with amazing professors and competitive peers, who can guide you in your studies, especially if they’re from your dream college itself.
• Community service: Once you have a project finalized – it is key to make it known. Spend time publicizing its importance to society and giving back to the community that supports you. Take up local leadership roles – see where the normal people stand.