With application deadlines looming and students and parents working frantically on all aspects of the application, here are some specific college admission guidelines for students to consider while checking admission requirements to these popular universities.
Ashoka University: Holistic Approach with On-the-Spot Essays
Ashoka is India’s leading Liberal Arts university. Apart from a strong academic profile, Ashoka evaluates applicants through on-the-spot essays, an aptitude test, and an in-depth interview. The ‘On the Spot essay’ tends to be very topical and one should be aware of all the ongoing events happening in the world to be able to answer this question well. It is usually a controversial topic and your approach to the essay counts for a lot. The interview for Ashoka is also a very critical part of the application. They do sometimes try to confuse you and put you on the spot with their questions but again your response and how you handle yourself in a pressure situation is what’s important.
UChicago, Brown, Claremont McKenna, Tufts: Video Introduction
Many universities have started incorporating video components into their application processes to gain a broader understanding of applicants. Brown University, the University of Chicago are among the institutions that require/ have an optional video element. Brown allows students to submit a 2 minute video introduction for a glimpse into their personality beyond the application. The University of Chicago offers an optional two-minute video introduction, giving students a platform to cover anything they haven’t been able to in their application. These video submissions allow the admissions committee to view your application in a more holistic way particularly with students using AI to write essays, video responses are gaining more popularity.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT): Focus on Maker Culture
MIT is renowned for its commitment to innovation. The university values “makers”—students who have shown a hands-on approach to solving problems, building projects, or conducting experiments. The Maker Portfolio is an optional but impactful component of the application, allowing students to showcase their technical creativity through videos, images, or project documentation. The Maker Portfolio is for engineering, crafting, or coding projects of your own design and making that are substantial, original, and technically creative. Examples of projects are – designing and building robots for competitions, creating solar-powered devices, or developing innovative engineering solutions. Developing mobile apps, websites, or software tools that solve specific issues or enhance user experiences. Engaging in team-based projects, such as hackathons or community service initiatives that involve technical skills. MIT highly values teamwork and it would be beneficial to tailor your application to showcase those skills.
University of Oxford: Academic Intensity and Interviews
Oxford’s admissions process requires top grades along with a strong emphasis on subject-specific expertise. Applicants must give entrance exams such as the TSA (Thinking Skills Assessment) or BMAT (Biomedical Admissions Test), depending on their chosen course. The interview process is quite challenging, designed to assess critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and a deep understanding of the subject. Prospective students should prepare for a tough, intellectually rigorous interview at Oxford. You may be asked academic or subject specific questions like- students might be asked to analyze data or graphs, such as “What does this graph of f(x)=ln(x) look like?” Philosophical Questions could include, “What does it mean to be ‘political’?” or “Is death bad for humanity?” while creative questions could include, “If you could invent a musical instrument, what would it be?”
National University of Singapore (NUS): Aptitude-Based Admissions
NUS evaluates students not only based on their academic scores but also on aptitude and interests through its Discretionary Admissions scheme. This allows students with exceptional talent in areas such as sports, arts, or entrepreneurship to highlight their unique strengths through portfolios and personal statements. Under the current Discretionary Admissions (DA) scheme at NUS can admit up to 15% of their annual intake based on factors beyond general academic grades. Each college considers different factors for its holistic assessment.
Sciences Po, France: Social Sciences Focus with a Global Perspective
Sciences Po looks for students with a keen interest in global issues and social sciences. Its admissions process requires a motivation letter, detailing the student’s alignment with the university’s global and interdisciplinary ethos. You will be asked to write two pieces on the following subjects- Your motivations for applying and your project for Sciences Po and an essay on a subject chosen from 5 proposed themes. Be ready to contribute some time to making a compelling application for Sciences Po.
While the common thread is strong academic grades, each university has different factors it considers important. While for some, it may be leadership qualities, for others it may be community service or innovative ideation. It is important to check specific college application tips for the university you are applying for and try to align your application to that university.
The writer is Founder and CEO, Inomi Learning, a Gurugram-based career and college guidance firm. info@inomi.in
The original article was first published in ‘The Hindu’, on January 19th, 2025.
With inputs from Kritika Malhotra, Lead Counsellor at Inomi Learning.
Richa Dwivedi Saklani is a certified coach from UCLA and is an accredited MBTI trainer who has worked with over 10,000 people across career planning and as a behavioral trainer in companies. She is the CEO & Founder of Inomi Learning and author of “The Ultimate Guide to 21st Century Careers”.
