Originally Published in The Hindustan Times Education Supplement
Typically Indian students who want to study
abroad tend to be focused on STEM subjects (a common acronym for subjects
including Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). Even business requires
strength in math, which puts the majority of student interests in STEM fields.
However, the application process, especially to US colleges, rewards students
who can write well, introspect, and think critically about unstructured
topics. As a result, what often happens
is that students who can clearly handle the technical and quantitative aspects
of a course may not be admitted because they cannot demonstrate, nor articulate
the significance of their skills and experience.