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Now that school starts in one week, I’ve been dreading yet thrilled to write this answer. Being completely honest, I’ve intended to write this answer for a while (since December haha), but as I’ve been scrolling down this question and looking at the answers of all these qualified students, I felt like I paled in comparison to the others and that my opinion won’t make an impact on other students.However, I’ve been reflecting about my high school career during the summer, and why I was able to overall flourish: my perseverance and self-reliance to endure and overcome. I’ve come to realize that I can make a positive impact, and how no matter where you stand in life, you can only rise up from there.I’ve been a bit shy to answer because I’ve felt like many Quorans will testify that my school choice for the fall isn’t a proper reflection of my academic resume, and it probably is or isn’t; I’m having a bunch of imposter syndrome myself. But one thing’s for certain, I hope that this answer helps a bunch of prospective Seniors that are discouraged to become encouraged.You shouldn’t sell yourself short, you have a plethora of ways to demonstrate your authenticity to the admissions officers.It took me 1 surprise acceptance to perceive that…Thank you for that TED talk! Now onto my High School and College synopsis!Myself:I’m a low-income (16k, so really low-income), Hispanic female residing in the Greater Los Angeles Area. I have two younger male siblings, and I live with my single mom (my Dad got divorced when I was 8 and left us). I’m not going to lie and say that my URM and background had a influence in specific colleges, but considering that most of the schools I applied to are in California where Affirmative Action is (was) banned, I’d say it didn’t matter overall.High School:My school is just as stereotypical as my background is. It’s your typical overcrowded K-12 public school, located in the pinnacle of crime, with over 3000 students, minimal student resources, etc. The last time we sent a student to a top school was when I was a freshman. The valedictorian of that year went to Georgetown University. How prestigious that school is, is up to you guys to decide. Not trying to diss my high school in any way, but let’s just say it took me a bunch of self-reliance and my high school had little to no influence to where I am today, besides one special teacher. Also keep in mind the students here are content to go to school at all, most them go to my state school, Cal State LA.High School stats / extracurriculars / experiences:(For this next part, I’m merging my GPA’s, extracurriculars, and experiences all into one because I feel like it exemplifies my identity more precisely and why I got to this point).This is where I feel (felt, but kind of still do feel) very, VERY intimated.My overall Weighted GPA is a 3.44 GPA (3.49 after Senior year but this GPA doesn’t matter) and our school doesn’t report our unweighted, but when I calculated it on my own accord, it came out to around a 3.19. I’m ranked 75 out of around 800 students (I’m barely top 9% of my class is all I remember).I was given a fee wavier for two SAT’s and three Subject Tests. The first time I took my SAT was in March my Junior year and I got a 1190 (Oops). I studied hard my summer before my Junior year and I took the SAT again. I got a 1280 (610 English, 670 Math) which I ultimately reported.For my Subject tests, I took it December of my Senior year. I got 570 Math II (Oops!), 740 Biology (Molecular), 800 Spanish. I knew Spanish wouldn’t necessarily supplement my major aspirations, but I still reported it to my schools since, you know its a perfect score. I also reported my Biology score. I DIDN’T report my math II score to any school.Freshman Year:For starters. I had a rough freshman year. I was hanging out with the wrong people. I was encouraged to do drugs. It started off with just Juul’s, but it quickly elevated to weed, and I mean edible weed that would get me fuc**d up. I was used by males during parties; they would intoxicate me with drugs so that they could use me for their own pleasure. In, short, I was hanging out with gangs that were up to no good.Looking back, I’m surprised I wasn’t raped, or worst. Many of the people that I hanged out with either got suspended or transferred to the district’s continuation school (a high school for very low-achieving students). When I reached my sophomore year, I began to hang out with people that are enabling me to become the best me. As a consequence of my rough Freshman year, my GPA was low:First semester freshman GPA was a 2.33, second semester GPA was a 2.67. I took Honors English 1/2, but all of our Honors courses don’t count for extra GPA points, so those GPA’s are my Weighted and Unweighted simultaneously. Also, I want to note that I didn’t fail any course, but I got a bunch of C’s and B’s, only like 1 or 2 A’s in PE and such.Sophomore Year:I started caring about school at this point, since many things hit me at that point. Many of my “friends” got suspended at that point. My mom lost her job and had to get three small jobs to keep me and my family sustainable. My youngest brother got into an accident and underwent surgery during the second week of school. It made me appreciate the value of my high school and how this was paving the road for an opportunity. I guess it was apparent in the classroom because I started performing well. So well, that within four weeks, my World History and Culture teacher said “You belong in the AP version of this class.”It was weird at first. The “chola” girl was in an AP classroom “What a mistake,” I was thinking as I knew there was no point in being here. I was beginning to take my education more seriously, but at this point, I thought my freshman year screwed up my chances of a UC school (At this point, I wasn’t very aware of private schools and/or other prestigious schools, I presumed UC’s were the top-tier schools, well…..Berkeley is up there). Really, I was just aiming for Cal State LA, Cal State Fullerton if I was lucky.This class was also when I met my lifelong friends. It started when the teacher separated us to study groups, but it quickly turned into a friendship after a while. They were supportive in my journey and have allowed me to flourish in every possible method possible. This was also when my teachers started to see potential in me.First Semester sophomore GPA was a 3.50 W (3.33 UW estimated), second semester GPA was a 3.83 W (3.67 UW estimated). I got only A’s and B’s during these semester, with two more A’s my second semester. I also took Honors Biology, but again that doesn’t add to my GPA.Junior year:(I apologize this is a long story)This was a life changing experience for me in a plethora of ways. For one, because I performed well my sophomore year, I was recommended to take 4 AP courses my Junior year. I was a bit hesitant to take 4, so I ended up taking 3: AP Spanish Language, AP US History, and AP Biology (I omitted AP Lang).The summer before my Junior year was when I got a job at McDonalds. Money was getting really tight with my mom, so I decided to pick up a job to help out my mom with the rent, considering it went up.AP Biology is also where I met my favorite teacher ever. He saw so much potential that I didn’t see in myself. I was fascinated with Biology, especially the Cellular branch. I was giving my mid-term research project in thermodynamics and regenerative biology because it was something that I was genuinely intrigued by. My teacher and students were impressed by my intellectual curiosity to say the least.It was around November when we found my older (well he’s younger, I mean the older of the two) brother had a tumor forming on the side of his head. When my mom called me on that day crying, and yelling in fear while she was at the hospital, she told me to go home and not work at McDonalds that day so that I can pick up and take care of my brother. I was scared that day for my brother; I couldn’t go to sleep because I feared the worst. The next day I had an exam for AP Spanish and AP Biology. I somehow went through the Spanish exam but I completely fell asleep on the Biology one. My teacher called me up as the period was over and he told me to see him after school.When I saw him after school, I found out that my brother’s tumor wasn’t life-threating, so I was a bit relived, but I was still worried about the consequence from my AP Biology teacher. Instead, he asked why I feel asleep and if something was wrong at home. I explained to him everything that was going on, and here’s what he said: “I’ll allow you to take the test tomorrow. But I will say you should really consider the Science Olympiad. You seem like a great fit to compete in STEM and as the advisor, you can also guide the students as well.”I was dumbfounded. In short, I never saw myself as a leader of sorts. How can a “post-chola” girl be a leader to anyone? I also had never participated in any extracurriculars, except working at McDonalds prior to this moment. After talking about it with my friends, and how they would want to participate as well, I decided to take that leap.So there I was, the Captain of the Science Olympiad. I myself did the Thermodynamics and Protein Modeling events, but it ultimately was great helping other students discovering their passions for STEM and how fascinating it can be.On the day of the Science Olympiad, I discovered that I won 2nd in the Protein Modeling event. Not only that, but a student won 1st in the Code Busters event, someone else won 3rd in the Experimental Design event, and someone else won 2nd in the Astronomy event. This was the first time our Science Olympiad team won at least 3rd in a event, let alone in 4 events.During April of my Junior year, my AP Biology teacher asked me if I was going to do anything during the summer. He asked because he had a contact in Astra Zeneca and he would help me land an internship there. At that point, I didn’t know what an internship was, but I said okay since I knew I wouldn’t have done anything but be on my phone during the summer, maybe skim through my AP homework.Eventually, my teacher told me to start making a resume and questions since he got me an interview. Again, I never had a interview at that point, so I was doing things that I wasn’t accustomed to. When I had the interview, I didn’t realize just how prestigious landing an internship there would’ve been until I got to the building and I awed at the innovation and diversity.When I sat down with other women, they asked me to share my story. I explained my background, how invested I was in learning Biology, and how I wanted to shape Cellular Biology in the future. They were impressed. They told me how I would add to the dynamic and innovative culture, and how many people underestimate past adversities to their own advantage.I found out two weeks later that I landed a position in the Scientific Apprentice sector.Before I get into Astra Zeneca, I’ll quickly showcase my GPAFirst Semester Junior GPA 4.0 W (3.5 UW estimated), Second Semester 4.5 W (4.0 UW estimated). Yes, I got straight A’s my Junior year. You can really tell I’m starting to have a large upward trend.Astra Zeneca Pre-Senior year:I’m adding Astra Zeneca as it’s own category because this was something that truly morphed my aspirations and my career choices. I collaborated with some inspiring woman that seemed to overcome grander challenges than me, and they were paving the road towards a better tomorrow. I myself did a published research paper on a medicine that would supplement specific immune illnesses.Working at Astra Zeneca made me perceive two things:I don't want to be a doctor when I grow up because blood disgusts me, eww!But I do want to pursue a major in a Molecular or Cellular Biology of sorts and work somewhere like Astra Zeneca, where I can innovative Biology for the better of mankind.Senior year:I won’t go into an excessive tangent again, simply because it wasn’t very eventful. Just know I spent a lot more time this year doing community service and that I was busy during this time with college applications. Also I took 4 AP’s this year, AP English Literature, AP Spanish Literature, AP Government, and AP Macroeconomics.First Semester Senior GPA 4.33 GPA UW (3.67 UW estimated), Second Semester 4.67 GPA W (4.0 UW estimated).Essays:For my Common App and UC essays, I talked about many things that shaped me into the individual I am, such as my bad influences, my teachers, and how that resulted in self-resilience and endurance. I felt like no one event in particular shaped me, but rather a slew of them that definitely impacted me. It sounds pale and boring, but I did eloquently write them and my background that you just read about me should give you an idea of what I wrote about, since I did include fragments of all that in the essay.Other Extracurriculars:Like I said, I wasn’t very involved at my school. By my Junior year I definitely joined a few more clubs, but I’m definitely supplemented by the few that are really strong.Astra Zeneca InternshipResearch Paper on MedicineMcDonalds work experience; I quit last month lolMESA (Math, Engineering, Science, Achievement); joined Junior yearDrama Club; Joined Senior yearScience Olympiad; Captain (2nd place Award)National Honor Society; Joined Junior YearChicano Club; Joined Junior yearCommunity Service Based clubs; 4 of them to be exact, ranging from Junior to Senior yearDance Team (2nd place award at Las Vegas competition)Letters of Recommendation:It’s obvious that my Biology teacher wrote me a letter of recommendation, considering I’m here because of him to begin with. I also got a letter from my AP Spanish Language teacher, considering how much I helped her with the debates and how outgoing I was in general, and my AP Spanish Literature teacher, since she’s the advisor of the Chicano Club and I was very involved in the club to begin with.I also got a letter from my counselor. She was very resourceful and she told me how private schools were very generous in giving full rides to low income students. She’s the reason why I set up a common app to begin with, and also encouraged me to apply to a school Early Decision as a method of bolstering my chances to a top-tier school.Major:I think it’s apparent at this point that I want to major in Biology. But specifically, if there was a Cellular and/or Molecular Biology variant offered by a school, I would always go for that one. If not, I chose regular Biology as my major.Schools:Not going to lie, I only wanted to apply to schools in California. When I set up my common app, I filtered it all out to just California schools and I chose the ones that I saw catered to me. I chose some silly choices and one left-field one, but about 95% of my schools were from California.First I submitted my Cal State Application on October 30th. I applied on this application to:Cal State LACal State FullertonCal State NorthridgeCal State Long BeachI wanted my Cal State list to be as realistic as possible. Even though I was more optimistic about higher ranked schools, I still wanted a list where I would most likely get accepted.Next, I submitted my Early Decision application right on the November 1st deadline to:Claremont McKenna CollegeYou might ask, why Claremont McKenna College? I did a virtual tour of all the Claremont Colleges, and I don’t know why CMC appealed to me the most. Pomona I saw as unrealistic to get into, Harvey Mudd seemed to emphasize STEM too much, I don't want to be in a all-girls school like Scripps, and Pitzer was just, meh. Not only did CMC appealed the most from the Claremont Colleges, but just any college from my Common App in general. I still applied to them in Regular Decision though.Next, I submitted my UC application on November 13th to:UC RiversideUC Santa CruzUC Santa BarbaraUCLAAgain, still some decent choices, and I just chose UCLA to test my chances even though it was unlikely.Then, all throughout Thanksgiving break, I submitted the rest of my common app colleges. They are:Harvey Mudd CollegeScripps CollegePomona CollegePitzer CollegeUniversity of La VerneUniversity of the PacificUniversity of Southern California (USC)University of San FranciscoUniversity of San DiegoWestmont CollegeSanta Clara UniversityAzusa Pacific UniversityPepperdine UniversityVanguard UniversityLoyola Marymount UniversityOccidental CollegeMarymount California UniversityStanford UniversityHarvard UniversityDickinson CollegeI just applied to Harvard and Stanford to say I applied to them, but then you might see Dickinson College as a left-field and odd choice, considering most of my choices are from California. So why did I choose a random liberal arts school from Pennsylvania?I have a older cousin that lived here in LA and is currently going to school there. She’s going to be a Junior and she has told me how inclusive and fantastic the environment at Dickinson is. She also told me how great the Study Abroad options were. In short, if I got in and attended, I would be with her for a year there, and she would’ve been a great role model to introduce me to college life.Then on the day of December 13th, I got a email saying my Claremont McKenna decision is available on my portal.I was at home, and I remember telling myself that I did my best on my interview, and on my video explaining how I would be a great fit at CMC, and how eloquent my essays were. But again, I reminded myself that my GPA was low and the acceptance rate isn’t that high, so I was keeping my expectations in check. Or so it seemed…I told my brother to check the letter and tell me what it said.I guess he didn’t know how much it meant to me, because I had my eyes close and I heard him say, “Congratulations Krissy” like it was nothing special. I pierced my eyes open as soon as I heard my brother. I yanked the laptop from him and I read the letter for myself.Accepted to Claremont McKenna College omgosh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!As soon as I saw the word congratulations, I yelled in excitement and I cried. I told my mom the good news and how excited I was. Obviously, she was unaware of the magnitude of my excitement, or how big of a deal this was, but OMG I texted all my friends immediately.That next day, I had my friends congratulate me, my peers, and then I walked to my AP Biology teacher’s classroom and I showed him the good news. He said he excepted nothing less from me and that I was going to thrive as an individual immensely.If you guys didn’t know, Claremont McKenna’s early decision is binding, which means that I’m forced to attend there to begin with. My financial aid was also a full ride, so that relieved a bunch of stress from me as a low income student.During winter break, I told my friend to drive me over there to visit the school in person. Walking through the scenic buildings, the dynamic student body, and the Claremont McKenna school building felt like a dream come true. I loved the small class sizes, which would foster more meaningful learning experiences, and I realized how I can cross classes with the other Claremont colleges too. In short, I knew this was my home away from home.If this college admissions journey meant anything to me, it’s that when they say holistic review, they mean it.I never thought someone like me, who got compromised and abused by cholo men, smoking pot 24/7 and a subpar performing freshmen would ever get into a school like Claremont McKenna. I guess they were inspired by my personal growth and how my experience at Astra Zeneca really did foster growth, both personally and academically. Also, considering my GPA is only low because of my freshman year, maybe they were able to look beyond that flaw for my upward trend and my fantastic extracurriculars.If any rising Senior needs advice with college, please drop a Personal Message, or PM for my social media handle so we can chat there. I’m able to give you general college advice, or help with your essays!I’m definitely going to write more about the College Admissions more on Quora, since I practically a testament of going to a top-tier school with a low GPA.I am beyond excited to attend Claremont McKenna! I just hope I can go back to campus eventually and meet all of my peers.I’m done with my answer in the regard of where I’m ending up, but I never withdrew from my other schools until I got a decision. So, I’m going to write the decisions of each schools below, even though I wouldn’t be able to attend any of them due to CMC’s binding acceptance:Cal State LA: AcceptedCal State Fullerton: AcceptedCal State Northridge: AcceptedCal State Long Beach: Waitlist to Accepted!UC Riverside: AcceptedUC Santa Cruz: Accepted (I have a cousin that goes here and he was pleased when I told him the news)UC Santa Barbara: Accepted!!! (I actually cried because I think UCSB’s campus is beautiful)UCLA: RejectedHarvey Mudd: RejectedPomona College: RejectedPitzer College: RejectedScripps College: Waitlist to Accepted!!! (This was crazy, because even if I didn’t get into CMC, I would’ve had another chance at going to the Claremont Colleges).Occidental College: Accepted!!!!!!!!!!! (WTF I was in tears because I didn’t think I was going to get in. I was thinking of doing this one for ED at one point, but CMC is still the better choice).USC: RejectedUniversity of San Diego: AcceptedUniversity of San Francisco: AcceptedSanta Clara University: AcceptedLoyola Marymount University: AcceptedMarymount California University: AcceptedUniversity of La Verne: AcceptedUniversity of the Pacific: AcceptedWestmont College: AcceptedAzusa Pacific University: AcceptedPepperdine University: Waitlist to rejection (I thought Malibu was a nice city to live in but oh well)Vanguard University: AcceptedStanford University: RejectedHarvard University: RejectedDickinson College: Accepted!!! (I told my cousin. She kept imploring me to go there, but I kept telling her how I was forced to attend CMC).

How to Apply for MS in USAWith over 800,000 international students, the USA is the most prominent education hub in the world. While it is an attractive education destination across all fields and levels of study, international students are drawn mostly toward MS programs.For the MS’s degree, the USA is the most preferable choice and option for Indian students as the United States of America is one of the most developed countries and a job creator center for any aspirant who is willing to settle in the dynamic country as well.The USA has in recent years has evolved immensely and is a center of attraction for students from the entire world as it one of the fastest growing and developing countries. The facilities and luxuries the United States of America offers are what a student looks forward to while choosing a career plan.1. Choose universitiesThe first step while applying for MS in the US is to make a list of universities which offer the candidate's choice of programme. This should be done around the months of May or June of the previous year. Ideally, one should start the process of admission at least 15 months prior to admission. While the US admission cycle has three intakes -- Fall, Spring and Summer -- a majority of the programmes start in Fall i.e., around September.2. Check deadlinesOnce the candidate has made a list of the colleges of his choice, the next step should be to check the deadlines of the specific courses the candidate is applying for. Usually, universities in the US do not have a common deadline for all courses. Therefore, it is necessary to check the individual departments of the universities to know the opening and closing dates for applications to MS in the US. Usually, applications for Fall start around September and close between December-January, though some universities accept applications till February.3. Eligibility: Before going ahead with the application process, it is important to check the eligibility requirements for the MS course in the US. While different courses have different sets of requirements, here are some of the general eligibility criteria required for the programme.Usually, American universities require 16 years of formal education to be eligible for an MS’s course. Since a Bachelor’s degree in countries like India is a three-year program (http://B.Sc, http://B.Com, B.A etc), that sums up to 15 years (involving 10 years of schooling and 2 years’ junior college).4. Exams required: As mentioned, entry to MS courses in the US universities requires the aspirant to appear for standardised tests as set by the university. One should, ideally, register for tests between July and August so that test scores are ready by the time one applies to universities.GRE: GRE is mandatory for almost all MS level programmes in the USA, including management studies. While all universities require GRE general test score, there are some others which also ask the student to take GRE subject tests.TOEFL: TOEFL is an English proficiency test for students from non-native English speaking countries.IELTS: IELTS is also an English proficiency test for students from non- native English speaking countries.MCAT: Students interested in pursuing medical studies in the US have to appear for MCATLSAT: LSAT is for law aspirants5. Arrange application package- This is one of the most important parts while applying for MS in the US. Universities in the USA put heavy weight on the application of the student. Besides academic transcripts, the US universities demand that the student introduce himself through intent statements and references. An ideal MS application package should have the following:SoP - The Statement of Purpose is one of the most vital elements of the application package for admission into MS in the US.LoR - Unlike the SOP, the Letter of Recommendation is an independent assessment of the candidate's potential.Essays - Generally, universities ask for 2-3 essays.Resume - Some universities require the candidate to submit a CV along with the application form.Academic Transcripts - Academic transcripts include all the qualifications that the candidate will list in the application form.Scores - Universities with a requirement of standardized score require results of the tests along with the application.6. Document checklist for MS in the US:Recommendation letters ( minimum 2-3 lectures)GRE/TOEFL/GMAT/IELTS score proofs besides reporting the test scores officially.Academic Transcripts for the qualifications listed in the application form.SOP (How to write a Great SoP for MS in the USA)Work experience certificates, if applicablePhotocopies of passportCertificates for extra-curricular activities mentioned in the application form.WES Evaluation documents, if required by the university.7. Apply: The first thing to keep in mind while applying in any university in the US is the deadline. As mentioned earlier, most of the application dates close by January. Therefore, it is advisable to apply early and not wait for the last date to avoid any last-minute glitch.8. Offer letters: The universities usually take a few weeks to respond to applications. Most applicants receive their acceptance or rejection letter between February and April.In order to fulfill your dreams of studying and settling in America, you first need to apply for admission in an American university/college, receive the offer letter or invite and then head on to the visa process. In order to study in visa, you need to obtain a study visa. The study visa is issued after the student’s visa application gets approved by the university as well as the visa authorities. Check here for: How to Get a Student Visa for USA in 2019?List of Top Universities for MS courses in the USAMassachusetts Institute of Technology, CambridgeStanford University, StanfordUniversity of California, BerkeleyGeorgia Institute of Technology, AtlantaCalifornia Institute of Technology, PasadenaUniversity of Illinois, Urbana, ChampaignCarnegie Mellon UniversityUniversity of Michigan, Ann ArborUniversity of Texas, AustinCornell UniversityCost of MS in the USA for Indian studentsAs education abroad is expensive for Indian students, there are some international courses that are less expensive than most of them. For example, if you are thinking of applying for a post-graduate MS degree abroad (e.g. MBA / MS), the expenses of MS in the USA are prominently less expensive than the cost of the best MBA in America.Nevertheless, this is in relative terms. One needs to be updated on the different cost features that sum up the total expenses of an MS degree.The average application fee for most of the top MS’s program in America is $75 (4,500 Rupees). Moreover, if one hasn’t planned the goals of MS’s institutes well and combined them during the GRE test (students are allowed 4 free universities) students are charged $27 (~INR 1,800) to forward the score to each additional MS University.The average cost of MS in the USA in a government-funded university is undoubtedly less as compared to that of the private institutes. When one takes into consideration the state universities, the average cost of MS in the USA varies from $20,000 to $30,000 for the entire two years.If the cost is converted to the Indian rupee, considering the current value of dollars, MS fees in the USA in a state university will cost you Rupees 13 lakhs – 20 lakhs for the entire 2 years.Apparently, the average cost of MS in the USA for private universities will vary from $25,000-$50,000. If we Convert it to Indian currency, students are supposed to pay approximately in the range of Rupees 17 lakhs – 33 lakhs for MS in private universities.What is the Application Fee for MS in the USA?Accordingly, TOEFL grants 4 free institutions. The fee for sending one’s TOEFL score to additional MS universities is $20 (INR 1,300). If one has registered for TOEFL iBT, they can avail of the TOEFL Value Pack Premium pack which grants one the test material, five additional marks report and a $35 (INR 2,300) discount for upcoming registrations.Assuming, you are sending 10 MS applications, at an average application fee of $122 [$75 + $27 + $20] per MS university, you are staring at a total expense of $1,220 (~INR 80,000).Why Study MS in the USA?If you are in a fix, whether or not to choose an MS course in the USA. Here is a list of factors you must consider to make an informed decision.Being one of the world powers, USA is the most preferred destinations for international students. An MS degree from the USA, that too from a top university will give you a boost academically and professionally, as the degree is globally recognized and desired.Along with that is the fact that it has the most modern teaching aids and exceptional faculties that make most of the American universities become world leaders in their own space.America has great work opportunities and employment environment that everyone wished for.There are citizenship and residency options, open for consideration as well.Overall, an MS from the USA is a great deal up for grabs if you have the opportunity, as it is an excellent learning and working environment, ideal for studying as well as settling down.What are the Top Universities for MS in the USA for Indian students?1. Lehigh University2. Fitchburg State University3. University of Central Arkansas4. New Mexico Highlands University5. Mississippi Valley State University6. California State University San Bernardino Campus7. Loyola University Chicago8. Sonoma State University9. San Diego State University10. North Seattle Community CollegeSince you are here, you may also check How to Get Scholarship for MS in the USA for Indian Students?Hope it helps!!

World Classical Tamil Conference – a perspectiveAlthough Tamil and a few other languages such as Greek, Latin and Sanskrit enjoy the status of classical language in the academic world thanks to their antiquity and rich literary heritage, Tamil is the first living language to be given the official status of a classical language.Our sagacious leader, Arignar Anna [C.N. Annadurai], conducted the Second World Tamil Conference in Chennai in 1968, during his tenure as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, on a very grand scale with the participation of lakhs of Tamils from all over the country and abroad. The First World Tamil Conference, held in Kuala Lumpur in 1966, the Third in Paris (1970), the Fourth in Jaffna (1974), the Fifth at Madurai (1981), the Sixth again in Kuala Lumpur (1987), the Seventh in Mauritius (1989), and the Eighth in Thanjavur (1995) were, relatively speaking, on a moderate scale.Following our success in getting the rightful status of Classical Language for Tamil declared and notified by the United Progressive Alliance government – a landmark achievement in the development of Tamil and in the restoration of its prestige and glory – succeeding in our efforts to establish the Central Institute of Classical Tamil in Chennai, and facilitating the award of the President's ‘Kuralpeeda Award' and ‘Tholkappiar Award' on nationally and internationally renowned Tamil scholars, we thought it fit to conduct the first World Classical Tamil Conference. We decided to hold it for five days from the 23rd to the 27th of June 2010 at Coimbatore in a grand manner.Demand for classical statusFor more than 150 years, Tamil scholars and those conscious of their Tamil heritage have been demanding that the classical character of Tamil be recognised. They claimed that Tamil has rich and hoary literary and grammatical traditions, its own script system, and an unbroken lengthy history. In addition, the language has continuously been a spoken language at least for more than 2,000 years in Tamil Nadu. It has essentially kept its age-old character intact, even though it is an effective modern language.The demand for classical status arose in the context of the British Indian administration treating Sanskrit, Persian, and Arabic as classical languages and making special provisions and support mechanisms for the learning and development of these languages. The demand arose also in the context of the strong Tamil tradition and tendency, even now easily discernible, to maintain its own distinct character through various linguistic, literary, religious, anthropological, sociological, cultural, and architectural means and contributions.In recent years, George Hart, Professor of Tamil Studies at the University of California, Berkeley, reiterated with sound arguments the demand that Tamil should be declared or recognised as a classical language. He wrote in 2000: “First, Tamil is of considerable antiquity. Second, Tamil constitutes the only literary tradition indigenous to India that is not derived from Sanskrit. Third, the quality of classical Tamil literature is such that it is fit to stand beside the great literatures of Sanskrit, Greek, Latin, Chinese, Persian and Arabic.”Dr. Robert Caldwell (1814-1891) established beyond the pale of controversy the reality of the Dravidian family of languages and the high antiquity of Tamil. According to him, it is the most highly cultivated of all Dravidian idioms; it can dispense with its Sanskrit altogether, if need be, and not only stand alone but also flourish without its aid.Caldwell's study provided the base for the formation of the Pure Tamil Movement, founded by the great Tamil savant, Parithimaal Kalaignar (V.G. Suryanarayana Sastri), a Professor of Tamil at the Madras Christian College. He first gave the clarion call to recognise Tamil as a classical language. His view was further nurtured by the renowned scholars, Maraimalai Adigal (1876-1950) and Devaneya Paavanar, who opined that Tamil was the primary classical language of the world.In 1918, the Saiva Siddhanta Samajam passed a resolution demanding that the University of Madras grant classical language status to Tamil. This was done at the initiative of Maraimalai Adigal, Professor of Tamil at the Madras Christian College, and a proponent of the Pure Tamil Movement, whose original name was Vedachalam. Two years later, the Thanjavur-based Karanthai Tamil Sangam petitioned the university to raise the status issue with the provincial government. After that, not much was heard of the demand for a long time.The 1970s again saw a champion of the cause in Manavai Mustafa, then Editor of UNESCO Courier (Tamil). But he did not have much organisational backing. Since 1975 he has been writing consistently in newspapers and magazines pressing the demand. Chief Minister M.G. Ramachandran asked him to send a petition detailing how Tamil qualified to claim the status.Mustafa said it took him two years to collect the necessary data, which included the features a language should have to qualify for classical status. He presented a petition to the Chief Minister in 1982, but no action was taken. Years later, he said, he learnt that the petition was rejected by a top government official on the ground that if Tamil was given the status on a par with Latin, Greek, and Sanskrit, which are no more spoken languages, Tamil would also be considered a `dead' language.Movement gains momentumThe movement to classify Tamil as a classical language gained momentum about ten years ago when major political parties took up the issue. A few months before the 1996 general elections, the DMK adopted a resolution at its Tiruchi conference demanding that Tamil be made one of the official languages of the Union government. The demand was also included in the DMK's manifesto for the Assembly elections held along with the general elections.In 1998, when the BJP captured power at the Centre, many academics felt that the BJP-led government, which declared 1999 as Sanskrit Year and caused a flow of funds to universities and Sanskrit organisations, was not keen on giving classical status to Tamil. The DMK, as a constituent in the government, pressed Tamil's case. It organised hunger strikes and demonstrations and thousands of people courted arrest.The DMK conference at Villupuram also adopted a resolution to that effect. Its election manifesto for the 2004 Lok Sabha elections stated: “The DMK will continue to insist on the declaration of Tamil as a Classical Language as it would enable the allocation of funds for Tamil research by the Central government and would also facilitate Tamil research in various universities in India and abroad.”The DMK-led alliance swept the polls and the DMK became an important constituent of the UPA government formed at the Centre. We could get this demand included in the National Common Minimum Programme. In the very first joint session of Parliament in June 2004, the declaration of Tamil as a Classical Language by President APJ Abdul Kalam, a Tamil scholar himself, was not just symbolic. It was a victory for Indian democracy and the federal polity as well.On September 17, 2004, Information and Broadcasting Minister S. Jaipal Reddy announced that the government's decision to accord classical language status was taken on the recommendation of an Expert Committee of the Sahitya Akademi that a category of “classical languages” be created. Since Tamil fulfilled the set of criteria the Committee had evolved, it won the honour of being the first to get into this prestigious category. Although Tamil and a few other languages such as Greek, Latin and Sanskrit enjoy the status of classical language in the academic world thanks to their antiquity and rich literary heritage, Tamil is the first living language to be given the official status of a classical language.On October 12, 2004, the UPA government issued a notification declaring Tamil as a classical language. Thus Tamil won the distinction of being the first classical language declared by the independent Government of India.I expressed my overwhelming feeling of joy at the DMK conference in Tiruchi on March 5, 2006, in the presence of Congress president Thirumathi Sonia Gandhi. I said the letter she wrote to me about the decision was not just a letter but an ageless copperplate. She had stated in her letter of November 8, 2005: “Dear Thiru Karunanidhiji, I have received your letter of 28th October. I am glad that all the formalities for declaring Tamil as a Classical Language have now been completed. This is an achievement for all the constituents of the UPA Government, but particular credit goes to you and your Party. With Regards, Yours sincerely, Sonia Gandhi.”The century-old dream of Tamils turned true and the first part of the history of classical language came to an end. I wrote a series of epistles to my party brethren under the heading ‘Some pages in the history of Classical Language' in our party organ Murasoli, explaining the historical development of the demand for classical status for Tamil and the stalwarts and scholars who contributed to it.Significance of conference logoThe image of Thiruvalluvar's statue in Kanyakumari, being lashed by waves caused by the tsunami and encircled by seven icons from the Indus Valley Civilisation, forms part of the logo of the World Classical Tamil Conference. The logo emphasises the ideal of humankind, that it should always be free of narrow walls of race, creed, and caste. The message is found in a palm leaf manuscript at the bottom of the statue. This concept (“pirapokkum ella uyirkkum” = All living humans are one in circumstances of birth) has been declared to be the motto of the meet. The Indus Valley Civilisation icons, found in the logo, symbolise the Dravidian civilisation, which is regarded as the most ancient civilisation of the world. The number of icons stresses the importance of ‘seven' in the lives of Tamils.Theme songI wrote the theme song for the Conference, which has been set to tune by Oscar and Grammy Award winner A.R. Rahman. The DVD was made by leading film director Gautham Menon.The World Classical Tamil Conference will be inaugurated by President Pratibha Patil in the forenoon of June 23, 2010. The Governor of Tamil Nadu, Thiru Surjit Singh Barnala, and scholars like Professor George Hart, Dr. V.C. Kulandaisamy, and Dr.K. Sivathamby will participate in the inaugural function, which I will preside over.The “Kalaignar M. Karunanidhi Classical Tamil Award” will be presented to the world renowned Indologist, Dr. Asko Parpola of Finland, for his magnum opus, Deciphering the Indus Script (1994), proposing Dravidian as the language of the Indus Script, close to old Tamil. This Award has been instituted by the Central Institute of Classical Tamil making use of the endowment created by me from my personal contribution of Rs.1 crore.Academic sessionsThe Conference will feature comprehensive academic sessions in which research papers in Tamil language, literature, culture, and so on will be presented by scholars and researchers. As many as 1,020 delegates from 49 countries have registered for participation at the conference. They will present their papers on various subjects under 55 titles.General sessions for the publicThe general sessions will have various literary programmes to benefit and attract the public. The public will get an opportunity to listen to presentations on classical Tamil in the form of various programmes like literary speeches, poetry sessions, and scholarly debates by renowned personalities. We expect thousands of people to attend these sessions. Further, dance operas, music performances, and so on will be organised in the evenings to showcase Tamil culture to the delegates and the general public.Exhibition on Classical TamilA grand exhibition is being organised for the World Classical Tamil Conference. There will be exhibits depicting Tamil arts, culture, language, literature, and the history of Tamil. The exhibition will present objects of pottery, figurines, bricks, and seals, bathtubs etc., which were excavated from the Indus Valley apart from Chola bronzes, stone inscriptions, and statues from various ages.Pageantry processionA massive pageantry procession will be organised on June 23, the day of inauguration. It will cover 9 km. from VOC grounds in the heart of the city of Coimbatore to CODISSIA grounds, the venue of the Conference. The procession will have 40 floats displaying paintings and models of sculptures depicting the glory of Tamil culture. The floats will portray rare and resplendent scenes from the ancient Sangam classics and reflect the richness of the Tamil people and their culture. What is more, 40 cultural troupes consisting of 2,000 artistes will participate in the procession.Tamil Internet ConferenceAnother unique aspect will be the Tamil Internet Conference 2010, which the Government of Tamil Nadu decided to hold alongside the first World Classical Tamil Conference. The objectives of the former are to showcase the development of Tamil Internet up to the present time and to identify the steps needed to increase the use of the Tamil language on the Internet; to establish a wide network between Tamil literary scholars and Tamil Internet developers; and to motivate the younger generation to use Tamil on the Internet.We expect about 350 special invitees, speakers, delegates, and experts from 15 countries to participate in the Tamil Internet Conference. A “Tamil Computing Internet Exhibition” is being organised as an interactive module to expose and explain the latest developments and technology in Tamil Internet to common folk.Much thought and consultation has gone into formulating the programmes of this specialised Conference. I am confident it will take Tamil to the 21st Century, based on its requirements and having in mind the rapid developments in science and technology, information technology, linguistics, anthropology, epigraphy, and other fields of knowledge.