In spring 2009, The New York Times started a blog called The Choice to demystify the process of applying to American colleges and universities, and paying for it. The blog has since offered countless tips and reams of news on all aspects of the American college admissions process to an audience of students and their families, as well as to their counselors and to college admissions officers themselves. In an acknowledgment of the growing and passionate interest Indian students have in American universities, the offerings of The Choice blog will now be featured regularly on India Ink, though customized for an Indian audience. We’ll look at everything from the importance of standardized test scores to what a liberal arts education really means — and we want to hear from Indian students who are looking at American universities and their parents, about the questions they may have along the way. As our inaugural feature, we drafted a list of 10 questions about applying to elite American colleges from India, and then put those questions to the admissions officials from the University of Pennsylvania, an Ivy League institution that is one of the most prestigious and competitive in the United States. They are Eric J. Furda, dean of admissions, and Patrick Bredehoft, regional director of admissions. (As it turns out, the two men are scheduled to be in Mumbai from Jan. 13 to 15, to meet with alumni, recently admitted students and school counselors.) What follows is an edited version of our exchange: Q. To what extent is the process of applying to be an undergraduate at the University of Pennsylvania, and other selective American colleges, similar for applicants from India (and other foreign countries) when compared with the process for American applicants? To what extent is it different? A. As with other international regions, the most significant differences for students applying from India (as compared with their counterparts in the United States) are likely to be: varying levels of English preparation (particularly academic English, since most Indians get exposed to some of the language in school), inconsistent SAT/test preparation and most of all, limited and even inaccurate information about American schools. Admissions officers also have to be sensitive to cultural context around extracurricular opportunities, grading policies and family expectations as they relate to choices like intended major. None of these issues appear to be a major obstacle to applicant success in India, though, where we’re seeing large numbers of qualified applicants. Students and families should also be aware of the financial aid policies at the schools to which they are applying. Is the school need-blind? What is the availability of financial aid for international students who are admitted? Q. How does the University of Pennsylvania balance the competing desire to assemble a freshman class that has a diverse range of students from non-American countries, with what would seem to be the primary mission of serving an American clientele? Eric J. Furda, left, and Patrick Bredehoft of the University of PennsylvaniaEric J. Furda, left, and Patrick Bredehoft of the University of Pennsylvania A. In terms of diverse recruitment, we’re doing extensive on-the-ground work to ensure that we not only admit a robust cohort of Indian students each year, but that these students reflect the diversity in India. Geographically, Penn is recruiting from cities across the country, and expanding efforts beyond the major cities (not just Mumbai, New Delhi and Bangalore, etc.). India is a country comprised of multiplicity of ethnicities, languages and professional/socio-economic backgrounds, and we’re committed to the idea that our Penn cohort should reflect that diversity. As an American institution, we do have a responsibility to our local Philadelphia region and to the nation as a whole. Having an internationally diverse institution benefits all of our students, from America and abroad. Q. On a related note: Will there, in fact, be only so many Indian applicants, more or less, who can be accepted each year? Is there, in effect, an upper limit for the number of applicants you will accept from India and other countries? If so, how does the figure for India compare with the figure from China? A. India is typically in the top three for admitted students by school country. Inherent in the college admissions process is a degree of selectivity. Although there is no upper limit from any one country, the class size at Penn is 2,420 students, so that is our enrollment upper limit. Q. How hard-and-fast is the Jan. 1 deadline for applicants from India and other countries, considering that some may wait to hear from universities closer to home before seeking out a school like the University of Pennsylvania? What sort of resources do you make available to potential applicants who want to visit the school before applying? A. It’s true that the extreme competition for a place in the top Indian schools, coupled with demand for university places that significantly outstrips supply, is causing more Indian students to consider applying to U.S. schools (as reported in The New York Times). However, our strongest applicants are still choosing US schools because they perceive the value of a U.S. education that includes breadth of intellectual exposure through a broad based liberal arts curriculum, incredible potential for undergraduate research and unparalleled opportunities to gain preparation for leadership on a global scale. There is also a rapidly growing number of families who can consider a U.S. college education as a viable financial investment, which has promoted strong interest in Penn (and our peers) in India. We have our deadlines for a reason — so we have a reasonable amount of time to make very difficult decisions. If there is a personal reason or regional context (extreme weather) which would make a deadline a hardship, we would certainly consider giving some reasonable flexibility to the date. For international students, some students will submit their applications and then save the time and resources for a visit after they are admitted. For students who cannot make a visit from India, Penn’s Office of Admissions makes frequent visits each year, which include open forums for students and parents. Q. How many applicants overall applied to the University of Pennsylvania for the current freshman class, and how many were accepted? How many applied from India, and how many were accepted? Has the percentage of Indian students, and applicants, changed significantly in the past decade? A. Penn’s applicant has grown by 55 percent over the past five years, and the pool from India by 80 percent in that same time. For the class of 2015, 31,663 students applied to Penn, and 3,931 were admitted. (That is an admission rate of just over 12 percent.) From India, 460 students applied, and 42 were admitted, for an admission rate of just under 10 percent. Still, a growing number of students have been admitted from India, with increasing diversity in terms of geography, number of schools, ethnicity and professional/socio-economic background. Q. Does the University of Pennsylvania provide financial aid for applicants applying from India and other foreign countries, and how is that process different than it might be for American applicants? Are admissions need-blind in both cases? What sort of financial information does the university need to determine a student’s financial need? A. Although we’re still need-aware for most international students, we have seen growth in the endowed funds available for Indian students, along with the growing availability of financial aid for international students in general. Penn has a strong commitment to fully finance all students who are admitted. This includes a loan-free financial aid package, so students can graduate debt-free. Between $6 million to $8 million per year has been awarded to international students. Q. What advice would you give to applicants from India in particular when applying to the University of Pennsylvania, and other selective private colleges in the U.S.? Is there any common theme you see among Indian applicants and how could a student from India stand out? A. In general, Indian students tend to put forth strong applications in nearly every respect. The two of the most common issues and areas for improvement are: 1) Recommendations (which often tend to be brief, vague and short on details that help to define the applicant as an individual) and 2) Essays (which frequently err on the side of presenting an extensive resume of accomplishments, rather than highlighting the unique experiences or perspective of the individual applicant.) Q. Do you have any special groups or facilities for South Asian students or Indian students on campus? Do you have a variety of South Asia-related courses? A. Founded in 1992, the Center for the Advanced Study of India (CASI) at the University of Pennsylvania is the only research institution in the United States dedicated to the study of contemporary India. The University of Pennsylvania has been at the forefront of area studies since 1942 when Prof. W. Norman Brown pioneered the study of modern India, a full 15 years before area studies appeared on any other U.S. campus. That legacy continues at the School of Arts and Sciences through the Department of South Asian Studies and its South Asia Center, and the stellar holdings of the South Asian Studies Collection at the Van Pelt Library. Penn Masala, the world’s first and premier Hindi a cappella group, was formed in 1996 by a group of Penn students. After breakthrough performances at Bhangra Blowout in 1998 and SASA 1999, the group drew sellout crowds in the U.S. and abroad. Q. To what extent does the University of Pennsylvania recruit in India, and do you bump into other American colleges when you do so? A. Penn’s Regional Director of Admissions for India, Patrick Bredehoft, was amazed at the number of schools (U.S. and Canada) that were actively recruiting in India this fall. Counselors at one school in Mumbai told him that they had seen more than 50 visitors from different colleges and universities in the preceding month. He often found himself sharing time (or nearly overlapping) with other school representatives throughout his travels in the country. Penn continues to travel broadly and frequently to India, particularly when you factor in the significant recruitment bring done by our alumni volunteers as well. Q. Can you list a few recent alumni from India? A. Penn alumni from India are leaders in all fields of endeavor. We do however want to respect their privacy. But any Penn alumni reading this blog can certainly contribute ideas about their Penn experiences. Now it’s your turn: what did you think of the responses of the two University of Pennsylvania deans? Are there questions we didn’t ask, that you would have liked to have seen posed? Are there subjects you’d like us to explore in future posts? Please use the comment box below to let us know.