Course Enrollment Advice For My 8th Grader

nayidulhan · Jul 19, 2024

Dear Friends, I am seeking counsel for my daughter's education.

My daughter is studying in grade 8 in a private ICSE school in India. She is the top scorer on tests in school. She performs very well in activities like public speaking and creative writing and is interested in Arts, music and Chess. I will write more about her hobbies or accomplishments later, if required lest this may seem like a humblebrag post!

The teachers in her school and some well-meaning parents of her peers have advised us to start JEE Foundation coaching for her. (JEE because she is interested more in Math and Physics than in any other subject at school.) A set of senior parents with kids that have gone through JEE coaching, Board exams in grades 10 & 12, etc. and whose kids did not score well on the JEE is advising us against this where as another set of parents whose kids are studying undergrad courses at IIT {well, n(this set) --> 3 } is insisting that JEE foundation in grades 8 to 10 is crucial.

What do we do?

When we consulted a career counsellor, my daughter was asked to answer a questionnaire and solve some problems. The results of the test made the counsellor advise us these 3 career options for her- 1) Finance 2) IT and applied fields and 3) Engineering. The counsellor told us that the test results make her think that my daughter has a high IQ (my daughter has actually never been tested for her IQ). She suggested that my daughter should (a) try hard and pursue a BTech course at any of the Tier 1 Engineering colleges in India or (b) enroll for any IT related course in the US for undergrad and then move on to study Finance later or (c) enroll for any Finance course at undergrad ... eg CA or CFA in India or BS Finance in US

I hear that preparing for the JEE and then scoring well on JEE Advanced is an uphill task albeit truly rewarding and fulfilling here in India, if achieved. BS Finance makes me think of Wharton which seems so so so difficult to get into.

My daughter is thinking about this right now and I am doing my homework to be ready for discussions. So, I want to understand all this better. Could wise and experienced parents and teachers like @hrastro @Rihana @Viswamitra @Srama @MalStrom @Thyagarajan and others please advise me?

Thyagarajan · Jul 19, 2024

Talent aptitude determines future course. If she has particular inclination about which she is passionate success is guaranteed if she is permitted to pursue that line. I hv seen lakhs and lakhs of boys and and girls go by prevailing trend spending enormous time, energy, money and mental effort.
The course I recommended to boys and girls of my contemporaries who are doing very well now a decade later is CA and cost accountant (ICWA) in India. Instead of computer tech engineering, they just did graduation ( some in sience and some in arts) and simultaneously did articleship toward completing chartered Accountancy. After that few pursued IFA or IFC for global recognition. Few are employed in world bank, many in multinational like in TCS etc. They found it less stressful and unlike techies less
Investment of energy time and later years happy working and time for relaxed family life. They enjoy at company expense world tour and accumulated enough wealth already that they choose to retire at 45.
Let me wish your daughter Godspeed in all her endeavour.
Best wishes.

nayidulhan · Jul 19, 2024

@Thyagarajan thanks for your reply.

Do you mean students of Arts and Science stream too can complete CA Articleship? CA exams are notorious for their complexity. Also, I understand that the exams have to be cleared in one go. Is that right? I have heard about youngsters completing CA and then CISA - hearing about IFA and IRC courses only now. What exactly are these?

nayidulhan · Jul 19, 2024

is anyone aware of any online pre college programs that could help my daughter explore the options?

MalStrom · Jul 19, 2024

If you are ready to send your daughter to US for undergrad then she will have dozens and dozens of options. There is no reason to limit yourself only to Wharton or Ivies. And she can have more time to decide the career path. College education in US is very different from India. She will have a wide choice of courses. If she wants to go to finance career she doesn’t necessarily have to do a finance degree from the start. I would recommend getting in touch with a counselor who handles US undergrad admissions and ask them.
Only medicine is difficult as an international student in US because of the cost. Several medical schools ask F-1 students to pay them whole 4 years of fees upfront so that they don’t take a seat and then drop out due to lack of finances.
My brother did IIT-JEE prep successfully but since it is over a quarter century ago I’m sure his experience would be completely out of date. I hate the pressure out on school kids in India.

Induslady · Jul 19, 2024

Dear US based IL'ites, those with high schoolers / college goers / grads - a quick question based on @MalStrom's above post.
Is this a good time for students studying in India to come to US for undergrad given the job market conditions? Or is it better to do undergrad in India and come to US for PG, hopefully the job market picks up!

MalStrom said: ↑

If she wants to go to finance career she doesn’t necessarily have to do a finance degree from the start.
Click to expand...

Would you know what are the other degrees pursued or recommended in undergrad by counsellors for someone wanting to go for a Finance career in the future?

Induslady · Jul 19, 2024

nayidulhan said: ↑

The teachers in her school and some well-meaning parents of her peers have advised us to start JEE Foundation coaching for her. (JEE because she is interested more in Math and Physics than in any other subject at school.) A set of senior parents with kids that have gone through JEE coaching, Board exams in grades 10 & 12, etc. and whose kids did not score well on the JEE is advising us against this where as another set of parents whose kids are studying undergrad courses at IIT {well, n(this set) --> 3 } is insisting that JEE foundation in grades 8 to 10 is crucial.
Click to expand...

I hear from family/friends in India that CBSE would be an ideal board for someone planning to give JEE. Looks like many CBSE schools have this integrated course that they offer from Gr 9-12 that prepares the kids for both the 10th & 12th board exams as well as these JEE kind of competitive exams. Have you explored in those lines? Asking this because you mentioned your kid is currently in ICSE board which I hear is more in-depth curriculum than CBSE.

nayidulhan · Jul 20, 2024

Thanks @MalStrom for your reply. I am told that finding viable job opportunities is extremely challenging for international students that graduate from mid ranked univs in the US. This is mainly due to stringent work visa conditions. So, the whole proposition works out very expensive for the parents unless the child gets some financial aid as TA, RA or better still as a full scholarship. I would have loved to get in touch with a counselor working on US undergrad admissions for clarifications. Would anyone have any leads on this one please?

Also @MalStrom , I am extremely happy to know about your brother. Intelligence def runs in your family! At the risk of appearing inquisitive, may I please request you to share all that you know and what you perceive about your brother's trajectory? As the sibling of someone who cracked the JEE and who also successfully completed the rigorous BTech course in a Tier 1 college, how pivotal do you think his efforts and his degree were in shaping his career or even life in general? Thanks @MalStrom in anticipation!

nayidulhan · Jul 20, 2024

Induslady said: ↑

Dear US based IL'ites, those with high schoolers / college goers / grads - a quick question based on @MalStrom's above post.
Is this a good time for students studying in India to come to US for undergrad given the job market conditions? Or is it better to do undergrad in India and come to US for PG, hopefully the job market picks up!

Would you know what are other degrees pursued or recommended by counsellors for someone wanting to go for a Finance career in the future?
Click to expand...

Thanks for asking this pertinent question, @Induslady

nayidulhan · Jul 20, 2024

Induslady said: ↑

I hear from family/friends in India that CBSE would be an ideal board for someone planning to give JEE. Looks like many CBSE schools have this integrated course that they offer from Gr 9-12 that prepares the kids for both the 10th & 12th board exams as well as these JEE kind of competitive exams. Have you explored in those lines? Asking this because you mentioned your kids is currently in ICSE board which I hear is more in-depth curriculum than CBSE.
Click to expand...

You are right, @Induslady CBSE is a better suited curriculum for entrance exams like JEE. For now, my daughter wants to complete her schooling in ICSE and then enroll in a CBSE institute for grades 11 and 12. She says she finds the ICSE syllabus interesting. I don't really know if she is right about this.