Two 16-year-old students who are in the United States for high school education at the EF International Academy in New York endorse the idea of such an experience. The two are Shambavi Jayaramaiah and Sheel Patel. From what they have said about the experiences they have gained pursuing their first year IB Diploma, it is more than obvious that the tremendous growth they have gone through is not just academic but also personal.

Shambavi Jayaramaiah (16) of Bangalore studied at the CBSE-affiliated Jain International School till the 10th grade. A national topper in English language in her 10th grade, she wants to join the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

She decided to go abroad for her high school education to stay competitive in university admissions. She felt that she had to start as early as in high school to work towards realizing her dreams of getting into MIT. She understood that 11th and 12th grades are very critical and that her performance in high school will help her get that competitive edge for university admissions.

This young student has been open to experiencing international culture. The value of living and studying in an international community along with students of different nationalities is something she truly cherished. Exposure to cultures through such an on-campus experience is unmatched, she feels, comparing it to the experience of knowing people though the Internet. With students from 62 different nationalities, EF International Academy truly gave its students a global cultural exposure.

The education system abroad is in many ways very different from that in India. According to Shambavi, at the EF International Academy the teacher helps students challenge their own understanding of the subject and motivates them to learn more through new ways of thinking in every intellectual encounter.

The broad classification of academic disciplines into science, commerce and arts is so inherent to the Indian educational system. It is interesting to contrast this with some of the systems abroad. At the EF International Academy the students choose subjects they want to study, the emphasis being on individual growth through learning that is more practical rather than theoretical. The curriculum of IB Diploma is very broad and the projects students take up as part of CAS (Creativity, Action and Service) are interesting, exciting, and challenging—all at the same time.

Sheel Patel (16) from Baroda studied grades up to the 10th at Navrachna International School. He is someone who enjoys soccer, table tennis, swimming, and cricket. He is also a State soccer player. Besides sports, he likes to travel and explore the world with friends and family.

He went to EF because he had already thought of pursuing university education in the United States and felt that going abroad for high school education would give him a competitive advantage in university admissions. After his high school education at EF International Academy, he wants to join Pennsylvania University—quite likely for a program in finance.

Sheel was pleasantly surprised when he got to the campus. The school turned out to be more than what he had expected. The atmosphere was completely new in that he had to live and study with students of diverse nationalities, surrounded by supportive staff members.

He observed that the teaching methodology at the school was more inclusive and agrees with Shambavi that the emphasis is on practical learning that instills responsibility in the student. The teachers encourage use of technology in the class and learning is not only from books but also through practical methods.

What excited Sheel even further were the extracurricular activities. They had to participate in a minimum of five clubs outside classroom activities. Participating in these clubs gets students credits as part of the CAS. In addition to the academic club, Sheel was part of the bicycle club and the swimming club.

There is also a robust system in place to help students with their admission to universities and colleges. By the time students are in their second year IB (the equivalent of 12th grade), the guidance counselor will have sent the students a list of top universities they can apply to; this is in addition to the help they get to prepare for the SAT and university interviews.

Both students are absolutely sure that the special experience they had was something that will stand them in good stead.