Hey guys, my name is Chaitanya Arora or Cherry for short! I'm a recent IB graduate and a current Bachelor of Science student at the University of Melbourne. If you love science and getting involved in as many extracurriculars as possible, I'm the girl for you! On this channel you'll find all kinds of videos from application breakdowns/tips, uni vlogs and general advice for thriving in the STEM space, so make sure to subscribe :)
If you have any questions or video requests, feel free to leave a comment or reach out via my socials :) Email: cherry.arora26@gmail.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/chaitanya-arora-7295a920a/
Hello Cherry, I just came across your video and I will be very obliged you respond to me. Currently I am High School Sophomore, will be appearing for my board exams soon. I am planning to apply for yygs and I am seeking for guidance from seniors like you. Can I get your linkedIn or your mail id to talk to you? Your help would mean a lot to me and I desperately need it. Anyways, Thanks for this awesome video and again Thank you in advance! ❤
Hello sorry I have a problem with application proccess that is I wanna get fee waiver but before get it I have to fill out finacial stage but I have not financial stage .
Hi, thank you for your comment! As I did not apply for a fee waiver, I’m not 100% sure so I would recommend emailing the YYGS team directly. Hope that helps :)
Hello sorry I have a problem with application proccess that is I wanna get fee waiver but before get it I have to fill out finacial stage but I have not financial stage .
Hi, thank you for your comment! As I did not apply for a fee waiver, I’m not 100% sure so I would recommend emailing the YYGS team directly. Hope that helps :)
Hey I have a question concerning the financial aid , does it include the plane ticket too if not is there any way to get a scholarship for that and thanks a lottttt I wanna apply this year but I'm kinda lost
Hey! I believe it does not include transport fees (eg. plane tickets) but I suggest double checking with the YYGS team. I know some people have organised bake stalls and other fundraisers such as a book drive to raise money for this aspect of the program. Personally, I found a couple of scholarships online that were related to my academic track (eg. because I did ‘Innovations in Science and Technology’, I applied for STEM based scholarships). I hope that helps!
thank you and i got accepted I cant tell you how happy i am but can i ask what are the benefits and what gonna happen in this program do we have to go in Melbourne uni please explain thank you ❤
Hi!! I’m so sorry for the late reply but thank you for your comment. Firstly congrats on getting accepted!!! To answer your question, there are several benefits for this program before and during uni. For example, you can attend unit 3/4 revision sessions, exclusive campus tours, overnight stays at the university and the day 0 event which I covered in this video. Additionally, you have guaranteed admission into any Melb Uni course if you get a 95+ atar or 90+ if you are a regional student (check this as it may change year to year!). After you get into the university, they also offer financial support for relocation and for studying abroad. However, for me, I found the biggest benefit was the connections I make because this program allows you to meet likeminded students who will likely be attending Melb Uni with you which is really wonderful. Hope that helps :)
thanks a looot it was soo useful, and I wanted to ask something🤗🙃 Can I submit the Yale uni certificate that I got from Coursera as an achievement? thank you in advance!
Hi, thank you for your comment and I’m glad you found the video helpful! To answer your question I don’t see why not however I would maybe put that as the 2nd or 3rd achievement and instead include things that show your interest in the academic stream you are applying in (eg. because i applied to IST, I put a STEM scholarship and other STEM related awards before my more general achievements). Hope that helps :)
Hey just got endorsed by my school and i’m lacking a in grades a bit but my passion for science, leadership and community involvement profile is very strong. How do you think i’ll go? Love the introduction video btw 🎉
Thank you so much! I think it varies from person to person but from my understanding, the program at the holistic application, not just your grades! Good luck :)
Thank you, the video was indeed enriching. However, I wanted to ask that whether I can put in the same type of work in 1 activities section. Like, if I have done different internships/volunteering etc, can I put all that in one activity section?
Hi! Thank you for your comment! I think that’s a great idea, that way you can discuss all your volunteering/internships and still mention 2 other extracurriculars. However, I would recommend making this your first EC so you have more word count to really expand on what you have done. Hope that helps!
Hiii, Great video. I have a question, I'm one the 5 students being endorsed by my school solely based on my grades but I don't think I have leadership skills and I am not really a social person. Should I apply anyway?
Hi, thank you for your comment! I would definitely still apply. Even if you don’t have that many extracurriculars/leadership roles, if you focus on the impact of the work you have done, you can create a really compelling story. The program is also looking for well-rounded students so if your grades are really good that may help to balance your applications. For example, my grades weren’t extraordinary compared to my classmates but because I had lots of extracurriculars, I still got in! Hope that helps :)
Awesome video! Any tips on writing your application for the program? My school is getting us to write a piece on why we should be recommended and I was looking for some tips or advice!
Thank you for your comment and I'm so sorry for the late reply! In terms of application writing, make sure to research the program well so you understand what the selection panel is looking for. For example, KLD is all about well-rounded students who have demonstrated community involvement. Once you've identified these things, include them in your application. Additionally, give specific examples to support your claims and demonstrate your passion. For example, I want to do the Bachelor of Science at UniMelb so I focused on my scientific extracurriculars such as research, my youtube channel, etc. Hope that helps :)
Hey Cherry, congratulations on being accepted! I have a question. As for your "rowing" experience, were you on a professional team or something alike? I still didn't understand if hobbies can be considered 'extracurriculars', thus I fear that my application will not be rich. Thank you.
Hey! I did rowing for 3 years. Due to COVID, I we weren’t able to do any competitions/professional rowing however in your applications, the YYGS admissions teams is more interested in seeing how your extracurricular involvement has impacted you as well as your commitment to it. Based on this, I think hobbies can definitely be added if you feel that they have contributed to you and your journey. For example, my RU-vid channel is one of my ‘hobbies’/passion projects and though I am not formally recognised for it, it shows initiative and passion and therefore would be considered an extracurricular. Another key thing is that the way you present your extracurriculars is more important that the activity themselves so don’t be afraid to kind of hype yourself up and go into depth about why your EC is important to you. Hope that helps :)
Hi, thank you for your comment! Firstly, please don’t get discouraged by this outcome. Unfortunately, I’m not 100% sure how the waitlisting process works but I suggest emailing the YYGS admissions team for more info! You can also update them on any new things you’ve done since submitting your application (eg. if you’ve started a new leadership role) as this will show the admissions team that you’re a committed and consistent candidate. Hope that helps <3
Hey Cherry, thank you for the video ! I have a question, how many people get into a waiting list and is it easy to get out of it ? Because, I got into a waiting list, and I am anxious if I will be able to get out of the waiting list.
Hi! Thank you so much for your comment. Unfortunately, I am not sure how the waitlisting process works however I do have some friends that got accepted after initially being waitlisted so please don't let this news dishearten you! For more information about the waitlist process, I recommend emailing the YYGS Admissions Team. Hope that helps :)
Thanks for the video, Cherry! I submitted my application for 2023 in December, and decided to take another look at what points I missed. I have a question about the awards section. Is it a mistake if I only wrote the name of the Olympiads that I won and the places I got? It's mostly science related(+ there are no scholarships/grants in my country) Are such awards suitable for YYGS?
Hi! Sorry for the late reply but thank you for your question :) In terms of the application, there really isn’t a ‘best’ award or extracurricular, the admissions team is more interested in getting to know the real you! I’m saying that, for future applications, I think it’s good to have a balance of breadth and depth. For example, I applied for the Innovations in Science and Technology so I tried to make half of my awards/activities related to science and the other half related to other things such as debating, leadership and sports. Hope that helps :))
Hi Cherry, I liked your new role of a mentor for younger children guiding them for getting desired results from their planned work. It gives me immense pleasure to know that you are a caring person and ready to give helping hand to the needy children.
Hi! From my understanding, applications submitted after the regular decision deadline (Jan 10th) will not be accepted, however any submitted before then are fine! If you need an extension, you could email the YYGS organisers. Hope that helps :)
Forgot to mentions, but your application won’t be too affected based on whether you submit your application in the early action or regular decision round.
Thankyou Cherry. On the award section what exactly do we write on each section? Do we write the what program we participate on to get the award or the name of the award. For example a science fair, if we won second place. Do we write Science fair: second place. Or something else. Also on the award description do we write what we did on the program or what we got as an award?
Thank you for your comment! You’re exactly right. So for the award name, you write the name of the program/award and for the description you can write what award you received and talk about it’s significance (eg. this award is given to the top 3 students in the state you display a keen interest in science and leadership skills). Hope that helps!
Hi! Thanks for the video! I’ve finished my essays but I’m afraid Yale consider them false (both the skill and background are too original/weird), do u think they can withdraw my application if they consider it false without asking for evidences? Or do u know someone who has submitted evidences?
Hi! Firstly congrats on submitting your application!! In response to your question, I don’t think it’s possible for them fo withdraw your application however I’m not sure if anyone has submitted evidence in the past. Hope that helps!
Hi Cherry! I have one question, I would be amazing, if you could help me: if now I am studying at home school and left my real school only 2 weeks ago. Can I ask recommendation letter by a teacher from real school?
Hey! Most definitely! You can ask any of your teachers or a coach (past or present) for a recommendation letter. I suggest asking someone who has known you for a few years so they can write a more personalised recommendation! Hope that helps :)
Hey, thank you for your question! From what I’ve heard, being accepted into YYGS itself doesn’t really help when applying for Yale, however, it is really helpful if you are able to use your YYGS experience to create something new and unique! Hope that helps :)
Hi! Thanks for the video. I would like to know if I could put in recognitions that I participated in a prestigius program or it´s better to mention it in my extracurriculars.
Hey! Thank you for your comment! Personally, I put it in the awards section. However, you need to consider which of your extracurriculars (including the program participation) are the most significant to you and put those for your extracurriculars and everything else in awards. Hope that helps!
Hello, I want to clear up a doubt. In the part of "education ii" I put in my awards: 1° scholarship; 2 ° recognition of oratory (I was chosen by the direction of the school to write a text and speak at the inauguration of the same); 3° the second best delegated in the MUN; 4° silver medal in chess. What is the best name to put in award number 2? Do I need proof of documents, certificates and MEDALS for all these things I did?
Good question! I think recognition of oratory or ‘guest speaker’ could be a suitable name to put for award 2. In terms of providing evidence, you don’t need to upload anything, I believe all you need is a brief description of the award/activity. Hope that helps!
As they have mentioned that if the suporting materials were already submitted by your school officials, then you should be receiving that separate confirmation email soon (typically within 48 hours). But i didn't receive the email yet. What should I do.
@@cherryarora thanks alot cherry..love ya... I've been texting them and haven't heard a reply, but on ur suggestion I texted them for a one last time and then I heard from... Thankyou dear..hope I would meet you in yygs.. I guess you've got a 5 new subscribers today😉
Hey, thank you for your comment! Yes, YYGS is open to all high school students from around the world, including countries in Africa! You can also check out the Yale Young African Scholars program if you’re interested: africanscholars.yale.edu. Hope that helps and feel free to reach out if you have any questions :))
Thanks for the tutorial Cherry. It has helped me alot. I've submitted my application a few minutes before and came here to thank you. Hope I would be there with you in the session.
Thank you so much for your comment!! I wish you all the best for your application and can’t wait to hear how you go <33 In the mean time, I would really appreciate if you could share this video with other high school students who may be interested in YYGS :)
@@cherryarora I got accepted into YYGS early action! I'm super excited to be part of this. However, I have a concern I wasn't placed in my first nor second choice, instead I was placed in my 3rd and I'm worried that it may affect how I'll enjoy the program Is it possible that I email them for a reconsideration?
