May 26th saw an important occasion in the calendar of Stonehill International School – the graduation ceremony of their Grade 12 students. The ceremony was a beautiful and poignant, with encouraging speeches from Head of School, Dr. Beverly Sortland – Secondary Principal, Mr. Narendra Mehrotra – DP Coordinator, Ms. Manpreet Kaur and Chairman & Managing Director – Embassy Group, Mr. Jitu Virwani. The ceremony ended with an inspiring speech from the Valedictorian of the Class of 2018.
Accredited by the Council of International Schools [CIS] and the New England Association of Schools & Colleges [NEASC], Stonehill International School’s graduating students have been accepted into renowned universities in India and abroad. The Bengaluru based international school has a good number of this year’s graduating class getting into prestigious universities like MIT, Stanford University, London School of Economics, and more.
Over the years, the school has accomplished an illustrious record of placing its students in some of the best universities across India, USA, UK and Canada. VIT Vellore, Kings College, Simon Fraser University, Parsons and New York University are a few of the esteemed universities that Stonehill students have gotten accepted to.
Students who have made it to the top Universities across the Globe
- Shashank R – Stanford University [World Ranking#1] and he has decided to attend the same. He was selected for both Stanford and MIT but he has decided to attend Stanford. Excerpts of a Q&A session with Shashank that was recorded earlier is below
Q. Which colleges have you applied and from which colleges have you heard so far ?
A. Stanford, MIT, Georgia Tech, Michigan, USC, UNC Chapel Hill
Q. What are the three most important factors an applicant should consider while applying to high selective universities ?
A. Passionate involvement in extracurricular’s, good academic performance and finally, I think being genuine in essays [or otherwise] goes a long way.
Q. What challenges did you face while applying to Stanford and MIT ?
A. It’s hard to not get intimidated by all the applicants with perfect SAT scores and great grades, but it is important to keep reminding yourself that it is a holistic process. Each applicant is looked at in context.
Q. Some useful tips for your juniors ?
A. Make sure to understand everything you learn in class – truly understand every concept. Your teachers are your greatest resource. For interviews, make sure to ask your interviewer lots of questions about the school. They will help you determine fit.
- Vinicius DE Poula Souza – London School of Economics [World ranking#3 for Political Science]
- Dilsher Singh – Hong Kong University of Science and Technology [World Ranking#27] – Indian Student. Excerpts of a Q&A session with Dilsher that was recorded earlier is below
Q. Which college are you planning to attend and why ?
A. I plan to attend Hong Kong University of Science and Technology for Engineering studies. I am a hands on learner and hence practical approach to my learning has always been my focus while selecting universities. HKUST offers high quality research opportunities and huge scholarships opportunities as well.
Q. What did you highlight in your application ?
A. As I mentioned, I am a hands on learner, I learn by doing. I have highlighted that quality of mine in all my applications. I have particularly highlighted my journey of overcoming challenges with increasingly rigorous subject combinations throughout my high school days.
Q. What do you think contributes to attaining scholarship at college ?
A. There are many factors that need to be combined to earn a scholarship at university. Top notch grades coupled with genuine demonstration of interest in the field of study and evidence of success in school years are of prime importance to earn a good scholarship. Also, bringing versatility to your profile adds ample diversity to the incoming class and hence leads to a good scholarship.
Q. Some useful tips for your juniors ?
A. Start early !! Start Early !! “Early bird gets the worm”. I have learnt this through my application experience. There are going to be pitfalls and unexpected challenges during the process and time heals everything. So start early.
Q. One factor that every parent should consider in the application process ?
A. Parents are the greatest resource in this entire process. We often do not realize this and ignore their suggestions. Our parents know us better than anyone. Parents can give you insights on certain aspects of university life that we may not have anticipated. Partnering with parents during the application phase makes our life easier as they are our ultimate shock absorbents.
- Zoranuddin Syed – Zoranuddin has decided to go to McGill University. But he has received offers from Edinburgh and UBC as well.
- William Croke Martin – University of Toronto/McGill University [World ranking 12 and 26 respectively for Political Science]
- Ida Wardemark – Leiden University [World ranking 26 for International Relations] and many others have received equally impressive offers.
Quotes of some of the Distinguished Speakers are below
Jitu Virwani, Founder – Stonehill International School
Be compassionate and give back to those who are less privileged. Treating people with respect and kindness will go a long way. Be resilient to any setbacks that you will encounter in life. Always accept defeat positively and remember that setbacks are opportunities to get things right the next time. Be innovative in thought. Our world is changing so rapidly and for you to be successful, find ways to be innovative and Agile in thought and action. And finally, Have immense faith in yourself and be very grateful for what you have.
Dr. Beverly Sortland, Head of School – Stonehill International School
As you go forward, remember your common IB heritage. You are Inquirers, Knowledgeable, Thinkers, Communicators, Principled, Open-minded, Caring, Risk-takers, Balanced and Reflective. Even though you share this background, each one of you is unique – there’s no one else like you. Your own unique blend- the takeaways from your learning and experiences, your cultural background, family, your personality and characteristics – all of this is a gift you give to our world. So my advice is to enjoy and optimize this – go with the flow, see where life takes you. It’s okay not to have it all planned out in advance – this leaves the door open for opportunity.
Mr. Narendra Mehrotra, Secondary Principal – Stonehill International School
I hope your education at Stonehill has given you the skills to become excellent problem solvers, efficient communicators and, most importantly, lifelong learners. I would like to speak to you about the power of diversity and education. In a world that is constantly changing, now, more than ever, we are in need of global citizens that understand the necessity of diversity and the desire to learn from one another through success and failure. The true purpose of education is to help people understand and adapt to the world around them. By learning from each other, we allow for broader perspectives, more compassion and greater equality. We ensure that we not only celebrate our differences but also respect them. The diverse and multi-cultural community at Stonehill is a great example of what I am talking about.
Ms. Manpreet Kaur, IB DP Coordinator – Stonehill International School
Today, the door of opportunities lays open before you. Learn to make choices and follow your passion. You are going to fall down, but the world doesn’t care how many times you fall down as long as it is one lesser than the times you have got back on your feet. You are our Stonehill Tigers – you are prepared for all challenges!
About Stonehill International School
Spread over 34 acres, nestled 20 minutes away from the Bangalore airport, the Stonehill campus is spacious, purpose-built, safe and highly conducive to learning. The international school is fully accredited by CIS/NEASC and the Australian Boarding Schools Association. Students from age three through secondary school enjoy a state-of-the art campus that features extensive sports fields and facilities, two swimming pools, an equestrian centre, three boarding houses, two libraries, and a cafeteria. Stonehill offers education in a warm and friendly small school environment, where each student’s quest for individual excellence is a priority. The students and teachers at Stonehill come from India as well as over 35 different countries spanning the globe.