Getting to study at a prestigious US college is a dream for many. Imagine getting offers from the top seven universities.
Kiwi-Indian teenager Aadi Golchha has received acceptance letters from Yale University, Stanford University, University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business, University of California, Northwestern University in Illinois, Rice University in Texas and Vanderbilt University in Tennessee.
Talking to The Indian Weekender, the 18-year-old says, “It feels pretty surreal. Given how random the US college admissions process is, it's virtually impossible to know how the decisions will turn out. So it's a huge relief when things work out like this.”
Golchha, who lives with his parents and younger sister in Auckland, says he has yet to decide which offer he wants to take up. "I have always dreamed of going to an Ivy League in the US since I was 14 years old. I am yet to decide on a college, but the decision is between Yale and Stanford. I'll be visiting both colleges to get a better sense of their culture and opportunities before making a final choice.” he says, adding, "I plan to pursue my undergraduate education in economics in the US, although the liberal arts system means that I'm not locked into the major from the outset.”
Golchha explained his decision to study in the US. "The academic opportunities and the faculty at some of the top US universities are simply unrivalled in New Zealand, or for that matter anywhere else in the world," he says.
Golchha’s parents, who hail from Indore in India, were first-generation immigrants who came to New Zealand in 2003. Talking about his connection to India, he says, “I've spent most summer holidays growing up visiting my large extended family.”
Golchha, a passionate heavy metal guitarist, has written and self-published a book, The Socialist Trap, and is the creator of The Economics Review, an economics podcast in which he speaks to economists about research and current events.
He has also founded a children's charity, Soundraise, that aims to make music education more accessible to disadvantaged children and youth. “We primarily work with low-decile schools to fully fund and deliver new music programmes. So far, we have raised over $35,000 for 12 schools,” he says.
On a parting note, he has a message for all youngsters who dream of making it big.
“Pick one thing and be the best at it. Don't be a jack of all trades and master of none. Whatever you pick, give it a 110 per cent, and stick with it until you eclipse your competition through sheer discipline and effort,” he says.