u/AudrianaAgreste

I'm probably overthinking this, but is anyone else lowkey scared they won't make like solid friends?

Like, I know everyone says people are super friendly and that it'll all work out after orientation, but my brain keeps convincing me I'll somehow end up being the one person who doesn't find a group 💀.

I'm not usually this anxious, but starting somewhere completely new is weird. If any current students have advice or if other incoming freshmen are feeling the same way, I'd love to hear it. Please tell me I'm not the only one lol.

Hi everyone!

I'm an incoming B.Sc. Psychology student at Ashoka University (classes start in August), and I want to be proactive about building a strong profile for a Master's abroad. I'd really appreciate any advice from people who've gone through this process.

A bit about my academic background (my_qualifications):

- Class 10: 95.6%

- Class 12: 84.6% (Science stream – Physics, Chemistry, Biology + Psychology)

I also have a few strong ECs that I will continue building on.

I didn't apply abroad for my bachelor's for a couple of reasons. My Class 11 and 12 performance wasn't as strong as I'd hoped (largely because I struggled with Physics), and I was also dealing with some mental health issues at the time. I wanted to wait until I was in a better place before pursuing higher studies abroad.

I did score well enough in CUET that I can technically go to Delhi University, but I'm choosing Ashoka because I'm much more interested in a scientific approach to psychology, especially areas like neuroscience and research. (It only became financially feasible because I received financial aid.)

My goal now is to build the strongest possible application for a Master's abroad from my very first year. I'm committed to maintaining a high GPA, and I know that's one of the biggest factors. Beyond that, I'm trying to understand what I should focus on over the next four years.

Some questions I have:

- What should I prioritise besides GPA?

- How important are research assistantships, publications, internships, conference presentations, volunteering, etc.?

- When should I start looking for research opportunities?

- Is it better to specialise early, or explore different areas during undergrad?

I'm also a little confused about what area of psychology I ultimately want to pursue. For the longest time I thought I wanted to go into clinical psychology, but after looking into different countries' licensing and language requirements, I'm not as certain anymore. I'm also very interested in research and neuroscience, and I've previously completed an independent psychology research project during school.

What should my four-year roadmap look like?

Any advice, especially from people who studied psychology or are currently applying for graduate school abroad, would be hugely appreciated. Thank you!

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I passed Class 12 (CBSE 2026, PCB + Psychology) with an overall percentage of 84.6%.

My subject-wise marks (my_qualifications):

- English: 100

- Psychology: 99

- Chemistry: 88

- Biology: 82

- Physics: 54

I'm pursuing a Psychology degree now, so Physics isn't relevant to my undergraduate course. I've been thinking of giving the Physics improvement exam next year because I barely passed, but I'm not sure if it's worth it.

The thing is, I don't think it would change anything practically. My overall percentage is already decent, and I plan to apply abroad for a master's in Psychology later. I know universities care much more about my undergraduate GPA, research, internships, etc.

I think this is more of a personal issue than an academic one. Throughout school I was used to scoring much higher, and it's hard to accept a 54 in Physics. It also doesn't help that a lot of people in my cohort scored in the 90s, so I keep comparing myself even though I know I shouldn't.

Has anyone been in a similar situation? Is there any genuine benefit to taking the improvement exam, especially if I want to pursue a master's abroad, or should I just let it go and focus on doing well in college instead?