18 months before applications: Where should I invest my time?
Heyy everyone, I’m currently in Grade 11 and an indian primarily preparing for IPMAT, an entrance exam for India’s integrated BBA+MBA programs at the IIMs. At the same time, I’m considering applying to a few highly selective US universities that offer substantial financial aid to international students.
I have roughly 18 months before applications and I’m struggling with how to allocate my time. I could spend 2–3 hours a day building extracurriculars related to psychology (research, science fairs, volunteering, blogging, app development, etc.), or I could put that time into academics, boards, and entrance exam preparation.
For those who have gone through the US admissions process, especially international students, how would you approach this tradeoff? At what point do additional extracurriculars stop being worth the opportunity cost?
If you were starting Grade 11 again with 18 months left, where would you invest your time?