Personal Background & NIS Astana
Hi, my name is Tair, and I am from Astana, Kazakhstan. I attend Nazarbayev Intellectual School (NIS) in Astana and am currently in my senior year. NIS follows the IB curriculum, and the subjects I have chosen are Economics, Physics, Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches, Russian A, and English A. Since I was six years old, I have been actively engaged in playing tennis and was recruited as a student-athlete to Bates College. In my opinion, it is a logical pathway for every tennis player to achieve an advanced position in their career, which led me to choose the U.S. as the best destination for continuing my journey as a professional tennis player. From the beginning, I was strongly determined to go to the U.S. and started preparing for the application.
Application Process to Bates College
In fact, I didn’t apply to any other colleges because I was applying Early Decision to Bates College. Even though Bates College was a binding decision, I considered other universities as backup options. Then, I started sending cold emails to other universities and reaching out to learn more about their athletic divisions and teams. In tennis, there are three divisions in the NCAA, and I was focused on Division I and Division III schools. The NCAA is a league for collegiate sports. For each sport, there is one universal division. If you choose Division I or II, you can qualify for athletic scholarships, but only merit- and need-based scholarships are available for Division III students. As I put my academics first while playing on a varsity team, I chose to focus on Division III schools.
Why Bates College?
Throughout the summer, I have interacted with many schools, such as Tufts University and small liberal arts colleges, in order to gain admission to a Division III institution. As for why I have selected Bates College as my top choice, it has offered me the most generous scholarship, which covers my tuition, room and board, and meal plan. Additionally, I have received offers from the tennis teams at Kenyon College, Hamilton College, Emory University, and Brandeis University.
Regarding my academic credentials, I took the Duolingo English Test and scored 140 out of 160. My GPA is 3.86, and my SAT score is 1470 out of 1600. I also have an IB predicted score of 43 out of 43.
Bates College does not require supplemental essays and only requires the Common App personal statement. My Common App essay focused on my curiosity—both inside the classroom and on the tennis court. I was seen as an enthusiastic person, sometimes perceived as chaotic, but in reality, I was simply passionate about exploring new things and personal growth.
Another reason I applied to Bates is the flexibility of its major requirements, meaning students do not have to choose a field of study during their freshman year. However, I am planning to major in Economics and Mathematics.
My Extracurricular Activities & Achievements
I was involved in a lot of volunteering and was recruited as a tennis coach for kids with physical and mental disabilities. In addition, I participated in several STEM-related projects. One of them earned us a $2,500 award for developing a special bag to be used in case of an earthquake. However, I was mostly focused on tennis because I was determined to apply as a student-athlete to universities.
Furthermore, one of my achievements mentioned in the Honors section of the Common App is earning a grant for my project and winning a merit-based scholarship to study at NIS. Secondly, I included several Olympiads I participated in, including the Asian Economics Olympiad, where I became a finalist.
Resources I used in my Applications
I took my first SAT in late 2024, at the end of my 10th grade. I started building my profile at the beginning of my senior year in September. Before applying to Bates College, I began researching the university more and found out about the Borderless Platform, reading all the articles about students who got into Bates College. Apart from that, I used free resources from the Competitive College Club, funded by Education USA.
My Suggestions for International Applicants
Based on current ongoing situations, my top advice for students who want to apply to study in the U.S. would be to have other countries or safety schools as options, because international competition for top universities is rising rapidly—meaning you must be highly competitive to gain admission with a full scholarship.
Another suggestion is to start early. For example, I began preparing for the SAT in my tenth grade, which greatly contributed to my application timeline.
Additionally, one thing I’d like to highlight for Bates applicants is that the university is test-optional and embraces a philosophy of inclusivity for people from diverse backgrounds, including strong support for female and Black students. Furthermore, the student body is very down-to-earth, and the students are very friendly—I’ve spoken with some of them over the phone.
