The Power of Passion

Inspiration, dreams, passion.

Passion is a major drive in my life, and it has helped me find a goal and continue my journey through its ups and downs.

My name is Prakruthi Manjunath. I am a 22-year-old Biotechnology student at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, where I am in the second year of my Master’s degree.

Indian Schooling

High School

High school is a tough time—or so we think. During my time at Kensri School & College (a high school in Bangalore, India), a typical day would be from 8 am to 4 pm, and then homework and revision after; It was a typical high school like any other in India. Years 11 and 12 also took place during the same time frames. However, the workload did increase, and so did the academic pressure. The workload was heavy since you were taught many subjects, and there was constant academic stress to do well due to the competitive environment and academically supportive teachers. Throughout this academic timeline, it is important to pursue a personal interest project, which in my case was dancing. Bharatanatyam is a classical Indian-style dance that I have done for around 12 years. This extracurricular was important to me since I particularly enjoyed it, which is something to remember when doing anything in life. Passion is a drive like none other; giving us a foundation for dreams, dedication and innovation.

University

I studied for my Bachelor’s degree at MS Ramaiah Insitute of Technology (MSRAT), where I majored in Medical Engineering for 4 years. My experience during the time I was studying for my Bachelor’s was a step up compared to high school since there were a lot more new concepts, each of which can be very different from what other people are doing—a significant difference from the similarity between academics in high school. It was also a fraction looser in terms of attendance, but while you did have a little more flexibility with the kind of things you wanted to do, most of the days were eight to four as well, like high school. During my undergrad, I joined a few clubs including a dance team, a university debate club, and a sporting team for the sport Kabadi.

Although I participated in multiple clubs, I believe what pushed me to get into an overseas university was the academic extracurriculars I participated in. I was part of multiple research projects throughout my undergrad, which also boosted my expertise in both research and the topics at hand. During my second of university, I decided to reach out to a couple of professors who were researching a topic I was passionate about; Bioinformatics. They then reached back to me and I was able to work with them at the Indian Institute of Science (based in Bangalore) for the next 1.5-2 years.

Application Process

Choosing U-Mich

My process for applying was mostly based on the kind of exposure I would get career-wise. While you may have similar courses throughout the world, what mattered to me was the great number of healthcare industries based in the US, as compared to the UK, Australia, or others. Another place that would have had quite a few industries would have been Europe, however, the cons that I had analysed on that end were the difference in the application process and the language barriers I would have faced. I applied to the University of Michigan (where I am), Duke University, Georgia Tech, Arizona State, and George Washington, all of which were from a good range and from different parts of the US. Georgia Tech was my first choice, which I did not get into. I did get into Duke, but Michigan’s pros outweighed the pros of Duke, which drew me towards the university.

Applying

The first step to applying was reaching out to those who had already done so before me—in this case, my seniors. It is really important to communicate and gain as much information and advice from them as possible.

Next, you want to be able to get your giant list of universities down to around 5-10 that you plan on applying for. Here, it is important to consider all factors including location, course, extracurriculars, environment and more. Universities that line with your vision are the ones you want to apply for.

My college essay was a whole other challenge, and even getting a few words down on a piece of paper took me a while. It took me around a month to finish my first draft.

Then, of course, you need to finish your exams. In India, these include you having to write either TOEFL or IELTS, which are tests to prove your proficiency in English.

This was all due at around mid-January (2023). I had started this (very long) application process early and had my recommendation letter and SoPs ready by mid-December (2022). I was fully done with every application to universities by early January (2023).

While you can contact universities directly for information, this would also be the same as what is on their websites. Therefore, I found more valuable information from my seniors.

Also, it is important to remember that universities will have an application fee that is higher for international students. U-Mich was $90 (UDS); however, my most expensive application fee was $125. Paying this fee also does not confirm your acceptance.

Statement of Purpose (SoP)

An SoP is a “Statement of Purpose” letter that you write to the university expressing your interest, why you would be a good fit in the program, how it would benefit you, and why it would benefit the university. I believe my research interests and my profile aligned well with what I would want to do in the future, and how getting a master's degree from this particular university would help me achieve my long-term goals; my overall background and interests supported my application.

When you are writing your SoP, it is important to be honest throughout it. Consistency is key. Showing that you are passionate about an area is more desirable than being interested in more than one, all of which do not add up to an end goal. Showing purpose or passion in a field of interest overall positively boosts how the university will consider your application. Another note is never to lie on your SoP since eventually, they will find out that you lied, and you will end up with consequences that could have been avoided.

Components in the SoP

The components I had to include for my SoP were:

• Why I was passionate about this field.

• The experiences I had so far which made me a good candidate, whose credentials match to be in a master's level program for the field.

• What I would do with this master's after I gained the degree.

Step-by-Step Outline

• Contact and communicate with those who have already gotten in.

• Shortlist the universities you want to apply to.

• Start drafting your college essay, even if this is just a few words on a piece of paper at first.

• Start collecting recommendation letters from your elders (teachers, employers, etc.).

• Take tests that are required to enter the USA.

• Finish each application to the universities you desire.

Why the USA?

Industry settlement, career opportunities, and space for growth in various aspects were major factors that influenced my leniency towards the USA. Personally, I felt like the USA had more healthcare opportunities than the rest of the world due to its fast-paced environment in technology and facilities. While Europe also presented similar opportunities, I preferred an easier experience in my day-to-day life, without the language barrier.

Why U-Mich?

The University of Michigan, as I have said before, had many positives to it that other universities, to me personally, did not. The research conducted at the university was a great opportunity, and the ranking of the institution (when I applied) was also fairly high (ranked 9th across the country for my program). The diversity of research opportunities was something that I valued. Once again, this related to the idea of passion being a major drive in my journey.

Furthermore, I would say U-Mich is a student town, with a very vast environment—there is always something going on here! It is filled with many passionate undergraduate and graduate students, and the town is thrilled to have them.

While Duke also had a similar environment to provide, they also focused on a separate sector of healthcare, which drove me to choose U-Mich instead.

Stats

High School (Years 11-12)

While years 11 and 12 were a tad bit more difficult than previous years, my grades have always been 85% and above.

Bachelor’s

During my bachelor’s, my GPA was 3.5/4.

Master’s (Current)

Master’s is way more engaging since you choose to do the classes you want to do, and you can pass with a 3/4. My GPA is most likely rounding off to a 3.8/4 this year.

Extracurriculars

My extracurriculars aren’t very serious (which they should be—they should be done for fun) and most are university-run.

I do a group class for pilates, which I signed up to with my friends. Truth be told, my friends are one of my main motivations when attending these classes, as it is one of the times I can spend time with them. I have been doing this for about 2 semesters now.

Apart from social activities, I have a love for travelling. Travelling is something I have done quite a fair bit, and enjoy too. I love exploring new places and just the overall vibe of discovery.

Another thing I have found to be quite popular in Michigan (especially due to there being snow during Winter) is ice skiing. This is something I have recently discovered and have found interest in.

Expenses

Scholarships and Financial Aid

At U-Mich, there is a program called “Graduate Student Instructor” or “Graduate Student Satt Assistant”. This role is applied for separately from the original application after you are enrolled as a student. The process is like applying for a job, where you would include a cover letter, and eventually, you get interviewed for the role.

Once I got this position, my tuition fee and healthcare insurance charges were covered, and I received a monthly stipend to cover my expenses. This is a one-year position.

For the second year, whatever is not covered by the program is accumulated as a student loan, which in my case, is covered by my parents.

Housing and Rent

In Ann Arbor, it is a pretty expensive town in reference to expenses. Currently, I pay a minimum of $1-1.2k per month on both rent and other expenses. Out of this, $770 is towards rent (monthly).

Experiences

Settling In

During my initial period when I moved to Michigan, I was feeling incredibly homesick. This was most likely due to me being used to being with my parents and being in the same place for as long as I could remember. It is honestly a pretty sad and stressful experience because you suddenly have a load of responsibilities on your head and absolutely no idea how things are going to go; at the same time, you also have a community that goes through the same things as you, so you end up depending on each other to grow.

I was pretty fortunate to meet some nice people and I ended up connecting very well with them. It is kind of weird at first because you sort of have this imposter syndrome and you're not sure of what's happening, how much you want to talk to people, and what kind of people you want to talk to because it's a very diverse environment. You are also intimidated—well at least I was—but somehow, along the way, I met a few people who were taking the same course as me or were friends of friends that I met through events at college.

Common ground is something that helps you “click” with people. This is things like what kind of work you're doing, and what passions you have; most people always do research so I think talking about that was a very common icebreaker.

Schooling

Master’s is a lot more hands-on, which is something I enjoy. The professors are extremely encouraging and sweet, and you can tell that they love their jobs. The workload and general work-life balance are more flexible but can get hectic if you have a part-time job. The course load is heavy, with weekly assignments and many paper readings that you are required to complete.