High-5’s with High School Superstars
Contributed By - Mallik Reddy
How do you pick a college based on its academic environment? How can you be serendipitous and also deliberate about your focus areas? What role does leadership in high school play for success in your life and how can you find those opportunities? How can you ace the SAT and other aptitude tests? Do you need to sacrifice your social life for academics? How can you take on more without stress?
Enjoy a High-5 with this month’s superstar – Navya Dasari – to learn about these and more…
Navya Dasari attended Basis Scottsdale High School, and while a student there interned for Barrow Neurological Institute, captained the Quiz Bowl team, helped raise over $46,000 for education in India, served as Student Leader for Young Authors of Arizona, and received a perfect SAT score. She currently attends the University of Pennsylvania, where she majors in Global Health; she is a Perry World House Fellow, a student leader for Universities Allied for Essential Medicines, and a board member of Doctors Without Borders at Penn. She hopes to make a lasting impact on global health justice and policy.
Interview done by Anju Sekar. Anju is a sophomore at Basis Phoenix. She enjoys playing piano, tennis, and competing in debate tournaments.
AS: Why did you choose University of Pennsylvania over any other elite universities that you got accepted into? How did you pick your focus areas?
ND: Penn had great academic programs for the majors I was considering, with its emphasis on a collaborative learning environment where students can connect over academics while building social relationships to support each other, while also giving back to the community. I also liked Penn’s academic structure, where students take classes in a wide range of subjects; this environment fosters developing well rounded students who bring different perspectives to the table and learn from each other. I decided on my major in global health after a student counselor introduced me to the subject at Penn’s pre-orientation program, and then I fell in love with it! I minored in creative writing because I’ve always loved that as a child and it’s important to set aside some of your academic life for personal growth and to explore things intellectually.
AS: What an honor to attend the World Health Assembly and speak at the United Nations - Congratulations!! Did anything you did in high school prepare you for such a unique opportunity?
ND: My various leadership positions during high school taught me the important aspect of working successfully with teams and communicating my ideas effectively. This helped me collaborate with a global, diverse team that represented our cause at the UN, and my interest in writing helped me prepare a great statement for my argument.
AS: What’s your advice on pursuing internships & research and acquiring leadership positions in high school?
ND: You should explore different areas of interest so you get exposure to various career opportunities and discover what you like and don’t like. For instance, as I was doing an internship at Barrow Neurological Institute, I realized that I wasn’t interested in wet lab research. After identifying an area of interest, you should look into different opportunities in that area. You could talk to your teachers about it or you could email professors or researchers at nearby colleges that do work in that area. Think about issues you care about and what you could do to address them. I became the coordinator for a chapter of Asha for Education after I helped found it. ForYoung Authors of Arizona, I initially started submitting to the Scholastic Awards, and then over time, I shared several ideas about how the program could improve, and this paved the way for me to become a student leader there. Ultimately, you can acquire a leadership position if you are passionate and persistent about something.
AS: Congratulations on your perfect SAT score! Do you have any tips for effective study and preparation?
ND: Before you start to prepare, you should take an official practice test on the college board website so you can identify your weaknesses and the areas you need to work on. After focusing on those weak spots, you should take another practice test to check your improvement. I think there’s a pattern to the way questions are asked, so lots of practice is the most effective way to study. You should use a variety of prep books because different prep books are better for certain types of questions.
AS: You have a very impressive and inspiring list of extracurricular achievements. How were you able to achieve all that? Did you need to make any sacrifices in your personal and social life?
ND: I was surrounded by hardworking people who were also involved in the community and supportive of me. You learn things in your social life that are just as important as what you learn in your academic life. Being with your friends can help you relax and deal with the stress of your workload. Make time for what you’re passionate about; for me, it was painting and reading. To manage your time effectively, you could do your work at school; I worked at lunch and was also productive during the free periods. Don’t just study hard, but study smart. Recognize your learning style and find ways to work more efficiently to finish faster.
High ‘5’ Takeaways:
1. Pick a college based on the people who you want to be surrounded by and what you value (i.e., collaboration or competition; diverse areas of study or one specific area of focus). Be open to trying out new subjects to discover your major.
2. If you are passionate and persistent about something, you will acquire a leadership position naturally. Leadership opportunities in high school prepare you for bigger successes in life.
3. Explore different areas through internships and volunteer opportunities to discover your passions and rule out those that don’t interest you.
4.To prepare well for tests such as the SAT, focus on improving your weaknesses before taking additional practice tests.
5. Always make time for what you love doing; it’s a way to relax from the stress of high school life. Focus on studying smartly and efficiently, and according to your learning style.
Mallik Reddy is the Founder and Chief Coach of Leadership GYM, a free leadership and personal development program for high school students.
The series “High 5’s with High School Superstars”, targeted for high school students and their parents, will share insights and winning strategies and practices from students who achieved significant academic and extracurricular success in their high school years.
Mallik can be reached at mallik.a1.reddy@gmail.com.