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Akanksha Sarda, the all-India female topper of the this year’s IIT-JEE exam, has yet another laurel to add to her list — she is now the first Indian girl to win a gold medal at the International Physics Olympiad (IphO). The announcement was made on Saturday afternoon in Zagreb, Croatia,2010 was held from July 17 to 25.
Eighteen-year-old Sarda, part of a team of five Indian contestants at the Olympiad, was also the second Indian girl to qualify at the international level. She received her medal on Sunday afternoon.
India has been faring well at the IphO for the last couple of years, winning four golds and a silver.
This year, the national team stood sixth overall, with three silvers and a bronze in its basket.
“The Olympiad was very challenging with 400 contestants from countries all over the world. I did not expect to win,” said an elated Sarda, speaking to Hindustan Times from Zagreb on Sunday. “It’s an amazing feeling.”
A student of coaching class IITian Pace, Sarda underwent training for the Olympiads.
“She is an exceptionally bright student. For a month before the Olympiad finals, she watched every movie and went out every day” said Praveen Tyagi, who coached her for the Olympiad.
“It worried me that she didn’t spend time studying, but I was proved wrong.”
Sarda, who had ironically failed her Class 9 physics exam, ended up acing the Class 10 ICSE exams two years ago. After her success at the IIT entrance exam, she is now looking forward to join MIT in August.
“She will be gone to the States soon, and I will miss her,” said Sarda’s mother Zarana, who was at their Santacruz home when news about the gold win arrived.
Sarda will return home late on Monday night, and for now is celebrating her success by sight seeing around Croatia.
Education Loans
Are you looking for a way to finance your college education? You may want to consider student loans. There are many types of student loans out there. The key to finding the loan for you is knowing about these loans.you know that the types of graduate student loans are different than those for undergraduates? If not, then keep reading!
Types of Student Loans
The first place to start when looking for education loans is to understand the types of student loans. They fall into three main categories, federal loans, private loans, and consolidation loans
Federal Loans
Federal loans are usually the first type of loans that students think of. These are the Stafford Loans, Perkins Loans, and PLUS loans. Each of these loans are subsidized by the government, but actually taken out through financial institutions that are not related to the government.
Stafford and Perkins loans are the most commonly applied for loans for undergraduates. They are usually considered to give applicants fairly low interest rates on student loans. The interest on student loans is set by the government and is controlled by the current economy. The Stafford loan currently has a 6.9% interest rate, and the Perkins loan is lower, at 5%. The Perkins loan is one of the types of graduate student loans that are out there, but you must be able to show that you have significant financial need to qualify.
PLUS loans for students are designed for graduate students who cannot apply for any other type of financial aid because they have used their options completely.
Private Loans
Private student loans are those offered by private institutions, such as a company or a school. Often students who do not qualify for federal aid can get a loan through a private program. A common type of private loan is a work study program for students, especially grad students. This gives the student a low interest rate on the loan in return for working for the college, university, or company.
Since private loans are offered by many different institutions, it is hard to say what the interest rate is on each loan. The best tip to finding a fair loan rate on a private loan is to advise you to shop around for the lowest interest rate on private student loans that you qualify for. This is probably going to be the best loan for you!
Education Loans
If you’re looking for loans for education, you may be surprised at all the different ways that you can get financial aid. The truth is, there’s no single source for student loans and for financial aid. Each student will have to seek out and research a number of sources in order to get the best financial aid package possible. Whether you rely on private education loans, government education loans, education direct loans, scholarships, grants, or other sources, you will likely need several sources to find all your college funding.
Financial Institutions
If you’re looking for education loans, financial institutions can provide you with flexible and competitively priced loans. In fact, many educational institutions, including Wells Fargo and Sallie Mae, offer special loans designed especially to meet student needs. These loans often have low interest rates and long repayment terms. In many cases, you can wait to begin repayment until after your education is complete or until after you’re no longer attending school full-time. This allows you to focus on your studies rather than on your debt while you’re still studying.
Banks
Banks today offer number of financial solutions, including loans, to their patrons. In fact, banks today even offer special student loans, which allow students to defer repayment until after school is finished. In addition, many students find banking services such as student credit cards and personal lines of credit, to be a flexible way to arrange for emergency loans or short-term loans during their degree.
Department of Education
The US Department of Education offers a number of federal loans to American students. If you’re an American resident or citizen hoping to study in the United States, you can borrow money through the Stafford and Perkins loans, which are need-based and have very low interest rates. You do not need to start repaying these loans until after you finish your studies. If you qualify for need-based help from the government, the government will even pay for your interest while you are attending school.
If you are still a dependent on your parents, the federal government’s PLUS loan can allow your parents to borrow on your behalf. Many students like federal government and US Department of Education loans because they have such flexible eligibility standards. Even if your credit is not very good and you don’t qualify for traditional loan from a bank or other financial tuition, you will likely qualify for federal student loans.
Colleges and Universities
Colleges and universities offer their own financing solutions. You will certainly want to speak to the financial aid office of any school you’re considering attending. Once you begin attending a school, one of your first stops on campus should be to the financial aid office. Colleges and universities often offer number of bursaries, grants, and scholarships to their students. These forms of funding, some of which are need-based and some of which are not, do not have to be repaid. Unlike a loan, you can simply use the money and never have to repay it. Sometimes, you can have your entire education paid for through college scholarships grants and bursaries.
Many colleges and universities also allow you to pay off your student fees and tuition gradually. If you work part time while also attending school, this monthly payment program may help you afford school. Some larger colleges and universities may be able to help you arrange for loans for education as well. Plus, your financial aid office will be able to help you learn about money and proper budgeting, which can help ensure that you make the most out of every dollar you borrow or get for your education.
