We attended interviews in 3 different schools in Chennai for my daughter's KG admission - Chinmaya Vidyalaya, Chennai Public School, and Sherwood Hall. The KG interview pattern/questions seem to be more or less similar, in all the 3 schools. Your kid should be prepared to answer the questions / do the assignments without your help. In Chennai Public School, the kid was interviewed separately without the parents around. You can get a distant view of what is going on. I've compiled the list of questions asked during the KG interview here. Hope this helps you.
(Also read: R2I school admissions - FAQ)
Questions/Assignments for kid during KG interview
1) What is your name?
2) Which school are you going to?
3) Which class are you studying?
4) Who are all staying with you at home?
5) Who drops/picks you up from school?
6) How did you come to the interview, today? (mode of commute)
7) An assignment to color something with crayons (flower, fruit or vegetable)
8) An assignment to identify the object (animal, fruit, or vegetable)
9) An assignment to test your kid's reflex / physical ability (by asking the kid to throw a ball, asking the kid to pick a ball, asking the kid to run/jump etc.,)
Standard questions like "Where do you work", "What is your pay" etc., will be filled in the application form itself. So, the parents should be prepared for the following kind of questions.
Questions for Parents during KG interview
1) Why do you want to admit your kid in this school?
2) What would you like the kid to be?
3) What are the skills that you want your kid to pick up?
4) What are some of the things that your kid likes to do?
5) How many hours do you spend with the kid each day?
6) Who helps the kids with the school assignments?
7) What are the extra curricular activities that you would like your kid to participate in?
8) Who will drop/pickup your kid from the school? Would you need school van service?
9) If you R2I'ed, why did you R2I? Do you have plans of going back to US?
If the school is expecting a donation (also called as "school development fund"), you'll also be informed about that during the interview.
Things have changed very much in the last 10 or 15 years. There were times when the admission process was very simple. The parents have to just meet the school Principal and pay the fees. Now, every school is trying to pick the 'best' kid(s) through interviews. I pity these innocent little kids. They have to start competing with each other for a limited number of seats in a good school. It adds unnecessary pressure and frustration to the parents. There are lots of parents who are ready to do 'whatever it takes' to get admission into a good school, which results in increased cost of education.
Also read:
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
How to apply for Credit Freeze during R2I?
Social Security Number (SSN) is THE most important identification number for you during your presence in US. SSN is linked to all of your accounts, and you should keep it very safe. There are folks who ask "Should I return/cancel my SSN when I return back to India?". The answer is NO. SSN once assigned stays valid, even if you are out of the country. It is your responsibility to keep it safe and prevent it from mis-usages. So, what should you do to your SSN, when you Return to India? How do you prevent people from misusing your SSN, after your R2I?
You should put a credit freeze on your SSN, before leaving the country. There are 3 credit bureaus that track your credit history - Equifax, Experian & TransUnion. You've to apply individually at each of the credit bureaus for credit freeze. Here are the links for you to follow-on:
Equifax Credit Freeze
Experian Credit Freeze
TransUnion Credit Freeze
Social Security website allows you to block electronic/telephone access to your personal information. However, it doesn't stop the credit bureaus from performing credit checks. Hence, it is highly recommended for you to apply for credit freeze, at the individual credit bureaus.
If you are extraordinarily rich, you can also sign-up for identify theft services such as Lifelock, that provide extra protection.
Applying for credit freeze should be one of the important things to do, in your R2I checklist.
Also read:
R2I Planning Guide
R2I - How can I get my Social Security benefits/money?
You should put a credit freeze on your SSN, before leaving the country. There are 3 credit bureaus that track your credit history - Equifax, Experian & TransUnion. You've to apply individually at each of the credit bureaus for credit freeze. Here are the links for you to follow-on:
Equifax Credit Freeze
Experian Credit Freeze
TransUnion Credit Freeze
Social Security website allows you to block electronic/telephone access to your personal information. However, it doesn't stop the credit bureaus from performing credit checks. Hence, it is highly recommended for you to apply for credit freeze, at the individual credit bureaus.
If you are extraordinarily rich, you can also sign-up for identify theft services such as Lifelock, that provide extra protection.
Applying for credit freeze should be one of the important things to do, in your R2I checklist.
Also read:
R2I Planning Guide
R2I - How can I get my Social Security benefits/money?
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Saravana Stores - The "Walmart" in Chennai
Since I wrote a post on my recent visit to Skywalk Ampa Mall, I thought I also should share my experience regarding Saravana Selvarathnam Stores. This is the new shopping complex of Saravanas group, in Usman Road, T.Nagar. It is a multi-storeyed shopping complex selling a wide variety of items such as dresses, utensils, electrical appliances, electronics, jewelery, sports equipment, toys, groceries, and sweets. (Also read: List of things to pack & bring from US)
Saravana Selvrathnam stores is lot more spacious than Saravana Stores. So, you don't have to go through the experience of getting squeezed by the fellow shoppers. There are lots of helpers around and they'll help you to locate the items. Unlike in Saravana stores where the goods are just piled up one over the other, the goods are neatly arranged in Saravana Selvarathnam Stores.
Similar to the folks visiting Walmart in US, people go to Saravana Stores or Saravana Selvrathnam stores to buy inexpensive goods. Most of the electronic goods are non-branded and you would be pleasantly surprised by their cost. Another nice thing about Saravana Selvrathnam stores is that you can find all the items under one roof. They have a very diverse collection of goods. For some items, you may have to compromise on the quality. (Also read: How much money do you need to R2I?)
I normally go there by 9 or 9.30 am. The store is less crowded and you can easily find a parking lot near the store. They have billing sections in all the floors and you don't have to stand in long lines to get your items billed. You can even get some of your dress items stitched in less than an hour. Isn't that cool?
They have a system in place for preventing thefts/looting. They seal all the bags that you bring-in and all the items that are 'paid' for. That is a key difference between Walmart & Saravana Selvarathnam Stores :)
Saravana Selvarathnam stores is for people who want to buy inexpensive items and for people who want to buy several things under one roof. For people like me, it is the Walmart in Chennai.
Also read:
Nilkamal's @home - Not designed for me
Goods in US - lots of options & cheaper price
Skywalk Ampa Mall - Multiplex++
Saravana Selvrathnam stores is lot more spacious than Saravana Stores. So, you don't have to go through the experience of getting squeezed by the fellow shoppers. There are lots of helpers around and they'll help you to locate the items. Unlike in Saravana stores where the goods are just piled up one over the other, the goods are neatly arranged in Saravana Selvarathnam Stores.
Similar to the folks visiting Walmart in US, people go to Saravana Stores or Saravana Selvrathnam stores to buy inexpensive goods. Most of the electronic goods are non-branded and you would be pleasantly surprised by their cost. Another nice thing about Saravana Selvrathnam stores is that you can find all the items under one roof. They have a very diverse collection of goods. For some items, you may have to compromise on the quality. (Also read: How much money do you need to R2I?)
I normally go there by 9 or 9.30 am. The store is less crowded and you can easily find a parking lot near the store. They have billing sections in all the floors and you don't have to stand in long lines to get your items billed. You can even get some of your dress items stitched in less than an hour. Isn't that cool?
They have a system in place for preventing thefts/looting. They seal all the bags that you bring-in and all the items that are 'paid' for. That is a key difference between Walmart & Saravana Selvarathnam Stores :)
Saravana Selvarathnam stores is for people who want to buy inexpensive items and for people who want to buy several things under one roof. For people like me, it is the Walmart in Chennai.
Also read:
Nilkamal's @home - Not designed for me
Goods in US - lots of options & cheaper price
Skywalk Ampa Mall - Multiplex++
Skywalk Ampa Mall - Multiplex++
We dined at McDonalds in Skywalk. In US, we hardly dined at McDonalds due to the lack of proper veggie food (except for their break fast menu). But, McDonalds in India offers lots of custom/localized choices such as McVeggie, & McAloo Tikki. A McVeggie costs just Rs.45. If you make it a 'meal' with medium fries & medium coke, they charge you Rs.95. I guess they make lots of money in fries & drinks, than in burgers :)
We spent nearly an hour and a half in Skywalk, just doing window shopping. The mall is well maintained and appears to be very spacious. The number of shops is less when compared to Spencers Plaza. However, the facility is well maintained and the shops are targeted at upper class families. PVR cinemas & Landmark are giving finishing touches to their interiors. They are yet to open up.
Skywalk has a nice multi-storeyed parking structure. However, the roads around Skywalk are not equipped to handle the additional traffic. I couldn't imagine how bad the traffic would be, once PVR cinemas open up. The Poonamalle High Road & Nelson Manickam Road intersection is already very packed. A flyover at the intersection would definitely help.
Skywalk is a boon to poeple living in/around Anna Nagar/Aminjikarai area. They don't have to commute too far to get to a decent shopping mall/theatre. And for me, I can just walk to a shopping mall :)
Also read:
PVR Cinemas in Skywalk, Chennai - Worldclass
Nilkamal's @home - Not designed for me
Goods in US - lots of options & cheaper price
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