A Conversation with Minerva Student Navneet

What made you apply to Minerva?

I am a person who loves traveling and learning about the world beyond the classroom. When I learned that Minerva students, collectively as a class, not only get to travel around seven different cities across the world, but also learn there and apply their learning to impact local communities through Civic Projects, I got inspired to apply to Minerva.

What was your favorite accomplishment that you submitted in your Minerva application?

Each accomplishment that I submitted meant something unique and meaningful to me. Given that the Minerva application allows students to define what each accomplishment means to them, I would like to share an accomplishment that I probably could not have shared elsewhere. In 2021, when juniors in my high school shared their anxiety about taking exams in the middle of the pandemic, I started passing along little post notes with wishes, affirmations, and tiny messages to students I spontaneously met on the street.

What excites you the most about attending Minerva?

I am excited about the diversity that is not only represented in the student body but amongst the faculty themselves. Moreover, the opportunity to immerse myself in cities throughout the globe with radically different social, political, and cultural contexts is an opportunity that I do not see myself getting anywhere else. Each city offers its own unique set of opportunities in terms of research, internships, or Civic Projects.

What major are you the most interested in pursuing?

My current interests are mathematics and complexity science. Although I do not have a fixed major yet, I am open to immersing myself in both familiar and new realms of knowledge, which I hope will eventually help me improve STEM education in Nepal, which I want to make more accessible to the underprivileged.

What is the kind of person that you think should apply to Minerva?

The application is free, does not require any standardized tests, and is challenging, but more importantly fun. If you are a person who is curious and excited, takes unconventional steps, and wants to immerse, learn, and interact with diverse communities, Mineva might be the place for you.

Is there anything else you would like to share?

I did not get into Minerva the first time I applied, which made me take a second gap year which is not very common in my society. So, I want to say to anyone who knows that Minerva is the right fit for them, to not get discouraged by the acceptance rate or the rejections. Stay true to yourself and let the best version of yourself shine through the application.

If you were inspired by Navneet's story and are seeking a college experience that will teach you valuable pragmatic skills that will enable you to change the world, apply to join Minerva today.