A 12-year-old asks on Quora.com- what could he do now to secure his place in world’s top universities. Yes, you read that right a 12-year-old!

My thoughts were divided on his question. On one hand I thought a self-motivated kid like him will land up anywhere and be successful and on the other hand I also thought perhaps the parental pressures in his house is driving this query. Nevertheless some bits of advice that this yet-to-be teenager got from the forum were informative and helpful for everyone.

• Study Hard: GPA matters so don’t neglect your GPA in high school.

• Time Management: There are too many distractions, from You Tube to marvel comics- you don’t have to give up all of them but do remember to prioritize.

• Few Extracurricular Activities: When a college application has more than three extra curricular activities, examiners often think the applicant lacked in direction. Focus on few things and do it well.

• Initiative: Take initiative in both school and outside to start something new, it shows leadership and creativity a must for any kind of success.

• Right Friends: This in my eye is the most important one. Children at this age need the right set of friends to have fun and also to inspire and learn from each other. One wrong company at this impressionable age can ruin many future years.

Written by Suchitra Sharma