A LinkedIn post by Stanford University student Justin Sato has gone viral after he revealed that he scored 53 out of 360 (around 15%) in the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE), yet secured admission to three of the world's most prestigious institutions, Stanford University, Princeton University and the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). Rather than focusing on his own achievement, Sato used the post to highlight the depth of technical talent in India and how different education systems evaluate students.
Sharing his experience on LinkedIn, Sato wrote, "Got into Caltech, Princeton, and Stanford for physics... yet I got 15% on the JEE exam. (53/360)." He added, "If you know, you know. IIT acceptance rates are sub 1%." According to him, the result reflects the intense competition among engineering aspirants in India rather than a student's overall ability.
Sato, who studies Physics and Mathematics at Stanford and recently co-founded startup Skarmy, said the experience taught him that "the density of technical talent in India is absurd." He also announced that his startup is moving to India, calling the country an important hub for engineering talent.
In his post, Sato further wrote, "Google. Microsoft. Micron. Skarmy. Mastercard... all run by Indian-born talent." He also invited aspiring innovators from India to connect, saying, "We're hiring interns. So if you're building from India, I want to connect."
The post has sparked a lot of discussion online because it highlights the difference between India's entrance examination system and admissions at leading US universities. While JEE primarily measures performance in a highly competitive exam, universities such as Stanford, Princeton and Caltech consider several factors, including academic interests, research, extracurricular achievements, essays and overall potential, alongside grades.