I’ll be applying for the coming fall semester the moment I get my greencard, because, for obvious reasons, I would prefer the permanent resident status over that of the int’l student.
Test scores:
SAT - 1510
TOEFL - 283
I’m considering doing a few SAT II’s in January.
The big issue is far as I’m concerned is this -
I’m 22 years old and after 3 years of national service in the Israeli Defence Forces (demobilized last month). How will this be looked upon by the admission boards? I am a fair bit older than the average undergraduate and after a serious break from academia or any educational line of thought (I was an infantry commander).
I’m not really into the idea of faking the ‘well roundedness’ of my life in the past 3 years, since most of them were spent working my ass off in the army. I didn’t have time for band practice or charity work, I barely had time to collapse on my bed at home once a month, for 3 days.
I’m not swimming in cash so my choice of college is limited to NYC, where I have a few relatives who can help me out. I don’t think I will have any problems with the SUNY/CUNY colleges, from what I gather (feel free to correct me) anyone with a pulse can get in to those…
Columbia would be asking too much, but will NYU be a steep hill to climb as well? I’m not specifically asking about it, but more on my overall situation: I am at a disadvantage to the average applicant? Will I be considered an exception of any sort?
<p>If you want to apply for the fall of 2005, you can not wait for the green card, unless you are getting it next week. You can try to apply as an international student to need-blind schools if money is an issue. I am not sure, which schools are need-blind for internationals. Harvard is. I heard that Williams is as well. If you get in, they will cover the part of the cost that you (in their opinion ) can't afford, including room and board, and even plane tickets to go home twice a year.</p>
<p>You don't need to fake being well-rounded. Being unique will help you much more. Your scores are excellent for an international student. If you write strong essays, you'll have a good shot at any school. Your experience in the army can be a good essay topic (just be careful with politics of it).</p>
<p>By the way, I am sure you can get into NYU, or even Columbia. The tuition cost might be a problem, but you can give it a shot, and see, what kind of aid they can offer you.</p>
<p>i think you have way unique things to offer and are an incredibly strong candidate - 1510 without english even being your first language? damn. to echo what other people said, i think you could even get into columbia if your essays are well written. nyu would be a pretty solid fit school, i think. go online and find need-blind stuff. good luck! i wish i was israeli.</p>
<p>Thank you all very much. A few more queries, if I may:</p>
<p>Do quotas (here in Israel there's 10% of places reserved for arabs, to help them) exist in some colleges for special populations?</p>
<p>The greencard should be "here" within less than two weeks. I didn't have the time to set myself up for all of this properly so it's all rushed, unfortunately. I simply find myself a bit overwhelmed with all the EC's 18 year olds have, just how contrived are they? Are all of them done with support from the educational system or are they initiated by the students themselves?</p>
<p>Here in Israel our system is very different. No class rank, you don't meet a guidance counselor unless don't stab someone and the chances of me finding a teacher who will recognize me 4 years after graduation are slender - they did a favour by pretending to care when I was a student.</p>
<p>These lists I see people have are quite astounding. I have done quite a few things, but my surroundings are not a place where one can start a cancer support group or go built huts in Ghana.</p>
<p>courtette44: I think I would have prefered to be a 22 year old B.Sc. than a 22 year old Staff Sergeant. Walking around with an M4 for 3 years isn't all it's cracked up to be. They don't pay you either.</p>
<p>Leyser: Colleges are looking for diversity. They already have a million applicants who have donated ten thousand pints of blood, organized a canned food drive and set up a debate club. They DON'T have a million (or even three or four, for that matter) applicants who are old enough to know what they want, have held a stable job for four years (no matter if it was in the army), are international but whose test scores are outstanding even for an american student (hahaha. cough.) and all the rest. My ECs suck, too, but I'm counting on the fact that the colleges I applied to will appreciate the fact that I lived in a foreign country for the past 7 years of my life. And my SAT scores are 100 points below yours. So please, stop worrying about getting in and start thinking about how you're going to pay for it like the rest of us.</p>
<p>Leyser:
You may want to repost on the parents forum, there are many knowledgeable folks on this board, but they spend more time there.
I understand that Columbia has some type of "adult education" college, that I think may suit you well, that is, it is not just a way to get a few enrichment classes, you can actually graduate with a Columbia degree. But I don't know if you qualify as an international with no college experience - I bet someone on the Parent Forum will know.</p>
<p>Leyser:
You are getting very close to application deadlines with the green card issue. Unlike in Israel, you absolutely CAN NOT miss a deadline here (and those are sometimes earlier for the internationals). Have your apps ready to go, and if you don't get the green card on time, apply as international. Good essays will be the most crucial part of your application if you decide to apply to the most selective colleges. Do not put off writing them. Colleges are looking for diversity, leadership potential, and personality (assuming you have all the needed scores and grades). You have to show them who you are through your essays. Some of the better schools have more money available for scholarships, so they may end up being cheaper for you to attend if they really want you. In schools like Columbia, Harvard or NYU you will not be the first Israeli coming after finishing the army. I am sure your age (or the lack of standard All-American ECs) will not be an issue. But you do need teachers' recommendations. Can you find one teacher that remembers you (or is willing to pretend she does)? Maybe you can get another letter from someone in the army... Since no one will be familiar with your high school, it is important to have a letter from someone who can present you in the context of your school. If you absolutely can't find a teacher that will do it for you, find another adult that can show that you stand out from the crowd, and attach a note to your application explaining the lack of teacher's recommendation. MAKE SURE YOU SEND EVERYTHING IN BY THE DEADLINE! SAT scores have to be sent from ETS directly to the colleges. You have to send them NOW in order for them to get there on time.</p>
<p>Most of the EC's are not contrived. You can almost tell the "laundry lists" students from the dedicated passion students. My D was taking 8-11 ballet classes a week, plus rehearsals and performances...no way was that "contrived." Musicians ditto. Athletes ditto. I do tend to be wary of "community service" hours, which are often inflated.</p>
<p>NNGMM's post is very good. </p>
<p>And yes, quite a few of us parents try to be helpful in the Parents Forum.</p>
<p>Thanks you all again, you're helping loads.</p>
<p>I'll get on to my essays ASAP. As far as recommendations go - I have absolutely brilliant recommendations from my officers in the army, my service record is beyond outstanding. I will try and dig up a teacher or two as well.</p>
<p>When I did my TOEFL and SAT I knew I wanted NYU/Columbia, so I set those schools as receivers of those marks - they already have them. </p>
<p>lilybbloom: money worries me greatly, but the competition is very fierce for places like Stern, and the sheer number of applicants who have applied earlier than I have doesn't work in my favour. </p>
<p>Besides, I haven't got all of this sorted in my head yet, I have only been looking through this for 2 weeks. I did TOEFL/SAT without preperation - I didn't have the time. SAT IIs would be asking for quite a lot, since it's been over 3 years since I last opened a textbook. Most work on this stuff for many months.</p>
<p>Am I that far from the average application age that I could be consdered an adult?</p>
<p>BTW: If you have any websites with information about admissions for rather irregular students, I'd be delighted if you'd throw a link in my direction....</p>
<p>If you decide to take SAT IIs, make sure to take writing. It will be the single most important one for you, and there isn't much preparation for it. Your English is very good, you'll probably do very well on it (you may want to look at some sample questions). If you can handle Math 1c or 2c, it is a good choice in addition to writing (2c is more advanced, but has a much better curve, so you can miss 6-8 questions, and still get 800). You can take Modern Hebrew as the third one, so it will be an easy 800 for you.
I don't think you are <em>that</em> irregular. Just apply as a normal freshman. You have a good "excuse" for not going to college right out of high school. If you have specific questions, e-mail or call the admissions offices at the schools you are applying to.</p>
<p>Why are you so sure that you are getting the green card within two weeks? Is one of your parents an American, and it is only a formality?</p>
<p>Because there's about 3 register days of the waiting list left for me (last check: yesterday), and the rate of advance in queue is of 3 register days per week. It is a mere fomrality since I'm fully entitled to receiving it. It's just a matter of time, nothing else.</p>
<p>I've looked into the SAT IIs and the Modern Hebrew one is beyond a joke. It would be the easiest test of my life, but will it not seem funny to the admission board? It is my mother's tongue after all (well my 2nd one, I was born in the USSR, so my first native language is Russian). Personally, I'd be somewhat unimpressed by an immigrant who achieves a perfect score in a test of his own first language which was never made for a native speaker.</p>
<p>The extra 800 will help you for statistical reasons (schools that ask for 3 SAT IIs often average the score).You will not be the first or the last native speaker to take advantage of it - most of them do...</p>
<p>People game the SAT II's with the language all the time. The College Board was forced to add a Korean test after being deluged from complaints...they already had Chinese and Japanese.</p>
<p>I don't think this is cricket, myself, but if everyone else can do it, you would be silly not to. It's one of those rule of the game I'd like to change but I'm not sure how.</p>
<p>Leyser, I think I was wrong, I think NYU is the NYC uni with the adult student program. I suggest you look into this, not because I think the program is more lenient or "lesser", but because schools with established programs fro returning students will be more "flexible" and creative looking at your application. NNGMM's post about testing is a good one, as is TheDad's. Your English reads "colloquial" I would think you would do well on the writing exam.</p>