A Slightly Unique Scenario

Applying to College
1

<p>I'm in a unique spot, as I am considered an International Student but have lived in the US for the last 9 years. I'll elaborate on that later, but first here are my stats:
Mexican Male
3.944 (unweighed) 4.188 (weighed)
Challenging courseload (Currently takin Econ AP, English AP, Calc AP, and Physiology)
Pretty competitive public school in California
Rank: Our school doesn't rank, but I'm pretty sure I'm in the top 10%
SAT 1: 2110 (690m, 690v, 730w)
SAT II: 700 Math 2c, 720 literature, 740 us history
Letters of Rec: Didn't read them, but I believe they are VERY strong as one of the teachers I've had 2 years and the other knows me very well
Secondary School Report: At my school the GC interviews anyone needing a rec and then writes one for each school you apply to. My interview was REALLY good, so I think that the GC rec is pretty strong.
Essays: Very good, talked about some unique life-experiences. Elaborated on my love of reading/writing and movies. Also talked about water polo and its effect on me.
ECs:
Water Polo (4 years, 2 years varsity, JV Captain Soph year, Varsity Captain senior year)
Swimming (4 years, 3 years varsity)
AVID Tutoring (You can only tutor in this program your senior year, so I only did it for one year)
Animal Shelter Volunteer (3 years, fostered animals, big time-commitment)</p>

<p>I'm also a first-generation student and I'm an URM (though I don't know if I'm considered one since I am a Mexican citizen, and thus I'm applying as an international student). My family's not extremely poor, but we'd definitely need a substantial amount of financial aid (my family's income is around 55-60k)</p>

<p>I applied to:
San Diego State (already got in)
UC Irvine (already in, was invited to join the school's honors program)
UC San Diego
American University
Boston University
Northwestern
Harvard
Cornell</p>

<p>Now I know that applying as an international seeking financial aid will hurt me at Northwestern, but do you think I still have a chance getting in there? Also, I've read that Harvard views all applicants the same, regardless of international or not; is that true? At Cornell, Mexican citizens get the same financial aid along with US students and Canadians, so will my international status hurt me there? I had interviews with all three of them (Northwestern, Cornell, Harvard) and they all went extremely well, will that help my chances?</p>

<p>Overall, what do you guys think my chances are at each of the schools? Any help is appreciated (Sorry for the long read, I know it's late and I can't really change much...but I'm just extremely curious and anxious to hear back from the colleges).</p>

2

<p>In order of questions asked:</p>

<ol>
<li>Yes you have a chance.</li>
<li>Honestly yes it might hurt you to be asking for aid at Northwestern, if you check their stats you can see this.</li>
<li>That is not true, they put international applicants in a separate pool.</li>
<li>International status always hurts at U.S. colleges</li>
<li>Yes good interviews will help your chances.</li>
<li>Reaches except for Boston/American/UC san diego Northwestern is probably a match but Cornell is a reach because you didn't apply ED :)</li>
</ol>

3

<p>Thanks for answering my questions AcceptedtoCollegeAlready.</p>

<p>So I'll be put in the international pool, eh? I had already heard a bit about that, but it still seems somewhat unfair. I mean, I'm really just the same as any other US applicant, as I've spent the majority of my life here. Oh well, no use complaining for that.</p>

<p>And about having applied to Cornell ED...yeah, I really wish I had done that. I visited it over the summer and absolutely loved it. Main reason I didn't do ED was because I wasn't sure if the financial aid package would be enough to afford the school. Plus, I also like Harvard a lot, so I wanted to see what happened with both. But the more I've learned about Cornell, the more I liked it. My interview with a Cornell alumnus was REALLY insightful, and hopefully it helps me when the admissions committe makes a decision on my application. Anyways, thanks for your help. Anyone else have any other comments?</p>

4

<p>You could've applied EA to Harvard (it's nonbinding.) Anyway, if you were a US citizen, I'd say you pretty much in all of them, but I don't know much about being an international.</p>

5

<p>Yeah unfortunately its a bit harder for internationals.</p>

6

<p>why can't asians ever be URM's :(</p>

7

<p>Would it in any way help to perhaps send in a letter of interest to Cornell? I've heard of kids who are deferred doing this in order to tell the school that they're still their first choice, but would it be beneficial for me to do it if I really felt that Cornell was now my first choice (even though I didn't do ED)? Or is it pretty much useless at this point in the game?</p>

8

<p>tlqkf, asians used to be, once upon a time. </p>

<p>in what ways was your interview with your cornell interviewer insightful?</p>

9

<p>Hey, I think Harvard and the other ivies you mentioned use the same standards for both domestic and international applicants. At least I'm pretty sure that Harvard does this. </p>

<p>Also, boston and AU are probably the most "realistic" ones for you.
I mean, your stats are generally exceedingly good, yet you will be viewed as one of the "average outstanding" kids by the ivies. They'd like to see something reall REALLY unique, especially if you are an international applicant. </p>

<p>Anyway, I hope this helps, and keep your hopes high</p>

10

<p>Also, I've a few questions here:</p>

<p>I am a canadian citizen, and live up here in the north. I think applying for financial aid as an international applicant like me will hurt my chances anywhere except for the ivies. Is that true?
(I know for sure that boston DOES NOT give need based aids to intn'l applicants.)</p>

<p>Are Canadians being put online the same standards with US students when it comes to financial aids? </p>

<p>Lastly, if they do not grant any financial aids to Canadian/international applicants, I think the best way for me is to say that "I don't need any," so it won't hurt my chances on that. We have some sort of a RESP educational fund here in Canada, and for me it can account for over 50k, so I think I'll just fully utilize that, plus my parents are planning to get a student loan from the bank. Basically, these are some of the alternatives for me (as a canadian applicant) to escape that financial aid trap. what do you think?</p>

11

<p>JIMMY@KILLARNEY: Take it from someone who knows, there are VERY few schools that will give financial aid to internationals. The ones that do give financial aid, your chances will be hurt, as they are "need-aware" at those schools (places like Northwestern). Your best bet is to apply to some Ivies, as some of them view all internationals the same, and some (Cornell/UPenn/etc) view Canadians and Mexicans in the same view as Americans when it comes to financial aid. I've recently read that some LAC's give a lot of merit aid, so you could always give that a shot. Good luck to you.</p>

12

<p>What are "LAC's"?</p>

<p>And also, as I mentioned previously, if the schools don't grant any financial assistance to international applicants, I'll just have to take up the burden myself. I don't think that money should be viewed as the top priority: Receiving the best education plus living in a world class intellectual environment are the factors I really care about. A long term student tuition loan from the bank, a bit of outside scholarship assistance, and a work/study job (plus some funding from Canada's federal gov't) should make a good tuition package for me. </p>

<p>Don't be too worried about/scared of by something that hasn't even arrived yet:
"When we really want something, the entire universal conspires to help us achieve that goal, only if we let it."
Try to incorporate this philosophy whenever you meet an obstacle. For me, it helps.</p>

13

<p>By the way, did any of you watch the Olympic Closing ceremony today?? It was awesome, and since I'm a Canadian, I really felt proud when the handicapped mayor of the city of Vancouver in Canada (my city's mayor) swinged the Olympic flag before the world. The experience was absolutely thrilling.</p>

14

<p>LAC=Liberal Arts Colleges. I've heard they're usually willing to give financial aid to internationals as they seek a bit more diversity. Not entirely sure thou.</p>

15

<p>Which LAC's are you planning to go then?</p>

<p>And what are the top LAC's in the country??</p>

16

<p>Alas, I never really felt that I would fit in at a LAC, thus I didn't apply to any. However, if you're looking for good liberal arts colleges (which are typically small and undergrad-oriented) just go to the main page for discussion forums...scroll down to colleges and universities...and go into the subsection named "CC Top Liberal Arts Colleges". Personallly, if i could go through the application process all over again, I'd look into Colgate, Hamilton, Swarthmore, Bucknell, etc. Good luck with your search.</p>

17

<p>Thought I'd update this with some new information. </p>

<p>So far I've gotten into UC Irvine (honors program), SDSU (pretty much expected it), American (honors program), and UCSD.</p>

<p>Still waiting to hear from Boston, Cornell, Harvard, and Northwestern. Hopefully I get into one of the last 3 I just mentioned, as I'd love to go to any of them.</p>

<p>Any last comments before we reach the home stretch of admissions decisions?</p>

18

<p>As a HS junior I don't have any insight for you, only sympathy. I'm in the same situation. I've lived in the US for five years, which is longer than I've lived in any other country in my life; I'm fully assimilated and feel more at home here than I do in my own country... for all intents and purposes I'm a domestic applicant, yet I'm expected to apply as an international for no reason other than the letter combination on my visa (A-1, diplomatic). It sucks, what can I say. You sound like a strong applicant, though, and I'm sure you'll get some great acceptances along with the ones you have already. Congratulations, and good luck! :)</p>

19

<p>thisyearsgirl, I have an A-2, so you'll be going EXACTLY what I'm going through in about a year.
Are your parents foreign government workers? My mom works for the Mexican government and that's why I've lived here in the US the past 9 years. What countries have you lived in?
Anyways, start thinking about which schools you want to go to and best of luck to you :)</p>

20

<p>My parents work for the Swedish government. I've lived in...
1989-1990 - Stockholm, Sweden
1990-1994 - Moscow, Russia
1994-1998 - Brussels, Belgium
1998-2001 - Stockholm, Sweden
2001-present - Washington, DC, USA
I've started thinking about which schools to apply to, and I've found a decent selection of reaches, matches, and safeties... it's really a question of whether financial aid will be sufficient, otherwise I'll have to go overseas for the EU tuition discount (the one thing my Swedish citizenship is good for)... I'd prefer not to, though, so hopefully we'll make it work somehow.</p>