<p>I am currently studying in Fudan University in China (71st in QS world ranking) as a freshmen and have been hoping to transfer to a US college after I got my green card this summer. However, I haven't had any experience studying in US yet.
Though I have not taken SAT exam yet, I estimate that ideally I can have an SAT1 grade about 2150 and GPA about 3.70.
I an wondering what schools are possible for me?
How is the chance for me to get into a top 30 school?</p>
<p>You should complete your BA in Fudan and apply for PhD in the US, lot cheaper and more opportunities.</p>
<p>But I think that US colleges provide better undergrad education and that completing a BA in a US college may be helpful for PhD admission as well as future development in USA… As for affordability, tuition is not a really big burden for my family. By the way, how is the popularity of Fudan in the US?</p>
<p>And I am thinking about transferring for the second time next year if I am not admitted by a top college… you know transfer from oversea is not so easy</p>
<p>Grass is always greener next door. Fudan is a well respected school internationally. To transfer, you may have to set back one year because not all credits are transferable. In addition, no financial aid for internationals.</p>
<p>But I have green card, so I think I won’t be considered the same as internationals who are not eligible for FA</p>
<p>Sorry forget that. Transfer students always get less aid than the frosh. </p>
<p>What major(s)? What career interest(s)?</p>
<p>I am interested in politics and sociology. And I think that my credits won’t be transferred completely due to my current literature major so that I may have to downgrade. What I want is an academic career, so I will study for a PhD after graduate.</p>
<p>I would recommend LACs.</p>
<p>Can you chance what level of LACs is possible for me?</p>
<p>No. You can try to find acceptance rates through their common data sets. But most important is finding one where you’ll be happy and thrive.
You can look through the Fisk Guide. Also Student Reviews, but there would be a lot of negativity there (since people who want to complain are more liable to post), but they differ by school so you can get a sense of what each school is like.</p>
<p>Does your whole family have green cards, or just you?
What part of the US will you/your family be living in?
How much can your family afford each year?</p>
<p>If you don’t need much aid, there are a lot of places that will be happy to accept you. Fudan is well recognized. </p>
<p>My dad and I have green card while my mum has delayed her date to get green card due to her work. However, my family is still in China at present and will most likely to be living in New Jersey or Pennsylvania. As for affordability, luckily my family supports my education and is able to pay the full tuition by using savings, so it is not really necessary for me to get much financial aid. </p>
<p>The only aid that you are guaranteed are the federal student loans that you will qualify for when you file the FAFSA. This comes to $5,500 freshman year, $6,500 sophomore year, $7,500 junior year, and $7,500 senior year. The college or university you transfer into will determine your status. It is entirely possible that you could be required to apply as a transfer because you are currently at Fudan, but have so few of your credits accepted that you classify as a freshman, which would mean that your aid could be limited to that $5,500 loan.</p>
<p>Talk the money issues over with your parents, and find out what your budget would be. Then check the college/university websites for the estimated Cost of Attendance to make certain that they fall within that budget, and go ahead and apply to the ones that still interest you.</p>
<p>Wishing you all the best!</p>
<p>You need to budget around 60K per year for any named school in the usa as a full paying student. The more important thing is that you may not be able to get in to a better or even the same level of school than Fudan.
I still think you should get your literary degree there, do well in Gre and apply for a great IR school like Georgetown. Heaven can wait, what’s the rush? You have 50+ years of life ahead of you, stay in Fudan a few more years is not going to kill you. </p>