<p>I'm done putting down a few colleges I may want to apply to. </p>
<p>Now, a criterion I'll take into account as to whether apply to any of them is their acceptance rates.</p>
<p>I think I should only apply to those colleges that have the highest acceptance rates, so as to make sure that I'll get in somewhere.</p>
<p>Is my rationale correct?</p>
<p>Well should apply to only those colleges you want to get into and would be happy attending. While it’s important to have safeties on your list (those schools that you’ll be nearly sure to get into) you can also put matches and reaches.</p>
<p>Look at your stats (GPA, test scores, ECs, etc.) in relation to those of the people accepted at the schools you’re applying to. Are you above the normal accepted student? Are you in the middle? Are you below the average? </p>
<p>You shouldn’t only apply to safe schools unless you’re sure you want to attend only those schools. Also, high acceptance rates don’t mean 100% acceptance, so make sure you qualify for those schools and are likely to be accepted before marking them as true safeties.</p>
<p>Another thing to consider is how much you can afford to pay. This factor is VERY important and will greatly influence your list.</p>
<p>What are your stats? GPA? Test scores? including SAT breakdown.</p>
<p>While you may want to apply to a few schools with high acceptance rates, you shouldn’t ONLY apply to schools with high acceptance rates. If your stats are good, even schools with moderate acceptance rates may likely accept you. </p>
<p>hint…if the school has rolling admissions, often a school is more lenient with admissions early in the app season…so apply early.</p>
<p>Thanks for the prompt reply, guys!</p>
<p>I find it a bit onerous to compare myself against other students who got into the colleges I may apply to because, as an international student, I don’t know whether my stats are good enough. And I haven’t yet sat any standardized tests that they require(e.g., SAT, TOEFL).</p>
<p>I consider myself to be an average student though. My overall grade for high school(i.e., GPA counterpart) is, on a scale from 1 to 10, about 9.5. I hold an IELTS certificate with an overall band of 7.5. Extracurricular-wise I think I’m alright: I’ve won a few contests(e.g., 1st place national econ contest), I volunteer at the Red Cross; just to name a few.</p>
<p>Since you’re an int’l student, you may have other things to consider as well. If your parents will be full pay, then you’ll have lots of options.</p>
<p>However, if you need aid then the schools with high admit rates won’t likely work for you.</p>
<p>I’m somewhat poor, so I won’t afford to pay, say, more than 3000$/school year.</p>
<p>But some colleges with relatively high acceptance rates(let’s say more than 35%), like Lafayette and Gettysburg, state that they will meet 100% of the student’s financial need.</p>
<p>So…I shouldn’t apply to those colleges?</p>
<p>You need to make sure that you’re applying to colleges that offer aid to international students. I don’t remember whether Gettysburg meets 100% need for internationals or not. That number is a “for sure” type of thing for American applicants. There’s usually a few pages dedicated to undergraduate international student admissions on every college website. It will lay out there what materials are required of international applicants and whether or not aid is given, and how much.</p>
<p>Here are the colleges on my list:</p>
<p>% of applicants admitted(CollegeBoard stats)/College/Test optional(i.e., can substitute SAT/ACT with language test)</p>
<p>40 Gettysburg<br>
40 Lafayette<br>
40 Reed<br>
39 Occidental<br>
38 Franklin&M<br>
35 Macalaster<br>
34 Connecticut Y
31 Carleton<br>
30 Oberlin<br>
30 Trinity Y
29 Colby<br>
29 Colgate<br>
28 Davidson
27 Bates Y
27 Hamilton Y
25 Haverford<br>
12 Berea Y</p>
<p>These colleges say they meet 100% of an international student’s need.</p>
<p>I’m waiting for comments on my choices. :)</p>
<p>Applying early is a good idea to schools with rolling admissions. Also, although SATs are optional for some of these schools, taking them may make you more competitive.</p>
<p>Big3…are any of those schools “need aware” for int’l students?</p>
<p>But some colleges with relatively high acceptance rates(let’s say more than 35%), like Lafayette and Gettysburg, state that they will meet 100% of the student’s financial need.</p>
<p>35% is NOT a high acceptance rate. and, that may be the acceptance rate for domestic students. The acceptance rate for int’ls may be much lower…especially if the school is “need aware.”</p>
<p>Some are need-aware, others are need-blind.</p>
<p>I haven’t found any colleges that offer full-need aid to international students with acceptance rates higher than, say, 50%, so 35% is a decent figure in my opinion. CollegeBoard doesn’t provide acceptance rates for internationals, so I don’t know much about that.</p>
<p>Also, Connecticut, Trinity, Bates, Hamilton, Bowdoin, Berea and Sarah Lawrence are test optional for international students, meaning that I may only submit an English-language test, instead of SAT/ACT results.</p>
<p>Since I’m pretty sure I’ll achieve either average or below average scores in SAT/ACT, I was thinking of only applying to the aforementioned colleges.</p>
<p>What do you think?</p>
<p>Those acceptance rates probably do NOT apply to int’ls. Look at the info from Franklin & Marshall</p>
<p>Financial Aid for International Students</p>
<p>Because of our commitment to a diverse student body, Franklin & Marshall does provide need-based financial assistance to international students.* Although there is generous funding, the amount of aid is limited *so the more aid an applicant needs, the more competitive the admission process becomes. **However, if a student is accepted at Franklin & Marshall, we will meet 100% of the demonstrated need for that student.</p>
<p>That means that the school is “need aware” for int’ls. That means the acceptance rate is likely much, much lower for int’ls…especially ones with great need. They may only accept 3% of those with great need. </p>
<p>Think about it…these schools can’t afford to be “need blind meet full need” to millions of int’l applicants and accept 30% of applicants. They don’t have enough seats or money to do that. Heck, just the applicants from China or India alone would break them.</p>
<p>Yes, most of the colleges on my list are need-aware and their acceptance rates for int’ls are surely lower. But what’s the alternative? Ivy League-level colleges seem way out of reach. Shouldn’t I just try my luck at these need-aware colleges?</p>
<p>^^
Oh sure…definitely apply. Just be aware that the acceptance rate won’t be 30%. </p>
<p>I don’t know what your stats are, but maybe you should apply to some schools that would give you huge merit for your stats. What is your major and stats?</p>
<p>I would suggest applying to Franklin & Marshall. I know of an international student who applied there and received a full scholarship. His stats were basic 2090, 3.3 UW GPA, great essays. </p>
<p>I would also suggest Lafayette and Rollins (FL) they have a reputation for giving good aid to international students, but as persons have said, it’s going to be competitive.</p>
<p>The international student acceptance rates aren’t really published by schools, but it is usually less than the schools reg. acceptance rate. Brown’s reg. acceptance rate was ~8% while the int’l student acceptance rate was ~6%</p>
<p>big3al
you have a nice group of schools, never mind the ivies.
what country do you live?</p>
<p>@mom2collegekids: I just graduated from high school and my overall grades(i.e., what I think they call GPA in the U.S.) fall between 9 and 10 on a scale from 1 to 10, so I reckon they’re pretty high. I don’t have a major or anything of that nature; in high school I studied a lot of subjects: from languages(e.g., Latin, German) to natural sciences(e.g., Physics, Chemistry), social sciences(e.g., Economics, Sociology) and Maths.</p>
<p>@ivyvision: Thanks for the info. I didn’t know about Rollins.</p>
<p>@zobroward: Romania.</p>
<p>It sort of looks like you too the USNWR rankings and then seleted by admit rates. All those colleges have their pick of students. SAT optional does not mean they simply look at your gpa. EC’s can matter very much, as they describe the sort of vison and leadership you have. LoRs matter very much. And, the app questions and essays.</p>
<p>Meet full need (did someone note this yet?) does NOT mean you’d get $54k in aid. Not at all. These colleges calculate your “need” per their own formulas.</p>
<p>^^^</p>
<p>Also, many schools do not include the cost of int’l travel in their COAs.</p>
<p>Gettysburg, re intl kids getting FA: Yes. Qualification for a scholarship (financial aid) is based on need. Once need is determined, academic achievement, scholastic aptitude, and promise of contribution as a student and citizen are factors used to determine financial aid awards…Although financial aid is available for international students, the process is highly competitive.</p>
<p>That’s not meet full need for intls. Just for some. You need to seriously dig through those web sites.</p>
<p>Gettysburg gets about 5000 apps, admits 2000, but roughly 700 matriculate (they have to admit that % to get that “yeild.”) That can be an advantage- but you won’t know your immediate competition- other kids from Romania or Eastern Europe, some full-pays, their academic achievements, etc. In general, you want to be a good match in the college’s eyes, for their environment, the campus personality, for your major. That’s more than looking at admit rates and ranking.</p>