My GPA is 3.4, and my SAT is 1200. I’m hoping to raise my GPA to at least a 3.5 (it’s my senior year right now), and hopefully, I can get at least a mid-1200 on my next SAT.
I’m looking for a university that gives away a lot of scholarships for international students, or a university with a yearly cost of attendance less than $20,000 (or place where housing is cheap so that I don’t need dorms).
I want to go to a place where the acceptance rate is at least < 60%.
Feel free to recommend any other universities that are affordable for international students!
Hmm… well your GPA and your SAT scores a rather low. SATs you might want to get up to at least 1300 to rule out schools with an above 60% acceptance rate. Colleges aren’t as concerned with GPA for international students, because of different school systems, but scores are extremely important.
Here’s a list that can help you start thinking about schools:
Brigham Young University
location: Provo, Utah
acceptance rate: 53%
average SAT score: 1300
price: $11,000
Ohio State University
location: Columbus, Ohio
acceptance rate: 49.1%
average SAT score: 1330
price: $27,000
Minot State University
location: Minot, North Dakota
acceptance rate: 57.7%
average SAT score: 1060
price: $6,000
Southern University at New Orleans
location: New Orleans, Louisiana
acceptance rate: 20.7%
average SAT score: 825
price: $6,500
Northwestern Oklahoma State University
location: Alva, Oklahoma
acceptance rate: 66.2%
average SAT score: 1030
price: $12,293
University of Alabama
location: Tuscaloosa, Alabama
acceptance rate: 54%
average SAT score: 1180
price: $27,000
Schools like U of Alabama and Ohio State are probably your best bet, but theyr’a little out of your price range.
BYU is a religious school funded by and for the LDS. They are not looking for internationals or diversity. Acceptance rate reflects the applicant pool, the rejects will be the ones who apply without knowing what they are applying for. I really am bemused by its listing here. Do you think OP has an LDS bishop handy?
@Sybylla , ha! I just made that list as a range of schools for them to “start thinking about schools.” BYU fits their credentials but in general I think they should get their scores up otherwise a lot of options are unrealistic
Realize that, if you’re going to get substantial aid, those numbers will probably have to be significantly higher than the “average” SAT for students attending the school.
That further narrows down the list posted.
I wish I could come with some better options. If I could, my own kids would be looking further afield than the schools we can afford.
You might try the University of Alabama-Huntsville (US large state public universities often have multiple campuses; the “flagship” campus for the University of Alabama is in Tuscaloosa, which is the school mentioned in #1). Huntsville is a nice city with a large NASA facility. It is probably more accessible in terms of admission than the Tuscaloosa campus. You can apply to both.
Here’s the cost info for the University of Wyoming. It’s one of the most affordable public universities. It’s in a railroad town at very high altitude, so pretty cold and windy. Surrounding area is pretty majestic, but it is not close to very much. Denver is the closest major city. There are not many international students, so you’d have to consider that. I"m not sure if you’d receive any aid or not, though its doubtful at public universities.
Here’s info for the University of New Mexico. I’m not sure if these costs apply for OOS students. I could not find a page specifically for OOS/International, so not sure who this applies to. You’ll need to check that. Albuquerque is in the high desert. It’s featured in the TV series “Breaking Bad.”
I would guess that the Universities of South Dakota and North Dakota might also be relatively inexpensive. Again, these will not have many international students. Good luck!
@bananaoou :
Look at UToledo, Youngstown State, the PASSHE schools in Pennsylvania (West Chester, Millersville, Bloomsburg, Slippery Rock…)
Perhaps Shepherd University, UMW, CNU, UMass Lowell, UMaine, USouthern Maine, if you qualify for Honors?
UCincinnati if you can get into a program with Co-ops and some honors scholarships? (If in IT or CS, co-ops pay very well)
If you can afford $20,000, some academically-oriented LACs may be possible: Earlham, Wooster, Beloit, Caroll Montana, Millsaps, Guilford?
For OP’s stats I was thinking the same thing. Academically it would be a very good fit. However, according to the UMass Lowell web site tuition plus fees plus room and board for out of state students is currently $44,361. They say that they have some financial aid for international students, but I would be surprised if they have enough to get the total cost below $20,000.
If OP could afford $30,000 then I could suggest some schools, or if they had all A’s and 1500+ on the SAT. As it is I am drawing a blank.
@bananaoou I’m not usually harsh but requiring an admittance rate less than 60% is downright silly. You should be concerned with your quality of education not some illusion of selectivity.
I second the suggestion to look at branch campuses of state public universities. Wisconsin’s won’t come in at $20,000 or less but I’m sure branch campuses in some states do.
