Hi! I’m a junior recently migrated to the US. Low income background (30k ish), first gen in the US, decent GPA (4.8 with AP Calc, Physics C, APUSH etc. with all A’s and A pluses/4.0 uw gpa). SAT was 1330 (730m 600eng which is pretty low) but I’m taking the ACT and expecting a 32+ since Math is my strong subject (getting 780-800 practice scores). I don’t have any standout ECs (normal stuff like Robotics, Astronomy Club, Chess Club, Model UN, Quizbowl, NHS etc. and a bunch of local awards). I can speak three languages, read/write a fourth one and learning my fifth one (not sure if it’s relevant or not). Now the thing is we can’t afford top colleges so questbridge is my only realistic option. Do I need to create a nonprofit or something I enjoy to stand out or should I focus more on my scores? I had to learn English and the American education system in two years so my transcript is kinda weird (went from algebra one to precalc honors in a year, took English basic skills development freshman year and taking AP lang junior year etc. and I’m not sure how colleges will look at this). I’m open for feedback. Sorry if I made any mistakes I’m still learning English. Thank you for reading!
No not at all, you sound like an outstanding candidate, colleges especially like applicants who have overcome barriers. Make sure you explain your circumstances in the additional information section fo the common app and I think you have a really solid shot. Good Luck!
I’ll try my best on the essays, thanks for your response!
Just keep in mind that being an “outstanding candidates” at many T20 schools may mean admittance chances go up from the overall 5-15% to 15-40%. It sounds like you have the background to get in the pool of serious consideration at many schools, but there are still many more very qualified students than slots.
Grades and scores alone will not likely get you accepted. However, please don’t start a non profit just for college applications.
@Eeyore123 it’s not just for college apps. Kids can’t go to school in my country if they aren’t born privileged. I’m thinking of starting a free education program where I teach stuff and they aren’t data consuming because internet is barely available in my country. It might not be popular in a short time but I’ll keep helping people because I know what it feels like to study and work hard knowing you’ll never make it in life because the education system is corrupted and there’s no way out unless you get accepted into some foreign university
For T20, I think you need to get your SAT/ACT score significantly higher. Your time is better spent preparing for tests than adding a nonprofit to your app, IMO.
That said, being first gen is a hook, and speaking 3+ languages is very impressive.
QB is a great entryway into the applying to top schools. Read the rules carefully, learn all the ins and outs of this program. GCs do not tend to be familiar with it, so it’s up to you.
However, getting into any of those schools, let alone getting a QB Match is very low probability. If it happens, great. But make sure you are focusing on other affordable options. Look for schools that will be happy to admit you and that you can afford. That’s going to be your big challenge. It’s very easy to read off the list of T20 schools, QB schools, but if they don’t work out, too many kids stand there empty handed with no viable, affordable choices.
Check out the lesser known schools. Look for state programs. The challenge is going to be getting money to pay for your college.
Helping others is always good. Many kids stay involved with their former home country and it’s admirable.
But for top 20 colleges here, the real hope with community service is to have some ongoing commitment locally, dealing with the needs around us. No, you don’t need to found anything. Often working with an existing organization is more effective.
As a junior, you have plenty of time to tweak, but first you need a sense of what. You need an idea of what it takes to be a viable applicant to a T20.
There’s more, but the the dea is to get a deeper perspective than stats, ECs, or your back story.
Definitely do pursue Questbridge, as it improves your chances of acceptance at a partner school even if you don’t match. But it’s not your only chance - you can still apply to a well-chosen range of full-need-met schools, even without Questbridge.
Do apply for the College Prep Scholars program for HS juniors, though - the deadline is in March: https://www.questbridge.org/high-school-students/college-prep-scholars
It’s especially important for you to explore full-need-met schools outside of the T20. Not saying you shouldn’t apply to those top-ranked schools - I think you have the makings of a strong candidate. But casting a little wider net (while still focusing on schools where the financial aid will meet your need) will make sure that you have viable options even if the tippy-top schools don’t come through for you.
I think you’ve got a great shot at pulling up your test scores a bit more. Obviously your English fluency has been improving steeply, so you’d be likely to do better 6-9 months from now even without prep, just by virtue of your ongoing learning curve. If you also prep specifically for the SAT (put the Khan Academy app on your phone and use it even as little as 10-15 minutes a day), you’ll surely improve, and that will help you for sure.
What do you want to study? It sounds like you want some kind of STEM, but do you need a school with an engineering program, or just one that’s strong in math and science?
Would your in-state flagship be affordable with the financial aid that’s available there for your profile?
I agree that starting your own nonprofit is more of a time-sink than necessary. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel to show that you’re engaged with your community. It’s important to strike an appropriate balance between investing in yourself, and giving back - reaching out to students in your home country is a wonderful ambition but not something that has to come fully to fruition while you’re still in high school. Perhaps do some networking and see if there’s a college student from your country who’s already doing something that you could become involved in?
@aquapt I am interested in STEM and the best CS school near me is Purdue (Lafayette). Purdue has a bunch of scholarships that I should qualify for and state education is also cheaper so that’s my practical option. I’d love to get into a t20 but my test scores aren’t good enough. I’ve learned the math terms in English and my maximum sat math avg is 780-800 but I’m still struggling in English so I have to work on time management/reading. There is an organization founded by college students in my country which is like a local khanacademy and I have friends in there so I can teach for them instead of starting my own. Thanks for your feedback.
@pickpocket yeah I’m working on improving my standardized test scores (especially the English part). Will a high test score alone get me in or do I need some sort of a decent hook like the state chess champion or Intel’s programming competition winner or the owner of a small nonprofit?
@shrecccc No, higher scores alone will not get you in, but they will get your app taken more seriously. And certainly awards and leadership positions also make you stand out. But admission to T20 is extremely competitive and you should broaden your search to all the great schools in the T75+. Purdue is a super school, especially for STEM. I suspect you know all this anyway. Good luck.
CS at Purdue is actually better than at a lot of the T20’s - that’s a terrific option to have, top-tier for CS.
I also don’t think your test scores will automatically keep you out of competitive private U’s. Your math score is already strong and will likely improve more as your facility in reading/interpreting the questions improves. And your verbal score will be viewed in the context of your still learning the language; and my bet is that it will continue to climb. Some schools may also want you to take the TOEFL, and it could be to your advantage to do so even if it’s not required.
You may want to run the Net Price Calculators for some private full-need-met LAC’s that are strong in CS and math. (It doesn’t sound like it’s important for the school you attend to have the full range of engineering majors so long as the math and CS programs are good.) St. Olaf in MN could be a particularly good one to look at, as this is an area of strength for them and their financial aid is quite good while admissions are competitive but not T20-level competitive. https://wp.stolaf.edu/financialaid/net-price-calculator/ Every college has a calculator like this on its financial aid website, and each determines its own financial aid formula, so running NPC’s should be your first filter to determine whether a school is likely to be a viable option for you. The midwestern LAC’s could be particularly good options for you, since they’re within a reasonable distance and they tend to be a bit less competitive than their east or west coast equivalents, just because so many students insist on the schools in or near coastal cities. Carleton (in the same town as St. Olaf), Grinnell, and Macalester could all be good possibilities. (All three are Questbridge partners, whereas St. Olaf is not.)
There are also full-need-met schools that are test-optional. I actually doubt your scores will be low enough that your application would be stronger without them, but nonetheless, having some schools in the mix that put less emphasis on testing could be good. Run the NPC’s for Wesleyan, Bowdoin, and Bates, for example… and also Hamilton and U of Rochester, which are “test flexible” and will accept AP scores in place of SAT/ACT.
You haven’t indicated your gender, but some of the full-need-met women’s colleges could be excellent options if you’re female.
I don’t think the super-elite universities are necessarily out of reach; but your first step in that regard is to connect with Questbridge as early as possible. If you can get accepted as a College Prep Scholar this coming spring, that will qualify you for summer programs and admissions conferences at top schools; and being able to apply as a QB Finalist would increase your chances at Partner schools even if you don’t get an offer through the Match process.
Fortunately your in-state options are great and set a high bar. Think about what you most want in a college experience - would you like a smaller school with smaller classes and more individual attention, for your undergrad experience, or would you prefer to be at a larger research university? Or would a mid-sized research university (like URochester, Tufts, Rice, Emory, etc.) be the most appealing? Visiting different kinds of campuses will help you to figure out what would be best for you; and many schools have funded fly-in programs that you could qualify for (example: https://admission.rice.edu/soar ) so look into those and keep close track of their application deadlines. If you would like to be at a large research university, Purdue may be hard to beat in terms of what they offer for your field of interest; whether private U’s will be more advantageous financial aid wise is something you’ll need to determine, and also whether the intangibles of being part of an elite private college/U (as opposed to a well-respected public U that is tops in your field) are important to you.
I think teaching through the existing organization sounds perfect. You can always use one of your application essays to talk about how that organization doesn’t yet meet all the needs you would like to address, and how you hope to add to what they are doing as you progress through your own education.
Purdue is T20 for CS and T10 for engineering.
Are you an instate resident or an international student living in Indiana? Be sure that you are running the numbers correctly. FWIW merit from Purdue is typically not generous, especially for STEM majors.
Clearly OP has good command of English in her writing here. She will work on the score issue. Her LoRs can mention her quick adaptation to the US school program. If the app package is done well, I believe adcoms will forgive some of the Engl score.
The problem is when a student isn’t sure what “whole picture” it takes, makes some assumptions. Purdue iis holistic, not just about stats. Focusing on a possible ACT 32 Composite misses that the subscores need to be in line, too. You need to realize that founding something isn’t a tip, nor a chess award, an Intel, owning a non-profit, or speaking 3+ languages. They’re nice, sure, valid. But not a tip.
And except for MUN, your ECs are mostly typical of stem kids, not reflecting some breadth of interests, some willingness to try new things, outside stem. (I realize you may have more, but just didn’t include them here.)
So for a junior, with time, the logical direction is to start by bolstering your understanding of what a highly competitive college does look for, based on what they say and show, not 3rd party sites. Then, eg, you could see something to add or manage differently. It also means a better understanding of what the main essay or any supp writing is meant to convey.
Again, it’s noble that you want to help kids in your home country. But adcoms like to see how kids extend themselves on behalf of others locally around them, get directly involved, etc. This applies to all kids aiming high and for holistic schools. It signals awareness, willingness, good will, and more.
It’s different than just putting in some vol hours via a club It’s different than efforts to help the home country kids. It’s not something like tutoring or shelving libary books. It doesn’t need to be a big deal or many hours/week.
I think you have lots of time to improve your app.