Any suggestions for a pretty good student from NZ?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hey CCers,</p>

<p>I am a student in New Zealand wanting to apply for 2010 autumn admission. I have my top choice college sorted (tied between Harvard and Stanford), but these colleges are of course high reaches for any student. </p>

<p>I was wondering if you could suggest a few colleges as safeties, matches, and reaches for me? (btw, I will request for financial aid.) The list that I have compiled right now is, in order of preference:</p>

<p>Stanford
Harvard
Yale
Princeton
UPenn
Rice
Amherst
Williams
Colgate
Johns Hopkins</p>

<p>Here are my quick stats:</p>

<p>SAT I: 2290 (CR 740, MA 800, WR 750 E9)
SAT II: Bio E 760, Chem 780, Maths IIC 780
Ranking: 5th out of 503 students
No GPA</p>

<p>Extra-curriculars
Head Boy (similar to Class President) of School (2550 students)
School Council Member (4 years) and School Council Chairman
Cello: Christchurch Youth Orchestra member; Trinity Music Exam Grade 8
Fencing: School Club (5 years) Fencing Captain, Distinction Award for Services to Sport; participant in National Fencing Championships
Swimming: School Team (4 years), regionally ranked
School Prefect (like in Harry Potter lol)
Volunteering at Disabilities Organisation
Free classical guitar tuition to students
Summer Research with a Host university (see below)</p>

<p>Academic Achievements
National Science Fair participant: Winner of three awards (Leadership, Best Design, Travel Award)
International Youth Science Creation Competition in Beijing participant: represented my country with three other students
BayerBoost Research Scholarship (one of two students in NZ to get it)
Biology Olympiad Training Program: Top 30 students
Achieved a percentile of 99.6% in my country's senior examinations
Top Senior Examinations result out of my graduating class
Harvard Summer School program: both A's in my Neurobiology and Intro to Philosophy classes</p>

<p>Hook: I was the youngest Head Boy in the history of my high school, and also the first Korean-born (My nationality is New Zealand, but I was born in Korea...so I am a New Zealand-Korean.) Elected at the age of 15, I was two years younger than my peers as I skipped two grades, but was respected as a leader and a scholar.</p>

<p>Recommendations: Very very good
Essays: Very good</p>

<p>If you could suggest some safeties, I would really appreciate your help. Trying to apply to US colleges in NZ is very difficult, especially from my town as students don't look at overseas institutions.</p>

<p>Thank you very much,</p>

<p>Victor</p>

2

<p>As has been said many times on CC, there are no safeties in the US for internationals requiring aid. That said, you have a strong profile and there are less selective LACs out there that would probably like to have you.</p>

3

<p>Hamilton
Trinity in Hartford, CT
Connecticut College
Bucknell
Gettysburg
Franklin & Marshall
Vassar
Clark University
Bates
Colby</p>

<p>Having visited New Zealand (both my sons did a term there), I can tell you that NZ is more beautiful than anyplace you’ll go to school in the US!!!</p>

4

<p>Thank you for posting greenblue and VeryHappy.</p>

<p>Haha NZ is beautiful, no doubt about that. But it is limited in terms of intellectual opportunities, which is why I want to get out. Which universities did your sons attend for a term?</p>

5

<p>Bump? please give me some suggestions!</p>

6

<p>One thing that strikes me immediately about your list is Money. Harvard, Yale and Princeton are need-blind for admissions and offer generous aid to internationals. Stamford is not. That might or might not affect your choices.</p>