<p>Hi,.
My Background first: International with aid required. I've been rejected for class of 2018, admitted to quite a many safeties in India, but I don't want to attend college here. My stats are competitive- SAT score 2360 and Subject tests: 800-Math II, 770-Physics, 780-Chemistry. I wrote a lot of cliched essays this time, and you know, messed up things quite a bit. I know that I'm reapplying, and chances are less, but I know if I focus on right things, I can get in (another plus is that my senior year grades are much much better than those of junior year) So, now let's get to the point of this post.
As finances are a factor for me, I'm apprehensive about wasting my early ticket on Stanford (it's need aware plus much more competitive).
Cornell is a very close second choice for me (top being Stanny). I'm thinking about applying ED there since I've much much better chance at Cornell ED (~25%!!!) and I don't wanna end up without a college in States. But then again, if I were to be admitted to both Stanford AND Cornell, I'd probably go with Stanford. I can be released from ED agreement if I don't get enough aid from Cornell.
Any insights? They'll be much appreciated! :)</p>
<p>Another major thing: I made horrendous mistake in CSS profile this time and it was completely out of phase with my essay. This might have been a detrimental factor.</p>
<p>Looks like you do not have a clear first choice, so ED (anywhere) is not really appropriate.</p>
<p>Yes, you’re right. But I know chances at Stanny are very very very bleak (need aware+super selective for Indians), and as I said, Cornell is my <em>very</em> close second choice. You know, I’d choose Cornell over ANY OTHER SCHOOL but Stanford. I’m stuck in a limbo!</p>
<p>stop calling it stanny…=). We don’t call that here, ever.</p>
<p>Also ED is a bit deceiving as the pool is usually filled with athletes and legacies. You’ll have a higher chance, but perhaps not 25%. If you were rejected at multiple places already, I’d suggest shooting for Cornell if your profile doesn’t change significantly from a EC perspective.</p>
<p>I would not expect a different outcome after a gap year, even with an upward trend in your grades and new essays. You need to be a different sort of candidate. If you go somewhere else and apply as a transfer, with stellar college grades, that’s a different story. But just working for a year, or whatever you were planning to do, and applying to the same schools is very unlikely to get you a different result. You need a new list. Look at U.S. schools where you are competitive for MERIT aid. Need-based aid, as you know, is very limited for internationals, but schools can spend their own institutional aid budget any way they like.</p>
<p>Forget about Stanford. Apply to Cornell ED. And make thorough RD plans with at least 8 schools you consider safeties, because when an international needs money, odds decrease to almost nothing regardless of stats. At least 5 of those 8 should be merit-based admit, with as many automatic merit as you can. For your stats, there are lots of possibilities so investigate honors colleges and honors scholarships. Then add a couple that are need aware or needblind/meet need and where you haven’t applied this year (did you apply to Amherst?)</p>
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<p>Oh, wasn’t that a reference to Stanford’s NY campus that never happened? Or that little town in Dutchess County? </p>
<p>Anyhow, since Cornell bought that Roosevelt Island Kool-Aid, this might be a hidden sign that … Cornell ED makes more sense. That and a TON of more realistic choices, including better options for Indians in Europe. </p>
<p>Well cornell does factor level of interest in admissions. Yeah, i too am leaning towards cornell ED.I am already getting University of Cambridge; London with full ride. It’s an excellent University! And it makes an excellent safety too. @xiggy
Yes I did apply to Amherst. I am on waitlist. @MYOS1634.
I won’t call it Stanny now. It’s stanford, ok? @Blah2009
Don’t worry, anybody who read my previous application and reads my this application won’t be able to tell that I am the same candidate. I have a lot going on in this gap year. @Hanna.
And xiggy, do you mean to say that ED may have a higher admit rate this year?
Thanks to all of you for helping me!</p>
<p>BUMP!</p>
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<p>Why not go there?</p>
<p>I will be admitted next year, if I apply. I missed this year’s deadline and have opted for a gap year. I contacted them and they told me that I will get in if I apply next year-with 100% merit scholarship.
And, as I told you, I absolutely love Cornell. Cambridge doesn’t excite me a lot, tbh.</p>
<p>Cambridge is not in London, it’s about 45mn away from it by train. 
But you’re right, it’s one of the top universities in the world. Remember though that even if they told you you’d get in, you have to go through the process (UCAS by October 15, exam, oral). The town is beautiful and the college system incredible.
The “course” system is very specialized so the education is very different from what you’d get in the US, where you’d be able to double major and would be required to take classes for your general education.</p>
<p>OOH! @MYOS1634. You’ll be able to help us CC’ers with Cambridge application issues too
You know what, you’re one of my favorite CCers ever
For Indians they have special scholarships which also covers visa and everything else.</p>
<p>Ah, thanks, but no I can’t help with Oxbridge issues. I can help with UCAS (although that’s pretty easy to figure out by yourself) but for the exams you need to read the books they suggest to prepare for the exams, usually there are about a dozen that you need to know quite well. </p>
<p>I think they take an interview of Indian citizens. I saw the interview questions and they seem slightly above average but doable.
I don’t think that Cambridge holds a test for Indians. Does it? I know oxford does, but I’m not applying to it.
This gap year will be fun! I’m grateful that I’m getting to experience this!</p>
<p>It’s not related to nationality, but to th "course (subject) you want to “read” ( major in).</p>
<p>Maybe I’m wrong, but I don’t find any test mentioned on Cambridge’s website. Even in their email they have not mentioned any test for any particular major.</p>
<p>Sometimes it’s per subject, sometimes per college. For instance:
<a href=“Undergraduate study | Faculty of History University of Cambridge”>http://www.hist.cam.ac.uk/prospective-undergrads/apply-to-cambridge/general-information</a>
<a href=“Getting started: Reading Primary Sources | Faculty of History University of Cambridge”>http://www.hist.cam.ac.uk/prospective-undergrads/virtual-classroom/suggested-reading</a>
So, for history, they’ll look at your UCAs statement, 2/3 of which should be related to your course, then invite you for an interview where you’ll be expected to have read widely and some colleges will add an exam.</p>