Applying ED to Cornell or SCEA to Stanford-completely torn.

<p>Yeah. At least they don’t have any specific tests for Engineering majors.
Thanks for your help so far :)</p>

<p>I don’t understand why you believe that the University of Cambridge is a safety for you and that you are guaranteed a full ride.</p>

<p>Nor do I really believe that anybody at Cambridge would tell you (or anybody) contacting them by phone or email that they will definitely get a place and definitely get 100% merit aid. It just doesn’t work that way.</p>

<p>Perhaps we are not thinking of the same institution- I am thinking of the one that is always in any list of the top 3 universities in the world. </p>

<p>@collegemom3717 I am also talking about the top University in UK. For Indian students, these are the criteria for MMS (specifically for Indians. Named after current prime minister of India) full ride scholarship (based upon last 3 years)

  1. 90% marks in final exam of senior year.
  2. Under 1000 rank in JEE (it is an Exam conducted in India. It is a very competitive exam.)
  3. English proficiency.
    I meet all of them :)</p>

<p>Anyway, let’s stay on topic of stanford vs cornell. </p>

<p>You qualify, which is necessary but not sufficient for admission. Lot of people meet the qualifications for Cambridge but are not offered places. Talk to the people who were rejected after interview: every single one of them met the qualifications. </p>

<p>So, first, you have to apply to, and be offered a place at, Cambridge, and then you separately have to apply for and be chosen for the MMS scholarship. </p>

<p>Imo treating Cambridge as your safety is an exceptionally high risk strategy.</p>

<p>@BetterThanBest, please check the fine print. Are you absolutely sure that meeting those requirements guarantees you a scholarship? I highly doubt it because there are so many qualified applicants from India who would be eligible TO COMPETE for a scholarship at Cambridge.</p>

<p>In any case, debating Stanford vs Cornell is really silly for an international who needs aid. Both schools are equally difficult to get into for internationals. Cornell is need-blind, sure, but if you don’t get one of those TATA scholarships (which are, again, so hard to get), they won’t meet your need. Stanford is as or more competitive, and it does not help your case that there are so many full-pay, amazingly talented Indian students who apply for admission there.</p>

<p>I really don’t know what to say except that your plan is unrealistic. Cambridge as a safety? Did not get admitted anywhere this year, so reapplying next year? It’s not exactly a lottery, you know. Chance plays a part but it probably won’t change your decisions really. Give it another try, and if it doesn’t work out again, just go to an IIT or something.</p>

<p>By the way, do not justify why you didn’t get in this year. You simply don’t know. And you certainly don’t know what you can do next year that would allow you to get into Stanford or Cornell. Test scores matter really little to Stanford and Cornell. That sounds like a silly claim, but since at least 70% of applicants to Stanford and Cornell have amazing test scores, high test scores won’t impress them. Everything else would then matter much, much more. The type of kids that get into Stanford and Cornell ‘for sure’ are the International Physics Olympiad winners and such, although even that is proving difficult these days.</p>

<p>I highly recommend that you start getting excited about your safety schools.</p>

<p>@collegemom3717: the requirements which I listed have been deduced from last 3 year MMS scholarship winners so, unless the pool of applicants change dramatically this year, I am assured of a scholarship. And CAMBRIDGE IS NOT MY ONLY SAFETY. I am listing ask my safeties here- all these are Indian college which admit on basis of test score.
IIT’S: 6 of them
IIIT:1 my Jee main rank is gonna be under 200. Indians would understand.
NIT: 2
I have been admitted to 3 of them already. My seat will be reserved in these colleges. That is, I can join them this year or next year.
Moreover, HKU AND HKUST also offer merit scholarship to Indians.
@International95: I hope the Cambridge part is clear now. And I don’t really know what makes you think that cornell vs stanford is silly. Non tata scholarship winners also have their need met- I know 3 people from class of 2016 who had their need meet despite not winning scholarship. I don’t know what makes you think that cornell meets need only of tata scholarship winner. I want to apply to cornell or stanford. I Am unable to decide and I am looking For advice on CC. I also request you to refrain from making inferences which I have not mentioned at all. I have told you that I CAN GO TO COLLEGE THIS YEAR. All of them being top tier colleges of India.
Also, I never mentioned that test scores matter a lot to stanford or cornell.
And I want to rest my case by saying
*** Cambridge is not my only safety. Read my original post that reads that there are 8 of them.***</p>

<p>@International95: Is there anything you still have doubts about? Anything that makes you think my plan is unrealistic. I’d be more than happy if I can clarify those plans for maybe you’ll point out something I’ve not yet taken care of :)</p>

<p>Anecdotal evidence isn’t very helpful. Cornell does NOT promise to meet the need of internationals. That’s a policy. I know internationals whose need Cornell met, too. But I also know internationals who were offered terrible aid by Cornell and were unable to attend.</p>

<p>Yes, I do know that HKU and HKUST offer scholarships. But they are just schools to apply to.</p>

<p>I know you have other safeties. I DID read your post. That’s why I said, “I highly recommend that you start getting excited about your safety schools.” This way, not getting into any of those other schools Stanford/Cornell/Cambridge/HKU would not be as terrible. I do understand HKU and HKUST aren’t as competitive to get in though. It’s always better to get excited about safety schools nonetheless because they may not offer you enough aid.</p>

<p>I didn’t make any inferences. You did. In any case, what I meant by ‘anywhere’ is good American schools. I’m sorry, but I generally do not take into account your local schools because local schools are the ultimate go-to for internationals who do not get in anywhere in the US. For me, that would have been the University of Sydney.</p>

<p>It’s true: it’s a moot point to debate Stanford vs Cornell as an international with need. Both come with their risks. One is need-blind, but does not promise to meet need. The other is need-aware, but promises to meet need. Competition amongst Indians is quite the same at both schools without a doubt. You must realize that as an international student you will be competing with international students, particularly amongst people from your own country. That is why the 25% acceptance rate is meaningless to us, because the acceptance rate is going to be well below 5% at any top school. MIT, for instance, has a 3% international acceptance rate. </p>

<p>Yes, I know you didn’t say that test scores don’t matter a lot to those schools. But what I <em>implied</em> was that it would be helpful for other CC members to know what do you have to show for yourself besides good grades and test scores (let’s treat essays as a non-factor)?</p>

<p>I just wanted to say that TATA scholars aren’t the only one who get aid from Cornell.</p>

<p>About Stanford vs Cornell, I’m taking a gap year, and all my safeties are still ready to admit me even the next year. So, I lose nothing by taking a gap year (moreover, it’s an EXCELLENT thing to do). I have to apply to American schools for I lose nothing by applying again. And since I have to apply early (for I want to get an American decision by December), I’m deciding b/w Stanford and Cornell.
I know that Cornell might not offer me enough aid, and if it doesn’t I can withdraw from ED agreement too. Therefore, I want to apply to the one which offers me better chance, even by the slightest bit.</p>

<p>What do you think I have a better chance at: Stanford EA or Cornell ED? I think it’s got to be Cornell simply because Stanford is need aware and much much more competitive.
PS. I see you’re an Indian. Where did you apply to? Where were you accepted and which college are you attending?</p>

<p>What? No, I am not Indian (why on earth would an Indian refer to the University of Sydney as a local school anyway?) And I know that TATA scholars aren’t the only ones who are offered aid at Cornell. I just pointed it out that TATA scholars are promised to have their need met, while that is not the case for others.</p>

<p>I applied to mostly liberal arts colleges, admitted at many. Decided on Reed. I was admitted to Amherst as well.</p>

<p>I really don’t think your chances are “better” at either school as the international competition is pretty much the same at both schools.</p>

<p>your ED chances are better at a school where you didn’t apply this year and since you applied to Stanford last year, Cornell would be better. If you don’t get sufficient financial aid, you have to have your ED2 and RD applications ready to go.</p>

<p>I would definitely apply to Cornell ED in this case. However, why would you even apply anywhere ED if you were told that you will definitely get into Cambridge? Cambridge is often touted as the best school in the world (or at least always in the top 5). Am I missing something here?</p>

<p>Something is smelling fishy. Must be the fish and chips at Cambridge</p>

<p>As I said, I really really love cornell and if I don’t ge in this time, I will go to Cambridge. Also, Cambridge does not have better internship opportunities when compared to cornell. This is important for me.
Thanks anyway :)</p>

<p>You’re not doing your college search very reasonably though. Cambridge and Cornell are very, very different in philosophy, structure, etc. So, you could look at the other colleges in the US that would have the general program you’re interested in, and apply there through CommonApp.
WRT Cambridge: Do you have your statement ready and have you started on the exam or oral preparation for your college/course?</p>

<p>I have looked into almost all the good colleges in USA. All of colleges offering aid are super selective. There are a lot of other good colleges to but unfortunately they don’t offer aid. Example: Purdue, gatech, UCLA, UCB etc.
I know cornell and Cambridge are at the opposite ends on spectrum and that’s why I am still interested in cornell. Cambridge is the least worse fit for me tbh. It works a lot on the same philosophy as the Indian ones do.
WRT CAMBRIDGE: yes to all the questions you’ve asked.
And I admit that my college search process is not good. That’s why I an seeking a lot of help. Can you be more specific as to what I’m missing in this process @MYOS1634? I’m sure this will help me a lot. Thanks again!</p>

<p>Look at universities that have merit scholarships - go to the “sticky threads” at the top of the Financial Aid forum and beside all the “usual suspects” (Top 25 Universities and LACs) look at <em>all</em> the schools and explore their <em>Honors Colleges</em> to see which ones would offer you the best opportunities.
(*for instance, UAlabama is just a typical university with big football, but its Honors College is great. And its scholarships are automatic for stats, with further competition for honors-within-honors.)</p>

<p>There is no point in re-applying to any school you were denied already. It is not very likely they would admit you second time around.</p>

<p>I thought we had settled this: Cambridge is NOT a safety school for him. He first has to get in, which itself would prove to be difficult (admission step). Then he would qualify for consideration for the scholarship (financial step). Isn’t that correct? Therefore, why are we still talking about Cambridge? It’s just as realistic to get into Cambridge as it is to get into Cornell.</p>

<p>Cambridge does not have better internship opportunities? I do not know what world you live in but dropping Oxbridge’s name in the UK or around Southeast Asia/Asia/Middle East in general would get you a job quite easily. You wouldn’t even need to take up an internship.</p>

<p>I really hope you do your research about this. Every year I see a bunch of internationals post about how they were not admitted to schools that they had thought would qualify as their safeties. They are shocked, for instance, that they didn’t get into Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut even though the past admission numbers would indicate otherwise. I highly second MYOS1634’s advice to look into automatic scholarship options. The University of Alabama has a wonderful scholarship program, and, from what I hear, has terrific offerings in science and engineering. </p>