Your options are pretty limited… Needing a full ride/scholarship money and a strong CS program isn’t impossible, but I truly think that you should focus more on the universities in your home country.
Umm… on what basis exactly are you saying I shouldn’t apply ED just because I need full ride. I know for a fact that the colleges I am thinking about applying to in ED 1 and 2 will be giving me a full ride if I get accepted. So… I don’t think it hurts me in any way, does it…??
You know for a fact, do you? First off, again you can only apply to 1 (ED1) and then another ED2 if not in.
Because you have no idea what each college will look at as your demonstrated need - and you don’t even know your assets - because some look at homes and retirement and other things. The CC is littered with kids who, same as you, i’ll get need based aid and now oh crap, I still have to pay $30K a year. I didn’t realize.
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Neither Dartmouth or Tufts are need blind for international students.
IMO, you are better off applying ED to a school that is both need blind and meets full need for internationals. I believe that’s Amherst, Harvard, MIT, Yale, and Princeton, all of which are super super hard admits.
Do note that if you do apply somewhere ED and it isn’t affordable, that is a valid reason to decline the acceptance. I just don’t think applying ED to a school that considers need is going to help you at all.
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Okay first off no need to be rude. I’m sure you might be thinking I just woke up one morning and thought yeah… I need full scholarship to a US college… But that’s not it.
Secondly, as I already mentioned, the colleges which I am considering for ED, I already know they’ll be giving me a full ride if I get accepted. And also, I think financial inability to pay is a valid reason to decline ED offer.
But that’s what you want. The posters on this site are simply giving you the benefit of their experience. By all means apply to the schools you’re interested in and see how things unfold. But also have a plan B for schools elsewhere if the US schools don’t work out for you.
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Well yeah exactly. I was first torn between Dartmouth and Yale. But I think I’m going to apply ED to Dartmouth… the main reason being that I know a lot of students from my country way better than me who’ll be applying to Yale. But compared to that, quite a few apply to Dartmouth. Also, Dartmouth is quite generous in terms of FA for international students that get accepted.
Yes yes I have a perfect plan B if this doesn’t work out. Even if I get 0 admissions, I still won’t be screwed… I have some pretty good backup colleges in my country.
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Thank you!! 
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The application fees won’t be a problem.
As for grade dip, I think common app provides a section to explain such dips, doesn’t it??
Plus I’m actually giving subject Tests as I was unable to give any AP tests (due to financial issues and lack of guidance in school).
How do you know this?
Regarding grade dips, your GC should cover that, not you. If you do, it is a tough needle to thread.
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First of I used some external tools to calculate demonstrated need for students from my country.
Secondly, I actually contacted some of the students who got need-based full ride from my country. And their financial conditions were actually a lot better than mine.
Thanks for the advice about grade dip!! Will definitely remind her to keep that in mind while writing my RC.
Your family earns 15k a year and 2k app fees aren’t a problem? AP fees were a problem but $80 per application won’t be?
Lots of kids have had extreme situations during covid and their grades don’t dip. Those are the kids you will be competing with.
Your plan is not realistic. You came here for advice. Ignore if you like. But don’t squander your family resources for a pipe dream. Best of luck to you.
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Uhh… I don’t see any advice in your answer… but thanks anyways I guess.
Also… I never wanted to discuss how I was going to pay for application fees. Looks like a lot of people here give unasked advice but don’t try to answer the question actually being asked… No offense but it is what it is.
OP, I think you should worry about applying to the colleges that you’re confident you have a chance in. Applying to 20 colleges means, filling out 20 application fee waivers, making 20+ college application essays, and this piles up quickly. Take off schools that don’t say on their website, “will meet 100% of demonstrated need” or colleges that aren’t need blind to international students, and take off schools that you feel like you don’t have a strong chance with. Not only are you competing with kids in your own country, but kids all around the world who have stellar GPAs and have the financial ability to pay for college without aid.
Everyone is being negative because that’s how it is. You can check all the college chancing calculators, be overhyped and apply, and then get crushed when the letters come back. It’s better to be pleasantly surprised by an acceptance than being hurt by all of the rejections.
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Thanks for your concern man!
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I can’t take off need aware colleges, because then my list will literally be 5 colleges long.
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Of course… all the colleges on my list have “will meet 100% demonstrated need regardless of citizenship status” written on their website.
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I appreciate everyone trying to keep me in the real world… But it’s only helpful if they answer the actual question along with that. I already am completely aware of my chances. So it’s kind of irritating when people just discourage and discourage and then don’t even answer the main question…
P.S. Thanks for not being like that.
You can apply to only 20 colleges through common app. You can apply, in theory, to as many as you like if you use every college’s individual application. It’s actually the college that decides if your app qualifies for a fee waiver, but you’ll need approval from your school first. Some colleges have free applications.
Is your school prepared to send your transcripts to all those schools? Are your teachers prepared to write recs? Is the guidance counselor also prepared to do that? Can you afford to send test scores to 30 colleges? Are you prepared to write all the essays that many colleges request? For example, you’ll need to write three additional essays for Harvard. It says optional, but they are not truly optional for most people.
The adults posting here are not trying to discourage you. We are trying to help you understand what’s involved in your proposal and also what the realistic hurdles might be. Forewarned is forearmed.
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Ohh… Sorry. I did not mean to be that rude.
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Yes my school is definitely ready to send any and all transcripts required… given that I am the only student who’s applying to US colleges this year. Actually, no one ever applies to a US college from my school… cuz they’re never educated about it. I had to do all the research completely on my own and attending virtual seminars every day. Our school expects most of our students to end up in local colleges… So yeah, they’ll be happy to assist me in any way possible.
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I have an amazing relation with all my teachers and guidance counselor… And am sure will get amazing recommendations.
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Also have an amazing friend who’s willing to submit peer recommendation to Dartmouth. I actually helped her a lot during tough times ( she was slut-shamed for the stupidest reasons possible)… So she might write about that.
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I think many schools that I’m applying to encourage self reporting scores and require the official scores only after admission. Still, I can afford sending to some colleges probably. My parents will go out of the way to help support my dreams.
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Due to pandemic, I don’t have to participate much in ECs anymore. So yeah, I have plenty of time to spend on a lot of essays.