<p>SAT I: 2200 (690/710/800)
SAT II:
Math 2 - 640
Physics - 650
Biology E - 710</p>
<p>I got into MIT. It is possible with low test scores; SATs are not everything. Emphasize your ECs, your personality, your character, your interests, your LIFE.</p>
<p>Of course, being an international student, it will be hard for you to get into high-ranking schools like MIT and Stanford. I live in Austin, though, (was originally planning on attending UT Austin as well) so if you'd like me to, I could probably get you in touch personally with one of the profs/reps over in the CompSci department to establish some connections and get yourself heard =) you'll stand out that way. "Oh, look! That's the application from the Indian kid who was always willing and interested in our school, I remember him!" I can't guarantee it'll make a significant impact, but perhaps it'll help? </p>
<p>Continue working hard. The harsh truth is that admissions rates for internationals at high-ranked schools like MIT are scarily low (this year was 6% or something), so some of the slightly lower schools like UT Austin, Chicago, Purdue, may be more realistic for you.</p>
<p>thanks Vivi and rr19 for your opinion.i have always wanted to study in the top schools of U.S.A and will definately work on my application essays etc meticulously!However if not at MIT & Stanford & the lower schools what do you all feel about the mid ones:</p>
<p>UCB
UI(Urbana Champaign)
Michigan- Ann Arbor.
UCLA</p>
<p>Any luck at these places..?????</p>
<p>Please answer my above query first mates..</p>
<p>Secondary question:- Do the admission officers entertain sentimental essays as my life is full of tragedy!! Another tragedy is impending : the 1 of not getting into a good school!!</p>
<p>For sure, you don't need a 2350. Do or die is hardly necessary.
You do need SAT'S in 2200 range. If you don't, you can try to win some national awards: Siemens, ISEF, Intel.</p>
<p>Think about it this way, if you apply to all of the Ivy leagues and MIT and Caltech, you have about a 40% chance statistically to get rejected from ALL of them.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Secondary question:- Do the admission officers entertain sentimental essays as my life is full of tragedy!! Another tragedy is impending : the 1 of not getting into a good school!!
[/quote]
</p>
<p>If done right, I'm pretty sure sentimental essays can move an admissions officer. Just be sure to not only speak of the bad things that have happened to you, but how they have helped you grow as a person. What did you learn from your experiences? How will you use that knowledge in the future to make your life and those of the people around you better?</p>
<p>By the way you're describing your "tragedies", i'm sure we all faced tragedies. Heck, for this one month last year, it rained 25 days out of 30! Talk about tragedies.</p>
<p>Tragedy: When someone realizes their flaw and it is too late for them to correct it (utterly leading them to their doom)</p>
<p>That's just sad.</p>
<p>I personally would be careful implementing that in an application--as someone said earlier, it could be used to show how those experiences shaped you into who you are, etc. Helping one's family in a time of need could be a clear sign of leadership, which is an excellent quality.</p>
<p>Just don't make it into something that guilts someone into feeling sorry; people in the past have endured various hardships as well and have overcome it, so you don't want to convey that you are still stuck in what you've unfortunately experienced.</p>
<p>When it comes to UIUC, from my experience, it is not very difficult to get in (I live in Illinois, so idk if that makes a difference). For example, at my high school, which is one of the most challenging schools in Chicago, a LOT of the graduating seniors are attending UIUC. Its a fantastic school, and I would love to attend.</p>
<p>If it makes you feel any better, I know one girl that had a 3.6 weighted AND had been suspended her junior year for academic dishonesty and was accepted at UIUC.</p>
<p>I'm an international student with high 2000-ish SAT I and got in to CMU, Berkeley, and UIUC, so chill. My SAT II was 2390 though. Anw, applying with or without aid? That makes a lot of difference.</p>
<p>For domestic it doesn't, but for international students, requesting fin aid in any univ not in these 8 - dartmouth, princeton, yale, MIT, amherst, williams, middlebury, harvard - will affect your chances... Most of the rest are not need blind for internationals, and some others are need blind but won't necessarily match your full demonstrated need. Well then what's the use of asking for aid? lol</p>
<p>dude, for the UC's, you should be in.
BTW, my family is friends with two of the admissions officers from UC Berkeley, who I call constantly to help me with my personal statement, and they said that they get sob stories constantly, and with 48000 applications to cal last year, NOTHING was original. Alot of ppl wrote about cancer and stuff, and although its sad and everything, they are not the only ones it happens to. So as long as you show how your struggles have helped you, and WHY you want to go to the schools, as well as throw in some of your awards, etc. Tell them what you can bring to the campus in your personal statements, cause that is what makes and breaks everyone. Like, one of them told me about one kid who stood out, who talked about his life in Jerusalem, walking the gaza strip, and teaching other kids and stuff, so your internationality can definitely increase your chances, if you use it as a asset, instead of an obstacle for you to get into the UC's.</p>