<p>I am currently a Junior in a US high school, but I am not a citizen nor a green card holder (My family has applied for it, but its is unlikely that we will receive it before my college apps. However, there is a chance that I may get my green card during my years in college). My family and I have lived in IN ever since I was 9. </p>
<p>I have been looking at colleges ranked 10-25 ish, non-ivies. My credentials are decent and I think I am at least qualified to be considered for these colleges. However, I have heard recently that as an international, my chances will be significantly reduced since I will be within the same pool with all the other internationals.</p>
<p>Thus, arriving at my question. In my case, how much will my chances be reduced? And will I be required to take the TOEFL even when English is my best language? </p>
<p>I am currently a junior, so these scores are not final
SAT I 2150, sophmore year. Expecting 2250
SAT II Bio, 770. Not yet taken: US history and Math II
And, I do not think I will be applying for financial aid.</p>
<p>Your application will be read by the admissions representative in charge of your geographic region (i.e. Indiana). As long as you do not apply for financial aid, your application should be held to the standards of a domestic applicant.</p>
<p>Please sit down and have a frank conversation with your parents about money. Are they willing and able to pay $60,000/year for you to go to a top 25 university?</p>
<p>My parents are pretty clear about their decision. They basically think that while applying for financial aid is great, going to a top 25 university is more important. Thus if applying for financial aid will hurt my chances, they are willing to pay the tuition. (I am an only child, so it will not be too much of a burden on them) </p>
<p>Therefore, my question really comes down to how much will my application be affected by the “International” status? Will I still have a okay chance even if I did apply for financial aid?</p>
That depends on the university. Some of the top 25 universities don’t give financial aid to international students at all. Some are need-blind for all applicants. For the rest, applying for financial aid can put you at a very significant disadvantage. Admission rates among international financial aid applicants can be as low as 4% even at colleges with overall admission rates above 30%. (These numbers used to be available online; unfortunately, not anymore.)</p>
<p>You are still an “international applicant”, but you should only be compared to other domestically-educated students.</p>
<p>Why don’t you take a mixed approach and apply for financial aid at some universities and not others? You don’t have much to lose by adding a few more colleges to your application list!</p>
<p>If you do not apply for financial aid, your chance to be accepted is actually higher than domestic students who apply for aid. It is to your advantage to be an international paying the full price and to add to the college diversity. You should have no problem to be accepted by a few of the top 25. Your chance to be accepted based on your SAT 2150 is as following
Harvard University 12%
Princeton University 15%
Yale University 12%
Columbia University 21%
Stanford University 18%
University of Pennsylvania 35%
California Institute of Technology 12%
Massachusetts Institute of Technology 19%
Dartmouth College 32%
Duke University 42%
University of Chicago 44%
Johns Hopkins University 66%
Northwestern University 45%
Washington University in St. Louis 32%
Brown University 29%
Cornell University 53%
Rice University 51%
Vanderbilt University 39%
University of Notre Dame 58%
Emory University 61%
Georgetown University 47%
University of California–Berkeley * 82%
Carnegie Mellon University 81%
University of Southern California 70%
University of California–Los Angeles* 90%
University of Virginia * 90%
Wake Forest University ?</p>
<p>I recommend you to apply as many as possible, so that you will have choices. Good luck.</p>
<p>First, you do realize that there’s a difference between the statistic “what percentage of applicants with an SAT score of 2150 are accepted?” and “what are this particular person’s odds of admission?” ? For all you know, his letters of recommendation might say “extremely disruptive behavior - not ready for college” which would lower his chances at the top universities to 0%. </p>
<p>Second, your numbers are completely inaccurate. For example, UCLA’s admission rates for domestic out-of-state applicants (by region of home location, not citizenship) in the 2100-2400 SAT range is 60%, while Berkeley’s is around 40%. How in the world did you come up with 90% and 82%, respectively?</p>
<p>This is in response to the TOEFL question…yes, you are required to take it even if english is your best/first/only language. It’s annoying, but…at least you won’t need to study for it.</p>
<p>shake hands, man! where in china do you come from? I am from Wuhan~ and ur SAT I score is exactly the same as mine! I guess ur chance is higher than mine cuz Ive never studied in US high school before…best wishes anyway :)</p>
<p>@ moonlightlane
Beijing My grandpa is actually from Wuhan, Ive been there too, awesome place!
Good luck to you too! Are you also applying for colleges over here?</p>
<p>You wrote I am an only child and this is very common for Chinese. For TOEFL, check each college you are applying, most do not ask you TOEFL because you have been in US so many years. In order to give you further comments, would you please let me know what is the total annual income of your parents? Or what is your calculated Expected Family Contribution (EFC)?</p>
just thought i should throw that out there haha</p>
My grandpa is actually from Wuhan, Ive been there too, awesome place!