<p>@sushmita: Ya my SATs right now is 1420/1600 so the minimum requirements as of yet is unfulfilled but I am sure my Oct SAT might easily surpass the minimum requirement!</p>
<p>I’ll apply for the Scholarship if my scores improve!And I am applying to Chicago and Ann Arbor!</p>
<p>And as for state schools only giving merit-based aid, it is perfect for me! Except for my SAT 1 my application is strong and I am working on strengthening my weaknesses!</p>
<p>@Tippu:
I love winters! Even the bad ones! I am more interested in Chicago and NYC so I am kinda prepared for bad winters!</p>
<p>UT Austin’s Honor Program is very good and they give decent merit aids so I am definitely applying there!State schools are under-hyped according to me when they are just as good as most private schools people apply to!</p>
<p>@aniruddh:
umm not all state schools are as good as private ones but some of them surely are!</p>
<p>Major, I don’t know how many colleges you plan to apply but if you want to include a few public schools then you might want to consider UW (Seattle). It is good for engineering and Seattle is a beautiful city. I am told that the business school (Foster) has strong backing from companies like Boeing, Microsoft, Paccar, …</p>
<p>@major: $50 you won’t enjoy a -40 degrees Celsius weather.</p>
<p>I don’t know about Buffalo but that’s how low it gets in Ithaca! (Cornell U)</p>
<p>Buffalo is further north, I guess it gets even colder there.</p>
<p>SUNY is more of a financial safety. Some great schools though…Binghamton, Geneseo, Buffalo…</p>
<p>Texas A and M University! They have direct admission for good SATs , relatively cheap and good in engineering (13th in US)</p>
<p>^ i agree, regarding TAM.</p>
<p>The UCs are really reliable safeties for Internationals these days, especially Berkeley and LA. If you can manage a 3.8+, 2150+ app by deadline time, you’re in.</p>
<p>Oh, and Texas A&M is the school all dumb Texans go to. And in Texas dumb has a whole other meaning. Trust me, you don’t want to go to school with those kids. Not really the most reliable safety school.</p>
<p>Jack Kilby must have been one of those dumb Texans.</p>
<p>^ every school has exceptions. </p>
<p>PrincetonDreams, are you sure about 2150+, 3.8+?</p>
<p>TAM does have the reputation of being a party school. But it does offer substantial financial aid to kids with good stats. As aviralkashyap pointed out, it has good engineering program - good enough for many bright kids from middle class families from all over. Obviously, there are better colleges in Texas. But to characterize all those who go to TAM as dumb is an exhibition of ignorance and arrogance.</p>
<p>@ aniruddhc: Yes, I am very sure about those stats being enough for Berkeley. Just don’t expect any aid, they’ll want you to pay full.</p>
<p>@ TippuSultan: I am sorry if that sounded arrogant. I just don’t want any really smart kids to go to A&M thinking it’s a ‘great’ school as it does tend to attract the lowest tier of Texas High School kids. So, just wanted to put that info out there. :)</p>
<p>Yeah, if I’m getting into Berkeley I really don’t mind paying in full.</p>
<p>The very fact that Texas A&M gives direct admission on the basis of the SATs proves how tier-2/mediocre a school it must be.</p>
<p>AND GOD save me from these annoying college mailers man!!! I get one every half an hour. Get letters almost everyday. SOS</p>
<p>Do you think UMich is good for undergrads? And what about UChicago? (not as safety, but as EA) will it be too rigourous and demanding?</p>
<p>Both are good. UChicago is known for its intellectual and cutthroat atmosphere.</p>
<p>You’re talking about a safety. What can be a better safety than a college where you will surely be accepted ?(based on SATs). And fees isn’t high,even without financial aid .
Engineering is relatively good , regardless of your opinion.And really smart kids don’t always need to go to their safeties
See this:
[Top</a> Ranked Engineering Colleges/Universities, Best Colleges Engineering](<a href=“http://www.graduateshotline.com/ranks/]Top”>Best Engineering Schools - Top 50 Engineering Colleges in US)</p>
<p>Putturani, both UMich and Uchicago are wonderful schools. I have visited both universities.
UMich is very big. Freshman year in state schools are always challenging for people who are uncomfortable with large class sizes. Basic science classes like bio and chem are always going to be crowded. If you are highly self motivated student then you will excel at places like UMich. Jr and Sr yr classes tend to be much much smaller. Their honors program attracts top students from all over.</p>
<p>UChicago, is a different beast. It is much smaller and first few qtrs you will be immersed in core curriculum. It is important to learn about this before applying to UChicago. I know several people @ uchicago (one of them is from my immediate family and he started there last week). They all love it there. I don’t know what blue_box meant by cut-throat but the atmosphere is very friendly and collaborative. I have seen their dorms and how the house system works. It is just like how it is described on their web site. Applying EA @ UChicago definitely increases your chances. I don’t know how good/bad UChicago is regarding FA for foreign students.</p>
<p>
How come you’re getting 'em?Did you register on the college websites or what?Isn’t that a good thing though?(as long as they’re not yucky univ’s!)</p>
<p>i think they get the info from college board.</p>