<p>I am an Indian living in Saudi Arabia. I wanted to know what my chances of getting into these universities are before wasting any time or money on the effort.
I had a perfect GPA of 10 till the tenth grade. I got one B in the 11th grade and I am expecting 95% in my final 12th grade (which would mean all A's according to the American system). I am expecting 2100 on the SAT and 2200 on SAT2. I am real good at writing and will come up with good college essays. I will also be asking for financial aid. I am going to apply for engineering. Here is a short list of what else I have been up to:-</p>
<p>Active Womens rights campaigner in Saudi Arabia
Part of a countrywide anti smoking campaign
Was a lead speaker at education system reform conferences across the country
Have been taking part in national level quiz functions for the last 6 years. Dubbed walking encyclopedia.
National level debate champion. Have won two middle east championships.
Lead participant at the Total Quality Management international conference for personality development and youth entrepreneurship
I can read, write and speak fluently in four languages and communicate in at least another two
Have been winning science exhibition competitions. Last time made a working heart.
Active member of drama and cultural society
President of the Bazme Urdu Society (not school based) and many more school organizations
Have been class prefect for 12 years and part of student council for four years
Have been talking part in MUN conferences for two years
Active member and coordinator of Indian community functions
Effectively built a local organization to help people (mostly students) in need and raise charity
Made to the final round of 600 for the IMO (to represent India)
Tutor a few students for free
somewhat local celebrity</p>
<p>Thats about all I can think of right now. So people what do you think?</p>
<p>Remember that the schools that you mentioned are the most difficult to get into, so, if you want to go to study in US anyway, you need also some safeties on your list.
I think you’re a good candidate, especially your ECs are impressive, but remember that there are a lot of candidates that are as strong as you - many Indians apply there so that is not a hook - therefore you need to make your essays shine. I would suggest you also to aim for a 2200 on the SAT I; with a 2100 you can get into anyway, but, since the international pool is tougher, a 2200+ would be ideal. If you’re international you should also take the TOEFL, it is required at Princeton if I’m not wrong and Yale strongly recommends it, and you need a 100+ on it. I think that you’re a good candidate and you can do it, but remember that admissions here are a crapshot, so don’t take it for granted. I also suggest you to look around for other colleges that could be even better for you, don’t look at these just because they’re elite and prestigious.</p>
<p>Thanks for taking the time to reply. The reason I am applying to these colleges is because they are the only ones that have need blind admissions for internationals. Anyways is it worth it? With the fact that you have to leave the country after graduation and all.</p>
<p>Wowww your EC’s are certainly impressive. Work on getting a higher SAT score though. Make sure to emphasize your achievements in your essays.</p>
<p>@Ambitious19: your profile says that you are 14 years old. If that really is your real age then you sure are ambitious!!! Starting to prepare for college in your junior year sure is great. I wish I had started earlier :/</p>
<p>You can try MIT but I won’t advise it. You do not seem to gear at all towards technology, math, or the sciences. That’s a huge factor at a tech institute. The others you look strong for. I would personally throw out MIT and find a school (e.g. Stanford) that you fit better into. Your major seems to be in an English/Foreign Relations/PoliSci field in my opinion, so MIT isn’t really worth it as much as the others.</p>
<p>Otherwise, you look good. Excellent ECs and if you can get a 2100+ you will surely be in the running but a 2200+ will be a much better goal for an international especially when you have time.</p>
<p>I’ll be international student hopefully, too, and I think it is worth it. It’s an amazing experience and it is impressive also in your own country, I guess. Then I think that it doesn’t always happen but you can find a job in the US if you really want to stay. </p>
<p>Speaking of need-blind admissions, also Dartmouth and Amherst have them and the other Ivies offer aids also to international students, though they are limited. Anyway I think that if you apply to some other schools (your safeties) there is a possibility for a scholarship since you stats, but that isn’t certain at all, but maybe it’s worth trying</p>
<p>@Divy1234: Are you saying that I wont like MIT or that I don’t have any chance of getting in? As for my science and math activities I think that i am pretty good at them. Olympiads have been my thing for a long time. As I mentioned earlier I even made a working heart in my basement lab. And I am sure my major will be something related to engineering. If they want more then they should go and start recruiting on MARS!!! So what do you think? Personally I have no clue about higher education in the US. I know about the need blind colleges from the Wikipedia article on it 
I don’t think that the college I will end up in will be a defining factor in my life and I will be just as successful anywhere else, but trying for the best seems to me like the next logical step. And yeah when it comes to money I don’t think that we can afford even the tickets let alone the tuition!!! So Stanford OOUUUT. And one more thing, will I have any visa problems if I get admitted??</p>
<p>ECs are good, but scores are not very competitive. Try retaking your tests. SAT IIs should be near perfect, and SAT I should be around 2300. 2200 would give you somewhat of a shot, but very few unhooked kids get in with 2100. I would say MIT won’t happen, because it is soo selective for internationals, like the internationals who get in are students who participate in International Olympiads(top 600 is ok, but I am talking about top 5). The others are also major reaches as they are for everyone else. I hope you are applying to other schools, because these are dream schools for anyone, and the chances of being accepted to a single one of them is very slim. Good Luck</p>
<p>PS I am curious what you mean by “woking heart”?</p>
<p>Wow. Okay first of all the people on this website have really shown they know nothing about college. You guys REALLY think that if he’s 200 points from a perfect SAT score that his chances are still “slim”? You’re out of your minds. Rayan is a freaking superhuman and will blow everything out of the water at the admissions office.</p>
<p>A working heart? As in a legit working heart or a prototype sort of thing? Where in the world did you get the resources for that? I’m sorry I missed that section. Yes, it is a school that finds extensive math/science students. I didn’t see very much, however depending on the details of your “working heart” you may go up 10 fold in my book for MIT. It’s just many MIT people win national competitions like Siemens or get very far in them. I didn’t see such extensive ECs like that. The working heart may be exactly that though.</p>
<p>@ImSoAmbitious: Thanks for the advice. I will try to take the the tests again. But as you may have figured out by now I cant really apply to any other schools. Due to our financial condition it has to be one of these four if i want to come to the US. I have other options elsewhere but that is irrelevant here.
And i did not make a real live heart!! I know it may sound like that but what i made was a plastic model. What i meant by working was that it actually had fluids running through it. The fluid was water with some red coloring and chemicals to make it thick. But still it was pretty awesome :)</p>
<p>@Divy1234: Read my reply to ImSoAmbitious</p>
<p>Yeah, thats what I was been thinking. Pretty cool none the less, but, I am not sure its worth mentioning, unless you actually submitted it in the competition.</p>
<p>@milesh07: Thanx a lot!!! I am flattered!!! If you are a girl and live near my place i swear i would ask you out 
PS My name is not Rayan. And I have no idea how i came up with that!!</p>
<p>@ImSoAmbitious: Yeah i did put it in the competition and we went with it all the way to delhi and won the Delhi area CBSE championship.</p>
<p>@milesh07 I think OP is a great applicant, i am simply stating a fact and giving some advice. Look at the common data set, and take in to account that other kids have hooks.</p>
<p>I agree with ImSoAmbitious. It is not really helpful unless it was something that entered a competition and won or something. Maybe something unique to talkabout in an essay though. I still say then MIT is out. Also, I didn’t notice that you were an international. That hurts a little, a 2100 won’t kill you but being international you really need to wow (the competition is very stiff for internationals).</p>
<p>I am becoming more convinced of Divy1234’s argument. But we did win the Delhi level competition. Does being an Indian count as under represented minority or a hook?? I am also a Muslim. Will that help or hurt my chances???</p>
<p>Sorry, didn’t see your last post about winning. In that case your chances are better for MIT but still difficult for international.</p>