I applied to 25 colleges because I’m an international (asian) students with financial need aiming for T20 schools. It was possible for me because I got common app fee waiver from school counselor, and the rest had free applications on coalition. I had to send official SAT and IELTS for some, but I thought it was worth it. But now, I’m quite afraid if my application turns out to be good (well, my essays because I have lower than or around average SAT for those top colleges), my application might hurt others’ chance, especially those from my country (Mongolia), and maybe especially those from my school. I heard that they admit with regional bases, so we’re not really competing with US students, but with those from my area. I know they’re usually aware that not everyone they accept will enroll, but it might be not the case for international students from areas with very few student applying. Top colleges only accept about one or two student from here each year.
I have no privilege to think that my application would be particularly outstanding, so I applied to more colleges but now I’m anxious that I might hurt my peers if it is. If it happens that a college accepts only me, and I choose another school, will they admit off waitlist from my country? Or should I withdraw my application from colleges that I don’t care about as soon as I get into a better university. (Like if I get into Swarthmore by mid-march, I wouldn’t care about Kenyon or Denison anymore)
Or am I just anxious about really stupid thing cause I’d just get into couple of school in maximum? The girl who got into Harvard last year has like only two other acceptances I think, from Rice and Yale-NUS.
Thank you for reading this, please tell me what you think
My stats are 1490 SAT, 3.8 GPA (became 4.0 by mid-year)
Really not that good but I hope my essays turned out pretty good. Well, if they don’t like it, at least I do.
I don’t want to talk about my ECs extensively, it’s not that outstanding, but quite good.
I think you are at the point of looking for things to worry about. Everybody has to run their own race. It is good form to withdraw your application from other schools once you have one that you are ready to commit to, but there is no guarantee that somebody else from your country will get the spot- just as there is no guarantee that you would get theirs if it turns out that they get an offer and you get waitlisted.
Maybe that could be it. Thank you for replying.
I do not think that you will have any impact on the chances for other international students applying to the same schools. “Top 20” schools in the US will get very large number of applications from many very strong international and domestic students. One more application is not going to make a significant difference.
I do think that any “top 20” university in the US will be a reach for you. Hopefully you have also applied to some safety schools, which are likely to be in your home country.
If you are accepted to a university and later determine that you are certain that you are not going to go there, then I would let them know. However, I would not rush to do this. If you are accepted to several affordable schools it is fine to take your time deciding which one you want to attend.
Is your GPA weighted? If not, then I do not see how a 3.8 can turn into a 4.0 by mid-year.
Good luck and best wishes!
Thank you for replying. I know they’re all reaches for me, and yeah I applied to some safeties and I’ll do the national testing for universities here. It’s great if my application won’t have that much of influence on others’ chances. Honestly I might be worrying over nothing. It’s great if I just get into one with enough financial aid. I won’t mind attending some of my safeties, I think they’re pretty good.
No, it’s not weighted. My school report grades on 100 scale, but my counselor converted them to GPA for applications. She said A equals 4, B is 3, and so on. High school is 10th to 12th grade, and I always had As and one or so B last 2 years. The first quarter this year, we had tough grading and I got 2Cs. That’s why my GPA when applying was so bad and increased by mid-year. My counselor didn’t say my mid-year GPA is 4.0 , but it was like that when I calculated on my own.