<p>Hey guys, heres my chance thread!
I'm an international student, and im looking into going to the usa for my college education
I'll be applying to 5 of the following colleges for engineering: UMichigan(EA), UCBerkeley, UCLA, Cornell,Carnegie Mellon,MIT,Harvard,Stanford...
Please advise me on where my best chances will lie and ill chance you back!
Race: Mixed (malay/chinese/indian)
Location: Singapore
High school: Went to the most
competitive local high school with above
50% getting into top schools both locally
and internationally SAT I: CR:800 Math:800 W:670 (2270)
SAT II: Math II, Physics (taking on dec
3rd)
Other qualification(my school doesnt use gpa and does not rank):
Singapore-Cambridge GCE A-level
H2: Chemistry A
Mathematics A
Physics B
Economics B
H1:
General Paper A Project Work A
ECs:
Head of electronics club
Archery(placed 2nd individual in national
interschools,5th in open)
Backstage crew IC for 2 fundraiser cultural plays.
Gifted Education Programme(accelerated
curriculum)
Guitar club(performed in 2 fundraiser
concerts)
Science mentorship programme (published 2 junior research papers on
electronics with a professor from a local
university)
2x Merit award from National Youth
Science Conference
Volunteered for the Youth Olympic Games and National Day Parade 2011
M240(gpmg) gunner in local army(national
service obligation) for 2 years after high school-this seems pretty unique
Worked for 2 months in a local energy
firm as a clerk. Wrote a program that finished my(supposedly 2 month long)
project in 3 days. I have a
recommendation letter from my
supervisor.</p>
<p>You say: UMichigan(EA), UCBerkeley, UCLA, Cornell,Carnegie Mellon,MIT,Harvard,Stanford…</p>
<p>They are WIDELY ranging schools. UMichigan and the two UC’s are one thing, but throwing in MIT, Harvard, etc. is totally different. Lots of people with your stats are rejected. I would say definitely apply to your “safety schools” (UMich and UCs) but also maybe add one or two.</p>
<p>For the best schools, I would pick your top one or two and spend the most time on the applications for them. MIT and Harvard would be anyone’s top choices, but are they yours? And would you be happy at MIT? It’s very insular compared to the other schools, the other schools have much more of a general college education feel.</p>
<p>Ah yes thank you very much for the excellent advice. see, the problem with international admissions is that i have no idea how the college life is like until its too late. i can only apply and hope for the best…that said, your advice has certainly started me thinking…oh and would you say my stats are ok? im a bit worried about the ecs</p>
<p>shameless self bump!</p>
<p>I’m not seeing MIT, Harvard or Stanford. The Asian international pool is the most competitive pool at these schools so they’re unlikely with two A level Bs (with one in physics applying for engineering) and no stand out EC. Good chance at the rest other than Cornell which is still a reach.</p>
<p>thanks for the frank opinion. thats pretty much what i expected as well(those three are listed as sorta gamble apps), id still be insanely happy if i were to get into any of the schools i listed…oh my race is malay by the way. if they take it at face value(as in take my race as malay instead of asian) im pretty sure there are very few malays in any top american schools(its pretty obvious locally as well)!</p>
<p>Here’s my assessment.</p>
<p>UMichigan(EA), UCBerkeley, UCLA: in
Cornell: depends
Carnegie Mellon: in
MIT,Harvard,Stanford: rejected</p>