<p>@Dreamer3894 - Good point on fee waivers - at least Harvard will consider grant fee waivers to international applicants. I’m not sure about the others.</p>
<p>I’m not sure what you mean by “its relatively easier to get into those schools”. It’s very difficult to get into these schools,even with top qualifications. I doubt they would accept less-qualified international applicants to meet a quota.</p>
<p>I agree that you never know until you try, but there are some candidates who have little or no chance. If there is no chance, the applicant should know it. If they have little chance, they need to make sure they craft the strongest possible application to improve their chances. A very strong candidate can afford to be a little lazy as they are more likely to be accepted on their merits alone.</p>
<p>I’m not saying the OP cannot get accepted, but they should recognize that the odds are not good, and also consider other alternatives.</p>