Chance me at top schools, I'm a Bulgarian student!

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hi! I will be a senior next year in a competitive Bulgarian high school and I want to continue my education in the USA. However, I am aiming for the top schools since only they would give me financial aid, eventually. </p>

<p>What are my chances for the following schools?</p>

<p>Columbia
Harvard
Stanford
Brown
Penn
Yale
MIT
Chicago
Duke
Dartmouth
Princeton
UC Berkeley (although I think they do not offer aid to internationals?)</p>

<p>SAT: 2040 (600 CR 730 M 710 W E:8); will be taking it again this oct, confident in getting 2200-2300, I understood my past mistakes.
SAT2: Math level 2 750+, Physics 750+</p>

<p>GPA: 5.92/6.00; Bulgarian system; Students not ranked</p>

<p>Course load (9-12 grade):
Mathematics
Bulgarian Language
Literature
Physics
History
Chemistry
Geography
Biology
Ethics
Law
Psychology
Physical education
IT
Philosophy
English Language
German Language </p>

<p>Extracurriculars:
- Interact club (10,11, 12 will be Vice-President)
- Youth Parliament (11- Founder and President, did a lot of stuff including raising 5000 dollars for a charity, 12 will continue)
- Student Council in my school (Co-founder and Vice-President 11 grade, will continue 12)
- Fitness and Bodybuilding (8, 9, 10, 11, 12 will continue; strict eating and training; no awards since there are no contests for my age; prepared meal plans and training programs for many people; thinking of working as a trainer this summer; overcame a harsh injury)
- Volleyball club in my school (11, 12 will continue)
- Bank Internship (2 weeks x 6 hours a day) and Insurance Company Internship (3 weeks x 4 hours a day) during the summer after 10th grade
- Master of various events </p>

<p>School Government:
- Class board member (9 grade)
- Class president (11 grade)</p>

<p>Awards:
- top 3 places at local mathematics and English competitions
- Made it to the national round of the Cambridge English language competition, only 20th place
- not many awards actually</p>

<p>Recommendations:
- one from English Language teacher - strong
- one from a Rotary member - strong
- one from the manager of the Bank I interned - strong</p>

<p>Hooks:
- Living in a small, developing country, no prep courses, lack of clubs and organizations so I had to set them up, got everything out of what my town and school offered and added more?; income is less than maybe 40 000.</p>

<p>I know my chances are not high, but I wanted to hear your opinion. Do not hesitate to be harsh but honest with me!</p>

<p>Thank you all in advance!</p>

2

<p>I’m sorry to be honest but I feel that even with an improved SAT score, you might very well get none of the schools, or maybe only Berkeley.</p>

<p>However, that’s not because you are not a strong applicant but because there are very limited slots for international students in the Ivy League and Stanford/MIT/UChicago.</p>

<p>I have a friend who got rejected by Stanford despite having near perfect academic record (2350 SAT1, 800 800 790 SAT2, All As for A-level) and having won 1st in international physics Olympiads and robotics competitions. He was accepted by Harvard, but this just shows that even a Harvard-calibre student can be rejected by other top schools.</p>

<p>You should still apply anyway, but if you are determined about studying in the US, you need to broaden your choices, do some research and apply to schools that suits you instead of just applying to all the top ranked schools.</p>

<p>Try to look at some small Liberal Art Colleges too. They can be quite generous with financial aids. Amherst College for example is need-blind and meets full need for all (including international) applicants.</p>

3

<p>Berkeley: High match</p>

<p>Everyone else is a reach.</p>

4

<p>Thank you for giving your opinion, I appreciate it! I guess I was right my chances are low, but I will still try to do my best! Anyone else?</p>

5

<p>bump anyone?</p>