“But I can’t dedicate an entire essay to low marks can I?”
When the reason for your low marks was “the school is tough”, this seems like a poor essay topic. I don’t think that Cornell, Amherst or Yale think of themselves as academically easy schools.
“So where should I put it?”
I don’t think that you put it anywhere. You can have your guidance counselor discuss your school’s grading system in his letter of reference that he writes for you.
The only way to know how competitive you are is to apply and see what happens. However, I think that you should focus on looking for schools where your grades are more in line with the grades for other incoming students.
I completely agree with @DadTwoGirls advice above. Focus on writing good essays.
OP, do not make the assumption that US schools are a safety. Cornell, Yale, and Amherst are safeties for nobody, not even US students. Unless you have a major hook, assume that you will not get in.
@DadTwoGirls gives good advice. Look for schools that are in line with your stats. Assuming you’re planning on some engineering major, UIUC and Purdue are good choices. I would focus more on the quality of the education rather than name recognition/prestige. You can go to grad school to one of the name schools later if you maintain good grades.
@Hamurtle Right. I did not mean Yale/Cornell/Amherst as safety…I meant US schools at a level lower than them. I’m only applying to some (effectively) low-cost, yet good schools in the US, just in case I’m unable to secure admission to a top school in India. Cost also factors in; even if I get into UIUC and Purdue in the US and BITS-Pilani(Top private tech school in India), I’d rather go to BITS because it has a total cost of attendance for 4 years ~ 25000 $.
However brand name matters a lot in India so going to my city’s university (God Forbid it) will put me much behind less capable students than me who by any means get admission into a name school, unlike in the US where I get the feeling that going to KSU will give me most of the opportunities that going to Vanderbilt will. So I’m not that worried about getting into big-name unis as I am about getting into low-cost yet good universities.
Speaking of these , would I be competitive at Stony Brook , Iowa State and those level of unis/colleges? Would UIUC/Purdue provide me with substantial aid? What are other unis that would? Do state unis even have financial aid for internationals?
@DadTwoGirls OK. Thanks! I talked to my counselor and she said that they give a statement on how their system of evaluation works , which kinda moderates the marks. She told me that last year a guy got into Brown with a 1430 SAT and 72% in the 11th grade and another into Purdue with 71.4% in 11th, and she suspects her “moderation” WAS a factor. Still, I’d rather not take chances and apply to schools like UIUC and Purdue like you said. Thanks again for your advice!
They are all reaches for competitive American applicants; they’re probably twice as difficult for international applicants.
You alluded to this earlier, but if you are intent on studying in the US, look at some less selective universities and LACs. Add a couple with 20%-35% admit rates, a couple with 35-50% admit rates, and a couple with >50% admit rates.
If you need financial aid, here’s a list showing the average aid package to internationals. It’s from a year ago so I imagine it’s still pretty accurate. There are schools at all levels of selectivity on this list.
https://lendedu.com/blog/international-students-financial-aid-study
@prezbucky Thanks for the school list. Appreciate it.
I’m not intent, per se, on studying in the US- I just want admissions to some decent universities by April so I can prepare for the Indian entrance examinations with the peace of mind that I already have a good place to go to. So it’s not that I’ll not be able to go to a good college if not admitted to US schools.My parents wanted me to apply to some international schools- I ruled out the great 8 of Australia and Oxbridge/London colleges because the costs were much higher than the US schools, and ETHZ/EPFL because i don’t know German.
And in all probability-unless I have admission with a substantial aid amount to a great school- I’ll enroll in a top Indian school even if I have an admission to a US school. Unless I get admission to a school that ranks 100 below in engg. with a family comtribution< 10-15000$ per year. Then I’ll go for the US school. So my safeties are in India…so I only need to apply to reach/same level schools, which should rule out the >50% acceptance rate schools(assuming you added them as safeties).
Well, some >50% admission schools wouldn’t be safeties for you because you’re an international and you might find a school you really like among them, so I wouldn’t rule them out on admit rate alone.
If I have a new list of colleges I want to be chanced for, should I make a new thread?
@fivesages @DadTwoGirls @Hamurtle @prezbucky Guys whenever you have time please chance me for Reed College, Colby College and Haverford College.
Reed might be a low match. Haverford and Colby are reaches.
@Hamurtle all right, thanks! What about Union?
I think probably:
Haverford & Colby - Low reach
Reed - High match
All three are very good and you have a fair shot of getting into one, IMO.
Sometimes even elite LACs, like these three – not to mention other LACs – really crave diversity, and internationals bring it. So your chances at these three might be pretty similar to a US student’s chances; maybe even better in some cases.
But make sure you read up on, at least, the majors offered and the cultures and environments of these schools. They differ from one another in multiple ways.
@prezbucky Cultures? Do you mean like the party scene/Greek scene/fraternity stuff or as in diversity?
Thanks for the chancing! Could you also please chance me for Lafayette college, Cooper Union and Washington and Lee if and when you find time?
“-Grade in 11th- 73%”
“Is this correct? If so, I don’t understand how Cornell (or Yale) is even close to possible.”
I’m not too familiar with the Indian system but this is actually a very good score, according to my friends who grew up there. The adcoms would have to know this though and it’s possible they do if they’ve reviewed a decent number of apps from India. It’s not equivalent to a 73 here, more like low to mid 90’s. The OP mentioned that the top score was 75 and my guess is there aren’t too many students above 70.
OP, I wouldn’t focus too much on this, just mention in the open part of the app the system there and how it’s a good score, don’t make any excuses for it. You shouldn’t have to anyway but explain the differences in the two school systems if you can.
Lafayette is probably about as selective as Reed, maybe slightly less so. (check CDS admission stats)
Washington & Lee is about as selective as Haverford & Colby
Cooper Union – not sure.
A school’s social vibe/culture can comprise things like party/Greek scene, the political climate, clubs, school spirit/sports, things to do around town or outdoors, whether the overall feeling is laid back, competitive, etc… (and that overall “feeling” can be affected by which majors are the most popular, academic work load, whether it is a more collaborative or competitive environment, etc.)
I think most people could survive at most schools, but the more you know about a school, the more you can put yourself where your preferences – or at least the most important ones – are things the school/campus/city or town can provide.
So here are some things about the schools you have mentioned:
Reed
- Highly intellectual academic vibe
- Politcally active and mostly quite liberal (in the American sense; not classically liberal like libertarians)
- Outskirts of Portland; mild climate
Wash & Lee
- Rural Virginia
- Quite heavily Greek and preppy
- Fairly conservative, relative to most other LACs
Haverford
- Honor code
- Liberal but friendly – not perhaps so politically contentious
- Part of the Quaker Consortium, so you can also take classes at Penn, Swarthmore and Bryn Mawr
- Suburban Philadelphia; temperate climate
Colby
- Rural Maine; very cold winters
- Lots to do outdoors
- Fairly well balanced personality-wise, for a LAC
Lafayette
- Small PA city, temperate climate
- Balanced student body
- One of the relatively low number of LACs with fairly robust Engineering offerings
- Big rivalry with Lehigh
Yale
- Residential colleges
- Class “shopping period”
- A bit more Humanities- and Social Sciences-focused than the rest of HYPSM
- Renaming their buildings (political activity)
Cornell
- Outdoorsy feel, kind of like Colby. Not quite as rural, but close. Cold winters.
- Admit by school, rather than general admission
- Very well balanced academically – strong across the board.
- The largest Ivy and the largest school on your list.
Amherst
- Open curriculum
- Fair mix of personalities
- Balanced academic vibe (pre-professional vs. intellectual)
- Part of the Five Colleges, so you could also take classes at Smith, UMass, Mount Holyoke and Hampshire
- Temperate climate/cold winters
These are all excellent schools.
Wow @prezbucky Thanks a toooon!
Amherst has a joint program with Dartmouth for a liberal arts and engineering degree.
Do also chance me for Brown and Dartmouth.