<p>Hi everyone, I'm an international student that is going to apply this upcoming November. I'm intending to apply for Grinnell ED1 with majors in English and Psychology.
My stats
SAT : 1980 ( I'm gonna retake in October, aiming at 2200 and above since the first time I took it I did not try my best at Math section)
SAT 2: Math II 800, Literature 770, Physics 800
GPA 3.65
My high school is very rigorous and prestigious in my city as well as in my country</p>
<p>100 hours of EC
2,5 years of pursuing calligraphy and making use of it to fundraise for my voluntary projects
3 years of being an English movie translator ( making subtitles and all ) for a well-known forum in my country
President of my school voluntary organization which have a variety of projects in helping the community
3 years joining Earth Hour in my country, from being an ordinary member to the manager assistant of PR team
2 years of being a writer for an English magazine in my country aiming at teaching and providing useful information for teenagers
I think my essay is pretty good </p>
<p>Do you guys think I'm any fit for Grinnell, because I really really really want to get in Grinnell ( I actually got in contact with a senior from my same high school that got into Grinnell and she actually passed her sense of loyalty to me !!)</p>
<p>P/s: it's my first time posting a thread on CC so if I have made any mistakes accidentally, then I'm truly sorry :D</p>
<p>You sound terrific and i don’t see why you wouldn’t have a great shot at it. The main issue for you in applying ED would be financial aid considerations. If you are applying for the special international scholarships (which the school states are highly competitive) then they advise you to apply RD. Please note that Grinnell is “need-aware” in its admission of international students but I think (although am not positive) that if a student is accepted, it does meet full need. Do you understand this situation? If not, my suggestion would be to talk directly to the Admissions office and they can help you make the best decision about when to apply. </p>
<p>If financial aid is not a concern, then if Grinnell is truly your first choice school, then go for it and apply ED!</p>
<p>Definitely send in your SAT II scores, even though the school doesn’t require them. They give a picture that right now your SAT I doesn’t (glad you’re retaking it). </p>
<p>btw, no one on CC can truly judge anyone’s “chances,” but it looks like you’ve got great stats and EC’s, so you should be right in the mix and merit a careful look from the Admissions Committee. Interest and fit are important, and you seem to have this as well. I would suspect that it partly depends on what country you are from and how competitive it is to get in from where you live. That is, if a lot of students from your country tend to apply to Grinnell, then that will make it more competitive for you, but applying ED might give you an edge there. </p>
<p>‘SAT : 1980 (I’m gonna retake in October, aiming at 2200 and above since the first time I took it I did not try my best at Math section)’</p>
<p>This is going to be an issue. It’s very easy to say “I will get XYZ score”. What if you don’t get that score?</p>
<p>However, if these aren’t “predicted” scores (SAT 2: Math II 800, Literature 770, Physics 800), you should be able to bring your score up to a 2200. Usually literature SAT scores are consistent w/ CR reading scores (CR is usually higher). Math, for some (like me), is less predictable.</p>
<p>‘I think my essay is pretty good’</p>
<p>You have many months to reflect on the essay you wrote and potentially new ones.</p>
<p>Do you need financial aid? This could easily change your decision from ‘yes’ to ‘no’. If you need no aid, your chances are very high because Grinnell is actively recruiting full-pay internationals these days.</p>
<p>@SDonCC: Actually financial aid is my concern so I’m going to considering between RD and ED ( I’ll ask my senior/ admission office for advice )
Not a lot of people in my country have gone to Grinnell so I guess it will be less competitive that way :D</p>
<p>@International95
It is great since Grinnell do not require Writing score so I will only have to improve my Math score, mainly.</p>
<p>Thanks a lot for your advice and comments !! </p>
<p>Look at the ‘special scholarships’ for specific regions at Grinnell. Are you from any of the countries that fall under those regions? Grinnell recommends that students from those countries apply in RD. Also, note that, unlike the vast majority of schools that offer need-based aid to internationals, Grinnell does not promise to meet need for international students, except for special scholarship recipients. You should think about this before applying ED.</p>
<p>How much aid do you think you’ll need to be able to attend?</p>
<p>No need to apply ED, then. You will most probably get in during RD. Why I’m recommending against applying ED is that Grinnell will probably not meet your need, so it would be best for you to compare options in RD (although do talk to Jon Edwards first). Having only $23k in need puts you in a very good position at nearly all LACs that offer $$ to internationals.</p>
<p>@International95 : why will Grinnell not meet my need if it is ED ? ( sorry I just do not quite get it yet…)
Generally, what amount of required aid that puts you in a bad position, in your opinion?</p>
<p>Grinnell does not promise to meet need of internationals regardless of whether it is ED or RD. Usually, asking for more than half the cost of attendance puts you in a very competitive pool of applicants.</p>
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