Chance me for HYPSM + Other Top Schools! Will Chance Back

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I'm a senior and it's officially application season. I don't want to waste $$$$ and the time writing supplemental essays if A. I don't have a decent chance and B. Won't get FA.</p>

<p>Sex: Female
Race: Asian (Chinese)
Gender: Female
Applicant Type: International (Canadian Citizen, born in Canada) ***Need FA
Hooks: Umm, first in family to go to college? Not sure if this counts for internationals</p>

<p>Stats:</p>

<p>SATs: 780 CR, 780 WR, 650 MATH (will be taking this once more in October, but not sure if Math will improve by much)
SAT IIs: World (700), Lit (750), Chinese w/ Listening (800) <---not native speaker, went to Mandarin school
APs (self-study, school is non AP/IB): AP Eng (5), AP World (5), AP Euro (5), AP Comp Gov (5), AP Human Geo (5)
GPA (unweighted): Around 3.88
Rank: Definitely top 5-10% (out of a class of 350)</p>

<p>Awards: Some decent debate awards (Top 3 in Regional Champs, Qualifier to Provincial Champs, Finalist for largest tourney in Canada, some small ones), some speech awards (2nd in District, Finalist for Provincials, Law Cup Finalist), and MUN awards (usually on regional, national level). Also AP National Scholar (Canada), but other than that, I don't have any huge awards.</p>

<p>Extra-curriculars:</p>

<p>Women's rights (grades 9-12): Founder of a community branch of an international non-profit (organized events and raised money), act as a youth rep/speaker for the same international non-profit (been on the paper a few times), co-founded a conference on girl's rights, currently helping a retired activist research/write a book (to be published in 2015)</p>

<p>Model UN (grades 8-12): Have been on the Secretariat for national level conferences since grade 10 (three in total, one each year), coach/exec for school MUN club and also on Sect for school conference, directed/staffed/delegated at over 20 conferences</p>

<p>Debate/Speech (8-12): Coach/exec for school clubs, organized school invitational tournaments, have some awards (see awards section)</p>

<p>Politics (8-12): Elected Premier for regional youth parliament (had other positions since grade 8 like Minister of Communications), Youth rep/volunteer for a federal level political party, Elections officer for Provincial Elections, Intern at local politician's office, writer for an online youth political blog, on youth planning council/committee for city</p>

<p>Non-profit (9-12): Co-founded an international branch of a pretty notable non-profit -- I'm mostly in charge of human resources and I manage over 100 personnel. We've also held many fundraisers ranging from debate tournaments to textbook drives as well as educational conferences. Also provincial manager for a national campaign on environmentalism but not sure if I want to put this on app.</p>

<p>Business: Was selected to organize a university-sponsored youth entrepreneurship conference. ****If I'm applying for IR, I shouldn't put this on my app right?</p>

<p>Teacher recs: One from Socials Department head (and MUN sponsor teacher), and another one from Humanities Department head and Law teacher. Both have known me since grade 8, we're very close, so I'm hoping the reference letters will be great.</p>

<p>Essays: One finished and another one on how cultural revolution took away my parents' right to education, and how they immigrated to Canada to give my siblings and I the freedom of choice and opportunity in Canada.</p>

<p>Chance me for:
Penn CAS (ED) -- need blind to Canadians
Harvard
Yale
Stanford
Princeton
Columbia
Brown
Dartmouth
Vanderbilt
Middlebury
Rice
Northwestern
Rice
Emory
Wellesley
Georgeton SFS</p>

<p>Any other suggestions? Thanks!</p>

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<p>

</p>

<p>Save the application money then. Very few schools in USA offer substantial aid to international students. I’m not sure how that works with Canada, I know some schools consider Canadian citizens differently but you’ll have to check on that one.</p>

<p>Exactly how much can your family pay per year?</p>

<p>There are 6 need-blind colleges and universities that meet 100% need to internationals - Amherst, Dartmouth, Harvard, MIT, Princeton, and Yale. And those schools are all very hard to get into.</p>

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<p>@Ctesiphon My family can contribute at least half (around $30,000) of the money each year, more if needed. We just can’t pay full price (Cause I have a twin sister). I know Canadians who have gotten need-based aid at Middlebury etc. </p>

<p>Again, UPenn CAS ED is my best bet because they are need-blind to Canadians.</p>

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<p>What do you mean they can contribute “half”? There should be an exact fixed amount to what they can give you per year. It would be a bit weird for parents to pay for exactly half of where you are intending to go, if that be $1,000 or $30,000.</p>

<p>If they contribute 30k / yr, consider some publics. University of Virginia, UIUC, William&Mary may be affordable. You are planning on majoring in IR correct?
Do you plan on going to graduate school?</p>

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<p>@Ctesiphon My family is willing to contribute around $30,000 regardless of how much the school costs. I’m just putting it at $60,000 because that’s around how expensive universities are for internationals. If a school in the states cost $30,000, then they’ll pay full price. Hopes that’s more clear.</p>

<p>People might get mad at me for saying this, but I would like to go to a Top 20 school in the states. I’m international, so it would make more sense to go to a slightly more prestigious school if I’m going to be paying higher prices. Otherwise, I have McGill and UBC (great schools) for backups. I will talk to my parents about public universities and ask them what they think.</p>

<p>And yep, IR or Political Science. </p>

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<p>You will not pay more than US full pay students. What is your EFC? Have you run the net price calculators? If your parents are only willing to pay 30k and your EFC. Is more, then cross off almost every school on your list as most only provide need based aid, not merit aid.</p>

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<p>@GA2012MOM I was under the impression that net price calculators wouldn’t work for me because I’m Canadian. I will try it out today. If the top 20 schools in my list offer need-based aid, then shouldn’t I still give it a go? It’s not like they’re saying “No, we will not consider giving any aid to internationals.” </p>

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<p>Sure, you can try…I was just under the impression if your parents can pay 30k for you and also your sister, you wouldn’t qualify for need based aid. Run the NPC and see what comes up.</p>

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<p>@GA2012MOM Both my parents are retired (my dad’s 70) so it’s from their savings! </p>

<p>I know my scores aren’t out of the word great, but I was hoping that my extracurriculars and recommendations would showcase passion and focus. </p>

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<p>If you are considering schools along those caliber and are also looking for a school with a strong international relations program, you could also consider Tufts University. Not sure what their FA policy for internationals are like though</p>

<p>While I love William and Mary and their international relations program has exceeded my expectations and is fantastic, they do not offer aid for international students. You should look up individual policies of the schools you are going to apply to. Those that offer to meet aid for international students or offer to meet full need are your best bet, but there are only a few of those. A better option to concurrently seek out schools that could offer merit scholarships, if your goal is to study in the U.S. but many of the higher ranked schools don’t offer that. You could always attend school in Canada for undergrad and come to the U.S. for grad while establishing residency.</p>

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<p>Many schools disregard the writing score on the SAT. Your 1430 (M/CR) is about average for a lot of colleges on your list. </p>

<p>You really need some match schools. Or else you probably will be wasting money and time on all those reaches. </p>

12

<p>@sally305 Thanks for the advice and wake up call! CC had allowed me to realize that I’m not as strong an applicant I imagined myself to be haha</p>

<p>As an international student, I am unable to have “safeties” or “matches” in the states – at least that’s the general consensus on CC. I’m not looking to pay higher tuition fees and move countries for a Top 30 or 50 school in the states when I can easily get in/afford McGill or University of Toronto. All my safety schools are in Canada, and all my reach schools are in the States. Again, I am intentionally only applying to reach schools.</p>

<p>And yes, unfortunately math is not my strong point :confused: I will be taking it once more in October, but if I don’t do well, I guess that’s that. I’m trying to cover that weakness by showcasing myself as an unconventional “Asian” and passionate IR major in my profile.</p>

<p>I guess I should reword my question to make it more clear. The schools on my list all offer need based aid to internationals – am I strong enough of an applicant to be the select group of internationals to receive aid? </p>

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<p>Just to be clear, it’s not that you’re not an outstanding student. You are. But you are going after the same small set of “top schools” that everyone in the U.S. and internationally seems to be interested in. And you asked for a reality check. :)</p>

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<p>@Sally305 Yep, thanks for the advice! :)</p>

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<p>Suggestion. UChicago. Buy you have to do something about that math</p>

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<p>@obinna2222 UChicago values intellectual curiosity and desire for “real education” a lot. I don’t think I would be able to fit their mold! </p>