<p>I'm a junior thinking about the months ahead. I'd love to go to one of the small LAC's mentioned in the title, but any suggestions for reaches, matches and safeties are more than welcome. I want to study something in the Humanities field.</p>
<ul>
<li><p>GPA unweighted - 3.95</p></li>
<li><p>I'm foreign, from Italy. I've been studying at a boarding school in NH since my sophomore year. This school doesn't rank, but at the school I attended my freshman year I was ranked #1/60, and it was a very competitive British prep school which regularly sends students to Oxbridge.</p></li>
<li><p>The NH school I attend now is an alternative boarding school, which means no APs, BUT I'm taking the most rigorous courses, all centered around the humanities field (Philosophy, World Religions, Global Issues, Adv. French Lit., Honors Eng, Honors US His) plus Advanced Calc.</p></li>
<li><p>SATs: Got 216 on my PSAT. A few months prior, I did the practice SAT on the college board website and got 2120 (710 cw, 710 w, 700 m). I'm taking the SATs tomorrow (wish me luck!).</p></li>
<li><p>ECs:
French Club - co founded in 10th grade and am now president
Active & Helping - club at my school that centers on charity, through which I've done many hours of community service. Joined in 10th grade. I also worked at a soup kitchen over the summer.
Model UN
Debate Club
Literary Journal
Student Life Action Committee</p></li>
<li><p>SUMMER PLANS:
I've applied to TASP.
If I'm rejected, I'll probably do some volunteering in Botswana or Anantapur, or maybe I'll get an internship in publishing (I'd like to do both equally. Which one would look better?)</p></li>
<li><p>STRENGTHS:
My essays will probably be very good, as writing is my forte.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>So, what chance do I have to get into those schools? Which other similar schools could I get into? What do you suggest I do to improve my application?</p>
<p>Amherst, Williams, Colgate, Vassar, Middlebury and other LACs are pretty generous for international students.</p>
<p>This is a list of some colleges that give generous need-based aid to international students and the list also shows what an average package looks like:</p>
<p>Connecticut College ($43,519)
St. Lawrence ($42,610)
Kenyon College ($42,242)
Colby College $41,870
University of Chicago ($41,061)
University of Richmond ($39,407)
Gettysburg College $37,876
MIT ($37,766)
Cal Tech ($37,191)
Colorado College ($36,820)</p>
<p>Not 100% of the international students receive financial aid from these schools, but this is easily looked up on collegeboard if you do some simple math counting the ammount of international students at each college. Most colleges also say under the international tab how many international students receive financial aid and what the school gave to them in total. This is how I chose my list of great colleges which are also generous.</p>
<p>Williams: maybe, but not seeing anything spectacular
Haverford: probably waitlist due to FA
Vassar: maybe
Amherst: maybe, but not seeing anything spectacular
Hamilton: yes</p>
<p>Yes, it is quite competitive. I am from India and have applied to</p>
<p>MIT, just to assuage my ego:)
U of C, their essay was requirement is crazy
Then I did apply to about 7 LACs based solely on their financial aid for internationals.
My EC are not exactly spectacular, and I did explain why.</p>
<p>My SAT I scores were decent=2190
Subject scores to were M 720, Phy. 800, Chem 780
My ACt scores thankfully are good, 34 comp and 10 in writing.
My essays are good, I have tried to communicate my emotional maturity and analytical ability across.</p>
<p>Best of luck</p>
<p>Now that the app process is over, I am on knife’s edge.</p>