Hi everyone! Thanks for taking the time to read this, I really appreciate it.
I am a rising senior from New Zealand, applying for computer science/business as an Asian male (sucks to be me)
I know CS is really really competitive, and it’s made me really anxious so It’d be great to get an idea of where I stand.
Dream Schools:
Stanford
Harvard
MIT
Wharton (Jerome Fisher programme)
UC Berkeley
Cornell
UCLA
This is where my profile stands:
Grades
GPA: 4.0
ACT: 34 Composite
Cambridge (CIE) AS/A levels: A* in 7 subjects
SAT II: Chemistry (800) Math II (790) Physics (800)
Main EC’s:
Built a web-app in the food/beverage industry (won't go into much detail) - funded by angel investor at $100k valuation
Built a website which helps volunteers find jobs and non-profits to find volunteers - expanded to 3 cities in NZ
Created an e-commerce platform which boosts the marketing presence of small ethical businesses - have 4 sponsors
including Starbucks & The Body Shop
Lead a team of 5 students to Thailand to build houses for impoverished families with Habitat for Humanity, also volunteer
with them regularly
Managed/organised a national high school case competition (200+ participants) - sponsored by Starbucks
Managed/organised a national hackathon for high school students (150+ participants) - sponsored by UNICEF
Young Enterprise Scheme: National year-long comp for HS students to start businesses - created a multifunctional
detox/tea drink bottle
Varsity Squash - captain
Varsity Basketball
Club basketball (represent city) - national champions
Awards
Stanford Young Innovators’ Hackathon Winner
New Zealand Startup Competition Winner
NZQA Scholarship Award ($6k for 3 years)
Velocity $100k challenge finalist (largest startup comp in NZ, only HS team to be a finalist)
Young Enterprise Marketing Excellence Award
I’m not here to stroke my ego, I’m seriously getting major anxiety when I think about all the other applicants, particularly in CS, so I wanted to get a little bit of perspective as to where I stand within such a competitive major
@katliamom Probably not, I’d likely be applying for aid at the need-blind schools, although I haven’t ask my parents about our financial situation so I’m not entirely sure
I just went on a Stanford tour and the AO said during the info session that they’re only need-blind to students inside the US (so they take money into consideration for international students rip…). Not sure about other colleges, but I’m guessing (?? very likely I could be incorrect lol) it’s going to be along the same lines. I think if you can pay full tuition you have a better chance of getting in (LOL rip x 100) but I wouldn’t be discouraged or anything if you can’t.
The UCs do not provide ANY aid to non-residents so, as @katliamom mom has noted, you need to be able to pay full fees to attend the public universities in California, $60K x 4 years=$240K. If your parents can pay, your chances are slightly better, but there are no guarantees since priority goes to in-state residents.
All the schools you listed are either reaches FOR EVERYBODY or not affordable for you. If you’re serious about studying in America, you will need to be smart in how you apply. Target schools where your stats put you in the upper 25th percentile and schools less popular with international students – usually located in the middle of the US, the south or parts of the west, but not west coast. This boosts your odds of getting in with sufficient financial aid.
The only matches or low reaches. If you are adamant in going to an American university, I would recommend EDing to Cornell - you will have a very high chance.
@bigboybusiness just an fyi, the M&T program at Penn is not offered exclusively through Wharton. It is a dual degree program in engineering and business so it is offered by both the engineering school (SEAS) and the business school (Wharton) at Penn. M&T is insanely hard to get in, the level of difficulty is mailer to Harvard, Stanford, MIT.
I would say you do have a competitive profile but obviously most of the schools on your list are high reaches for anyone.
Idk why people are talking about the financial aspect. That’s irrelevant because you have scholarships, some dough from websites, and the worst case scenario is you get a loan. Boo hoo. Colleges in America will look at whether you can give them money or not, without a doubt, but merit is more important. They want to accept people that will make a name for themselves and donate money to the school when they become too rich to know what to do with themselves. You want to know if you’ll get in. Answer? Hell yah dude. (If you have good letters of recommendation and aren’t a jerk in real life which I’m gonna give you benefit of a doubt for). Good luck mate
^ Where are those scholarships and loans for international students to cover the $60k CoA annually? Financial reach schools are worse than reach schools.
If CS is your interest, why is CMU not on your list?
If a project based approach to learning, CS and entrepreneurship are your interest, why not the very flexible project/interdisciplinary system pioneered at WPI? The project vehicle appears to be your favorite mode of transportation. They even do some interdisciplinary projects in Wellington. They are called IQPs.
Then check the schools’ Common Data Set for the stats of the last entering freshman class to see where you might have a chance of acceptance. International competition is rough!
If you work out how to address the financial piece, you would be a great candidate for the UCB Haas/EECS dual degree program. It’s very small and selective, but allows you to graduate with 2 degrees.
The ability to afford the tuition won’t affect your chance at all at the schools you listed. But IMO too much fluff in your EC/accomplishment may give AO an impression of misrepresentation. For example, your top accomplishment “Stanford Young Innovators’ Hackathon” is non-existent (at least its not called anywhere close to that name). If an admission reader with a little bit of knowledge about the community comes across with such claims he or she would have concern about your application.
The ability to afford tuition makes it so admissions officers will not reject you automatically at need aware for international students schools.
You are definitely a super competitive candidate. Your ECs are incredible and they show that you are entrepreneurial, innovative, and skilled in the fields of business and technology. M&T is a great fit for you, but, of course, it is also perhaps the most selective on your list. Like most other candidates, it will probably come down to your essays. Make them as thoughtful and passionate as possible. You want admissions officers to really understand who you are and why you want to study what you selected as your intended major.