Chance ME or Match ME. INTL Student

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Demographics

  • international student
  • Type of high school : Private
  • Gender/Race/Ethnicity : South Asian woman

Intended Major(s)
International Relations/ BUSINESS/ Law

GPA, Rank, and Test Scores
Did Alevels : 2A 1B
Olevels : 1A(english) 7Bs

  • Class Rank: not applicable
  • ACT/SAT Scores:1470

Coursework
A-Levels
Awards

Extracurriculars
Fully funded government exchange program to USA(2018) summer exchange
Fully funded Government exchange program to Japan( 1 year)
Fully funded leadership program to Korea(2023) 1 week
N3 in Japanese language(jlpt)
Took German language in school
speak English and 2 other native languages
work as a Virtual assistant

Essays/LORs/Other
Essays: I would rate it 6/10 still working on how to make it more catchy
Special Situation: After COVID parents stopped funding my education. Could not fund my Alevel exams and had to do ACCA according to them. Done with 5 exams of ACCA and 4 are remaining. Saved up for Alevels and now o levels and A levels have a 4 year gap

Cost Constraints / Budget
can contribute 10k a year(will be self financing through my acca degree)

Schools
please match my profile to schools.

2

I donā€™t know if your screen name is your real name or notā€¦but if,it isā€¦or close to it you might want to change it.

3

its not my real name. Its a fake name to stay anonymous

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4

If your family can contribute $10,000 a year, that wonā€™t even cover room and boardā€¦so you would need aid if someone sort covering full tuition PLUS some portion of the rest of your expenses.

This really puts you in a hard place financially. It means that the vast majority of colleges here will be unaffordable for you,

You donā€™t say your family income and assets, but perhaps a college that meets full need for international students would workā€¦although most are very competitive for admissions. And most are need aware for admissions for international studentsā€¦so your level of need might be considered when your application for admission is considered.

@tsbna44 any place where this student could get a guaranteed net cost at $10K as an international with merit aid?

@AustenNut any suggestions?

5

What does this mean?

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6

Ill be self financing. By September 2023 I would be done with my ACCA exams and will look for a part time near my college so I could pay tuition. ACCA= Accounting and finance degree

7

parents do not want to contribute towards my education anymore. Financial abuse sort of situation going on right now.

8

You will not be able to work enough while on a student visa in the United States to fully fund college. Your number of work hours will be limited. You will be here on a student visa, not a work visa. The likelihood that you can fully self fund college here is low.

Iā€™m not trying to be a Debbie downer here, but that is a reality.

If you get accepted here, you will be required to complete a certificate of finances that documents that you HAVE the necessary funds to attend college here. This can include financial aid you receive from the college. It cannot include possible future earned income. It has to be what you have. You will need this to get a student visa here.

Soā€¦you need to find colleges that are affordable with aid and any money you have at the ready. And you need to have an affordable option in your own country.

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9

with these stats can i get into need blind colleges? as a Virtual assistant Im earning 1200 usd a month

10

thank you so much for guiding me. I hate missing out on the college experience since I was home schooled as well.I wanted to see my chances of getting into us colleges but it seems like its a far fetched idea.

11

I tagged a couple of others who might have some suggestions for you. Letā€™s see what others come up with for ideas.

@AustenNut @tsbna44 @MYOS1634 @Mwfan1921

12

Need blind is half of the equation. If a school is need blind, then they donā€™t consider your finances when they consider admission.

What you really need is a college that meets full need for all international students.

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13

So can you find work in your country with this degree?
Getting a Bachelorsā€™ degree, in the US, is also part of the equation. After the degree, it is expected that you return to your home country. The US will educate you, but there are no guarantees that any company can sponsor you. So, with the ACCA degree, why canā€™t you just work in your home country?

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14

So - like others - Iā€™m a bit confused. you say youā€™re graduating high school but then you say you took exams toward a finance and accounting degree. Is this a college degree or part of high school?

As for your question - can you get into a need blind college? Of course you can - because most are. But I think what you are asking - is can you get into a meets need for international college. I may not have the list right - but Amherst, Princeton, Harvard, Yale, MIT, Dartmouth and Georgetown.

Other colleges offer aid to international. Some may even offer full aid but might be need aware.

So back to your finances - Iā€™m a bit confused, you have $10K a year because thatā€™s all your parents will give you - but what is your demonstrated need? Your ā€œdemonstratedā€ need does not equal the total cost minus what your parents will give you. Colleges arenā€™t concerned with how much your parents will give you. They are concerned with what they can afford - which is often more than they want to afford. So when you ask about (I think this is what you were asking) about meets need colleges for international, the question I have is do you really have need and if so, how much? Iā€™m not sure how well they work for international but you can go on each schoolā€™s Net Price Calculator and it will give you a guestimate - based on the info you put in - as to what type of scholarship youā€™d get.

You could also go for full rides that are merit based - such as the Johnson at Washington & Lee.

So you ask can you get into those schools? Itā€™s hard to tell - because you say you have an A- but how will they rate you? I would have to guess likely not based on an A- and your SAT.

So you can then go to schools that give auto merit. I just looked at U of Arizona but they greatly cut their international scholarship so itā€™s now $22K a year for a 4.0. I donā€™t know that you are a 4.0 as an A- - but that would put you at $19K + room and board - so over $30K.

A school like Southern Mississippi has tuition, room and board of $26K for international if Iā€™m reading right. And they have aggressive merit aid - itā€™s hard to tell how international is impacted.

Perhaps the best deal is U of Central Arkansas who offers an out of state waiver to all international (if you live in campus housing). Arkansas State is also estimating attendance at $22K. Murray State is $27K but offers scholarships.

Of course, Iā€™m sure you are seeking a ā€œnameā€ school.

Not sure why you want to leave home but you might check Canada, Europe or other countries of interest.

Let us know your demonstrated need (what they colleges say), not what you/your parents say - and we can go further.

PS - not sure if youā€™ll be able to keep your virtual job while in collegeā€¦college takes a lot of time but you might be able to access a campus job depending on your visa status (at least I read on a few websites).

Thanks

15

Not Georgetown.

These are the seven colleges that are need blind for admissions AND meet full need for ALL international students:

ā€œNow Bowdoin joins Harvard University, Princeton University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Yale University, Dartmouth College, and Amherst College in including all students, regardless of citizenship, under its need-blind admissions policy,ā€ said the university in a press release.

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16

Youā€™ve obviously worked very hard and have many accomplishments. I am unsure, however, if that will be sufficient to get you to a college in the U.S. based upon what youā€™ve shared so far.

You say there was a 4-year gap with your A-levels. Are you around 18, or are you older? Depending on your age, you may be able to qualify as independent from your parents. Also, do you support yourself financially now, or are you still financially dependent on your family? Depending on the answer, you may be able to be considered independent. If you are considered independent, then colleges would only look at your assets in determining need, and not your familyā€™s. This is not my area of specialty, but @Mwfan1921 may have better guidance.

If your family earns less than about $65-75k USD, then I would throw an application in at the seven colleges that @thumper1 mentioned that are need blind and meet full need for international students.

I would also take a close look at options in other countries. I think thereā€™s one in Germany that might be free for all students, and you would then just need to pay for your living expenses.

With respect to U.S. universities, below are some that offer financial aid to international students, but are not need-blind. Based on their net prices (price after all financial aid), these appear to be some of the more generous schools where I think you have a legitimate chance of acceptance, though there are no guarantees. Some of the colleges whose stats are not as high as yours may add merit aid to help woo you to come (mainly the first couple).

  • Albion (MI)
  • Valparaiso (IN)
  • Beloit (WI)
  • Skidmore (NY)
  • Soka (CA)
  • Oberlin (OH)
  • Kenyon (OH)
  • Lafayette (PA )
  • Trinity (TX)
  • U. of Richmond (VA)
  • Grinnell (IA)
  • Vassar (NY)
  • Hamilton (NY)

ETA:

Also, take a look at:

  • Berea (KY): this is a work-college, and apparently international students are eligible
  • Bryn Mawr (PA ): womenā€™s college
  • Colorado College
  • Davidson (NC)
  • Dickinson (PA )
  • Scripps (CA): womenā€™s college
  • Smith (MA): womenā€™s college
17

Ok. I got off an net list. I see they offered limited need aid 4 international looking at the school site itself. Thx for correcting.

But Iā€™m assuming this student doesnā€™t have need to the level she thinks. This is where W&L and others like that have full rides which include international are worth a gamble.

I checked WVU. If the gpa is 3.6, theyā€™d get $12k off this high 20s.

Of course there are costs of travel, etc.

18

IIRC, this poster has a $10,000 college budget. Or am I missing something.

19

Budget and then wants to finance from work.

But thatā€™s her budget based on her parents not wanting to contribute anymore. Hence the need to run an NPC or whatever tool is avail for international to determine need.

I canā€™t find anything near $10k but she talked about extra ā€˜virtualā€™ income. But W&L Johnson a real long shot but would come in budget.

20

The net price calculator is not likely to be accurate for an international studentā€¦unless that is a question on it.

The question about the posterā€™s age is a good one. Even soā€¦the certificate of finances will still need to be completedā€¦and future earnings donā€™t count.