<p>Background:
Chinese public high school student
We don't have a GPA system, but I am in the top 10 of a class of 500.
TOEFL - 103
SAT 1 - 2040 (560 reading, 800 math, 680 writing)
SAT 2 - 790 Chem, 800 Physics, 800 Math IIC
I literally have no extracurriculars (100% my fault - I went to a public high school in China where the primary focus is to prepare us for the Chinese standardized test, the gaokao, so ECs weren't emphasized at all - I wish I had researched college admissions earlier as a freshman!)</p>
<p>Goal:
To major in something math/science-related at a top 50 US college. Open to liberal arts colleges as well (any shot at a top 15 liberal arts college?)</p>
<p>Will not be requesting financial aid (if this helps at all...)</p>
<p>Realistically I know I'm not good enough to get into a top 30 college, so how about the following?</p>
<p>Harvey Mudd
Washington and Lee
Brandeis University
Boston College
College of William and Mary
Case Western Reserve University (thinking this may be good for me given their high acceptance rate and their focus on math/science)
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Lehigh University
Boston University
University of Miami
Grinnell</p>
<p>Or are these all reaches for me as well? Would appreciate any thoughts. Thank you! </p>
<p>(Also, recently applied to many of the UCs)</p>
<p>Some opportunities available to students at my old Chinese public school, that would merit the title of ‘extracurricular’:</p>
<ul>
<li>MC at school events (English events?)</li>
<li>Piano/Violin/Art</li>
<li>Class president / 团支书</li>
<li>Volunteering with your school </li>
<li>Tutoring (NOT getting tutored)</li>
</ul>
<p>Not requesting financial aid will help tremendously.
As a reach and if you’ve already taken Calculus with good results, you can include CalTech (since they’re less Liberal Arts oriented than Harvey Mudd, they may look at your lack of EC’s differently? It’s worth a try).</p>
<p>Are you very preppy/conservative? Because if so Washington&Lee is a great choice, but Grinnell isn’t - and vice versa.</p>
<p>I think you’re okay for Case, Lehigh, and RPI.
Apply to RIT, URochester, Rose Hulman.</p>
<p>LACs: since you’re full pay, you have a good shot at Dickinson, St Olaf, Rhodes, Lawrence. As reaches, Colby, Colgate, Skidmore, Wesleyan. Now, all these schools will want to know why you don’t have any EC’s and your counselor will have to make very clear how long your school day is, such as 7am -4pm school, 6-10pm gaokao cram school, with no clubs/ECs offered. Your guidance counselor will also have to make plain how competitive your school is and how high you rank nationally.</p>
<p>However if your family has enough money, it might be worth it for you to apply to do a PG year in a boarding school in order to increase your SAT and, mostly, get involved in EC’s (plus take more classes that would show your strengths in American terms). I’m quite sure you would be able to reach 2200 if your English for better for instance. But mostly the PG year would solve your #1 problem, lack of EC’s. An alternative is to be an exchange student for a year in a public high school somewhere. Once again, the goal would be for your to increase your score by improving your English and to get you involved in clubs where you can get leadership roles, find yourself a sport you can excel at, etc.</p>
<p>If you want info on PG years (which aren’t very well-known - and, once again, may not be possible, since they’re expensive) check out schools like Berkshire, Blair, Brehm, Cotter, Hotchkiss, Randolph Macon Academy, Putney (this one would probably offer the most drastic change from a Chinese school and it’s highly respected)… These schools have diverse selectivity levels.</p>
<p>Good luck with the colleges I mentioned - when you visit their website, fill out the “request information” or “join the mailing list” form, since this will show “interest” (a factor that can play in admission decisions, all other things being equal.)</p>
<p>You might want to buy a book like “Fiske Guide”, “Insider’s guide to the colleges” or “Princeton Review’s Best Colleges”, and read it, annotating it. Once you know what you’re looking for, especially with regards to vibe, let us know and we’ll suggest some more schools.</p>
<p>It looks like you’ve been on here for a long time. Do you know of any other threads that can be of help for me? Maybe a similar international one?</p>
<p>Feel like that would help me a lot as well without wasting your time retyping everything up again. </p>