Chance me, s'il vous plait!

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Ummm... okay, so the admissions process is just bewildering, especially as I'm an international student. New delhi, India.
Some colleges I was thinking of were:
Reed College, Colgate College, Kenyon College, Williams, Swarthmore, Grinell, Bard, Beloit, Lafayette...( Reed being my top choice)</p>

<p>So, academically, my percentage has always been above 90%. 96% last year, presently in my senior year. 95% in my tenth boards (that's in my sophomore year). Rank, definitely among top 3 in school (out of 200).</p>

<p>SAT: 2350, 750 math, 800 in the other two.
plan to take SAT II in october in math and english.</p>

<p>ECs are not great:/</p>

<p>A few science olympiads, first in school, 90 to 96 th percentile nationally.
Editor of the school magazine (kind of). Various articles for the school magazine.
Have been learning French for a year. Recenly gave my DELF A1 and got 93%.
Have been writing fiction for years...
Semi-finalist in an essay competition on The Fountainhead by the Ayn Rand organisation among 7000 participants.
Co-wrote a play for an intra-class play competition.
A few prizes for creative writing, and excellence in Language and Literature at the chool level.
Have a blog. Don't know how much that counts.</p>

<p>I wish to do a double major in economics and a language.
Chance me at my choices... are they too high reach or what?</p>

2

<p>Okay, so the thing is- I’m just overflooded with conflicting information. Is it too high reach? Safe enough, given that I’m applying for financial aid? Do I aim for atleast one Ivy League?</p>

<p>Appliying to another country is tres confusing… so help and suggestions greatly valued…</p>

3

<p>Actually, that’s quite a good college, highly ranked et al</p>

4

<p>Someone… help!</p>

5

<p>I find chancing internationals who need financial aid to be nearly impossible. Reed says “Since our funds are limited, we can only offer financial aid to approximately 20 to 25 international students each year. In a typical year, 150 to 200 qualified international freshman and transfer applicants compete for these few awards.” :frowning: But that means that 20 to 25 offers are made. :slight_smile: Since Reed is your first choice, go ahead and apply, but don’t expect to be admitted with these odds.</p>

<p>A double major at Reed is exceedingly difficult in four years, due to writing two senior theses.</p>

6

<p>Yeah, I know.
The thing is, our school has no guidance counsellor. So all I can do is look up stats, but when I see some of the ECs students on this site have, it simmply freaks me out.</p>

7

<p>The real bottom line is this is about who else applies from India if you need much aid. They probably have significant aid for a couple of students from India or to spread around among several who need less. The competition is staggering and colleges like Reed are really hurting for money this year. The more you can pay, the better your chance.</p>

8

<p>uh- help appreciated…</p>

9

<p>Your stats are great, but you being an international student that is going to apply for financial aid, your chances are greatly reduced. I would suggest applying to an ivy league. My personal suggestion is Columbia University since they have have a good policy for financial aid for internation students. This is from their website:</p>

<p>“Columbia meets 100% of the demonstrated financial need for all students admitted as first-years, including foreign students. And we continue to meet your 100% of your demonstrated financial need for all four years of study.”</p>

<p>[Columbia</a> University Office of Undergraduate Financial Aid and Educational Financing - Financial Aid at Columbia](<a href=“http://www.studentaffairs.columbia.edu/finaid/eligibility/philosophy.php]Columbia”>How Aid Works | Columbia Financial Aid and Educational Financing)</p>

10

<p>Although for Columbia, as in most colleges, it is not a need-blind decision and therefore your chances are lower.</p>

11

<p>Oh, thanks- that’s unexpected…</p>

12

<p>Damn the recession! It’s bloody unfair…</p>

13

<p>You’re not disadvantaged…I also suggest you applying to some Ivy League colleges…you’ll have a great chances at Ivy league colleges due to your magnificent SAT score which is above 2300…which very few non-native speaking internationals have…I definitely can assure that you’ll have a place at one of the Ivies due to your high SAT :smiley: </p>

<p>Feel free to ask any questions. I’d love to suggest some Ivies if you like so…</p>

14

<p>Hey, thanks a lot… yes, I would love suggestions about Ivies. Actually, I figured that even though my grades are high, my ECs aren’t great- which kind of deterred my chances at very selective colleges. Is that true?</p>

15

<p>Still give it a shot. Remember that very few internationals (except British, Australian and Canadians) have SAT scores above 2300. And you have perfect scores on two sections. And I see that you’re a great writer too. Ivies want people like you. I think these Ivies would work for you:</p>

<p>1) University of Pennsylvania: They ask for great supplemental essays and as you’re a great writer, if you can write them decently, your chances will boost up.</p>

<p>2) Columbia University (as mentioned previously): Great college, great admissions process, focus on essays, etc.</p>

<p>3) Princeton University: Their essay question is superb and if you can ace that, you’ll be accepted!</p>

<p>4) Yale University: This can be optional. I recommended this as their financial aid is great.</p>

<p>Cut down on some Liberal Arts colleges on your list and add these ivies. Oh…I also recommend University of Chicago…as their most important admission factor are the essays.</p>

<p>You don’t need to worry about aid at these colleges. They are very generous.</p>

<p>Feel free to ask any question you have.</p>

16

<p>Hmmm… That is encouraging. I think I’ll give one of them a shot.
I saw Penn’s essay, actually, and it made me really want to apply there- just so I could write it! So, maybe-
However, isn’t financial aid a problem at most univs, especially now?
Thanks for all your help.</p>

17

<p>No…financial aid isn’t a problem at the mentioned Ivies. They are need blind and will fulfill your demonstrated need completely. Despite the financial crisis, elite schools still get a lot of grants and donations from alumni. I wouldn’t worry about fin. aid at all if I’m applying there.</p>

<p>And cut down some colleges from that list…</p>

<p>Feel free to ask questions you have.</p>

18

<p>And I forgot one thing…don’t apply to one Ivy only…as you need fin. aid… and your SAT’s are great…apply to all of the mentioned ones…</p>

19

<p>Try the University of Chicago. Its academics are as good as Harvard, Yale, and Princeton. Certainly above all other Ivy Leagues. It pays more attention to your essays. Its undergraduate program has very good placement records to top professional (Law, medicine, MBA), and PhD programs. </p>

<p>US News 2010 World’s Best Universities</p>

<p>Rank Overall Score
1 Harvard University
United States 100.0
Academic Peer Review Score
100 Employer Review Score
100 Student to Faculty Score
96 International Faculty Score
87 International Students Score
81 Citations per Faculty Score
100 </p>

<p>2 Yale University
United States 99.8
Academic Peer Review Score
100 Employer Review Score
100 Student to Faculty Score
100 International Faculty Score
89 International Students Score
71 Citations per Faculty Score
98 </p>

<p>3 University of Cambridge
United Kingdom 99.5
Academic Peer Review Score
100 Employer Review Score
100 Student to Faculty Score
99 International Faculty Score
98 International Students Score
95 Citations per Faculty Score
89 </p>

<p>4 University of Oxford
United Kingdom 98.9
Academic Peer Review Score
100 Employer Review Score
100 Student to Faculty Score
100 International Faculty Score
96 International Students Score
96 Citations per Faculty Score
85 </p>

<p>5 California Institute of Technology (Caltech)
United States 98.6
Academic Peer Review Score
100 Employer Review Score
74 Student to Faculty Score
98 International Faculty Score
100 International Students Score
93 Citations per Faculty Score
100 </p>

<p>6 Imperial College London
United Kingdom 98.4
Academic Peer Review Score
99 Employer Review Score
100 Student to Faculty Score
100 International Faculty Score
98 International Students Score
100 Citations per Faculty Score
83 </p>

<p>7 UCL (University College London)
United Kingdom 98.1
Academic Peer Review Score
96 Employer Review Score
99 Student to Faculty Score
100 International Faculty Score
96 International Students Score
100 Citations per Faculty Score
89 </p>

<p>8 University of Chicago
United States 98.0
Academic Peer Review Score
100 Employer Review Score
99 Student to Faculty Score
98 International Faculty Score
78 International Students Score
83 Citations per Faculty Score
91 </p>

<p>9 Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
United States 96.7
Academic Peer Review Score
100 Employer Review Score
100 Student to Faculty Score
90 International Faculty Score
33 International Students Score
94 Citations per Faculty Score
100 </p>

<p>10 Columbia University
United States 96.3
Academic Peer Review Score
100 Employer Review Score
99 Student to Faculty Score
98 International Faculty Score
29 International Students Score
89 Citations per Faculty Score
94 </p>

<p>11 University of Pennsylvania
United States 96.1
Academic Peer Review Score
97 Employer Review Score
98 Student to Faculty Score
88 International Faculty Score
83 International Students Score
79 Citations per Faculty Score
99 </p>

<p>12 Princeton University
United States 95.7
Academic Peer Review Score
100 Employer Review Score
98 Student to Faculty Score
75 International Faculty Score
91 International Students Score
82 Citations per Faculty Score
100 </p>

<p>13 Duke University
United States 94.4
Academic Peer Review Score
97 Employer Review Score
98 Student to Faculty Score
100 International Faculty Score
30 International Students Score
66 Citations per Faculty Score
94 </p>

<p>13 Johns Hopkins University
United States 94.4
Academic Peer Review Score
99 Employer Review Score
78 Student to Faculty Score
100 International Faculty Score
30 International Students Score
68 Citations per Faculty Score
100 </p>

<p>15 Cornell University
United States 94.3
Academic Peer Review Score
100 Employer Review Score
99 Student to Faculty Score
90 International Faculty Score
28 International Students Score
76 Citations per Faculty Score
96</p>

20

<p>The USNWR Academic Peer Review Score is probably the most “attacked” datum they publish as being “… based on badly outdated information, fragmentary impressions, or the relative place of a school in the rankings-validated and rankings-influenced pecking order.” Consider it nonsense, IMHO. Fewer than half of all colleges are now responding to the USNWR questionnaire, with the number dwindling.</p>