Hello!
So I am an international student applying from Kazakhstan, pretty sure no one knows this country! I am half-Tatar, half-Kazakh, which are two not represented nations. According to data, only one student from Kazakhstan study in Harvard, and only one in 10 years attended Princeton. No data for my country for Yale.
SAT: 1510 (790 Math; 720 RW)
No SAT subjects ( financial hardship)
IELTS : 8 (equivalent to approximately 115 on TOEFL)
GPA: 5/5 (the highest possible)
CLASS RANK: 1/160
No IB No AP are offered in Kazakhstan.
Extracurricular:
1)Marie Curie Club for providing extended education in Physics (PRESIDENT/ FOUNDER) that club prepared some national-level winners
2) Green Club (PRESIDENT/FOUNDER) landscaping
3) Debate and Public Speaking (PRESIDENT/ FOUNDER)
4) MUN (PRESIDENT/ FOUNDER)
5) CLUB DEDICATED TO HELPING HOMELESS AND ORPHANS (PRESIDENT/ FOUNDER)
Many national level honors. Including a lot for civic engagement.
HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST/ WOMEN’s RIGHT ACTIVIST
In my essays wrote about standing up against sexism and nationalism in KZ. And finding my ideal- cosmopolitan world.
Rec:
Physics Teacher ( I hope good, Haven’t read)
history and social science teacher (HOPE THAT JT IS GOOD)
counselor ( well, hopefully, good. I helped her a lot)
~ unrepresened minority
~the first student from school applying to the USA
~the first student from school taking SAT
~ keep in mind, there is only ONE student from Kazakhstan in Harvard now, there was only one in 10 years in Princeton.
The lack of students from your country will not help you; in fact, it will work against you. The admissions wouldn’t be familiar with the school systems from your country. Being the first student from school to take the SAT/apply to the US will also do nothing in your favor.
International Students do not get any privilege for being an underrepresented minority; besides, Kazakhs are Asians and would be considered as an ORM
I would tell that you have advantage above other international students. And, no, Kazakhs are not ORM and not in the same pile with Asian countries, you are more likely be in pile with post-Soviet Union countries as we have similar situation( I’m applicant from Azerbaijan :D).
I know this year a girl from KZ got EA to MIT( she is gold ICho medalist), there are two other very strong applicants deffered to regular cycle, they both also applied to all Ivies. Last year a girl from KZ got into Duke with full scholarship.
What I’m trying to say is that you definitely have a chance and you have a hook of being URM and also female applicant.
Look at other applicants from KZ and compare yourself to them, there are lots of Olympiad winners and sportsman( the girl in Duke was one of best ice skaters in nation and in Russia).
Did you apply to other universities which like diversity like Duke , JHU, Dartmouth ? Did you apply to LACs which are also very friendly to international students?
Also, did you apply to FLEX? It could have been your plan B if you didn’t get into colleges this year.
@interapp I haven’t. I am from low-income family 26,000 $ a year ( although I have 5 siblings). Flex is only for 8-10 grades, I am already in my last, 11, Year.
To what universities have you applied?
Also, take into account, that I got interview from Harvard even though they mention on their website that they do not provide interviews for KZ. Anecdotes suggest strongly that it means you are under consideration if you was offered an interview when you are from country where interviews are not offered.
@wannagotoharvard Being from a very underrepresented country has both pros and cons. The plus is that you will experience a type of affirmative action because colleges want to boast that they have students from as many countries as possible. On the other hand, being from a really underrepresented country means that you are a riskier candidate because the college does not have a lot of knowledge of the high school system there and does not have much past experience on how other admits from your country have performed once they got into the school. If you have international awards however that should not be an issue I think.
I d say Harvard it is extremely tough for international students, even those with top awards and honors. Harvard is the most prestigious school in the world and people outside the US are much more impressed by and familiar with Harvard compared to Yale or Princeton. Therefore, most top international students aim for Harvard, so the chances of getting in are insanely low. Yale and Princeton are incredibly difficult too but I would expect them to be a bit more attainable than Harvard.
You should also apply to other good schools in the US besides HYP. HYP are crapshoots even for the most qualified students.
As is Yale and Princeton and every college at that level. Most top colleges limits the percentage of international students in its undergraduate schools to something in the 10-12% range. Acceptance rates for international students at these schools is roughly half the overall rate. Not to say that it is impossible, but it is an extreme long shot.
That may be an inaccurate assumption for a country of ~18 million.
I’m a college junior; while I am an international student and live overseas, I also hold several passports, so was not considered international for admissions.
It’s going to be tough without a US passport. The internationals I know who get in to top schools including ivies went to US Boarding high schools or have another hook, like their father ran for President in their foreign country.
I have applied to 20 colleges, including LACs( like Amherst( which is need-blind), Laffayette, Bucknell and etc), Harvard, Princeton, Dartmouth and Columbia from Ivies + a few other top schools such as UChicago, JHU, Duke, although my family income is waaaay less than yours(2 siblings).
You are not the only applicant to Harvard from KZ, I know at least 2 more people who applied this year, and they applied to nearly 20 colleges in US including all Ivies, MIT, Caltech, Stanford, UChicago and etc.
And there are probably even more applicants.
You should have applied to more colleges.
HYP is very risky, you may get into but also you may not(which very likely).
Also about interviews, in Azerbaijan we also don’t have interviewers, but all applicants got interview( I am in US now, FLEX, so for me it is easier as they have interviewers all around US tho I have skype interview with Columbia’s current student).
But anyway, none of them got in during EA tho everyone got interviews.
You’ve gotten a lot of good advice already on this thread, I would maybe highlight your human rights involvement if it’s significant and you made an impact. You don’t want to depend on being the only one from your country to apply, you want to get in on other merits.