<p>I've recently heard a lot about having to have one particular spike that comes through your application in order to get into an Ivy League university. I am currently studying at a School in South Africa and am in grade 10. My average here is 90% (which on the American system converts to about 96.5%). I am in my schools orchestra, A choir, wind band, flute ensemble and a capella singing group (all of which have an application progress). By the time I leave school I will have a diploma on the piano, grade 8 on flute and grade 8 on organ. I recently attended the World Individual Debating and Public Speaking Championships in Brisbane, Australia - and placed 3rd overall for persuasive speaking, placing 28th for all events combined out of 108 participants. I am the president of my schools Public Speaking society, have nationals colors for Public Speaking and debating. I am the vice-president of an academic group called historical bench, the president of my schools Global Issues Network and on my schools debate team. I did IGCSE exams in secret, as I felt they were a better syllabus, when I was 15 years old. I got 100% for physics and 97% for english. All of my other results were A's. I did this by waking up at 5AM for days a week to teach myself the work using textbooks I bought with my birthday money. I am the president of a charity organisation called M4K which partners with a disadvantaged-youth care home by donating money, clothing, textbooks, easter eggs, christmas presents, old toys.. Anything that can be used to brighten the lives of the children within them. I am a member of Equal Education, which strives for the right to education in South Africa and for the next 3 years will be in charge of organizing live entertainment and sponsorship for a charity run that raises about R80 000 for various charities every year (about $16 000). I captained my sports team for 6 years, untill I had to swap to social squash and surfing due to weak knees. I participate in music and art eisteddfods on a regular basis. I have never got less than a diploma for a work I have submitted or performed. I take Maths, Science, Biology, History, Music, English, Afrikaans (2nd language), Life Orientation and AP Maths (my school only offers one advanced placement course and I am currently getting 97% for it - which would be a 5 on the American system) I am the major scholarship holder at my school. Top 5 national public speakers. I am currently co-authoring and creating an investigation into shack fires in Africa which includes distributing home-made fire extinguishers to people living in shacks and several other initiatives for keeping them safe. I will attend the World Individual and Debating Championships another 2 times, am hoping to tour Greece next year with my a Capella group and attend my country's national science expo. I have received distinction honors from my school 3 times, and about 15 other honors awards such as ties, badges and colors. The way things are now, I should graduate (in terms of academics) in the top 0.00005% of all grade 12's in South Africa. I am still too young to campaign for a leadership position in my school, though I am already the president of several societies and movements and play a big part in organizing events within my school house (like the houses in Harry Potter) I am also in the process of creating an organization which raises fund for AIDS orphans. I write articles for a national magazine called Simply Green (which looks at how you can green your lifestyle) and have been featured in several local newspapers for achievements in music and speech. I am also in charge of my school's environmental affairs portfolio. So there's all this and a couple other small things, but as far as I can see, I don't have one 'spike' or a really compelling story. I'm passionate about everything I do. There's nothing in my day to day activities that I don't enjoy. I come from a divorced background within which both of my parents have psychological disorders and had to fight to stay at the school I loved as my father refused to pay for it (so I got a scholarship) but still it seems that I don't have that one big thing. And I'm an international student who would need to get a full financial aid package to one of the big universities. Plus I can't exactly go for campus visits or have an interview. One thing is that I plan to write my SAT's next year. I've bought the book and am reading through it in my free time. But other than that I don't know what to do. Does anyone have any advice they could give me? And an opinion on what my chances are? Thanks so much, and sorry for the really long message! HARVARD, PRINCETON, YALE, CORNELL, STANFORD, GEORGETOWN, MIT, NYU, COLOMBIA, DARTMOUTH - basically any ivy league or top 20 uni that offers financial aid.</p>
<p>You’ll have more chance if you split that big block of text into paragraphs…</p>
<p>I second geniustai. Didn’t have the courage to go through your wall of text. Anyway, I saw you listed NYU at the bottom. If you are int student and need significant fin aid, get NYU off the list.</p>
<p>I braved the mighty wall of text and all I can say is thank jeebus you’re not applying next year cause you’d push me out of the application pool haha,
You have a very impressive resume for a 10th grader. Mostly what you need to do is keep up with everything you’re doing now, because you’re on the right path, and also make sure you ace those darn SATs (2200+ I guess for ivys, tho not standard. You can basically get in with even 1900 if the other parts of your app are fabulous).</p>
<p>Can’t read that if you don’t split it up.</p>
<p>Thanks so much…
What - just make it easier and more convenient to read?
I’ll do that… Where do you study?</p>
<p>I’ll break it up to make it easier to read and understand! And thanks so much Alisyn - that means a lot 
People on this forum are so nice! And, I’ll be honest I just hear of it so added it to the list, but ultimately Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Stanford or MIT would be dream schools… :)</p>
<p>Sure, make any random school on the Top 10 list on USNWR your dream school without even visiting or researching it. Because rankings are all that constitutes one right?</p>
<p>I dont really seem to have a spike, but I am truly passionate about everything I do! I come from a divorced background within which both of my parents have clinical psychological disorders (but theyre both still really clever my dad has a PhD in Quantum Physics so…) which was really hard to grow up with and has probably shaped me as a person, but I can only be stronger for it. My father refused to send me to the school I loved when I was 13, so I put my heart into winning a scholarship (and got it). I know attend that school. My family life is seriously, seriously messed up, but that doesnt really make for a compelling story.</p>
<p>Anyway,</p>
<p>This is a rough CV. Please give me any feedback you have on what Ive got, what I need, and what you would do to achieve that! Thanks so much! </p>
<p>Misc:
South African
Grade 10
Would need full financial aid
Interested in International Policy Law, Theoretical and Quantum Physics, Applied Economics and Public Relations (Lobbyist)
White
Male
Middle-income ($70 000 per year)</p>
<p>Academics:
90% aggregate (equivalent to about 96.5% on the American System
School only offers one AP class (Maths) which I am getting 97% for
I did IGCSE exams in secret, as I felt they were a better syllabus than the South African 1 when I was 15 years old. I got 100% for physics and 97% for English Language. All of my other results were A’s. I did this by waking up at 5AM four days a week to teach myself the work using textbooks Id bought with my birthday money before school.
I take Maths, English, Afrikaans (2nd Language), Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Music, History, Life Orientation and AP Maths.
As things are going I should graduate in the top 0.0005% of all South African Grade 12s in 2013.
As of yet I have not taken SATs, but I plan on taking them at the end of this year (teaching myself the syllabus and strategies from books and the internet).
SAT IIs I will do in Math II, Physics, Chemistry, World History and maybe a 5th. That will be in June next year.
The major scholarship holder at my school</p>
<p>Music:
By the time I leave school I will have a Diploma on the piano, Grade 8 organ and Grade 8 flute (ABRSM)
I do a lot of accompaniment work on the piano for other soloists and ensembles and have some experience as a conductor.
I frequently enter competitions and consistently achieve Gold/Diplomas on all 3 of my instruments.
I am in my schools Orchestra, A Choir, Wind Band, a Capella group (difficult to get into) and Flute Ensemble. I am 1st flute in the Orchestra, Wind Band and Flute Ensemble, a baritone for voice and in the top few school level pianists in South Africa.</p>
<p>Speech:
Recently attended the World Individual Debating and Public Speaking Championship in Brisbane and placed 3rd for Persuasive Speech, 20th for Impromptu and 27th (out of 108) overall. I will attend the competition twice more before I leave school.
I am top 5 Public Speakers in South Africa
I am President of my schools Public Speaking society and Vice President of the debating team and society (where I consistently am awarded best speaker in provincial (state) and inter-school debates as a 1st or 3rd speaker)
I have National Colours for Public Speaking</p>
<p>Volunteer Work:
I volunteer at the Two Oceans Aquarium in Cape Town where the work ranges from hands-on (like cleaning oil off of penguins) to motivational (like raising awareness about the sea and the endangered life within it, the importance of water etc etc…)
I am on the committee of A charity run which raises around $16 000 per year for various charities. On that committee I am the head of the entertainment and sponsorship portfolios.
I am the president and founder of the charity called M4K which is partnered with a crèche in the slums of Cape Town. For this youth-home we raise funds, donate money, clothing, presents, Easter eggs, old toys, text books, appliances anything that can be used to brighten the lives of the children within the slum. We also organise for groups of boys to go to the home and play with the children within it. This is something I am very passionate about.
I am a member of Equal Education (a youth movement in South Africa which campaigns for a Democratic view on education in my country)
I am currently in the process of creating a drive between my school and an AIDS orphans charity through which I would be able to raise a large sum of money for that charity per year though this has not yet come to fruition.
I am currently co-authoring and creating an investigation into shack fires in Africa which includes distributing home-made fire extinguishers to people living in shacks and several other initiatives for keeping them safe.</p>
<p>Work Experience:
I write articles for a nationally printed magazine called Simply Green (which looks at how you can green your lifestyle)
Have been involved in marketing my mothers business since she started it and have organised many entrepreneurial events such as fund-raising concerts and drives.</p>
<p>Other EC:
President of my schools Global Issues Network (an international network of students and young adults who explore the worlds issues and create projects, write articles and start initiatives to combating these issues.
Vice president of Historical Bench which looks at todays issues by analysing them and comparing them to those of the past
Captained my rugby team for 6 years until I had to stop due to weak knees.
I now play social squash, surf and climb.
In charge of Cultural and Environmental portfolios at my school</p>
<p>Awards:
National Colours
Distinction from my school in Speech, Music and Academics
Around 15 other school awards for all roundedness and excellence in various activities
International recognition for Public Speaking</p>
<p>In the future:
Plan to attend WIDPSC twice more.
Hope to make National (if not International expo) for my science project on shack fires
Write SATs
Tour Greece with the a Capella group I am a member of
Win my countrys national public speaking tournament
Win a MAJOR music competition
Campaign for proper leadership positions within my school (as I am currently too young to do so)
Pursue the gain of knowledge by studying A2 Levels even if I dont get to write the exams…
Apply to Harvard, Princeton, MIT, Cornell, Stanford, Yale, Columbia, Brown, Georgetown, Dartmouth etc… (The Ivy Leagues and a couple private safety schools too! :)</p>
<p>Haha, nice comment CalvinTBOD. It’s really not like that I want to go to certain universities because they have incredible facilities for the fields I am interested in. MIT for example offers the best courses in Quantum physics anywhere in the world, and Harvard comes second. Sure they’re dream schools! But if I could get that sort of quality education elsewhere in the world, they would still be dream schools - but I would go elsewhere!</p>
<p>All very nice, but you do need to sit your parents down and ask them how much they are willing and able to pay for your education. Unless your parents are able to come up with USD 60,000 each year for four years, there is no such thing as a “safety” school for you in the US. You need to know that now. Even if you are full pay, as an international student it will be harder for you to gain admission than it would be for a US candidate with a similar academic profile, and what might be a “safety” for a US applicant will be a “match” for you.</p>
<p>If you haven’t already done so, you should read through everything at [EducationUSA</a> | Study Abroad, Student Visa, University Fairs, College Applications and Study in the U.S. / America](<a href=“http://www.educationusa.info/]EducationUSA”>http://www.educationusa.info/) Then you need to make an appointment with the counselors at the advising center closest to where you live. There are several in South Africa. These counselors are expert at helping students from your country find good places to study in the US. They will be able to tell you where students with academic records similar to yours have been admitted in recent years, and whether or not those students received enough scholarships to make that education possible.</p>
<p>I don’t know if you have discovered the International Students Forum here at CC, but it is definitely worth reading through for more ideas. [International</a> Students - College Confidential](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/international-students/]International”>International Students - College Confidential Forums)</p>
<p>Wishing you all the best.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice! Is there not a need-blind financial aid system for most of the private universities such as the Ivy Leagues? I don’t really understand how their safety could be my match?? Is that because I am an international applicant or because of finances available to me? Thanks for the sites as well! I’ve looked through most of them already, but there are a couple I haven’t seen or heard of before, so I’ll go through those! To find those counselors would I just go to the American Consulate and ask if they no of anyone? - or would you recommend another path? Thanks again for your support and advice!</p>
<p>Why is Penn not on that list??!??</p>
<p>Should it be? Look, I’ll apply to the top 15, all Ivy Leagues - and certain other universities that I have researched and feel are the best universities for the courses I am interested in. Would you add anything to the list that I otherwise wouldn’t have thought of? And do you feel that I would get into Penn?</p>
<p>Need-blind admissions means that they don’t look at whether or not you need financial aid when you apply. You could be admitted and not receive a cent of financial aid no matter how badly you would need it in order to attend that college/university.</p>
<p>Very few colleges and universities guarantee that they will meet full financial need. Even those that do meet what THEY determine a student’s need to be. In other words, you could be admitted and receive aid, but still not be able to afford that place.</p>
<p>Some institutions have need-sensitive admissions. If they determine that they cannot meet your financial aid needs, you won’t be admitted.</p>
<p>Overall, it is harder for international students to be admitted to colleges and universities in the US even when they have no financial need. This makes what would be a “safety” for a US applicant with no financial need become a “match” for an international applicant with no financial need. However even that candidate is more fortunate than an international applicant with significant financial need. In that case every single institution in the US would have to be classified as a “reach”.</p>
<p>It’s sad you missed out Penn, the one with the best undergrad business school on the planet. If you are applying to Penn Wharton School of Business then your chances will be slightly lower than Harvard, Yale, Princeton. Otherwise selectivity is no different from other Ivies. But no, I don’t think Penn will meet full needs for international students. They do give good financial aids but not to the level of full-need.</p>
<p>Hhhhm. Well, actually business isn’t my focus really. I mean it’s fairly interesting… But my dream is to be a quantum physicist, lobbyist or science policy lawyer (which would all be in fields science related)
Ultimately I would not NEED full need, it’s more a matter of my family’s willingness to pay… And I do have other connections who can help to fund me (family friends). UPenn has the highest percentage of international undergrads in america from what I’ve heard… Otherwise the other universities (the REALLY big ones) will basically guarantee that you can attend them regardless of your need. I haven’t applied to anything btw… I’m only in grade 10 at the moment, so I’m just tryna get my ducks in a row (so to speak). Can anyone seconds the opinion that a US student (with my credentials) would consider their safety to be my reach? That doesn’t seem 100% from the people I know who’ve got into those uni’s</p>
<p>The universities on your list really aren’t “safeties” for anyone. They are “reaches” and at best “matches”. If you are currently attending a secondary school that routinely sends graduates to the the colleges/universities on your list, the college placement counselor at your school is the one who can best evaluate your chances.</p>
<p>Yes okay, that makes sense - which is where the international aspect comes in.
So the Ivy’s would probably be reach - but others in the top 20 could be matches? (Am I right in assuming this)</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>For internationals, it appears that only six institutions are need-blind in admissions and meet 100% of demonstrated need.
([Top</a> 6 Need-blind Colleges in US for International Students - Desperate Guide: Undergraduate College Financial Aid, Scholarship](<a href=“http://www.desperateguide.com/us/top-6-need-blind-colleges-in-us-for-international-students]Top”>http://www.desperateguide.com/us/top-6-need-blind-colleges-in-us-for-international-students))</p>
<p>Even for some of these 6, the school’s interpretation of need may not match your family’s true ability and willingness to pay. </p>
<p>Among colleges that are need-aware for internationals, many of the most generous are small liberal arts colleges (LACs). These include some excellent schools that may be overlooked by typical international applicants.
([Top</a> 25 Financial Aid Colleges in US for International Students (Need-aware) - Desperate Guide: Undergraduate College Financial Aid, Scholarship](<a href=“http://www.desperateguide.com/us/top-25-financial-aid-colleges-in-us-for-international-students-need-aware]Top”>http://www.desperateguide.com/us/top-25-financial-aid-colleges-in-us-for-international-students-need-aware))</p>
<p>For physical sciences and math, the best (and most selective) schools on this list include:
Williams
Brown
Swarthmore
Stanford</p>
<p>Reed College also is strong in physical sciences and math, but is somewhat less selective than the 4 above. Macalester College might be another good “match” school; it enrolls a relatively high percentage of internationals.</p>
<p>The following page lists schools that are among the top 10 per capita producers of graduates who go on to earn PhDs in physical sciences, mathematics, and other fields:
[COLLEGE</a> PHD PRODUCTIVITY](<a href=“http://www.reed.edu/ir/phd.html]COLLEGE”>Doctoral Degree Productivity - Institutional Research - Reed College)</p>