Chances for a poor but a promising guy

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Hi guys! While deciding whether to admit a student or not in prestigious colleges and universities like Princeton, Yale, Harvard, Williams, Stanford etc, do the colleges consider the circumstances of the location of the applicant where he hails from? For example, an applicant might have lived under remote circumstances, not accessible to enough resources that could build his CV. Or the applicant might have not gone to a good school due to economic reasons and hence, might have not had the chance to garner various skills. If I’ve made my point clear, I’d like to ask whether the college admission officers weigh all these factors while making admissions decision? And will the applicant stand out if he succeeds to make aware the admissions officer that despite the lack of resources and opportunities, he made use of all the resources that were available, although mere?

The question has been daunting me for a long time. I, as an international applicant from a third world country, have not had enough access to various resources but grasped every opportunity that came forth. Also, I aspire to attend a really good college in the US. I am also well aware that it is really tough to get in as an international as it is really really competitive. Overall, I’ve been able to gather enough and stellar EC’s. My scores are pretty good. Do you guys think me including another applicants like me stand a chance of getting in into those prestigious colleges?

Also, what suggestions would you like to give to applicants from opportunity deficient places like from where I am?

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Top schools see international applicants all the time and are usually familiar with the education systems in various countries. They also see students from backgrounds where opportunities educational and otherwise are few (which is why they care if your parents attended college or not). You are judged against your peers, and against the ‘distance traveled’ (how far did you go with what you had to work with) and with an eye towards your potential for success at their school. So yes, they will weigh all the factors, assuming they are presented.

Consider applying to some of the less well known but equally academically stellar schools that offer great financial aid to international applicants. Two that stand out are Grinnell and Macalester in the mid-west: Both schools have an unusually high percentage of international and offer generous merit aid because they value the diversity those students add to their student populations. If you are female, look at some of the all-women schools: Barnard, Smith, Holyoke. These schools are less well known because they have no graduate schools - they only teach undergrads. That undergrad focus works to your advantage in many ways, though it might not outweigh the disadvantage of going to a ‘recognized’ school in your own country. You’ll have to weigh that trade off.

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sorry, just saw that you are a ‘guy’ so forget the comment on women’s college. But international women reading this thread should take note.