Chances for international - is it even worth trying

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hey guys,</p>

<p>a little background: I am from Czech republic and would like to study my undergraduate degree in US or UK. Due to limited funding options, I either have to get a scholarship or get to need-blind school. What are my chances, or more precisely is it even worth trying?</p>

<p>I want to apply to 2013/2014 - I am not all too shiny for ivies so I was thinking of trying Amherst and few others of slightly lesser reputation/prestige.</p>

<p>Academics - 3rd year in Highschool
GPA (unweighted - not sure how to calculate it properly with our grading system) - 4,83.
Rank - no ranking in the school - cca top 2%
Languages: English - CAE A (will take toefl later), Czech - native language, Polish - spoken, German - B1, French - A2</p>

<p>SAT
Taking them in a month
Results on first try (prep test)
CR - 700
M - 680
W - 600
I intend to spend the month on preparation and will see. - The writing part is bloody tough</p>

<p>EC and other successes
Founding a debating club at my high school (Leadership ?)
Writing a Biochemistry textbook for high school level - very little time to do anything else
- 100 pages plus long book, in color, illustrations, formulas
- educational presentations to be used along with the textbook
- laboratory demonstrations, photo documented, another set of presentations
- original work ofc, nothing similar written in Czech language
- currently exploring the options of publication
Competing in "High school scientific activity"
- probably most distinguished academic competition/honor organization in my country
- 1st place in regional round, good chances to win the national
Winning of AFCSLS scholarship
- participation in CTY Summer camp - this summer
An article published in national newspaper. - on political situation
Member of student board in school
Playing guitar</p>

<p>Volunteering
- Wildlife preservation
- Raising resources for wildlife preservation
- organizing of local swimming competitions</p>

<p>Work experience
- Technical assistant - during school year 8h/week for 3 years - Leadership ? - organizing work for 9 other people
- Store clerk - summer</p>

<p>Sports (not competition) - probably not worth anything
- Swimming 3 years
- Swimming referee 3rd class
- Volleyball - 2 years
- Skiing - 10 years
- Cycling - during spring/summer/winter - 6h/week
- Karate - 3 years</p>

<p>I am fairly good at writing essays, or at least the results seem to indicate so. Teacher recommendations should be perfect. </p>

<p>That's about all I can think of right now, do you think I have a chance to get to some of the full need or nearly full need colleges, or is it just a waste of money on the application fees? :D</p>

2

<p>Need-blind colleges aren’t always the best places for aid. </p>

<p>Aid is given based on how much your family can pay and a few other factors.</p>

<p>Try to improve your SAT score.</p>

3

<p>I working on the SATs what about the rest?</p>

<p>My family has very limited options in terms of paying the tuition hence why I want to try need-blinds. I considered brown, columbia, pomona as they are need-aware. Not sure though where would my chances be higher. Ideally I’d like to get into Harvey Mudd but they have like 7 internationals in total.</p>

4

<p>bump bump bumpidy bump</p>

5

<p>Honestly, you need to be looking at schools much less competitive than Amherst, which is harder to get ino than a couple of ivies. Your being intnl and needing a lot of aid and from a country sening many qualified applicants will make the top schools tough.</p>

6

<p>Is it the SAT score, that’s most limiting or the EC that are bad? Having written a textbook is not good enough so it could compensate a bit?</p>

<p>How would my chances be for let’s say Bowdoin, Brown, John Hopkins - or some other need aware but full need.</p>

7

<p>hi is there any chance you tell me how did you calculated GPA</p>

8

<p>My country uses scale 1 - 5. 1 is the best, 5 the least. So I inverted it and made an average from all the grades at the mid terms and end terms during my secondary education.</p>

9

<p>Dartmouth took in 10% international for 2016</p>

10

<p>As an international high school freshman, I have the same grading system you have. You just need to improve your SAT score, look for an international competition to participate ( e.g ISEF, Siemens, IPhO, IMO), a killer essay and you can even think about well-qualified colleges like MIT or Harvard!</p>

11

<p>some more bump, pretty please</p>

12

<p>It’s the scores more than anything.</p>

13

<p>one last bump de hump</p>

14

<p>I doubt Dartmouth took 10% internationals. They probably have 10% interntional freshmen. The acceptance rate is probably around 7% or lower.</p>

15

<p>I am finishing my scholarship app, could you folks chance me specifically for these: Harvey Mudd, Princeton, Bowdoin, Cornell, Hopkins, Swartmore, Haverford, Bates, Reeds, Berkeley.</p>

<p>Pretty pretty please, with sugar on top :)</p>

<p>-------Edit
I forgot to add, in case I wouldn’t need aid.</p>