<p>I'm a Malaysian student from a low-income family so I'm aiming for the need-blind universities (Harvard, Princeton, Yale and MIT).</p>
<p>I intend to pursue a Pure Science degree.</p>
<p>Academics:
SPM/O-levels: 12A1s 1A2
STPM/A-levels: 5As (GPA: 4.00)
Ranked number 1 out of 210+ students
SAT 1: 2300
SAT 2: Not taken yet.</p>
<p>Major ECs:
Science and Mathematics (My main EC):
President of school's Science Club
International Physics Olympiad - Represented country
Sony Science Education Fair (National Science Fair) - Runner-up
National Chemistry Quiz - High Distinction
Australian National Chemistry Quiz - High Distinction
National Physics Quiz - Gold Medallist
National Mathematics Olympiad - Honorable Mention
Organized a science exhibition in my school
Organized a recycling project in my school on World Environment Day
Volunteered at a Science Exhibition Centre - 2 months</p>
<p>Others:
Head Editor of school's year book
President of school's Chess Club
Organized an interclass Chess tournament
Chess tournament - Represented school at district level
Committee member of school's St. John Ambulance
School prefect - 2 years
School librarian - 4 years
Community work in a public library - 140 hours</p>
<p>I heard science achievements like IPhO and science fairs are important when applying to MIT. How far is this true?</p>
<p>it's a very common fact that internationals needing financial aid are normally at a disadvantage. You don't have to go far, just read a few threads in here and you'll know how difficult it is for internationals to get a full financial aid but with your scores ( I'm a malaysian so i know your results are good ) i guess you might have a shot. Just don't want you to put too much hope on full aid. You should have a back up plan.</p>
<p>have you looked at wesleyan (ct)? a phenomenal school (one of the top LACs) that offers full scholarships to a select few of asian internationals</p>
<p>probably won't do much for you. that's a frank statement. your ECs are not astronomical, for one. your academics are impressive though. but if you've been planning and aiming for those since you're in form 2 or 3, then you have a high chance.</p>
<p>It is very unfair to judge one's chances given that none of us are involved in the admission process. ie none of us are AOs</p>
<p>For the said universities, financial aid is easily obtainable if one gets admitted, so it's not an issue of reduced chances if one applies for aid.</p>
<p>One thing is for sure, you have to apply and hope for the best. It's quite pointless to speculate your chances as all who apply to these universities have extensive and impressive CVs. However, by looking at your CV, I suggest that you highlight a few achievements that you're proud of. Mention them but don't elaborate all of them. Don't throw every single accomplishment to the AOs, lest you'll be seen a 'Jack of all trades, master of none'. </p>
<p>So what kind of major are you looking in to? Bioscience? Chemistry? Physics? Maths?</p>
<p>if u dont take any SAT II they wont even look at you cause when I applied to Harvard minimum was 3 SAT and many people I know had at least 5-6 SAT II most of them 770+</p>
<p>Grain, will you be applying as a freshman or transfer? Cos it looks like you've already completed STPM and the earliest you can apply is for fall 2007.........</p>
<p>That's fantastic academics. Really. Well ive been lookin around till i got me a tension headache, so here's the deal with most intels who look for fin.aids. even with great academics, some unis just don't have enough fin.aid to give to int'ls. but just apply and pray a lot that they offer you a good package. </p>
<p>What im confused about is considering your academics and ECs (which is quite spectacular for a regular malaysian like myself) how come you're not looking for government scholarships? You're doing science to boot. There are some full scholarships to any uni of your choice, so you might wanna check those out while waiting for your applications..</p>
<p>daren_s - Yeap, I do have a backup plan. I will apply to UK (LSE, Cambridge and Imperial) and NUS. And there're the local universities, of course.</p>
<p>huskem55 - I'll try applying to other universities as well, but I'm counting on HYPM, because they are need-blind.</p>
<p>banedon17 - I only realized how important ECs are in Form 4. Oh well, can't change the past, so I'll just do my best during my post-STPM holidays to make my CV more impressive.</p>
<p>elmy - I intend to major in Physics or Chemistry (1st choices, can't pick one!). Economics is my 2nd choice.</p>
<p>KING IS HERE - I'll be taking SAT II Physics, Maths and World History. Don't intend to take more than 3, because the test center is far from my place.</p>
<p>cling - Freshman. I've got a problem. What if I enroll into a local university this year? Will I be allowed to pull out if I receive an offer from an foreign university?</p>
<p>propaganda - I couldn't apply for many private scholarships because they only accept students who have already applied to foreign universities. I wasted a year because I didn't know I could apply last year (before STPM). I will be applying for scholarships next year. But wouldn't it be better if I can get a bond-free financial aid from HYP or M?</p>
<p>This is just a point... but I can't see how you will fit Economics (for LSE) and sciences (which is all Imperial does) onto the same personal statement for the UK as you are only allowed one.</p>
<p>Plus, there is no financial aid for internationals in the UK, and the international fees are higher than the EU ones, so you need to look into that.</p>
<p>sr6622 - Yes, I'm aware of that. There are hundreds of IPhO, IMO, IChO, IBO representatives every year, so they can't possibly accept them all. But it does boost my chances a little bit, doesn't it?</p>
<p>heninacoop - Oh, I'm not familiar with the UCAS application. Darn, the deadline's just 2 weeks away and I'm still confused. I've been focusing on US universities lately because, like you said, UK universities don't offer financial aid. However, since UK universities are easier for me to get in (stronger academics compared to ECs), I stand a better chance at securing those private scholarships (6-year bond though, ARGH).</p>
<p>I know my chances are somewhat average, if not low, but I'm still going to apply. Admissions can be very unpredictable.</p>
<p>You stand a better chance in the US.
UK don't really offer much aid. Even if get yourself into Cambridge, you might need to come up with at least GBP10k a year. Imperial and all, no aid at all. I suggest you stick to just one discipline. It's difficult to convince admission tutors that you have genuine interest in two quite different fields.</p>
<p>YSD is giving out only 2 scholarships to the UK and there were like 1000 who applied. So even an offer from Cambridge or Oxford won't guarantee you a place. Most companies won't want to spend RM600K on a student to student at top schools in the UK. What if you break the bond? They will be the big losers.</p>
<p>Grain, did you sit for the SAT IIs recently (June 3)? Where was it, Metropolitan College? We might have been in the same room. :p How do you think you'll do? (I took Math IIc, Literature and World History.)</p>
<p>Anyway, I do think you should apply to the US, and focus more strongly there, unless you don't mind the bonds private scholarships impose. Also note that just because a school isn't need-blind doesn't mean you won't get aid. Many top schools that aren't need-blind for internationals (e.g. Dartmouth, I think) will meet your demonstrated need, or at least some of it, if you get in. The only thing that being need-blind impacts is your chances of getting in, which is why you should also consider applying to some good second-tier schools which can provide an excellent education and at the same time some financial aid. (I'm thinking about Macalester, Bucknell and Grinnell, but I'm more on the liberal arts side. Still, their science programmes might be worth a look.)</p>
<p>By the way, did you know Williams is another need-blind American university? You should give that a try too.</p>
<p>Mac, Grinnell and others do look at one's pocket to come to a decision, don't they? Or are they like Cornell? Admissions blind? </p>
<p>I know someone who got UPenn on condition that the financial aid application be withdrawn. </p>
<p>It's not wrong to read science at a LAC, but I think the opportunities and exposure won't be that great compared to reading science at big research universities.</p>
<p>Williams is an LAC, true, but it is one of the best, if not the best. It's also a real university. The other schools I mentioned are not need-blind (sorry if I wasn't clear enough about this), but should they admit you, it's quite probable you will get at least some aid, depending on your financial situation.</p>
<p>The decision as to whether attending an LAC to study science would be significantly detrimental to your education is really an individual one. If you attend the very best, or at least very good, there shouldn't be a major difference.</p>
<p>Depends on how one defines 'university' and 'college' Dartmouth for one uses the term 'college' as it reflects the institution's devotion to undergrad education. However, you do get 'colleges' like Imperial College which is very much a proper university by its own right though it's part of UOL Federal.</p>
<p>True, true. That generally the case for American universities. </p>
<p>There won't be major differences in studies, one will still get a thorough and solid grounding in science but its worth considering that research won't be as intensive as other big research universities. That's quite true in the final years of one's course.</p>
<p>I thought a university means a place of (at the least) graduate education. <em>shrug</em> Also, college has a different meaning in America from most countries. It's kind of confusing, switching between the usual meaning we're accustomed to and the American one. It's best not to mix the two.</p>
<p>I agree that research may be a problem. If you do well, though, your chances of admission into an excellent graduate programme (assuming you're interested in doing a graduate degree, which I think most science students interested in research would be doing) would probably increase substantially. It's also a lot better than not getting into anywhere else at all, or getting into a great university without any financial aid.</p>
<p>What do you expect? They are Americans!!! The whole world uses IUPAC convention, the whole world says it's ethanoic acid but Ameircans call it acetic acid. </p>
<p>Agreed. It's a personal preference. One must decide on the best course of action given the circumstances.</p>