<p>Im an international student in grade 12. I will be applying for engineering to Cornell, Columbia, UPenn, WPI, Tufts, and Cooper Union. I am quite confident about the latter 3 but not so sure about Cornell, Columbia and UPenn. Also let me know which would be the best option from the 3 ivies for engineering (Please dont base your opinion ONLY on rankings). Here are my stats :</p>
<p>grade 10 - 86.6% (Indian curriculum)
grade 11 - 92.4% (Indian curriculum)
grade 12 - Predicted 94% (Indian curriculum)
Rank 1 (Class size 106)
all the above correspond to an easy 4.00+ GPA on the american scale.</p>
<p>TOEFL iBT - 108.
ACT - 30 Composite.
SAT Subject Tests - Math Level 2 - 770. Physics - 800.
AP Calculus BC - 5.
AP Calculus AB Subgrade - 5.
AP Physics C - Mechanics - 4.
AP Physics C - E&M - 5.
AP Chemistry - 5.
AP Computer Science A - 4.
AP Scholar & Distinction.</p>
<p>Awards -
Best Speaker - Toastmasters Youth Leadership Program, 2005
Best Sr. Trekker - Outdoor Adventures (Himalayas), 2006
Distinction and School Champion - Pascal Mathematics Contest (U of Waterloo), 2006
4 Golds, 1 Silver - Oman Open National Swimming Championship, 2005.
Participated in CBSE Indian National Swimming Championship, 2006.
4th place United Nations Env. Program - Intl. Coastal Cleanup Competition, 2008
there are more but this is pretty much what appears on the applications...</p>
<p>Leadership -
Member of Student Council (Grade 9, 10)
House Captain (Grade 11)
School Headboy (ie. President of Student Council) - Grade 12.
Group Captain - United Nations Env. Programme ICC Day Competition.
Team Leader for the trek to Himalayas (2006)
Chief Student Editor of the school editorial board - Grade 11, 12.
President and Founder of the ECO (Environment and Conservation organization).</p>
<p>Other stuff -
Diploma in Computer Hardware and Networking.
CompTIA A+ certified technician.
Worked for 8 weeks as a technician in a computer sales and services center.
Tutoring and other community service.
I play water polo and cricket but ive gone as far as national championships only in swimming.</p>
<p>The deadlines in 10 days so theres nothing more that I can do to make the application look better (except for the essays). However, feedback will be helpful so that I know what I can expect as a response. Thanks!</p>
<p>rofl "all the above correspond to an easy 4.00+ GPA on the American scale".
so are you saying that your curriculum is harder than the one in America?</p>
<p>Yes, it is. Well, all Indian national curriculums are MUCH harder than those in america. The subject matter covered by the end of 12th grade in India covers everything a student does in their freshman year college and some stuff in the sophomore year.
I had taken the APs without any formal course and only a months preparation and i think i did okay.</p>
<p>AP classes aren't difficult, so to say that the American system is easy as a consequence doesn't really raise the Indian standards. Although I will give you this, in foreign countries classes are probably more exhaustive.</p>
<p>Oh okay. I'm not judging the american system as weak. But i do know that the american system is much easier because i've experienced both. The difficulty level of the Indian system is much greater (not only exhaustive). The depth of knowledge is much greater too. But the american system has a broader perspective (Its not only about math and science) and thats why I prefer it over the Indian education system. However, if you still want to see the difficulty level of the entrance exams indian students have to get into good Indian Engineering Colleges, check out this sample IIT-JEE (Indian Institute of Technology, Joint Entrance Examination) .
goto :</p>
<p>Is that a joke? The Indian curriculum is easily one of the most difficult and exhaustive in the world. Schools in America are, for the most part, laughable.</p>
<p>Cornell - high match/match
Columbia - mid-reach
Penn - mid-reach</p>
<p>Given the vastly superior system which according to these reports teaches subjects in much greater depth than in the US, wouldn't a good, or just decent, Indian student easily ace the ACT and SAT?</p>
<p>He merely gave us his composite ACT score. He probably aced the mathematics and science sections with ease but struggled on the English and reading sections. But hey, at least he speaks English fluently. How many teenagers born into a white American family do you know who can speak a second language at all, much less in a way that is easily comprehensible to native speakers of that language?</p>
<p>But ANYWAY. I'm not here to argue about the flawed educational system in the United States. The numbers speak for themselves when it comes to that. It's kind of sad that Japan, for example, which did not even begin industrializing until a good half-century after us and with our help, now overshadows us in the fields of mathematics and science. Technologically speaking, they're a good decade or two ahead of us. But I digress. Again, there's really little need for me to prove the fact that the United States is well behind many other countries in the world when it comes to education.</p>
<p>hey...
about the ACTs..
36 in math
34 in science
30 in english
20 in reading</p>
<p>dont judge me by my reading score : i couldnt complete about half the test because of an immense stomach ache (peptic ulcers) ...i had to rush out of the testing room midway however i have explained the situation in the common app. i did however get a 28/30 on the toefl reading test (which im hoping will kinda compensate)</p>
<p>and what Soulside Journey said was quite right, I did find the math and science extremely easy... the English however was RELATIVELY harder...</p>
<p>Because there's more money and opportunity to be had in the States. Also, the schools being addressed are primary and secondary schools. Few would legitimately question the academic rigor of the Ivies and other upper-tier schools.</p>
<p>But going to school in the states doesn't mean you get to stay in the states. 20 years ago we could sponsor almost anyone, but that's over. Right now other than engineers few get to stay and with unemployment growing for Americans, we're told it will be even fewer.</p>
<p>Yes, which is being reflected in many universities' apparent international admission rates this year. I have yet to see an international CC member admitted under an ED or EA plan so far.</p>
<p>i was talking about the rigor of the high school system in india... not the college level programs... and yes, USA has many more opportunities than do the countries in the east... </p>
<p>a degree from an ivy is valued a lot even in the east... much more than indian colleges... so even if US lacks opportunities for intl. students in context of jobs, i can still get a gr8 job in india (better than students who graduate college from india)...</p>
<p>Our school has two Brown EDs...and a few Bucknell, etc.
One of the Brown ones got more than $30,000 in financial aid each year...though the other didn't get any. >.<
But I would guess that because of the financial crisis, schools would be more likely to accept applicants who don't need or want financial aid...? I might be wrong on this though...</p>
<p>You have a reasonable chance at these schools, but your ACT isn't stellar, and you will be competing with a lot of people who have 800 on the SAT II Math 2--especially among those who want to study engineering. Also, as an international, you are probably competing for a smaller number of openings. Your overall list looks good, though.</p>
<p>Hunt.. thanks for the review... i just wanted to know, will the 770 on Math L2 reli be that disadvantageous?? wont the ECs and stuff compensate?</p>