Hi guys. I just wanted some feedback regarding my chances of getting into UC Berkeley and NYU for finance.
MY SAT scores are 590-CR, 690- Math, 690- Writing
I am a Junior doing IB Diploma and my HLs are Math, Business, Econ. Are my SATs too low?
Any assistance is greatly appreciated.
FYI I am an Indian national studying in the United Arab Emirates
What about GPA? EC’s? SAT too low for UCB since you an international applicant. Getting into US schools is not just based on SAT scores, its the whole package. You need to raise that CR score
Berkeley considers GPA above all else, but competition is fierce. Your scores are probably too low for them. Are you looking at NYU Stern in NYC, or at their campus in the Emirates? Your scores are probably too low for Stern here; I really don’t know enough about the Abu Dhabi (?) branch to comment, but I’ve inferred that it is also very selective. The overall admissions scenario for international students is tough, and especially so for Indian nationals. There are just too many highly-qualified applicants. Are you seeking any financial assistance? The scenario is better if you are not; financial aid for international students is very scarce. I suggest you lower your sights a bit, if you want to study Business here. Look at Pitt (University of Pittsburgh), Temple, Pace, DePaul, American. University of Miami, Clemson, Drexel, Northeastern, and Southern Methodist University (SMU), for a start. Some of those will be moderate reaches for you, depending on your grades, others will be easy admits but expensive. Your prospects at NYU Stern and Berkeley are quite dim, unfortunately.
Thank you for your reply. My GPA is currently 3.8. My extra-curriculars include MUN (I have recently attended an international conference), Math Peer Tutoring, Swimming, Tennis, and a website a designed for organizing carpooling in my school.
Is it advisable to take the ACT now, considering that I have already given the SAT twice?
Thank you for your reply. My GPA is currently 3.8 unweighted. No, I am specifically targeting the US only. Regarding financing, I will not be seeking any assistance. But is the IB given more weightage than the SAT/ACTs since I am doing much better in it? Also, would taking the ACT rather than the SAT again be more advisable?
It’s usually a good idea to try the ACT. Even if your composite score isn’t much better, your separate section scores might be (that was my son’s experience: his Math SAT was much stronger, while the English and Writing ACT scores were higher). There is nothing wrong with your qualifications, but they will not distinguish you from tens of thousands of other highly-qualified applicants. Both colleges you mentioned could easily fill their freshman classes with outstanding Indian applicants (many of them with stronger stats than yours). You are in one of the most competitive demographic groups (ie. Indian male applying for either Business/Finance or STEM) around. There are 3000 four-year colleges in the US. If you don’t need financial aid, you will be able to get into the overwhelming majority (at least 90%, with a shot at >95%). I recommend you do what all students are recommended to do: begin building a list from “the bottom up.” That means finding business programs at colleges in locations that appeal to you, where your chances are close to 100% (Pace or DePaul might fit that), and then moving up the list to colleges where your chances are better than even, to a few programs where your chances aren’t great. NYU/Stern is very hard to get into, as is Berkeley. You might look into another UC: most are excellent, but less selective. Pace University is not very selective, and is located in lower Manhattan - literally within walking distance of Wall Street. Temple, in Philadelphia, or American in D.C. would probably accept you. Both have very solid business programs. For warmer climes, look into University of Miami (FL).