Chances, Scholarships + Financial Aid, & Questions (International Student)

Colleges and Universities A-Z Illinois Institute of Technology
1

Before I begin, thank you everyone for giving my post a read!

I am enamored by Illinois Tech… It must be the wonderful academics, the extremely learned professors from UChicago, Cambridge, Urbana Champaign, and IIT itself, or the available CNC machines, large scale 3D printers, the ultramodern wind tunnel, or the immense research opportunities, or maybe even my friend’s description (“IIT is God.”) It is probably all of them combined.

However, as I screw the last few bolts into my CommonApp, I wonder: do I appeal to Illinois Tech? If I may ask a favor from all that are able to help me in this regard, please assist me in my quest to attend Illinois Tech.

I am a Pakistani student currently living in Pakistan, attending an American high school here. During my freshman and sophomore years (and in 8th grade), I was studying in an American high school in Nigeria. Unfortunately, my family’s financial situation is such that I require a scholarship and/or some form of financial aid to attend colleges in the United States. I am, however, grateful that Illinois Tech provides all of its students, domestic or international, with an opportunity for scholarships (of course, many of which are limited to American nationals). Here I will provide some of my scores, ECs, and other appropriate information so those willing may help me. And again, thank you to all that do, and those who read through this!

What are my chances at being accepted into IIT with a scholarship based on my current scores, stats, ECs, and etc.?

SCORES & STATS

SAT: 2010 (My practice test projections placed me at an average of 2280 which I aim to obtain in the December SAT, however the night before the SAT I lost my dog… and well, NO EXCUSES).
Critical Reading: 690
Writing: 680 (MCQ scaled score of 74/80)
Math: 640 (Unfortunately, my math score falls right onto the 25th percentile for IIT, which worries me. I aim to receive a 770 come the December SAT).

Unweighted GPA: 3.50 (My freshman and sophomore years are dark times in my memory. Well, academically at least. I had an average of 3.13 in freshman and sophomore years, as I was enamored by my ECs and was academically ignorant. However, I have maintained a 4.0 since the second semester of junior year. Although, my cumulative GPA for junior year is a 3.65 as the transition from an IB to an AP system was initially arduous).

Junior year APs:
AP Biology (Test to be taken in May, 2016 as I did not feel optimally prepared. However, I did have a ~97% average for the class)
AP English Language & Composition (Scored 5)
AP European History (Scored 4)

Senior year APs + Classes:
AP Calculus AB
AP Physics 1
AP Chemistry
Computer Science
French III
English 12
Film

TOEFL: My TOEFL requirements are waived since I attended high school in Nigeria for more than 2 years and have received an SAT reading score of above 550.

Ranking:
My school neither reports ranking, nor chooses a valedictorian. However, I am in the 95th percentile of seniors.

EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES:

-International Varsity Swimming (5 silvers, 2 golds).
-Boy Scouts of America (Star Scout + several community service projects, such as building a poor school’s playground).
-Several Rock and Indie Bands (several concerts and ‘coffee shop’ concerts).
-Symphonic Gold Band (prestigious jazz & wind ensemble for the school’s best musicians - first chair saxophone).
-Concerts with Grammy winning musician & popular Nigerian afrobeat/jazz musician.
-Volunteer music & English teacher at a poor children’s school in Pakistan.
-Microsoft Insider work for Windows 10 & Windows Phone.
-MUN (Model United Nations)

LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE:

-Secondary Student Body President
-Boy Scout Patrol Leader
-Volunteer Music Head at a poor children’s school
-A University Mathematics Challenge/Competition Team Captain
-Teacher’s Assistant for Music (11th Grade)
-Front man of aforementioned bands
-Sub-ensemble Leader

AWARDS & HONORS:

-Outstanding Achievement award for Physics
-Outstanding Achievement award for AP English Language
-Outstanding Achievement award for AP Biology
-Outstanding Achievement award for Music
-Outstanding Achievement award for French
-Outstanding Saxophonist (Grade 9)
-Outstanding Saxophonist (Grade 10)
-AP Scholar Award
-5 silver medals and 2 golds from international varsity swimming
-A University Mathematics Challenge/Competition Semi-Finalist

Also, for those knowledgeable on the subject of financial aid and scholarships:

I understand that IIT offers an “International Tuition Scholarship” of $25,000 for those deemed worthy which is a substantial amount. However, I wish to put as little financial strain on my parents as possible. Would you know if there are any other merit based scholarships available for international students, as I cannot find much information relating to this, or the availability of financial aid to international students on IIT’s website.

Yet once again, I thank you all for taking the time to read through all this. I keenly await your replies.

2

Also, I understand that Illinois Tech does not require subject tests but I will be reported 2 subject tests on my CommonApp: Physics and Math II, both of which I expect a 780-800 for.

3

YOu need a stronger Math score on the SAT. I suspect you will be admitted in any case bot the merit aid might be better for a stronger SAT score.

4

Most certainly. Thank you, xraymancs! I’ll be retaking the SAT in December and hope for at least 760.

5

reporting*

6

Good luck (of course it is not a matter of luck…)

7

Hi xraymancs! Just an update: I received a 1400/1600 CR+Math SAT.

8

That is good, hopefully you will hear something from the admission office soon.

9

@xraymancs I have almost similar stats. I’m from India. My documents are now complete. IN ho much time should i expect an admission decision. Documents were complete on the 3rd of February. Ms. Shari Meggs in not reachable on her work line number provided. Also where will the admission decision appear?

10

Hey @pk2608. It takes around 2-3 weeks after you receive the confirmation email from Ms. Meggs. You should be receiving your decision on the 27th of February at the earliest (assuming you received your confirmation email on the 3rd of February). I received my confirmation email on the 21st of January and I hope to receive my decision sometime this week. HOWEVER, Xraymancs will be able to answer this question much better than I.

Good luck!

11

It may take just a bit longer than usual because this week the Admissions Office is fully occupied with the annual Scholarship Weekend interviews form Thursday through Saturday. Lots of applicants are coming to campus and it will basically take all their time. next week things will return to a more normal pace. I am sure that Shari will respond then.

12

@xraymancs Sir, I forgot to send in the resum when I had completed my application on commonapp. Ms. Meggs told me to email it to her and so I did. However it’s been 5 days since I emailed her but I can’t see the resume appended to my application.

My resume contains a lot of things I’d like the admission office to know specially with the reason that it could really really help with the scholarships.

Please help.

Also in how many days should we be receiving a decision if the application wa submitted around 1st Feb. Also are the scholarships announced with the admission decision

13

As I said in post #10 just above, the Admissions Office has been busy with Scholarship Weekend and so processing of applications has been delayed. I suspect that they will be catching up this week. Go ahead and send Ms. Meggs an email on Wednesday or so.

I believe that any merit aid will be awarded at time of admission. Of course, I am a faculty member, not in the Office of Admissions so I might not have the latest information on policy.

14

@xraymancs will ms. Meggs be back in office today, or are the universities closed today?

15

@WaywardVagabond did you get a decision yet?

16

@pk2608 Yes. I was accepted!

17

@WaywardVagabond nicee… when did you get it. And any scholarship.?

IIT is highly costly for me.

18

I got it last week Wednesday morning. I received a $100,000 scholarship which isn’t quite enough yet, but I’ll figure something out with IIT. Keep me updated on your IIT application! Hope you get in.

19

@WaywardVagabond could you pm me your whatsapp number if you’re comfortable it’ll be easier for us to talk as well. I also need atleast 125000 or more to attend IIT

20

@pk2608 I can send you my facebook through private message.