Chances

Colleges and Universities A-Z Grinnell College
1

<p>hey everyone. i am from pakistan i was wondering if someone could help me out here. u see i graduated from school, took a gap year and applied to a couple of unis in the U.S (jhu, middlebury, macalester, and vassar) from where i got rejected :(. i also applied to LUMS, the most prestigious university in pakistan and got in, but they didn't have biological sciences. now i am a freshman at karachi university studying microbiology but i just dont see it going anywhere. i really want to experiment with different science majors to pick the right one and that kind of system is unavailable here. so i am thinking of applying again which has now become a necessity. transfer is not an option since we don't have a credit hour system. my stats are listed below. could u help me out here.</p>

<p>SAT 1240 1st try
SAT 1380 2nd try (760 math, 620 verbal)</p>

<p>SAT2 math2c 740, writing 780, biology E/M 750. </p>

<p>(high school).
eng lang. 94
math 90+
chemistry 93
biology 96
physics 86</p>

<p>(college)
transcripts haven't come out yet</p>

<p>ECs
(high school)
member of the prefectorial council
member of the public speaking club
member of the community service club
member of the badminton team
first prize in art competition city wide
first prize in elocution contest school wide
volunteer work in a charity instituition of disabled kids</p>

<p>(college)
*founder, current pesident of the literary society (there never had been a concept of such a society before)
i've organised, managed and given presentations on avian influenza, relativity, artists of the renaissance,evolution and more are underway. we're also conducting an I.Q test of all students in the dept. and organizing a debate competition.
won a cash prize on my first presentation.
*editor of yearly magazine 'microbia'.
*am single-handedly organizing,paying for, and advertising an exhibition for my comic-book/fantasy artwork, being the first to give comic books a platform in pakistan.
*i have been teaching 2 'o'level kids math for a year now, and also help them out in biology, add math, chem, and physics. their grades have really improved over time.
*i also have plans to write two books, but due to the paucity of time they might not get done before i apply.</p>

<p>Olevels
english 83
urdu(foreign language) 95
chem 84
biology 85
physics 88
math 86
pak.studies 72
islamiat(religion) 80</p>

<p>As levels
general paper (writing) 95
biology 93 (highest in the whole school and the only 90+ to our school after 2 yrs)
math 90
chem 89
physics 88</p>

<p>A levels
biology 86 (highest again)
math 89
physics 84
chemistry 82</p>

<p>i took a gap year to give my dad a break from the fiscal burden he had to bear to pay for my high school education, although my family was against it. the job was intended to help him out financially and to pay for my exhibition. i know that my scores aren't stellar, but the other stuff i've done (the exhibition, society n stuff) is unbelievably difficult to pull off since there is no conception of these things here, and there is a hope that these things, and other burdens wouldn't go past consideration when i apply.
could you help me out in deciding whether or not i should give the SATs again? how many of the above colleges have representatives in pakistan? what are my chances at all these schools? how do i convey to them the situation/ difficulties i faced in accomplishing what i have, and abstract qualities like leadership, intellectual curiosity etc, and that i have done everything uptil now on my own with no external help whatsoever in anything. and any other advice that you may have will be welcome. just keep in mind that there is not much i can contribute financially to college education and any safeties etc u might recommend must be generous in giving need-based aid.</p>

2

<p>I don't know much about transfers or internationals at Grinnell, but you do seem like an awesome candidate and I really hope you get in. I worked with some of the professors in Grinnell's science department over the summer and they were amazing. I hope it works out for you!</p>

3

<p>if you'd like to transfer to an american school make sure you apply to some safeties. i noticed from your list (jhu, middlebury, macalester, and vassar) that you had only matches and reaches. applying as a transfer is usually more difficult so if you didn't get into schools like macalester and vassar as a freshman it is very likely that you won't get in at grinnell which has similar selectivity. i'd say try bard, denison or wooster, all good schools but slightly less selective. good luck.</p>

4

<p>what collegeprep11 said is true but don't be discouraged.
I got 540 on critical reading(verbal), 600 on writing, and 800 on Math and I got accepted by Macalester with almost full scholarship and by Grinnell with some money. Do a lot of research about what each school wants and sell yourself right. Look at your stat. What does it tell and not tell about you? What's your most strength? Try to put that in your app and emphasize it(or them). In your essay, convince colleges' people that you have something more than stat and titles in your ECs. You can put your gap year experience, or your experience in pakistan university, or your exhibition&other activities in your essay. But don't tell that you did this did that. tell them how you tried so hard and put all your energy into those activities. Tell them vividly, write examples. Sell yourself right and you'll be fine. From what I see here, you seem to have a good chance with Grinnell, Macalester, Oberlin, Lafayette, and some other colleges. But if you want more safeties, try Lawrence University(good bio dep. and financial aid for international students).
Good Luck!!!!</p>

5

<p>by the way, some colleges are more competetive than usual if you are internationals and want financial aid.
Grinnell, Mac, Carleton, Whitman, Colby, Oberlin, Lafayette, Lawrence U seem to be more generous than other to international candidates in the level that's not that ivies(except Cornell)-williams-amherst high.
does it make sense? my english is not that clear. you know i got 540 on sat verbal</p>

6

<p>thanx a lot u guys. but now that i look back i realize that i didn't do my applications quite right. like u said, i didn't sell myslef right iguess. my apps could have been a lot better. i hope to acoomplish that this time. the year i applied there were lots of internationals who had SATs in the 1200s and they got in with nearly full aid. that was a little upsetting.</p>