<p>Hi, i really need help choosing what colleges to apply to. My parents don't really know much about college, and i barely knew what the ivy legaue colleges are.</p>
<p>I'm often told to apply to higher quality colleges but i really doubt that i'd get in. so please be truthful, and give me an idea. </p>
<p>I do want to go into medical school.</p>
<p>Grades: overall 4.27 (weighted i believe)
ACT: 33
Ap:
Bio:5 U.S.:5 Lang:4 Chem:4 </p>
<p>SAT: Math 2: 690 (plan on retaking) Chem:690 U.S: 760</p>
<p>EC:
Organized a church convention
tennis (JV)
Musical/Play
Drama club president
Choir
Cross Country
Volunteer at ER
Won $500 for writing contest
Chemistry Olympiad- 51
Science Olympiad- 4th place for biology </p>
<p>I am not a citizen yet, i came to America 10 years ago. I'm form east africa.</p>
<p>Are Ivy schools worth applying? what are the more elitish schools i can get in to?</p>
<p>Your ACT score should put you in the running for top schools but you need to have some safer choices as well. Are there other ways to narrow down? Is small town OK or do you feel that it has to be a City? NE or is midwest OK? Look at Dartmouth, Cornell and Penn, for example, and then some top liberal arts colleges (Amherst, Williams, Middlebury). Unless you are against small liberal arts colleges, maybe choose a few that are a little easier to get into (Macalaster, Grinnell, for example) and universities that might be a little easier—University of Rochester, Brandeis, Carnegie Mellon. If you need financial aid that adds another wrinkle and there are various threads on that.</p>
<p>Have your parents read through everything at [EducationUSA</a> | Study Abroad, Student Visa, University Fairs, College Applications and Study in the U.S. / America](<a href=“http://www.educationusa.state.gov/]EducationUSA”>http://www.educationusa.state.gov/) it will help them understand the US system more.</p>
<p>Do you have a green card, or do you have another immigration status that will allow you to file the FAFSA? Check the website at [FAFSA</a> - Free Application for Federal Student Aid](<a href=“http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/]FAFSA”>http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/) If you can’t file the FAFSA, you will be considered an international applicant for financial aid and everything will be much tougher for you. If you can file the FAFSA, you should sit down with your parents and run the FAFSA EFC calculators at [FinAid</a>! Financial Aid, College Scholarships and Student Loans](<a href=“http://www.finaid.org%5DFinAid”>http://www.finaid.org) and at [College</a> Calculators - savings calculators - college costs, loans](<a href=“College Board - SAT, AP, College Search and Admission Tools”>Calculate Your Cost – BigFuture | College Board) This will give you an idea of what the colleges/universities will expect your family to be able to pay each year. Many will expect you to pay even more than that. Whether you can file the FAFSA or not, you and your parents need to think about how you will pay for your education. Will you need to work? Will you need to take out student loans? Can you even do either of those in your current immigration status?</p>
<p>If you can file the FAFSA, you are considered a domestic student for financial aid purposes, and you will be eligible for most scholarship programs (some are limited to citizens). In this case, some of the best advice for you in your college search is available at your own HS. The guidance office there has records of college admissions from previous years, and you counselor can tell you which colleges/universities students with courses and grades like your have been admitted to in recent years.</p>
<p>Wishing you all the best.</p>
<p>Are you a green card resident?</p>
<p>How much will your parents pay for college? Would you qualify for aid? Will your parents pay for whatever their expected contribution will be?</p>
<p>Are you a URM? </p>
<p>With your stats you could apply to some ivies, but you need to also apply to some match and safety schools. Your financial situation will likely determine which you should apply to.</p>