College Choice

Student Lounge International Students
1

<p>Hey Guys. I am an international students from Africa. I have an SAT score above 2000 and perfect SAT Subject test scores. I have many ECAs inside and outside the school. I do have a good profile. Is there anyone who recommend me colleges that can give me full scholarship? Where should I apply to have a good chance to full scholarship? Please recommend colleges whether they are Ivy league or not.</p>

2

<p>Ivy leagues are reaches for everybody. That is, even if you have a wonderful profile with perfect everything, you may not necessarily get in. So do not apply to just the Ivies. But try a couple just in case, you never know :)</p>

<p>What major are you planning to take up? Different colleges are good for different things. For example, MIT is superbly well known for physics/maths/engineering but not so much for other subjects. Tell us your major and we’ll be able to suggest colleges. In the meanwhile, there are college matching tools that you could use to help you find colleges. CC has its own SuperMatch. The most popular tool is CollegeBoard’s Big Future search tool (google it, it’s really helpful). </p>

<p>As for scholarships, check out these sites (these are merit scholarships, need based are a whole different story):

<p>Good luck :)</p>

3

<p>Look at the national liberal arts colleges ranked 1-30 for your best bets, but since these are super selective, look into schools located away from cities, especially in the South and Midwest.
Schools like Lawrence, Dickinson, Furman, St Olaf, Rhodes, Willamette, or Southwestern, are less often considered by international students and you may thus stand a decent chance. A school reserved for students with very high financial need is Berea. Only 5% international applicants are admitted, but they all get their financial need covered.
However, be aware that financial aid depends on your family’s assets and salary as well as your school results. If your family makes too much money to qualify (that’d be over $250,000) you can still get a scholarship based on your results only. For this, look into merit aid at public universities, especially in the South. Finally, being from Africa and with your stats, you should apply to Howard as soon as their application goes live.</p>

4

<p>^^^ MYOS, there are many whites living in Africa, and if Mikiman is white, Howard would be an unusual choice. On the other hand, if Mikiman is of African descent, that may very well give him an edge for the Ivies, as well as for other highly selective schools.</p>

5

<p>@Katliamom: I agree, but I think that regardless of skin color, Howard would be a very interesting college for Africans since it has courses that deal with the African American experience, classes about the African diaspora and Pan africanism as part of its core curriculum, and lots of great classes from a variety of perspectives that deal with Africa as a continent including Blacks, Whites, and a variety of other ethnic groups. In addition, it may be interesting to articulate African /African American experience, regardless of color.
Furthermore, with his scores, he’d get a scholarship for certain.
However if Mikiman were to be uncomfortable as an African White enrolled in a HBCU, you’re right that it wouldn’t be a good fit at all.</p>

6

<p>“it has courses that deal with the African American experience, classes about the African diaspora and Pan africanism as part of its core curriculum” – Interesting. Not surprising, but good to know, thanks. </p>

<p>Part of my comment about Howard is that with OP’s very good scores, he/she could get into higher-ranked schools that attract higher-caliber students.</p>

7

<p>Thank you for your response. My SAT score is 2060 Math 2 790 and Physics 800. I have great ECAs, been president of some clubs and apprenticeship experience outside the school. I haven’t made up my mind yet but i will definitely choose Computer science or Electrical engineering. Which college would you recommend me? List the colleges with generous financial aid. Most generous colleges are liberal art colleges, but most of them don’t have engineering program. So how do I go with this?</p>

8

<p>Harvey Mudd, MIT, Caltech are probably the top 3 choices you have, and they should give good aid, but not sure with Calteh though.</p>

<p>Other options you should look into: Bucknell University, Purdue University–West Lafayette, Lafayette College, Smith College (for girls, which you may not be), Rose-Hulman Inst of Tech, Cooper Union, Franklin W. Olin Col. of Eng, Villanova University, and many more. Just gewgle it ;)</p>

<p>AND: just look at the top 30 LA colleges which has already been mentioned here snd look up there engineering/computer departments as well as financial aid for international students! Now go do some digging!</p>

<p>EDIT: Check this thread! <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/957914-liberal-arts-colleges-engineering-programs.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/957914-liberal-arts-colleges-engineering-programs.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

9

<p>@SweedisChris Thank you. I am from Ethiopia and I know somebody who got into MIT with SAT 2000 score and others who got into IVY league schools with score less than that. Do you thing I may have shot at MIT? I need a school that can admit me with 100% financial aid. I am just thinking about to apply to Lafayette college in ED. So recommend me colleges that I may have a good chance being accepted.</p>

10

<p>@SwedishChris Thank you. I am from Ethiopia and I know somebody who got into MIT with SAT 2000 score and others who got into IVY league schools with score less than that. Do you thing I may have shot at MIT? I need a school that can admit me with 100% financial aid. I am just thinking about to apply to Lafayette college in ED. So recommend me colleges that I may have a good chance being accepted.</p>

11

<p>CalTech, Purdue, Cooper Union, and Rose Hulman don’t have full-tuition/full ride scholarships for internationals.
Harvey Mudd, MIT, Olin do but even though you definitely have the resume to get in, so will many other students. Apply and see :slight_smile:
Bucknell, Lafayette, Lehigh, Swarthmore, all are LACs with Engineering.
If you’re a girl, check out the women’s colleges (strong for science).
Take the top 60 LAC list and “request information” from each, asking about their financial aid policy and the strength of their CS program.
For maximum financial aid, outside HYPM where 100% need is met for all international applicants who manage to get in, you need to focus on schools where you’ll be a superior applicant. You have lots of choices on this page to create a college list with reaches/dream schools, matches, and “safeties” (there are no true safeties for internationals but if you’re in the top 10% applicants your odds are quite good).</p>

12

<p>@MYOS1634 Thanks. Can anybody tell me your real experience? If there is any international student who is pursuing his/her undergraduate degree with full ride or if you know anybody or have friends like this, please tell me their colleges and profiles (SAT, GPA etc)</p>

13

<p>Sorry, the only international student I know with a near full ride (something like an 85-90% costs covered) went to a specialized IB school with a strong alumni network that provides scholarships just for graduates of that high school.</p>

14

<p>check Colgate U</p>

15

<p>@Mikiman I can give you some my anecdotes and stories of other students from my country. All the following students got a full rides, applying as an international student. Remember that these are only from my country that I know of, and that the standards at my school can be very different from those of your school. They all had 4.0 GPA. This is the history over the past 5 years or so… </p>

<p>Student 1- Full ride at Harvard and University of Virginia (Jefferson’s Scholar). Applied as class salutatorian, SAT above 2200 (not sure exactly what number). She was a true genius, and the school loved her. </p>

<p>Student 2- Full ride at Princeton, Amherst College, and lots of money (although not full) at Colgate. Applied as class valedictorian, SAT 2210. </p>

<p>Student 3- Full ride at Richmond University (was a merit scholarship). Was top 10%, SAT 2140. </p>

<p>Student 4- Full ride at University of Pennsylvania and Washington and Lee (merit scholarship). Ranked top 3% and SAT 2180. </p>

<p>Student 5- Full ride at St. Mary’s (merit scholarship). You should apply VERY EARLY to increase your chances for this scholarship. He was top 15% or so, and SAT of perhaps 1800+. </p>

<p>Student 6- This kid was from another school and didn’t need financial aid, but… He was class valedictorian, SAT of around 2270, international student, IB score extremely high. He got into every single Ivy League he applied + Stanford. </p>

<p>Student 7- Full ride at Amherst College and half scholarship at Colgate (although they say they meet full need… hmm). Top 3%, SAT 2100+. </p>

<p>I hope it helps…</p>