Hello,
I have few questions about college list. First of all, I got 1270 in SAT and I don’t know my GPA officially but it should be near 3.6. I will not need financial aid if the college cost is up to 35K-40K. I am not thinking of ivies and might avoid private altogether coz I know they are hard to get in and even if I got in my stats are not good for aid and they are expensive.
My question is that, as an international student do I even have a shot even at public unis? I want to go in as a premed 
What about unis like Penn State Uni, University of Texas,Michigan State University,University of Washington and University of Alabama?
Making the college list is so hectic, I don’t know how to limit my college choices. Right now my college list is so long!
Private schools are not necessarily harder to get into. Search for the Common Data Set for each school to see test score ranges. Their websites will tell you the cost of tuition, room & board, and fees for students who do not live in-state. You also will need to add a couple thousand dollars for health care, travel expenses, and remember that dorms either aren’t open at all or they charge extra over the long winter break.
If you want to go to med school in the US, that is very challenging for international students.
@intparent yes I know but they are expensive …I mean I won’t qualify for aid or scholarship…
Yes I plan to go to med school in USA I know it’s challenging but mostly because intl students can’t afford them…is that so?
What about my list? how do I approach that?
Regarding Medical school an International applicants. Yes, it is very expensive for International students since the money gas to provided up front or show proof that all 4 years can be funded, but also very few US Medical schools accept International students period.
http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/medical-school-admissions-doctor/2015/02/10/keys-for-international-students-considering-us-medical-schools
http://premedusa.blogspot.com/2013/05/medical-schools-admitting-internationals.html?m=1
@Gumbymom yeah i know that , yet, i still want to apply…my parents don’t mind even if I get an undergrad from US and don’t get into med school…I can apply to other countries as a backup
What do you suggest the cost of undergrad plus med school can go up to?
Plus how can i make my college list for undergrad?
If you really want to be a doctor, don’t come to the US.
Go somewhere you can begin your medical studies right away, without losing 4 years (and spending more than $150,000) on American-style pre-med education given how very, very few international students are accepted to American medical schools. The odds are staggeringly against you.
As for medical school, count on $250,000+ There is little to no financial aid for international students even if you’re among the few international students who get in. Many medical schools demand that your parents prove they have the money, and some demand your parents deposit this entire amount in a special account before you can attend.
Sorry for all the typo’s since I was typing on my iPhone but I am assuming you understood the information. I agree with @katliamom’s that is it not a good option to consider a US medical school. Most international applicants that get in are from Canada. Even if you get in, there are limits for residency after you finish which makes the odds even greater. I would PM @WayOutWestMom since she has some great information about US medical schools.
@katliamom and @Gumbymom thank you both for your comments …I still want to consider US med schools
well I am making the college list for undergrad and I need help with that
For medical school, it almost doesn’t matter where you do your undergrad. What counts are excellent grades, excellent MCAT scores and related ECs. So whether you go to Penn State or some little private college that awards you a bit of financial aid, is irrelevant. What is important is that you fit within your $35-40K/year budget.
Look into schools that award automatic aid based on scores, such as University of Alabama, for example.
You can start here:
http://automaticfulltuition.yolasite.com/
Also, look at schools in cheaper parts of the United States (the central part, the south, the mountain states) where fewer international students apply.
Some of these schools would be affordable to you even without financial aid. For example, University of Montana costs under $32K/year.
https://admissions.umt.edu/admissions/costs.php
Penn State estimated student costs for last year were $43,272-46,272 for people who don’t live in Pennsylvania. Assume that goes up every year.
@katliamom oh okay, Yeah I was thinking of small and less frequent unis. What about in Washington state? I would really like there.
I would look into University of Montana !
@bodangles oh well I don’t think I would go with Penn State now.
Yeah, it’s a steep price. So take that long first-draft list and filter it by cost; that should knock off a few (or a bunch). I don’t know what you mean by “less frequent,” but “small” would also be something with which to shave some universities off your list (like Penn State, which is massive).
@bodangles By less frequent and small I meant Colleges where less International students apply like what @katliamom was saying
Oh okay, what about Washington Uni? I really like it And what do you think can a person do after Bio undergrad degree? Like masters?
Washington, Oregon, Arizona are popular - and expensive.
University of Washington and Washington State are almost $50,000/year for out of state (and therefore international) so that’s out of your budget. University of Arizona is more than $43K/year – and you have to COUNT on tuition increases every year.
University of New Mexico is within your budget: about $35K/year
When looking at schools, always check (or first google “cost of attendance international students”) – no sense falling in love with a school you can’t afford.
For an international student, graduating with a biology degree would mean you have almost no chance in finding a job – there are too many American biology majors, so there is no incentive for an employer to sponsor you for a work visa. Most international students either go to graduate school or marry a citizen in order to stay after their OPT.
Master’s programs are expensive – they cost as much/more than undergraduate and there’s little/no financial aid for international students. But most good PhD programs are funded, meaning the students don’t pay tuition, and receive a stipend to live on.
@katliamom alright I understand …so having a bio degree is useless unless a person can land a PHD
@Sanazulfi: Pick a major that will lead to a good job in your country. Do not count on getting a job in the US or getting into Medical school. Unfortunately that is the cold hard reality of being an International student so take all the advice given into consideration when applying to US schools.
Even with PhD it can be tough: there are too many PhDs for too few jobs