Confused and lost international student, applying for college in the states.

Applying to College
1

<p>Hi everyone!
I'm a High School senior who is applying for college in the US. I come from overseas, and I am currently in the US, as an exchange student in OK. I am planning to attend college in the States but somewhere else than here, because I had previously made plans about attending college somewhere in the north/east/west area...
However, before I start I wanna let you know that I don't have anyone else to address my questions to, my guidance counselor at school is completely useless and cuts it short to me... I'm lost and confused with the college application process.</p>

<p>So, to come here I took the TOEFL and I have a 100 score. I brought my grades from my country (in Europe) and they translated by transcripts from my previous 2 years and my GPA is 3.9 (and something). Now here comes the first problem, when universities enroll international students like me, do they take into consideration the fact that their educational system is much different than the one in the US? Because my classes in my country are a PAIN in the *ss, I've had straight 100% As for the whole time I've been here. We don't have AP/Honor classes there, but but have what we call "Advanced classes", and I took those, however I don't think that they're written as AP classes in the American transcripts page. Is there any way my future college can be aware of that?</p>

<p>Next thing I wanted to know is, what are good colleges interested in you when you apply? Because I've read that the GPA isn't that important for some colleges and they look into much more things other than that. I wanna major in Computer Science btw, and I'm on a budget limit of $25k/year, so I can't afford some schools, let alone one of the Ivy Leagues that I have always been interested in.
I have been doing community work for 3-4 hours a week for the past year and I'm in the BETA Club this year. Apart from that, what other stuff do colleges look for when you're applying? I really don't understand something: Let's say that I've done all these stuff in the previous years of High School, but I might do a lot of other good activities and reach higher goals during this year. How can I assure my college of this, so that they can keep this in mind when looking into my application and not turn me down?</p>

<p>Some of the places where I wanna apply to, are Ohio State University, Berea College, Florida, Pennsylvania, New York, California (the past three are the states that I'm interested in the most, most colleges here will work) etc. I really don't know a lot of colleges that would help an international student with scholarships, so I really want to know what would look good on a college application for a foreigner like me.</p>

<p>Another thing that really confuses me, when I looked at some college application pages online, most of them required me to provide proof of bank statements showing that I have enough money to pay for the yearly expenses, however, it's a process that takes a couple of days for my folks back in my country. I wanted to know, does the college require these right at the beginning of the application, or can you provide this later? Can you get accepted in the meantime?</p>

<p>I'm so very sorry for all the questions but I feel so hopeless.. I'd appreciate any help.
Thanks.</p>

2

<p>Since you are an exchange student, the universities will look at your previous work completed in Europe, as well as what you’ve done here. There are other students in your situation, as the universities get applications from all over the world, so they will compare you to those students from the area you’ve come from, and, your school records from your current school.
I don’t know about the east coast schools except SUNY schools, but being a lifelong native of California, I can give you that information.
California public schools, like the UC’s and the Cal States are funded by our public taxes; the state is broke and it is very unlikely that you will receive any scholarship funding from the STATE schools, but the private schools in California do have some competitive monies for the very strong candidates (2400 SAT’s, TOP EC’s, etc) like USC and Stanford.<br>
As for other schools, International scholarships are very few and competitive, but there are schools in the Midwest and South that will provide some scholarship money, more so than the schools on the east coast.
GPA and SAT scores are extremely important as are your EC’s (extra-curriculars). Don’t know where you got that info that the GPA isn’t important? The essay is crucial, so spend some time on that.
The university websites are usually good about explaining their requirements. Go to those websites of the schools you want to apply to, and check their high school requirements sections. You need to read the requirements carefully and if you have questions, you know you’re allowed to email the Admissions offices or Financial Aid offices directly, right?
Additionally, don’t expect to get accepted by all of the schools you apply to, that’s why you need “safety” schools. You can always apply to the Ivies as reaches, but find some schools that match your intended major with your stats that will accept you. Clear as mud?</p>

3

<p>“I’m a High School senior who is applying for college in the US. I come from overseas, and I am currently in the US, as an exchange student in OK.”</p>

<p>Before you take this one step further, you need to contact the exchange organization that has arranged for your year hear. Find out if this is even possible. You may be obligated to return to your home country for a certain period of time before returning to the US for study.</p>

4

<p>I have already checked with my organization before coming here and I’m aware that the program I’m going with sends students who are not subject to the “2 year rule”, so I can come back here right after this year by re-applying for a visa…

Well, the guidance counselor at my school translated all my grades from my 2 years to the American grading system, from the one I had originally in my country. So, doesn’t that mean that they made the job easier, and so what would a college look more, if they already have my grades translated?
I know that the GPA isn’t completely useless but I’ve read around here that a lot of competitive schools have turned down students with 4.0 GPAs because they want more in a student, and I don’t know why…</p>

<p>And so, you’re saying that state schools can’t give you scholarships because the state is broke. Does that mean that private schools only give you scholarships? Is that where I should apply?</p>

<p>I was actually interested in the SUNY schools in New York, anyone has any knowledge about these schools? Again, I want to major in Computer Science. Thanks!</p>

5

<p>Colleges compare you to similar students from your region. Your school probably converted your grades to place you in local classes and a college does not regard you higher than a peer from your country just because your current school converted your grades. </p>

<p>Public schools in most states prioritize their funds for their taxpaying citizens so if you apply to colleges funded by their states, you might be paying full fees. In the case of California, that means the UC’s and the Cal States. The private colleges get monies from their donors so they may have more monies available for Out of State (OOS) and international students. So you have to research and ask questions about possible choices.</p>

<p>Again, please note that the State University of New York schools are funded by the state, so you have to ask the financial aid offices at the campuses that have your major.</p>

6

<p>What I actually did was convert my grades from numbers that we use there to the American gradin system before coming here. Then my counselor calculated my GPA and gave me the so called transcripts, then he told me that I was good to go and apply with those for college… </p>

<p>I understand… But does that mean that state schools are better, since that’s where a lot of people aim at applying? Or are private schools equally as good, in your knowledge? Thanks and sorry for all the questions.</p>

7

<p>Both private colleges and public universities can provide an excellent education. However, as an international student especially, you will be hard pressed to find a private institution that fits your budget. Indeed, many of the public universities will be almost as expensive for a non-resident.</p>

8

<p>BossyMommy is right. You need to be looking at schools that offer substantial aid to international applicants. Some publics do, but mostly you will be looking at private schools. Competition for aid among internationals is intense, but your stats and language skills seem strong, so you should not be discouraged. Here is a reliable resource: <a href=“https://www.educationusa.info/[/url]”>https://www.educationusa.info/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

9

<p>Indeed, private collgese are more expensive than the public ones that I’ve researched so far. But again, giving an example, a cousin of mine got accepted into
a private university in Ohio called Franklin, and from $32k a year he has to pay only $16k, and he’s an international as well, with a 3.8 GPA.
What I’m trying to know is that, if certain public universities do offer scholarships for international students, do I have to look at a “rich” state, or what? Will I have to apply for scholarships separately by the way, or does the college tell you that you’re eligible for a scholarships when you’re sending the general application?</p>

<p>Thank you.</p>

10

<p>Go on the websites, that’s what they are there for. University sites explain their admissions requirements well. They also have separate web pages explaining their financial aid for international and domestic students. (There are no rich states that I know of except in what the natural terrain looks like-Grand Canyon, Yosemite, etc.) You select according to what you think you want to study, where-in a large or small city, in the north/ south/ east or west. Internships? Experience, etc. YOU have to do the research. If they want you, they will admit you.</p>

11

<p>First, the colleges will use your actual transcripts with your actual grades. So, if you had a 14 average from France or a 1.5 from Germany, you’ll be compared with students from France, or Germany, with the same grades. Your former counselor or head teacher (in Europe) will need to give a description of your school, how selective it is, if it’s open-enrollment or selective enrollment, etc.
Here’s an example from a top school in the US
<a href=“http://stuy.enschool.org/ourpages/au...%202012-13.pdf[/url]”>http://stuy.enschool.org/ourpages/au...%202012-13.pdf&lt;/a&gt;
The only GPA that will be used is the one you will have earned in the US. It’s to your advantage to be in accelerated, Honors, or AP classes as much as possible - if you have A’s, they might allow you to transfer.
There are two types of financial aid: need-based (if your parents don’t have money) and merit based (combination of GPA and SAT score).
For example, the Ivy League will “fund” you if they admit you. You won’t have to pay full price (also called “sticker price”). However your odds of getting admitted to the Ivy League are about 3-5% as an international who needs financial aid - the only schools where it doesn’t matter (MIT, Harvard, Yale…) are also so hard they may only admit the best applicant from each country or so.
Look at the “full ride scholarships” sticky thread on the financial aid forum.
Look at the “international” forum.
In most cases, for internationals, financial aid is based on a combination of need AND merit. You need to find colleges where your GPA and SAT score place you in the top 25% of applicants. The most generous schools are also the most competitive.
To find out about schools, you need to go to your school library and borrow “Fisk Guide”, “The Princeton review’s Best Colleges”, “Insider’s Guide to the colleges”. Any one of these three is fine (or all three), and any year from 2010 on. Add the websites “Colleges that change lives” to find colleges and “the college solution” for information you need to know about to be admitted.
If you graduate from an OK high school, look and see if U of Oklahoma has an Honors College that you can get into AND if UO recognizes Oklahoma high school graduates (even international) as in-state.
Each university has its own policy. We’ll be able to direct you better once you know more about what you like.
To give you ideas to start, here’s a wide variety in selectivity - net price should all be within your price range: Hendrix College (Private Liberal Arts College, very selective), West Chester University (directional), Bowdoin (most selective national liberal arts), University of Alabama’s honors college (flagship), University of Oklahoma’s Honors College (flagship), Southwestern University in Texas, SUNY Plattsburgh, SUNY Stony Brook (flagship), University of North Carolina- Wilmington (directional), University of Minnesota-Morris (Public Liberal Arts), University of Washington (flagship), Butler (regional university), Grinnell (most selective national liberal arts college), Williams (most selective national liberal arts college), Middlebury (most selective national liberal arts college).
Try to read and figure out which ones would be easy to get into for you, which ones would seem to be difficult to get into; which ones offer need based aid, which ones offer merit that you have a shot at; which ones you like best and why…
Then come back here and we’ll provide you with more information.</p>