<p>we've all seen the numbers. year after year, admission rates continue falling and applicants continue rising. across the board, no matter how minuscule the admission's rate is, you can be assured that it is even smaller for an international applicant (often in the single digits). </p>
<p>Exactly how much harder is it to get into a good school if you are an international student?</p>
<p>If you're an international student who needs funding, it is significantly harder. I don't think anyone would be able to quantify a number that can be applied across the board. However, I do know that at my college, the international student acceptance rate is about 20 percent lower than the general acceptance rate (which, btw, includes both Americans and internationals).</p>
<p>I figure the admit rates for Stanford are about 60-70% of the overall admit rate (9.5%) for internationals not requiring funding and 30-40% of the overall rate for people who need aid.</p>
<p>It also depends on where you're from. If you're from a country where lots apply to US schools it's harder. If you're from a small African nation or the mountains of Peru, it might be easier.</p>
<p>I agree with the posters above me, except that I think that frankchn's estimate is overly optimistic. I think at most schools offering financial aid (excluding the very top ones), most international applications (80+%) are applying for financial aid. </p>
<p>As we all know, an applicant's financial situation makes a huge difference. If you are a full-paying customer at a small college with no international reputation, you are almost guaranteed admission. If you need financial aid, you are almost always at a disadvantage, often a severe disadvantage. (To put a number on it: in a recent year Colby received about 1000 applications from international students. About 900 of those were applying for financial aid and only 10 of those were accepted with aid.) </p>
<p>The fairest comparison might come from schools which are need-blind for both domestic and international students. MIT, for example, has an international admission rate of 4% vs 12% overall. At Harvard it's 5% vs 9%.</p>
<p>It depends... If you are from very under-represented country, then you have a very good increase in chances</p>
<p>I agree with most of the posts above. I know of people who applied internationally, including one who is rooming with one of my best friends at Stanford University. My other friend, who goes to both Harvard and MIT, has made contacts with numerous international students and I've heard countless stories about them.
All in all, I would say that one should never give up- at least try. There's no rule against trying, but do the best at that.
If anyone has any questions, don't be hesitant to PM me! :)
Best wishes</p>
<p>I have a question:</p>
<p>
[quote]
My other friend, who goes to both Harvard and MIT
[/quote]
How exactly does that work?</p>
<p>Cross-registration, perhaps?</p>
<p>But then you would still only attend one of the universities. I am taking classes at three different colleges/universities, but I am still only a Bryn Mawr student.</p>
<p>yeh, if you cross register, you still only disclose urself as an MIT or Harvard Student, not both.</p>
<p>Otherwise I could take a class at Wellesley, and disclose myself as a Wellesley student as well...which would make no sense</p>
<p>b@r!um,
Oh you are a girl :) 've just realized</p>
<p>To begin with: I'm from Austria/Europe and studying business and law. I'd have a quick question: The international students in the US, are they doing their entire education there or do you know people who come there for just a semester or a year? And what about admissions to really good colleges for one semester? Would I even be admitted?
Thx best wishes
carola</p>
<p>It's tougher for int'l stds to get into good colleges than those in-state ones or out-state ones.A deciding factor might be the difference in cost for int'l and in state residents.Coz int'l has to look for every costs of summer to class periods to internships and transportation.That is why the most caliber int'l student is SOMETIMES lagging behind than the poorest US citizens in college placements.I had a perfect example of that .</p>
<p>Carola-elisa, for exchange programmes, you must look up your home university's exchange agreements with American universities (if any). The admissions office do not handle exchange students.</p>
<p>Most students on this board are applying for an entire 4-year undergraduate course at an American university</p>