<p>Hi, everyone, this is directed to international students who attend needs-aware colleges, or anyone else who is knowledgeable on the issue.</p>
<p>Basically, I'm a UK student, but I'm more interested in studying in the US than the UK. Trouble is, I could never afford the ~$50,000 tuition fees, and the needs-blind colleges for internationals (Harvard, Yale, MIT, Princeton) are all incredibly hard to get into which would make my chances of getting in very low.</p>
<p>I've not sat any SAT papers yet, but I think that with enough revision I should be looking at around 2200, with 700+ on the subject tests. Bear in mind that this prediction is based on nothing more than doing the practice tests at CollegeBoard, but I think it's pretty accurate.</p>
<p>What I wanted to know is, if I were to apply to the second tier of US universities, such as Duke, UC Berkeley, Brown, maybe Stanford, etc, but also applied for financial aid, would I stand any chance at all of getting in?</p>
<p>Just a heads up: Duke, Brown, UC Berkeley, Brown, and most certainly Stanford are NOT second-tier schools. They are NOT EVEN close to second-tier schools.</p>
<p>Some second-tier schools are Ohio State University-Columbus, or the University of Miami.</p>
<p>I meant second-tier just to say below the likes of Harvard and Yale. So I’d put Harvard, Yale, MIT, Princeton and Stanford on the top tier as they are hardest to get in to, then Duke, Brown, UC Berkeley, Columbia etc as just below that. Point taken though, these are obviously still amongst the best universities in the world, so in that respect, certainly not second-tier.</p>
<p>At almost all of these schools they would factor in your parent’s income and assets. If they have money, they will be expected to contribute a substantial amount. If they don’t, and you can get in, you will get aid. they all, except Berkeley have some money for internationals but will all be very hard to get into. Needing aid at those not need blind is a severe disadvantage.</p>
<p>Bottom line, if you’re not dirt poor and off the charts stats wise, don’t get too hopeful.</p>
<p>I should add that you do stand a great chance of admission at a very good school if you decide to apply to universities that aren’t very well know outside the US but are still very very good. </p>
<p>Many small liberal arts college have aid for internationals and with a competitive application, you should be able to get financial aid at these colleges. Take it as a given that you’ll have be far more competitive than the average accepted student at that college to stand a chance. You will, nevertheless, attend a great school hopefully with a decent financial aid package.</p>
<p>Which colleges are we talking about here?</p>
<p>Anything from as competitive as Amherst and Swarthmore to Wesleyan U, Vassar, Colgate to Macalester to Trinity to Union to Ohio Wesleyan (progressively less competitive but all good schools - bellow your “second tier” but still good schools).</p>
<p>Thanks, I’ll check them out</p>
<p>don’t forget Claremont Mckenna College…it’s a great school in California, and it offers a lot of aids for international students…and don’t get fooled by the name, although a college in name, it is the same as universities. please don’t mistake UK’s term for college with the American version; colleges and universities are interchangeable in the US (the advice is me assuming that you aren’t informed of the difference, but if you already know, then just ignore it)</p>
<p>Good Luck :)</p>