Financial Aid Dilemma

International Students
1

<p>Hi everyone:
I'm a junior applying to some American schools. </p>

<p>I would like to know how much my need for aid will affect my admissions chances. I will outline my statistics BRIEFLY. My only question: Will I be able to get into at least one of these schools --statistically speaking-- even with my applying for aid?</p>

<p>STATS:
GPA: 97% on a 1-100 scale
Rank: 1/200 or so
Courseload: most rigorous (no honors/APs offered)
SAT: 2200 (690CR,800M,710WR) - will be retaking next fall if I feel compelled enough
SAT II: will be taking bio, math ii, and physics in June
ECs:
-Gene Research at UBC (gr11)
-Captain of Basketball Team (gr8-present)
-Elementary Basketball Coach(gr10-present)
-district student leadership council (school representative/executive gr 10-present)
-student council (vice-president this year, running for pres next year -- gr8-present)
-XCountry (gr8-present)
-Math Tutor (paid - gr10-present)
-Peer Tutor (volunteer - gr9-present)
-Part-time job as banquet caterer (low hours/very low key)
-Canadian Math contests & awards
-Math league </p>

<p>SCHOOLS I'M APPLYING TO IN USA:
1. Stanford
2. Pomona College
3. CalTech
4. Columbia
5. Yale
6. Princeton
7. Harvard
8. Duke</p>

<p>If it helps, I plan to major in biological sciences. Right now I'm interested in genetics & molecular biology, but who knows. I am 100% sure that I'm interested in science though.</p>

<p>Just to reiterate: Will I have a chance to get into one of these schools even with my applying for financial aid? I understand that some are need-blind for internationals, but these schools still have extremely steep admission percentages. </p>

<p>Thanks in advance fellow Canadians!!</p>

<p>(If anybody is interested, I'm applying to UBC and McGill in Canada as well)</p>

2

<p>You might get into one or two of those, but I’m not too optimistic here with the information you’ve provided.</p>

3

<p>Okay thanks!! Yeah me neither, but it’s worth a shot :slight_smile:
I can’t really afford any schools that don’t offer generous aid.</p>

4

<p>Be sure to include a couple match/safety schools. All of the nine schools you listed are reaches for you as of now.</p>

5

<p>My match/safeties are Canadian schools. (UBC, SFU, etc)</p>

6

<p>One other school that you might want to look into is Penn. They have a need-blind policy for Canadians.</p>

7

<p>Oh thank-you powerbomb! I notice that Penn also has a steep admissions rate, but I will try there as well. Obviously I will never be able to know for sure unless I apply – afterall, people on CC aren’t admissions officers(no offense intended), and do not know my complete application, background, essays, recs, etc. I will look into Penn’s CAS, it looks pretty good - thanks again powerbomb.</p>

<p>Where have you guys applied/want to apply for uni?</p>

8

<p>I’m adding University of Chicago to that list. Has a superb science program and is need-blind for Canadians.</p>

9

<p>I thought UChi is need-aware for us >.></p>

10

<p>Read under the “Financial Aid Application” blurb
<a href=“https://collegeadmissions.uchicago.edu/apply/applicants/firstyear/[/url]”>https://collegeadmissions.uchicago.edu/apply/applicants/firstyear/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

11

<p>omg is this a new policy?</p>

12

<p>I have no idea; I just was pleasantly surprised to learn this as I was looking through UofC’s website.</p>

13

<p>U Chicago’s been need-blind for Canadians for a while…</p>

14

<p>Ohh T.T lol</p>

15

<p>Most schools (mainly liberal arts colleges) we talked to, that had a need blind policy, are NOT need blind to Canadians…
Also getting in as an international is far harder than as an American. One of the schools my son was rejected at, sent him a letter stating that the general admission rate at their school is 27% (and need blind) but for internationals it is only 5% (and not need blind).</p>

16

<p>Most of the top ivies should be need blind to canadians</p>