I am an international student from Asia, and I am aiming for the ivies in engineering (not hyp level) - most favorably cornell, upenn, and columbia.
I’ve heard that those universities are not need-blind for international students. So does it effect the results a lot if apply requesting a financial aid?
PS. And since it hadn’t been long since I started preparing for admissions, can anyone also advise me on a ok academic score (ACT, SSAT, GPA, AP) for an international student?
Cornell and Columbia are actually rated higher for engineering than Princeton is- I don’t know why you think that CP& C are less selective than HYP.
Ivy or not, schools that are not need blind do indeed take into account your financial need when deciding whether or not to accept a student.
@eden10hazard there are tons of threads asking this same question. The reality is you will be facing financial difficulties at MOST colleges…because most do not award significant need based aid to international students. Some also don’t award merit aid to international students. Some only offer limited aid to international students.
You also need to understand,…there are only 5 colleges that are BOTH need blind for admissions AND meet full financial need for all admitted international students. They are amongst the most competitive colleges for admission.
Schools that are need aware for admissions will consider your ability to pay when they review your application for admission. Oh…and the school calculates your ability to pay.
ETA…I see you are Asian. Your application for admission will be considered alongside of those from your region…and that is a very strong applicant pool to,the generous schools that meet full need. Your chances of acceptance are likely less,than 5% at these school.
I’m not trying to be a Debbie Downer…but getting LOTS of funding in this country as an international student to attend college isn’t an easy thing.
I have to ask…are there any colleges in your country that you could attend for a more modest price? You might want to start there.
And also…do colleges in your country offer significant funding for folks who are NOT citizens of YOUR country?
Read the responses in this very recent thread about the same topic.
What ARE your academic scores?
@Madison85, OP has 5s in Calc BC and one of the Physics, and “straight As” in school, but no other scores. OP won a silver medal at the ICYP, which is legitimately a big deal.
OP is only willing to look at big-name schools (to quote from the OP’s other thread: Berkely “at the lowest” b/c “if it’s not low-ivy level, it is meaningless (not to make slight of Alabama Univ. )”.
OP is asking if there is such a thing as an “ok academic score” or that there are universities of the desire caliber will “easily” give significant financial aid to an international student, b/c otherwise OP will go to one of the top universities in their home country.
The OP is also an Asian student with financial need…who is applying to colleges that are need aware for admissions for international students.
Re: Berkeley…the school isn’t giving need based institutional aid to OOS students, and an international student would be an OOS student. He should expect to be a full pay student there. Greater than $50,000 a year.
And to the OP…even with a perfect ACT or SAT score, you are not guaranteed admission to the Ivies as an international or any other kind of applicant.