Hello everyone,
I am an Italian student currently attending an international school. I will be applying to university next year, and I am looking to apply to some of the schools state above. Considering I am an international student, what do you think my chances of gaining a spot are?
Stats:
Mission - I have a passion for technology and economics. I believe that MIT will provide me with the best education to merge these two passions of mine.
Intended Major - Comp Science/Economics/EE
IB Scores - 40/45 in the first semester, however I expect my scores to rise. I take Higher Level math, physics, history and economics, along with Standard Level Spanish and English. This converts to an unweighted GPA of 3.8 in America.
ECs -
Varsity football, I have been playing this sport since I was 4 years old
I founded the Investment Club at my school - the club brings students interested in financial economics together. We discuss issues, learn together, and host a stock market competition
Website - I have been running my own website where I talk about how teens can invest for around 6 months
Internships - I have signed up for two internships this summer, both will merge my passions of economics and technology
Outside Courses - I have taken an online, certified course on microeconomics from UC, Irvine, and have enrolled in a software engineering course from U of Michigan.
MUN - model united nations, not necessarily related to my college interests, but is something I have grown to love
Global Issues Network - here students use technology to spread awareness about certain global issues
Coding Club at my school - serves my technology ambitions
SATs - I will be taking my SAT 1 next month, and will be taking SAT subject tests in Math and Physics. However, I have been scoring around 1500 for my practice SATs
Local paper - I am sometimes referred to contribute to research projects for my local paper. Probably will not be included in my application
I think I will apply to:
UMichigan
UToronto
Berkeley
MIT
UChicago
Columbia
Stanford
Harvard
CMU
Possibly Vanderbilt
Cornell
Texas AnM
I recommend against U of T for computer science, especially for an international student. Although they are highly ranked for CS, there are no direct admits to CS.Students admitted under the CS program have to achieve a minimum
%ge grade in their foundation courses. The required average keeps rising each year. More than half the students taking the foundation courses don’t make the required grades. I would recommend applying to economics/commerce/engineering instead.
Have you looked at the University of Waterloo? It’s much more oriented to entrepreneurship.
You have a very good chance for both universities.
Thank you for the advice! I have checked the program, but I would like to end up in silicon valley, and i did not think UPenn offered as much opportunity as others. Thank you so much!
Are you paying full fees? As an international it’s hard to predict.
I don’t think UChicago’s CS program is that good ( they are more recognized for Stats/Maths/Physics and pure science than STEM)
Maybe rather add Yale (the CS program is very good), Upenn, GeorgiaTech, Carnegie Mellon and Berkeley?
Did you tried the European universities?
I hold European nationality but live in the US and I think it’s easier and less competitive to get into top European school. The admission rate is around 6-8% here for top schools here, without counting the athletes/URMs (black and hispanic minorities)/legacies and potential donators … the real rate is much lower for average people, and even lower for international students.
I’ll be applying to a brunch of EU universities as well as american ones.
Great Computer Science, Economics, and Business programs, and is actually expanding (I think Berkeley is having financial trouble). Easily a peer school of Berkeley, but in much better shape financially.
@yikesyikesyikes Thanks you very much I definitely will look into it! As an international, name recognition is something I probably should keep in mind, and that was something that was worrying me
I’ll let the UMich alum speak to it themselves. University of Michigan is one of the most famous American and respected universities. It’s probably #1 or #2 public university.
Look into both french and swiss Ecole Polytechniques (very prestigious - they have exchange program with most US universities including MIT/Stanford etc. - you can easily get into BCG, Mckinsey & similar selective companies once graduated), Cambridge and Imperial College - obvious for those ones (UK), UTH (Germany)
@NoVADad99 my European friends/family only know a handful of US universities: Harvard/Yale/MIT/Stanford/Princeton + Wharton/Upenn/UChicago and Berkely/UCLA for some people, but they never heard of UMichigan or even other top Liberal Arts Colleges/Ivies.
Maybe it’s more well known in Asia.
This is why you are coming to CC, to find out about all the other schools you weren’t aware of that are of the same academic caliber, support, name recognition and alumni connections as the ones you know.
@mlunghi
Silicon Valley firms do recruit quite heavily at Penn both for tech/engineering/design etc and tech finance,management. Especially the M&T program at Penn is a major feeder to silicon valley top firms and VCs and the tech branches of major investment banks. Penn M&T is extremely prestigious in business tech circles and it is usually chosen over any other school (even MIT, Stanford sometimes) by people interested in both business and technology. But it is on the level of Stanford, MIT, Harvard in term of difficulty of getting in so its a super reach for anyone.
Agreed on Upenn - Wharton is well know overseas and they have a good alumni circle in Europe - it’s a good association for the university globally.
I would love to attend as well since I’m interested in CS & entrepreneurship @Penn95 would you possibly review my candidature for upenn? Thanks!
UMichigan is the smart retrovert wearing the really old-style hat – it is winged – who harps on and on about the heathens down south and insinuates that graduates from the other state school will be taking his orders at McDonald’s.
UToronto is the kid with the peace sign tattoo on her arm and the maple leaf stuck in her hair. The only way to get her off the ice is to steal her curling stone and her hockey skates.
Berkeley is the genius in Birks and wool socks who protests main rival Stanford, marching with cardboard signs that say things like “Tree Mugger” and “Our mascot pees on yours.”
MIT is R2D2 holding a cocktail
UChicago is the woman who corners you at the party for a visceral, comprehensive discussion of 14th century Genovese commerce and its effects on 15th century Florentine politics.
Columbia is the serious professor who tries to shove the Big Apple’s Core down your throat.
Stanford is the Olympic Greco Roman silver medalist who will body slam you if you don’t invest in his startup.
Harvard is the guy who shows up at the beach in a suit and tie and slams a bottle of wine… and then changes into swim trunks, rents a boat, and convinces everyone to row with him.
CMU is the computer nerd and performing artist couple who are totally unaware that other majors exist at their university.
Vanderbilt is the country singer who is all hat and no cattle, but who can kick your butt at a game of beer pong.
Cornell is Puck from A Midsummer Night’s Dream, following its older siblings around the mall, trying desperately to get their attention and gain their praise.
Texas A&M is the pyromaniac kid who didn’t get into UT-Austin or a military academy and likes to gig things.
