<p>I am new here, so I apologize if I am posting in the wrong thread. However, I would like to know what my chances of winning a scolarship are if:</p>
<p>*I am an American Citezen born from two Egyptian American parents.
*I was born in America and have lived there until two years ago.
*I am going to spend the rest of my high school years in Egypt.
*I'm an A+ student.
*I go to an American system school, where I will recieve an American diploma.
*There are no extracurrular activies in Egyptian schools.
*There is no such thing as volunteer work in Egypt.</p>
<p>Colleges need those last two things - don't they? If they are not there for me to do, would they count? I mean, in Egypt there is no such thing as Yearbook comittee or debate club or chess club or anything like that. And you can't volunteer for anything. The economy is terrible...well, everything is mixed up here. Oh and - would I be considered a foreign student? I'm an American, only living outside the states. What are my chances?</p>
<p>Do they only look at SATs or school grades? Does my grade point point average have anything to do with the scolarship? What grade do I have to get on my SATs for a good college to consider giving me a full scolarship?</p>
<p>There are two basic types of financial aid: merit-based and need-based. If your family cannot afford an expensive school you can easily apply for need-based aid and you will be treated the same as every other American applicant (aid-wise). Almost all and certainly all good colleges award need-based aid.</p>
<p>If you think you would not qualify for (enough) need-based aid because your family is earning too much or has too much property, it might be wise to consider applying for merit scholarships. However, (academic) full-tuition scholarships at good colleges are extremely rare. If you are a good athlete you can contact coaches and ask to be recruited (which can result in merit aid as well).</p>
<p>Just a few more questions so that we can understand your situation better:</p>
<p>How competitive is your schedule relative to your classmate's? Have you taken AP classes and/or exams? Does your school offer them? What's the highest math course that you will have completed by the end of senior year?</p>
<p>What are you doing in your spare time? Babysitting your siblings is an EC, just as playing soccer with your friends is (does not need to be organized or something). Do you read a lot, hold a part-time job or....? I don't know what kids in Egypt are doing with their spare time (I am sure you have some) but you must be doing something.</p>
<p>It's just...confusing. In America we are very poor, barely $25, 000 income. But in Egypt we are pretty high-class. We own a villa but nothing else. </p>
<p>What are AP classes?</p>
<p>Well, I'm not a sports person...I like to read and write a lot...um...I babysit my brother a lot, but not for money. I don't think my mother would allow me a part-time job - she thinks Egyptian men are sleazy and would flirt at whatever chance they get. Do you think a part-time job would help, though? I never thought about that. Can you get in on a dance scolarship? Just curious, I know this girl who is an excellent dancer... Anyway, kids in Egypt don't have time to do anything. The Egyptian school system is rigorous - they have to spend at least nine hours a day studying if they even want to pass, which leaves little time for anything else. The American system, which I am in, is much easier. Although since it is very expensive, the American system students are extremely rich, spoiled, and don't study, they simply waste their time at discos or clubs or doing nothing.</p>
<p>Really, academic scolarships are that hard to get? What do you mean by 'good colleges'? Ivy League colleges? Although I had my sights set on Yale, that does not mean that I will not go to another college.</p>
<p>This is your lucky day: Yale does not expect families with an income of less than $45,000 to contribute anything to heir child's education. No financial worries if you get accepted :)</p>
<p>For merit aid, I meant "good" colleges as in second tier by US News definition. Colleges of the caliber of ivy league universities usually don't offer any merit aid; if they do, it might be a couple of thousand bugs but not full tuition. But don't worry; in your income range you certainly qualify for a lot of need-based aid.</p>
<p>AP stands for "Advanced Placement". AP classes are supposed to be college level classes in high school. At the end of the school year there are standardized exams (one in each AP subject) given thoughout the world where you get a score from 5 (best) to 1. Most colleges will award college credit for scores of 4s and 5s, some do for 3s. Applicants to competitive colleges (like Yale) are supposed to have taken the most rigorous course load offered by their high school which usually includes some APs. If your high school does not offer them, however, you will not be disadvantaged for not taking them.</p>
<p>Well, being a citizen certainly gives you the heads. Often (and especially with these top universities and even with smaller ones) A + students having a citizenship status even get their full cost (tution, room and board, etc) paid for even if they can fund a portion of their education... although the colleges say they'll meet all demonstrated need. So it's certainly not limited. I know even B + students with low SATs who got accepted to decently good colleges with 1/2 tuition paid although these colleges wouldn't give support to international students who are non-citizens. This policy seems to extend to even Canadian citizens for few schools. You know what's funny? I know only three people who've been accepted to Harvard in the last few years from my country and all of them are either American or Canadian citizens. One of them had Bs an Cs as well and was pretty well off (good extracurriculars though) and despite that she received full scholarship. Oh, her chances of admission also increased as she had a recommendation from a current Harvard student, who himself is one of the best students I've ever met. Well she is hard-working and deserves it but I am sure she wouldn't have received full scholarship and been defered to the RD pool if it wasn't for the recommendation and citizenship status. Also remember that citizens do not have to take the TOEFL so don't bother spending that $140. Any non-citizen from here who got accepted to an Ivy League school got accepted to a non HYP college.</p>