<p>Hello,
I am in 12th grade, and it's application time, I guess, but I'm really quite stumped. I would like to pursue economics and statistics or physics at a US college. My stats are as follows:</p>
<p>GPA:
Class 9: around 80%
Class 10: 88%
Class 11: 78%</p>
<p>(It's pretty difficult, no, impossible, to score more than 65-70% in the languages in the board my school is affiliated to. Even so, my marks in class 11 have deteriorated in comparison to my marks in 9 and 10. If they improve in 12, how much will this affect my admissions?)</p>
<p>Rank:
School doesn't rank, but definitely top 10% in a class of 400. Till class 10, this used to be a class of 700 or so.</p>
<p>SAT:</p>
<p>CR: 790
WR: 720
MATH: 760</p>
<p>I'll take Math 1 and 2, English Literature and Physics Subject tests. I'll post the scores once they're out. I'll also take SAT 1 again in November, and hope to improve my score somewhat. I am confident of near perfect scores in Math, English and Physics.</p>
<p>Extracurricular:</p>
<p>Completed 8 years' course in dance and still training.
Volunteer at local mental hospital.
Regular participation in school drama productions(which won at competitions a few times).
A couple of prizes(4, to be precise) for essay and debating.
Won school medal for best all-round performance.</p>
<p>What are the colleges I should be looking at? I'm especially interested in ones with strong financial aid programmes. Help, please? Suggest possible reaches as well as matches.</p>
<p>HAHAHA, I know which school. I almost went there on that Birla thing
Assuming your 4 prizes are national level and stuff, your profile looks good, but if you could put ONE activity there that really sets you apart, something you’ve been very thorough with, it’ll give you a shot at the top univs.
Considering your need for FA, and interests, most of the colleges I’d suggest are the same as the ones I applied to-</p>
<p>Princeton
U Chic
Yale
HMC(pathetic aid)
U Penn(<3 <3 <3)
Reed
Amherst
Harvard
Stanford(super stingy aid again)
MIT
Williams
Cornell</p>
<p>In addition, add a few safeties and maybe Brown, Dartmouth and delete a few from my list.</p>
<p>Hey Gary, thanks. I’ve been considering the same colleges myself, except some of the REALLY good ones on your list. Yes, I’ve been in touch with the alumnus. So you’re from Kolkata too? Congratulations on U Penn!</p>
<p>I don’t want to be a wet blanket but all of the above schools are not in your reach. Your extra curricular activities don’t have a common strength. Your dance course is a good one though but most of the schools mentioned above need more than just that.</p>
<p>I’d suggest you look at some LACs with low rankings. They won’t be able to give you full aid but I believe you can receive some partial funding.</p>
<p>I spent 6 years in Kol, haha. And I’ve been in Lucknow since 4th grade.</p>
<p>And I’d really go with Aviator’s advice. The colleges I mentioned might get aid, but you’ll have to really do something big in a short time with great essays to have a realistic chance.</p>
So you’re from Kolkata too? Congratulations on U Penn!</p>