I’m a Pakistani Student- hence an international applicant. I feel like my credentials were very deserving
SAT- 1500
GPA- Well I did O and A Levels and have taken 30 % more subjects than the average student. I have only 1 B in my whole transcript and had the second best O Levels in my whole school
Extracurriculars- Iowa’s International Writing Program, Debates, MUNs, Basketball- (had multiple awards in all three),Created an Internship to teach 200 children from the streets in the summers, my poetry’s been translated into 4 languages, articles in award winning magazines, School’s Editor
Essays- Everyone who read them said they were good enough (including my friends in IVY Leagues)
I’ve so far been rejected from : Yale (ea), Amherst, Grinnell, Macalester, Middlebury, and Pitzer
Waitlisted by Trinity College
I have Brown, Depauw, Duke, Dartmouth, Brown, Princeton, UPenn, Vanderbilt, Wesleyan and Skidmore left. I don’t have high hopes anymore considering I haven’t been accepted to a single place yet (Wheaton College Ma accepted me but said they can’t give aid)
The major con I have is that I’m asking for a ton of financial aid
Why am I not being accepted? Do I have any hope?
I honestly thought that most of these were reach schools but I seriously thought I had a shot in most of them other than the ivy leagues.
Opinions will be really helpful
That is a bit surprising to me. I would think Trinity would definitely accept you. What subject was the B in? I doubt it would matter much but maybe that’s why this is happening?
It’s all luck, I guess. Once you have a gpa and sat within range for the places you want to go it comes down to other things that we will never fully understand. I know people with worse scores who’ve been accepted to Middlebury.
Most of the colleges you applied to don’t give full need to international students, and many are need aware for internationals as well. That’s probably a big part of it. Keep your head up! Are there any schools in your home country that you’ve gotten into and can afford?
@geugen I had a B in one of my sociology internal exams. @pupscotch i’ve been accepted in the best university in my city(arguably in my country) and i can afford it because universities in Pakistan are much cheaper but its like 5 minutes away from my house so nothing will change
For internationals who need a full ride or nearly a full ride, it’s brutal. You are absolutely qualified but so are hundreds others across the world, and colleges don’t have enough money to make you come. So, you are denied or wait listed.
Did you apply to other programs (in the UK, Ireland, France, Germany…?)
Thanks a lot guys this really does me some closure! @MYOS1634 no i didn’t apply since the UK doesn’t give any scholarships and most french and german universities require you to know the language. I did get into turkish universities but they’re nowhere near as good as us ones
Actually you now have programs in English in both France and Germany, and you can also get in with a yearlong pre-program language course. Some may not be closed yet, look into it.
Don’t worry! A college’s assessment of your application does NOT define your self worth. If they decided to reject you, then it’s their loss! I would suggest looking for research opportunities after graduation if you would like a chance to study in the United States. (I know some that were accepted as post doctorate research assistants at universities this way) Keep on going and best of luck in the future!
Got another waitlist- Wesleyan @MYOS1634 yes i’ll definitely look into them but theres also a high chance my parents won’t send me. but lets see @potatoepotatoe yes that’s definitely the plan if nothing works out
Exactly. For international applicants, significant financial aid need is not simply a “major con”. It is a truly gigantic con.
Hang in there. You still have some applications pending.
If you just want out of Pakistan for a while, and aren’t picky about where you study, there are a few places in the US that guarantee significant merit aid for specific stats. Read through the thread on Automatic Full Tuition and Full Rides in the Financial Aid Forum, and check each scholarship listed to determine if it is open to international applicants. Some might even still be accepting applicants for this fall. Otherwise, you would need to take a gap year.
@Suphi30 Hang in there! I know a lot of Pakistanis, including my brother, who had amazing credentials but couldn’t afford to pay.
This might seem personal, but how much are your parents willing to pay? If you have been accepted into LUMS (guessing from the statement you made, “Pakistan’s best university”) and you can afford it, this translates in the fact that your family can easily pay around Rs 10-11,00,000 i.e. $10k-$11k. This is pretty substantial for an international student; I personally know a few Pakistanis who got in to elite need aware institutions by paying this much.
Secondly, your university list seems a little ambitious. No offence, but I don’t see any safety school. You applied to upper tier colleges and most of them are need aware. Even if you’re thinking about a gap year, make sure that your college list is a mixture of upper and middle tier colleges.
You’ve had solid advice here, but while your SAT score is excellent, there will be others with higher SAT scores. When you need a lot of aid, they will literally be taking the absolute top candidates. You are a strong applicant, but others will be stronger, sorry to say.
Applying to mostly reach schools + being international + midrange (for most of those schools) SATs + needing a lot of aid = low, low probability of acceptance or acceptance that is financially feasible. Sorry, but it is what it is. You have an acceptance at a school in your area you can afford. Celebrate!
@Lindagaf@jym626 haha yeah you guys are probably right. but i thought depauw trinity and skidmore would be my safeties. and i couldnt apply to more safeties because my parents won’t send me to a safety school anyway- because the university in my city is top 400 worldwide in the degree i want. so i never really had the choice to apply to too many safeties. i know my sat was midrange but i was hoping for my gpa and extras to make up for it @Confusedfreak yeah, i got into lums (btw its annual fee is more like $6000- 6500)