Good schools for a mediocre/quite good international student?

College Search & Selection
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<p>Hello, I'm an international student from Paris. I've already made up a list of universities I'm going to apply to, but they're reaches (Georgia Tech, Ohio State, UNC) since I want to study CS. I also have my safeties figured out, and my applications are ready, so the only thing I need right now is a bunch of "realistic" schools to apply to.
I'm searching for universities that have reputable, good and well-funded computer science programs (perhaps with an emphasis on operational research and/or financial engineering, although that's definitely not mandatory), and that are within my reach: I'm not an excellent student, I have good grades in some subjects, mediocre grades in others. My extracurriculars are pretty good but nothing extraordinary either.
I'd love to attend a university that's both strong academically/reputable to some extent while providing an enjoyable undergraduate experience. Furthermore, the deadlines are approaching, so I obviously can't apply to universities with deadlines in December. Early January is okay and manageable, but the later, the better.</p>

<p>I'd really appreciate recommendations, and perhaps some input on what I've already mentioned (my reaches as well as my main safety school which is Iowa State University). Thanks!</p>

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<p>@international19 What are your statistics? SAT/ACT ,GPA , RANK. Will you pay the full amount? .These are important factors </p>

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<p>@Kigzcorp No rankings at my high school. It’s pretty competitive (ranked top 30 nationwide). GPA is around 13/20, SAT is around 2000, I scored between 600 and 700 on my subject tests (math and physics).
I don’t know if I’ll pay full price: I don’t think financial aid is available for internationals anyway. Is it?
If not, I’ll take out a loan to pay for everything (or my parents will pay). If not, and if asking for financial aid doesn’t hurt my chances, then I’ll likely apply.</p>

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<p>Talk with your parents, and find out NOW how much they can pay. You will not be able to borrow money in the US unless you have someone here who will co-sign the loan with you, so find out what kind of loans might be available in your own country that would pay for your foreign education. Until you know how much money will be available for you, you shouldn’t be making any kind of college list here. Most international students end up being full pay.</p>

<p>EducationUSA has an office in Paris. Contact the advisors there, and get some help from them. They will be able to tell you where students with grades and exam scores like yours have been admitted in recent years. <a href=“https://www.educationusa.info/Fulbright-France”>https://www.educationusa.info/Fulbright-France&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>@happymomof1 Well, as soon as I turn 18 (which is in a few months) I can legally take out my own loans, so money won’t be a problem anyway. My bank told me I could take out any amount I wanted, with a pretty low interest rate. I think I’ll be fine on the financial side. Even if I end up being full pay, I’ll be able to “afford” it. The fact that my parents are willing to contribute to the tuition price (they told me they could pay everything, but would rather not) makes it even easier. I’ll check out EducationUSA to ask about administrative procedures concerning payment, visas and the like though. Thanks.</p>

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<p>With no security or guarantor, for a degree in a foreign country? Are you 100% sure that’s right? Did the bank understand the amount you would need for four years in a US college?</p>

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<p>@Conformist1688 No security or guarantor? What do you mean?
Yes, the bank is aware of everything. I quote: “should you need to borrow five hundred thousand dollars, or even more than that, you’ll get them”. As I said, my parents (in case I can’t pay for everything, or if I can’t pay back my loans) are willing to do it. They’d just like me to do it on my own.</p>

<p>We’re derailing from the original subject here - this thread isn’t about financial concerns, but about choosing a college…</p>

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<p>13 is quite good but not spectacular, it depends on your school - what you’re rank, are you top 5 in your class or not?
Are you an S-SI or S-SVT student? ST2I? ST2D?
You say you have pretty good grades and pretty mediocre grades: what are your grades in calculus, physics, other science classes you’re taking? What grades did you get for your bac 1e?</p>

<p>The bank is likely willing to lend you that much because they know your parents can pay the loan, and they’ll make a hefty profit off of it - but it’d make more financial sense if your parents paid since you won’t have the extra money caused by interest.</p>

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<p>What is a 13 equal to?</p>

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<p>I doubt French banks are lending $100k+ to 18 year olds that cannot show income to pay the money back.</p>

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<p>@MYOS1634‌ I’m seventh out of thirty in my class, I think. Not sure.
S-SVT, my grades in math and physics are all between 11 and 13. I got a 14/20 for the bac 1re.
I don’t know, but the financial side isn’t what I’m asking about anyway.</p>

<p>@mom2collegekids It depends on the high school. At most high schools, a 15/20 is an A. At mine, I’d say grade deflation makes a 13/20 a respectable grade, probably equivalent to a 14.5 or 15 at an average high school (I got my counselor to write about that).
Well, that’s what the bankers told me. As soon as I’m 18, I’ll be able to borrow any amount needed to cover tuition, fees and housing, as long as the money is used exclusively for that (to cover education prices and living costs). I suppose that if I can’t pay the money back, they’re aware of the fact that my parents will be able to do so.
I’ll stop talking about finances now, if you don’t mind. That’s not how I intended the thread to turn out.</p>

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<p>Actually, 14 = top ~10% nationally (solely among students in the honors/AP track), so if your school practices grade deflation, it probably means you’re in the top 10% nationally, as evidenced by the 14 you got on the national board exams last year.
(A 15 is NOT an A. An A is 12-12.5-13 depending on the school. 14 is sufficient for Warwick or Durham, for example, as well as most Russell Group UK universities, outside of Oxbridge where 15+ is required in 2 subjects in addition. 15,15,14 is considered equivalent to A*AA for UK universities.)</p>

<p>Finances are a HUGE question for internationals: if you’re full pay, your choices are very different from a FA-seeking international.
Let us say you’ll get whatever money you need due to your parents’ account.</p>

<p>Ohio State is not a reach, and if you like it, apply to Penn State (better alumni network, better location - about 4-5 hours to NYC, Philadelphia, Baltimore, DC).
Other matches: Case Western Reserve, Dickinson, Lafayette, Muhlenberg, Northeastern, U Maryland College Park, Tulane, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Virginia Tech, Pitt, UMass Amherst (+Commonwealth Honors College), Santa Clara, StOlaf
More reachy but not as hard to get into than UNC and G-Tech: Emory, Whitman, Lehigh, RPI, Whitman, Skidmore, UCSD, UCSB, William&Mary, URochester.
(Perhaps Carleton or UWAshington but would be very reachy - UWA is highly selective for CS)
Check out US News WR “Best teaching” and National Liberal arts Colleges, too.</p>