<p>I really want to get to Harvard (Class of 2016) but I don't think my SAT will be over 1900</p>
<p>If I get that score and take all the subjects do you think I have a chance ?
SAT I : around 1900
4 Test Subject : MATH I & II, French, Modern Hebrew</p>
<p>I was born in Paris and used to live there until I was 13. Then we moved to Israel and I finished high school with very high scores avg : 93/100. (including maths, computer, economy, english, french,...)
After high school, I went to an International school of English in Boston for 2 months where I improved my english.
At 18 I went to the Combat Intelligence Unit of the Israel Army and and after 8 months only went to the Commander course (leadership, responsibility,...) . I was the commander of 6 soldiers in a post of one of the Israeli border for a year and then I went to be the commander of young recruits soldiers for 8 months (basic and advanced training).
I speak french and hebrew fluently, my english is not bad due to my time in Boston but not good enough to get 700+ at the english parts of the SAT.</p>
<p>And I'm dreaming of HARVARD. What do you think ?
Are there any differences if I apply as French or as an Israeli ?
PS : I'll be 21 at Sept 2012. </p>
<p>I will also apply to Yale and Columbia.
I need a Financial aid…I know those schools have a great aid program.</p>
<p>I heard Harvard expect from their intl’ to get “low” scores at the english parts of the SAT…and they don’t ask for TOEFL but it’s pretty easy so I think I might take him anyway.
What do you think ?</p>
<p>Idiosyncra3y, I think we’ve gone through the “international student != EFL speaker” and “no indiscriminate leniency towards all internationals =/> lack of leniency towards EFL speakers” discussion elsewhere To reiterate, I think the OP is correct in stating that the Ivies, in their search of potential rather than numbers, will give EFL speakers some leeway in terms of SAT Verbal scores as long as they demonstrate excellence comparable to native speakers.</p>
<p>That said, 1900 really is rather low for HYC (although still an admirable achievement!), and it would be well-advised to get the score to the 2000+ range to be sure that your extracurricular achievements (and yes, it feels strange to refer to being in the army like that, but it is strictly speaking “extracurricular”, right?) get as much credit as they deserve.</p>
<p>In addition to that, OP, HYC are not the only schools that are generous with financial aid. Other schools - like, say, Middlebury - are need-sensitive for internationals; however, being need-sensitive does not mean that they do not give out full scholarships, merely that they are somewhat more selective with their international-applicants pool than with their domestic one. The point is, even their “more selective” international-applicants pool is hardly more selective than the actual mixed Yale/Harvard pool. (Don’t forget that thousands of internationals make the same mistake and only apply to need-blind institutions, making the competition much more intense.) Try Amherst and Wesleyan (or most small liberal-arts colleges, for that matter), or Vanderbilt with their Cornelius Vanderbilt Scholarship, to name just a few - I am sure there are more, though.</p>
<p>Yeah, I suppose I am in a different boat to OP… Valid point.</p>
<p>The rest of your post is very solid too.</p>
<p>There are 8 schools I know of that give full need blind FA. HYP Middlebury Amherst Dmouth and 2 more. You should check those as well as those with “competitive FA int pools” as shippy says.</p>
<p>I’m really into Ivies. I guess I will really have to work my English intensely in the next year.
I’m planning to take the SAT in June, and if I don’t do well enough, I will take an other one in November which is, I think, the last shot before the deadline applications.</p>
<p>Erm… Doesn’t every Israeli have to serve in the army? Serving in the army in itself is not that great if that’s the case. I don’t know about the Commander course thing, though. It’s not really that hard to go from 1900 to 2150+, so you should definitely shoot for that, and if CR is your weakest section, you should consider taking the ACT instead.</p>
<p>I an exactly in the same situation. International student from France but foreign exchange student this year in an american high school. I am the first at my USA High school with the perfect GPA : 4.15/4.15. My grades from France are good but not exceptional. I am the third best archer in France. My only problem is my SAT. I scores a 1840. My problem is the Critical Reading part. I scored at my TOEFL a 102/120. … I have a good background but not some very good SAT scores … And I applied to Harvard …</p>
<p>lullinatalk, Israelis have to do 3 years, but only a small part does a intense service as mine. I wasn’t a secretary…
And I’m French (have a French passport), so technically if I didn’t want to go to the army, I could find a way out.</p>
<p>ArtemisF, can you tell me more about your background ?</p>
<p>I come from Aix en provence near Marseille (France). I studied in a private school for 3 years. I graduate from my high school with an average of 13.75 (Serie S). I decided to go in america for a year to learn english. I am actually in West-Virginia. I attend a High school in America. I am the first over 175 students. I took the TOEFL in January and scored a 102. I decided to apply to some universities in America and Canada because I don’t want to go back home next year. I want to live in a campus and meet a lot of people. I took the SAT. I scored a 1840. I think it is not good but for a french guy who couldn’t understand anything 6 months ago in english. I think it is not too bad. I was in 2009, the third best archer in France. I met the governor of WV and he told me that he will write me a letter of recommendation. I am the “smarter” kid in the High school so every teacher loves me. It was not a problem for the recommendation letter. They all were really really good. My only problem I guess is my SAT …</p>
<p>Talking of international students,the best student in the 2009 final exams in Kenya had got into Yale with a 1980/2400(he is a friend).The best student the previous year had a 1990 but still got into Harvard.Affirmative action?Well,it did not work for me:i had a 2160 and got rejected(now cooling my heels at a state school smwhere).Moral of story?Give it a shot,you might get in.</p>
To reiterate, I think the OP is correct in stating that the Ivies, in their search of potential rather than numbers, will give EFL speakers some leeway in terms of SAT Verbal scores as long as they demonstrate excellence comparable to native speakers.</p>