<p>Hi everyone, I'm an international student in the UK who will be applying to US universities next academic year. My first choice is Columbia, and therefore I would confidently apply early decision, but the problem is Columbia has a need-aware admissions process for international candidates and I would unfortunately need about $35,000 in financial aid. I know that the likelihood of being accepted to either school is slim anyway, but I really don't want to waste my opportunity to apply early regardless.
So my dilemma is whether I apply to Columbia, my first choice, knowing that I have an even smaller chance of getting in, or do I apply to my second choice, Harvard. What do you guys think you would do if you were in my situation?</p>
<p>I think I would look for more realistic choices than either one.</p>
<p>It’s not even clear that early programs (EA, SCEA, ED) give a significant admission boost to internationals. UPenn states, “Children and grandchildren of alumni will receive the most consideration for their affiliation with the University during Early Decision” (<a href=“First-Year Admission | Penn Admissions”>http://www.admissions.upenn.edu/apply/freshman-admission/early-and-regular-decision</a>). It may be the case that at many elite schools, legacies and athletes get a much bigger boost from ED than internationals. I’m not aware of any site that gives a school-by-school comparison of RD v. Early admit rates for internationals, so I don’t think any of us know for sure … but I doubt that (ED/RD aside) being an international is a significant hook at the Ivies. There are just too many internationals scrambling to get into those schools.</p>
<p>I suspect that at selective LACs like Amherst, being an international is more of a hook. I say that because these schools are much less well-known internationally, so you’d likely have less competition from other foreign applicants. Also, of the ~25 need-aware colleges with the best financial aid for internationals, almost all are LACs.
<a href=“http://www.desperateguide.com/us/top-25-financial-aid-colleges-in-us-for-international-students-need-aware”>http://www.desperateguide.com/us/top-25-financial-aid-colleges-in-us-for-international-students-need-aware</a>
<a href=“http://www.desperateguide.com/us/top-6-need-blind-colleges-in-us-for-international-students”>http://www.desperateguide.com/us/top-6-need-blind-colleges-in-us-for-international-students</a></p>
<p>Columbia does not show up on either the need-blind or need-aware list cited above. It apparently does not publish a Common Data Set file where one could look up (in section H) the number and average amounts of FA awards to internationals.</p>