Okay, so I just got rejected from some liberal art colleges which are ranked somewhere between 10-50 on USNWR with perfect GPA, 1600 SAT score, 800 Math 2 score and strong backstory. Got to know from the admissions counselors that my need was just too high for them to afford me and wished that they could admit, but couldn’t. They were need aware.
Now I have Arizona State and University of Arizona on list. How does it feel like to study at these colleges, not to undermine their achievements, but, with for a 1600 SAT student whose average crowd is around 1100 SAT? Big scholarship waiting.
Should I drop a year and try again or choose on of the above?
Keeping financials aside, are there any colleges that directly accept students with a certain SAT cutoff, not looking into their essays, stories, blah, blah, etc.?
Contrary to popular opinion, sometimes those with a need for substantial financial aid should apply ED so that a school knows that it is the applicant’s first choice school & can fully meet the needs of that otherwise well qualified applicant.
What would Arizona State and U of Arizona cost you?
What do you want to study?
I see from another thread that you were considering “Colby, Bates & Skidmore”. These are all high reaches for most students – even students with very high stats. Did you apply to other LACs as well? Would you prefer a smaller school?
We were looking at LACs in the northeast of the US (which is where we are from). At least based on the little scatter plots that high schools here make available admissions did seem to be generally very difficult to predict even for a student who was the top student in her high school.
I think that there will be other very strong students at Arizona State and U of Arizona. Some will be there for the same reason as you – admissions is hard to predict in the US and that is where they got in or what they can afford. Some will choose to study in Arizona because that is where they are from, or they like the warm weather.
As you know, U.S. college admissions for internationals is highly, highly competitive, especially for those students needing substantial aid… Do the two Arizona schools offer scholarships to internationals? I know the University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa) does, but the merit scholarship application deadline has past. The University of Alabama Huntsville may be a possibility. How much can your family afford per year?
The average is the average, but there are thousands of students who attend UA and ASU with SATs of >1550, GPAs of 4.0, and a long list of accomplishments. Since you will likely be registering for the more challenging classes, you will most likely be sharing classrooms with them, be seeing them at activities, and I think that the honors programs often have special dorms, so you will likely be sharing living space with these students. So you will not be a solitary genius existing in isolation from a crowd of lesser achievers.
It will, however, take a bit more work. On the other hand, there will be enough of these kids, that you will also be able to find a large group of them who also have similar interests and hobbies.
Since you indicated on another thread (reply #49 below) that you applied as a test optional candidate, you really didn’t get rejected from these schools “with” a 1600 SAT.
@merc81, as you know from my previous thread, I had 1580 on the SAT. I had retaken the SAT and SAT subject tests and scored fully this time. Although I originally applied as test optional, during my interview with those colleges, the admissions counselors urged me to submit an unofficial score report and I did submit them. But even then, I was not admitted.
My SAT improved from 1580 to 1600 in 2nd sitting and I submitted that score unofficially.
I’m a US citizen living abroad in Asia.
I have a 0 EFC. The max that I can pay for will be the airfare, some basic requirements and deposit. Towards tuition, R&B, books, insurance, I can, unfortunately, not contribute anything.
@MYOS1634 , I’m going to take a gap year and try once again. ASU & UA are good schools. I want to study Finance/Economics (quantitative focused) at college. I have not taken any SAT subject test in humanities, just Math II. Also, I’m homeschooled through an online school. So some colleges want 2 SAT subject tests, and Literature test is not my strong suit.
Even schools like Dickinson, Gettysburg and Denison rejected me. I had even applied ED1 and ED2 to Colby and one of the above colleges.
Most of my friends in the US with inferior stats have gotten into the top most colleges and LACs and here I am with rejections from not so high ranked colleges. Was my college selection list at fault? Maybe I need an entire college list makeover.
@MYOS1634 , I’ll also be 21 when starting college as freshman due to chronic health issues. Is that impacting my admission chances negatively? I’ve seen people as old as 60 get into colleges. Should I try QuestBridge? Please help me in devising a weatherproof strategy. I have no one to guide me in this country and Internet is my only friend.