Help me shortlist

<p>I'm an Intl. applicant from India. Got a 2060 on my SAT[720(M)+710(W)+630(R)]. Will give the test again in November. Giving my SAT IIs in October - Physics, Chem, Math II.</p>

<p>My school record is pretty good. Got real good extra curricular, been doing a lot of community service and all too. School grades are above average.</p>

<p>Here's my list :
* Brown U
* Cal Tech
* Carnegie Mellon U
* Columbia U Fu Found.
* Cornell U
* Franklin W Olin C En
* Georgia Tech
* McGill U (Canada)
* Northwestern U IL
* Princeton U
* Purdue U
* Rice U
* Stanford U
* U Calif Berkeley
* U Calif Irvine
* U Calif Los Angeles
* U Calif San Diego
* U Illinois Urbana
* U Michigan
* U Pennsylvania
* U Southern Calif
* U Texas Austin
* Yale U</p>

<p>Interested in the following majors :
1. Computers and Information Sciences
2. Computer Engineering
3. Electrical and Computer Engineering
4. Economics(Only as a part of a double major)</p>

<p>Would be great if I can get financial aid, if not, although my parents are willing to pay, I'd prefer taking a loan(maybe even 50% and the rest paid by my parents) or something.</p>

<p>From what I know about college admissions, I think my match schools might be:
Georgia Tech
McGill
UTA
Ann Arbour
UIUC
UC Irvine</p>

<p>So basically, I need help shortlisting, need info on financial aid for Intl. students & info on EA and ED.</p>

<p>Other options :
Singapore Management University
St. Stephens, Delhi, India(Best economics program in India)
Law schools in India(One of top 5; I'm interested in Engg, Law and economics...)
Australia National University
University of Melbourne
University of Warwick
University of Manchester
University of Waterloo
University of Toronto
Queen's
Mcgill University</p>

<p>As this is a forum for US Colleges, I will not comment on your "other choices" I am not saying that they are sub-standard, but that I will not comment on them.</p>

<p>Secondly, UT Austin is referred to as such. UTA is UT Arlington. Just so that you and someone else don't get confused.</p>

<p>Youyr list is good, but try to remove some state colleges, like perhaps UCI. Also, add a few safeties, most of your schools are very selective. Don't worry too much about Fin aid, there will be time for that.</p>

<p>Sorry I can't tell you too much, but I would like to know where in India you are. I am from Chennai. Oh and come to the Indian Thread in the International Forum. We would love to have you there.</p>

<p>UCI is one of my safety schools. The others are Purdue, and all the ones I mentioned at the bottom of my post.</p>

<p>I'm in New Delhi mate.</p>

<p>Nothing wrong with asking about foreign universities in here. They are certainly a viable option for people who may want to get away from the "forced rounding" that is prevalent in so many American universities.</p>

<p>Out of your non-US options, if you were doing straight economics then the choice would be simple: Warwick. Looking for it as a double major though, that wouldn't be possible at Warwick simply because of the depth and focus required for the title BSc Economics there. McGill offers a ton of flexibility for getting a double major in econ, and it's apparently it's not particularly demanding there (I have some classmates this semester who are econ majors at McGill, some with double majors).</p>

<p>University of Toronto Comp Sci is hardcore. It is a challenge for anyone to get through it seems, even students who were cream of the crop in high school. If you choose this one, be make sure you are fully prepared. Waterloo is a great school, very nerdy, but excellent for the first 3 majors you listed and heavily recruited so I hear from friends there. Queens is good for electrical engineering, but I don't know if anyone will have heard of it when you go back home.</p>

<p>Basically, all the American schools you listed would be better than McGill, given your interests imo. But If you can't get in or can't afford it, then I'd recommend McGill based on the interests you've described.</p>

<p>Hmm. Thanks mate. I thought Waterloo was better than Toronto for CS.</p>

<p>Anyway, what do you think my chances of getting into McGill with my present SAT scores are ? It's better than the other Canadian Unis for CS right ?</p>

<p>Also, are you sure that Universities like Irvine, Rice and Purdue are better than McGill ?</p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

<p>McGill is definitely nowhere close to Waterloo and Toronto for CS. Actually it's probably worse than some others in Canada as well but nobody really pays attention since there is consensus in Canada that Waterloo and Toronto are the two top CS schools by far. Which is better depends on who you ask, but really, that's like arguing over which is better between MIT and Caltech. Everyone knows they're both excellent.</p>

<p>For engineering Purdue is excellent, UCI and Rice still a bit above McGill for engineering imo. Although in terms of overall recognition of the school name, McGill probably does somewhat better than those three. So it depends on your priority; either the quality of the program or the level of the university's recognition.</p>

<p>Hmm. Purdue's one University that's considered completely ****e here in Delhi. But then again, people don't really know much. Rice is supposed to be quite average too..</p>

<p>How good is UCI for CS as compared to all the other Unis on the list ?</p>

<p>And another very important thing that I'm unsure about is whether being a mediocre student at a top uni(hit and try reach schools) is better than being a top student at match uni ..</p>

<p>Why does no one ever look at liberal arts colleges?</p>

<p>Also, you might want to retake the SAT Reasoning, if you're applying to Ivies, Caltech, Olin, Stanford, UCB, UCLA, etc. You definitely need a better CR score. You also might want to reduce the list, so many essays will be HELL.</p>

<p>Yale doesn't have engineering.</p>

<p>Why isn't UChicago on your list?</p>

<p>
[quote]
My school record is pretty good. Got real good extra curricular, been doing a lot of community service and all too. School grades are above average.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>You need to give us a LOT more details for us to chance you accurately.</p>

<p>I will take the SAT again.</p>

<p>Read the thread title ;).</p>

<p>Yale's got CS.</p>

<p>Is it good for CS ?</p>

<p>I haven't jotted everything down yet, but it's better than that of 2 girls who got into Wharton last year according to my school counselor. Will post a proper thing tomorrow.</p>

<p>Does applying early(EA OR ED) to a uni give me a much better shot at getting in ?</p>

<p>UT Austin is a very good school, but it's HUGE. Whether or not you would like it depends on your personality. Austin is a fun city, though. Lots of music and politics and a liberal atmosphere.
UC San Diego is located in one of the most beautiful places in the country. It's expensive to live there but the weather is good all year and it's near the ocean.
I have heard that Brown is very helpful with financial aid. Aside from that it's just a great school, although it gets VERY cold there.</p>

<p>hope that helps, those are the schools on your list I know the most about</p>

<p>What're my chances of getting aid at UT Austin ? According to the collegeboard website, I'll be in the top half of the class there. It is one of my match/safety schools. I'm good with any kind of school, big or small.</p>

<p>Heard quite a bit about UC. Had a friend who did his Undergrad at UCI and masters at Columbia .. CS .. He chose UCI over Georgia Tech and when I asked him why, this is what he had to say to me - "California is the best place in the world". Lol.</p>

<p>Okay, I'm sorry, the title says "Help me shortlist."</p>

<p>
[quote]

So basically, I need help shortlisting, need info on financial aid for Intl. students & info on EA and ED.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>You still need to give us a lot more details about school and extracurriculars.</p>

<p>Financial aid:</p>

<p>Yale, Princeton: Need Blind
Caltech, Stanford, Brown: Good
UPenn: Hampers your chance of admissions drastically
State Schools: Nonexistent.</p>

<p>(Forget this, Just go LOOK at all their websites, and aid policies.)</p>

<p>EA: Early Action - you apply early, get your decision early.
SCEA: Single Choice Early Action - you apply early, get your decision early. You cannot apply to any other school EA.
ED: Early Decision - same as above, except if accepted, you MUST ATTEND.</p>

<p>I don't know about non-US schools.</p>

<p>[I was going to post this right after that, but I got called for dinner.]</p>

<p>You have a better chance in EA / ED, yes. You stll need to have the stats, though.</p>

<p>Also, you probably need to examine fit more carefully. I thought I'd be okay with a big or small school, but then realised I didn't know enough about the HUGE DIFFERENCES in the atmosphere.</p>

<p>Yale is good for CS, I think - I don't know. Big universities have TAs. In liberal arts colleges, professors teach everything. And undergrads get all the research oppurtunities. And Oberlin's CS department has won quite a few Goldwater scholarships :D. </p>

<p>[basically, look at liberal arts colleges, too! I'm doing CS and Creative Writing.]</p>

<p>Thanks mate. I'll post my entire profile tomorrow.</p>

<p>I was planning to send an ED application to Yale because of their aid policy.
Stanford, as far as I know, doesn't give Intl applicants aid.
State schools aren't that expensive so they're still fine.</p>

<p>And how do think I can "examine my fit" 'cause I just don't know.</p>

<p>TAs ?</p>

<p>Never heard of Oberlin. :|</p>

<p>Yikes ! I thought LACs were no good for CS ?</p>

<p>Btw, I'm looking to do CS/CE/ECE, then work for a few years, then either do a masters in the same or an MBA. So I want to go to a university where CS students get good, lucrative jobs ... If that means going to an University that's unheard of here in India but is good for CS, then so be it.</p>

<p>EDIT : Just checked out Oberlin on colelgeboard. Seems like a pretty good option. Good financial aid et al. Any other similar recommendations ?</p>

<p>Was searching the collegeboard webbie for LACs; here's what I've got :
* Bard C
* Bowdoin C
* Brandeis U
* Carleton C
* Colby C
* Colgate U
* C William and Mary
* Connecticut C
* Dartmouth C
* Grinnell C
* Hamilton C (NY)
* Harvard C
* Harvey Mudd C
* Illinois Inst Tec
* Lafayette C
* Macalester C
* Oberlin C
* Swarthmore C
* Trinity C (CT)
* Tufts U
* U Chicago
* U Richmond
* Washington U St. L.
* Wellesley C
* Williams C</p>

<p>Since I'm interested in a Computer Science+Economics double major, I really don't mind applying to any of these unis. Plus, they all have a fair amount of aid for intl. applicants too.</p>

<p>Although my parents are willing to pay, I'd be ecstatic if I got aid 100% aid anywhere. I'll be going to an admission counseling organization and follow an unorthodox route and apply to a lot of schools(if these LACs are good for CS and if their students get decent jobs).</p>

<p>Also, I want to know whether it's better to be a mediocre student at a top uni(hit and try reach schools. say, CMU/Brown/Caltech) than it is to be a top student at mediocre, or rather a match uni(say, georgia tech, purdue, all these LACs).</p>

<p>I put together a list for my son with similar stats to yours. We visited the following schools: Rice, Carnegie Mellon, USC, UCI, UCLA, Bucknell, Lehigh, Lafayette. Of those schools my personal favorite is Rice. It's my alma mater and I think it has the best balance of academics and fun and it has the most welcoming student body. It is also the most difficult to get into out of the list. However, of the CS programs I investigated, Carnegie Mellon is the clear winner (and I was in the industry for many years). It also has fantastic economics and its CS program is set up so that a minor in something other than CS is required. You will have the best job prospects coming out of CMU. 70% of the student body works in projects with professors. Internships and jobs are a simple phone call from your professor. CMU is a very hard school and you will study like crazy there. Plus, the weather is horrible in Pittsburgh. USC has the best alumni network and the best school spirit/sports. Its engineering is outstanding and the facilities are all brand new. It is in a rough area of LA so students tend to stay in the areas patrolled by campus police. UCI has a gorgeous campus and is in a bland suburban area. Very safe, but very boring. Lots of kids go home on the weekends and the campus feels deserted. Its student body is half asian, including 16% Chinese and 6% Indian. It's not known as the cream of the crop of the UCs. The best UC that you could probably get into is UCSD. It has a great CS department, and I suspect you would like the school a lot. I haven't visited but many of my son's friends go there and love it. UCLA is very large and its engineering department is very intense. Only about 10% of the students get real access to the professors. Berkeley is the same, but with worse housing options. Bucknell, Lehigh, and Lafayette are all lily white. Not sure if you would feel comfortable there, but you would have a good shot at admittance as they are looking for diversity, and they are easier to get into than some of the others on your list. Plus, you get individual attention, unlike the big state U's. My quick impressions from my visits are as follows. Bucknell has a wide open campus in a very nice town. The staff was very friendly and helpful. The students seem very interested in staying fit and most of them participate in intramural sports. The CS department was the best of the three schools. Lehigh has the best reputation in the business world of the three. The campus is on a hill. You have to take a shuttle to the athletic facilities and some of the dorms. Lehigh has the most intriguing programs combining CS/business/economics. It also seems to be more of a party school. Very active social life. Unfortunately, it's in a dumpy little town which has a reputation as not being particularly safe. Lafayette is more of an up and comer. It has the distinction of being a LAC, not a university, but it still offers decent engineering. You have the best chance of financial aid from Lafayette. It's a very pretty campus with Georgian architecture. If you like attending classes in buildings that look more like homes than a school it will appeal to you. Some of the classrooms have fireplaces, for example. It has the nicest dorm rooms of the three. Lafayette is also the closest to NYC if you are looking to do some city things.</p>

<p>Colgate, Cornell, and Wash U were also on the list, but we didn't have time to visit. Colgate is very similar to Bucknell, I think, but I think Bucknell has stronger engineering. Cornell is a large school and has a good reputation in the computer industry. I don't know much about Wash U except what I've read on this site. Harvey Mudd and Stanford would be very difficult for you to get into with a 640R. You need above 700. I suspect the same is true for Brown, Williams, Olin, Cal Tech, Princeton, UPenn, Yale and U Chicago. UCIC, UT Austin, U Mich are all huge and all good schools. Purdue and GaTech are good schools, and less difficult to get into. Purdue would be a good safety for you.</p>

<p>Thanks. But I do feel that it's not as tough to get into a good uni as you think it is. People with >2050 scores got into Yale(1), Wharton(2), Brown(2), UT Austin(4) from my school last year. Heck a guy with an 1810 got into UT Austin !</p>

<p>I meant <2050 ;).</p>

<p>You are an international applicant, and with those scores have almost no chance at the top schools. If some others from your school managed to do it, I'm amazed.</p>

<p>Not just my school. A lot of other people I know have done it too.</p>