<p>No fret Zimmerman, you could try applying to Nus FASS or Smu Economics. Or Aussies schools, as fees are much cheaper. </p>
<p>I know one thing for sure ----it's extremly competitive to get in with fin aid @ top LACs.</p>
<p>Hmm kenyon_10, I am not so sure about the 30 out of 1000 thing. Yeah that was what my admission email said, but when I enquired, Bates told me they took in 100 internationals (and it's quite unlikely that 70 of them are not on aid - i mean, very few internationals apply to LACs without aid anyway)</p>
<p>Zimmerman, I know all these comments sound discouraging but at least they serve as a reality check. As someone has gone through all these admission nonsense, I can tell you it's really quite hard to get finaid @ top LACs. I had nearly perfect grades in O'levels and A'levels (with the latter being marred by a sickening GP grade), got admitted into a couple of ivies when I didn't apply for aid, yet only managed to get accepted into 2 LACs (which are not quite the top) and waitlisted at 3 when I applied for aid. </p>
<p>That is not to deter you from applying definitely. I am really heartened to know that there are actually other Singaporeans out there who want to pursue an education at LACs and dare to tread a different path, and I certainly hope that you can realize your dream. But I just want to caution you to aim slightly lower. Instead of aiming for impossibilities like Swarthmore, look at the lower-rung LACs who welcomes internationals. I have some information on this somewhere in my computer, feel free to PM if you want. But before you embark on this tiring research journey, try emailing a few LACs to ask if they allow you to apply at all (and if they do, as a transfer or a first year). For a start, try Connecticut College :) </p>
<p>Canadian unis are definitely an easier option - albeit more expensive. Easier because it is definitely much easier to gain admissions in Canadian unis, and I think the application process is easier too (I doubt any other uni application in the world can be more draining than US ones!). It's expensive though coz there's really no such thing as need-based financial aid in Canadian universities for internationals. Granted, there are some entrance scholarships but they come in pathetic amounts (ranging from 500CAD to 10000CAD in rare cases, which barely even covers half the tuition). There are also a limited number of full tuition scholarships (note full TUITION, that means there's still room and board and living expenses not counted) but those are expected to very competitive. Co-Op might make your life easier though but I don't think you can qualify for co-op if you enter as a transfer student...</p>
<p>Hey, Zimmerman, don't let finances scare you from the top LACs. Here in Zimbabwe [i'm here on a gap year] I personally know over 20 students from here that are going to places like Yale, Amherst, Williams, Laf., MHC, Princeton, ConnColl, Reed, Middlebury etc with their FULL need met.</p>
<p>academic qualifications aside, more important is how you've made use of the opportunities available to you, your optimism for the future, confidence, personality, etc.</p>
<p>and woebegone is very right about about ConnColl. but Swarthmore is not an impossibility either. i know someone here who got in.</p>
<p>but when we talk about LACs, forget about academics, seriously. They are more interested in knowing you as a person. this cannot be overemphasized...</p>
<p>"had nearly perfect grades in O'levels and A'levels (with the latter being marred by a sickening GP grade" </p>
<p>lol...I guess we have the similar distaste for GP. It'd 'contaminated' my cert. Urhh!!</p>
<p>yeah and it doesn't help that it's my GP tutor (who's also my civics tutor) who writes my final school report!</p>
<p>haha.... mine was my chinese teacher. & she loved me! She basically told me to write it myself, and she check.......input into the form & sign. HAHAhahAH.lolz... But we were tight, like chinese new year & christmas, I'll def visit. </p>
<p>Is Canadian Universities like Mcgill perceive to be safeties or even lesser instituition compared to US? I rejected UIUC and Purdue....lol. Bad move maybe....O well, I think I try to transfer to U Penn next year.</p>
<p>Erm, at least I will perceive it as a safety... I mean it's way easier to get into Canadian Universities if you have the grades and stats. But US unis aren't just about that. Eh but compared to UIUC and Purdue, I think I'll rather take McGill. :)</p>
<p>wait, UIUC is really good for engineering...one of the best infact. Wjat was ur intended major which made u reject UIUC?</p>
<p>I want to do finance. The ibank route. I rejected UIUC more because of it's college environment. And supposely bad/sucky college life.</p>
<p>Anyways, I'm going to do really well and try to transfer to U Penn or U of Virginia's McIntre School of Business.</p>
<p>I will also choose McGill over Purdue and UIUC. I like McGill... sounds yummy. :p And it's in a french speaking area so it's kinda "sophisticated". =)</p>
<p>well not really.. Purdue and UIUC are gr8 schools in themselves.. and well choosing mcgill over them wud be at best done on sole personal preferences..</p>
<p>though i agree that sumwhere the US system of university education has become very congenial to student atmosphere .. the strugggle and fun with that so called sophistication brings in entirity a new aspect of education at a foreign university and to that extent the decision edges over..</p>
<p>SM</p>
<p>Great schools in the sense that they are well-ranked engineering schools, but it pretty much stops at that...</p>
<p>Zimmerman, don't back off because you don't have A'levels. It is very possible to get into a top LAC with your O'levels provided that they are good enough. I even know someone who got into Amherst with just his O'levels.</p>
<p>The great thing about applying to schools in the U.S. is that the admissions officers look at you holistically. They take into account what you did with your opportunities (as Jrock said) as well as your qualifications. They try to know what kind of person you are. Hence, you don't have to get genius grades to get into a top school with a great finaid package. And when you are applying, try to explain that in Singapore, a polytechnic is not a tertiary institution. At least this will enable you to apply as an undergrad and I hear that it is easier to get in as an undergrad than it is to get in as an international transfer student.</p>
<p>As to which schools offer aid to its admitted students, the answer is: most top LACs. I know of people that got into Williams, Amherst, Middlebury and Oberlin with full financial aid packages. But this does not mean that you should only apply to top colleges. Try to divide your applications into tiers. Starting with the colleges that would be a little bit of a reach for you and ending with those that your abilities would be overkill in comparison to. Be sure of what you will be able to pay and find "not-so-great" schools that have finaid offers that can cover the balance (to satisfy the last category). With this you can be sure that you will get into at least one school that you would be happy to attend. Just put a lot of thought into your application.</p>
<p>thanks guys... u guys have been helpful ! I felt more motivated to study for my polytechnic studies ( to get a even higher GPA) and also for my sats. U guys mention "try for lower rung LACs" ... can u list some of them? I noe Ithaca College... help me by listing more... thanks very much</p>
<p>there are also:</p>
<p>Illinois College, Iowa;
Dickinson College;
Roger Williams Univ, RI;
Conn Coll, CT...</p>
<p>you could also consider Intl Univ Bremen [IUB], Germany...they give full aid to many students [i know 2]. however, it's very science and tech oriented, and the program is 3yrs. Most graduates further their studies in US/UK though.</p>
<p>also,</p>
<p>The College of Wooster</p>
<p>Here's a rough list of LACs which are generous with aid:</p>
<p>Ridiculously-selective LACs: Amherst, Williams, Swarthmore, Middlebury, Bowdoin</p>
<p>Selective but not ridiculously-selective ones: Connecticut College, Bates College, Colby College, Colgate University, Kenyon College, Oberlin College, Macalester, Vassar, Reed, Carleton, Hamilton, Wesleyan (Freeman Asian Scholarship)</p>
<p>Less selective ones: St. Lawrence University, Sarah Lawrence College, Union College, Lafayette, Lehigh, Franklin & Marshall, Washington & Lee, Colorado College, Berea College, Lawrence University, College of Wooster, Bard College, Gettysburg College, Clark University (though I think they expect a minimum contribution of 10,000USD/yr) </p>
<p>The colleges in the above list are those which give out substantial INDIVIDUAL aid packages (meeting nearly full demonstrated aid) - but not necessarily to a lot of applicants. There are other LACs such as Grinnell and Ohio Wesleyan University which give out a lot of financial aid packages to many applicants but you seldom see the packages exceeding say, 20,000USD/yr. So while it might be easier to get financial aid from such colleges, it might be quite pointless if you need a lot of aid...</p>
<p>nice comprehensive list, woebegone:)</p>
<p>It may not be quite pointless to apply to these so-called less-generous colleges afterall....since they are non-need blind, you won't be accepted if your full need can't be met. But then, you never know who you might impress. As someone here mentioned earlier, don't UNDERestimate yourself. Your chances may be better than you think. You never know how things might work out in your favor in one particular year. There are many i know who've received aid at these so-called less-generous colleges e.g. Grinnell, Swarthmore and Columbia [NY]...</p>
<p>....aid aside, i think you should first select the schools based on your own parameters, before you begin to consider whether you can afford them or not.</p>
<p>so far, Zimmerman, we don't yet know you as a person. and there's much more to your story than O'levs, etc...prepare to market yourself as best as you possibly can. good luck:)</p>
<p>thanks jrock.</p>
<p>yeah, we don't really noe much about u, Zimmerman, care to introduce yourself? </p>
<p>Anyway, I assumed you are a guy and that explains the glaring omission of women colleges in my list. Haha.</p>