I Need Help! Depressed

Student Lounge International Students
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<p>Hello, I'm a high school graduate as of 2 weeks ago from Bulgaria.</p>

<p>I have applied to U.S. schools only this year, but I made poor college selection and got rejected from all of the schools I applied to. I'm not attending any university in Bulgaria and do not plan to.</p>

<p>I am planning on retaking the SAT and applying in a much more planned fashion this time.</p>

<p>But one thing depresses me greatly and demoralizes me - my finances. My parents can't afford paying 20,000$/year for my college education, and I am being optimistic about the price here. Our income bracket is around 20,000$/year to be honest.</p>

<p>I look at people that got accepted into need-blind schools, which happen to be elite private schools such as Harvard, and I feel very overshadowed by them.</p>

<p>My sat I is 2010 but I have improved since I have taken the test. I can get 660 on critical reading, around 750 on maths (can get 800 on a good day), and around 730 on the writing part. That adds up to a score of 2140. I can get a score around that now.</p>

<p>My extracurriculars aren't great because we don't really do anything outside of the classroom in Bulgaria. My GPA was 3.92 in my senior year but before that my maximum was around 3.5. If it counts as EC I program in Java/Android, I have worked to support my family and I volunteered at a local red cross tent.</p>

<p>But I look at all the students that got accepted into need-blind for international colleges, and they have like 300 hours of voluntary work, 2350 SATs, perfect GPAs (my average high school GPA is just 3.24) and all the awards they have. And it is just very demoralizing.</p>

<p>I am not really aiming for those elite schools. My only chance in education is the United States. This is a little personal, so please do not ask why, but I can't go to university in Bulgaria(nothing that includes crime/disciplinary records.) I need to get a U.S. education and then come back here. But my family can not even pay half the tuition of U.S. colleges. We can't get a loan either. Our credit record is terrible. I am down for even going to a low class school if it's for free. I wish I could get a great education for money, but I do not have the chance.</p>

<p>What can I do? This is my main goal in life right now. I'm stuck, demoralized with nothing but just a bunch of SAT books. My life will not really go anywhere worthwhile unless I can make it this year.</p>

<p>Please help!</p>

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<p>You’re already doing what you should be doing: studying to improve your SATs, and rethinking your application strategy. One of the things you could do is to aim for lesser known regions of the US - most international students don’t apply to schools in the south or central part of the US. - so there will probably be less international competition for admission/financial aid in those schools. </p>

<p>As to ECs - work counts. In fact, if you can show in your essay that you’re working not just for ‘fun money’ but to help your family, that’s a compelling reason why you can’t volunteer more. And schools will respect that. </p>

<p>Finally: at some point you may have to accept that studying in the US is not realistic. This isn’t Europe; people here struggle to pay tuition which has gotten so high that most Americans don’t even think about attending ‘elite’ schools. Most American students now go to their local state college or university, work part time to help pay tuition. They get deeply in debt. Many start at inexpensive junior colleges, stay there two years, and transfer. It’s not what they WANT to do. It’s what they HAVE to do. </p>

<p>Like them, you may not be able to do what you WANT to do, but what you HAVE to do, which is either studying in your home country, or in the EU where college costs are a fraction of those in the US. </p>

<p>I’m not saying this to be mean, or to discourage you from applying again. But truth is, trying to get a full ride at an American university (not even an elite one) is a bit like playing the lottery. At some point, you have to have a realistic back-up plan.</p>

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<p>OP, have you considered foreign universities that aren’t in the US? There are good universities in Europe, Australia, and Asia as well.</p>

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<p>I have considered them. I do not want to study in Europe. Australia doesn’t really offer any kind of aid and I don’t want to go to Asia here.</p>

<p>I don’t want to sound too picky, but studying in the U.S. is also a dream for me. If other people can do it, I can do it too. I just need to find a way.</p>

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<p>You have the right attitude, and I really wish you the very best of luck. (Just have a back-up plan.) And don’t take rejection personally. Sometimes you don’t get in for reasons totally beyond your control - like too many qualified Central Europeans applying the same year you do.</p>

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<p>check Ave Maria University</p>

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<p>Hello: The reality was explained well by katliamom. The fact is that everyone wants to come to the US to study and they ALL want to come for free; then they want to stay. The money for tuition and fees has to come from somewhere; Americans really can’t afford to fund everyone who wants to come here. </p>

<p>A lot of Americans aren’t doing well financially, and they can’t afford to send their own children to the local universities. Most parents here can’t afford half the tuition EITHER! You think it’s ** demoralizing ** for you? Think about all the middle class kids here, (whose parents’ taxes fund the public colleges!) who then try to get in to the local universities and, can’t afford them, as they see international students getting full rides. It’s tough and no one has it easy. </p>

<p>So, why do you expect American citizens, who can’t afford to send their own children to college, to pay for your full ride? Because it’s been your dream? REALITY BITES! and it is HARSH! The colleges have become extremely selective for everyone. I know it sounds harsh but that’s the truth. If you really desire to come here, you have to show those colleges, in the south and midwest-who have endowments and can pay for your education- that you can get your SAT’s up; then work on something that sets you apart from other students. Good Luck.</p>

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<p>great explanation aunt bea</p>

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<p>@aunt bea reality can’t be much different from what you mentioned. Kudos for giving such a realistic explanation. </p>

<p>@HelloAmerica the best option you have is to aim at schools that don’t receive many applications. I have heard students get into US at universities with full ride at Okayish universities, mostly in south. And then transferring into the reputed colleges (this advice comes with the caution that transfer admission is hellishly competitive ) Try colleges like Berea, Hampton University, South-Carolina State…etc. </p>

<p>PM me if you want some advice. I am going to United States to study in fall of 2013. I have experience to back up my advice</p>

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<p>

Those student kinda told you what you need to do, aren’t then?</p>

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<p>

Internationals have to work MUCH harder than a home student to get a full ride. American colleges cater to home students, that’s why it’s so hard for internationals to get in.
I understand why it would be demoralizing to have barriers keeping you from college, but I don’t understand why it would be demoralizing to see someone who is so much more qualified than you getting better opportunities when they’ve clearly earned it.</p>

<p>OP, I don’t want to meddle, but have you ever been to the US or anywhere outside of Bulgaria? I can understand how it can be someone’s dream to study in the US prestige-wise, but are there any other reasons? Definitely apply to the US, but I think it would be helpful to you to apply to other foreign universities as well. If you’ve never been outside Asia, you won’t be able to feel a huge difference. (Just make sure that, wherever you go, it’s tolerant of your beliefs and ethnicity).</p>

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<p>Read “Make colleges want you” by Mike Moyer and the blogs “College solution” and “DYI college rankings”. These last two will present you with lots of possibilities whereas the first one will give you tips on how to “stand out”.
Most international students apply to the Ivy League, New York City, Boston, and California. Try the South (South East or South West) and try the Midwest. If you’re not afraid of snow, look into colleges in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska, perhaps even the Dakotas and Montana.
Do apply to TOP 25 national universities and Liberal Arts Collges, especially if there is no application fee (because probably application fees are another tremendous financial burden since cost of living and salaries are so different in the US and in Bulgaria.)
If you’re suffering from a form of discrimination that’s something to mention and certainly to look into colleges that will welcome you, either because they have traditionally been havens for persecuted people or because they were funded by groups that used to be discriminated against.
Many American colleges really aren’t that difficult to get into compared to European colleges so if your stats are way higher than the average student there you stand an excellent chance at a merit scholarship.
So either you make it into a top school and get need-based aid, or you’re excellent and get merit aid from a lower-level school where you’d be in the US like your dream AND where you’d likely enter the Honors College so you wouldn’t lose out.</p>

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<p>try applying to Colgate. application is free anyway.</p>

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<p>stressedoutt: Many middle class kids have the stats to get in, their parents just don’t have the money to pay the tuitions. That was my point. And for the record, the home students don’t get full rides-I have 3 children who were accepted to very good schools but our family couldn’t afford to pay for those top level schools. They are at UC’s. I hear you saying that the international students (whose parents haven’t contributed a dime) deserve spots, at institutions that our taxes have paid for, more than our qualified American kids? Very elitist attitude.</p>