<p>I'm really interested in going to Stanford(who isn't). But, my academics are not that good. In school I'm in the top 15% of my class (it doesnt have any ranking system or any GPA system) also, I haven't taken the most rigorous courses at school. I gave my SAT for the first time in Jan and got 1950. Giving it again in May, hoping to take it above 2100. I will give the Subject Tests in October. But I'm an international student who will not be applying for aid. Also my ECs are brilliant, and I can write good essays. Will my strong ECs and essays cover my academics ?</p>
<p>i was international too, and got into all the schools I applied to and was in the exact same situation as you (except higher SAT – 2320)… EXCEPT for stanford (yes, i got into all the ivies, minus columbia because i didn’t apply). The thing that killed me for Stanford? I was international, and asking for aid… and stanford isn’t need blind in regards to that. All the other schools I applied to were.</p>
<p>so since you’re not asking for aid, I’d say you have as good a chance of S as anywhere else</p>
<p>I’m just like you except I got a slightly lower SAT Score(1890) and I’m in the top 10%. We follow the British A/L system so the SAT was a problem for me. I got into Stanford mainly using my ECs and Essays so if your ECs are as good as you say it is, and your essays are good you should be fine, especially since you don’t need aid.</p>
<p>I’m from India. I hope that does not make a big difference.</p>