So guys, I will be applying to US in Fall 2016 and my scores are
IB - 33/42
Sat - 2010/2400
Math - 700
CR - 660
Writing - 650
Toefl - 111/120
I will be giving SAT II later this year.
Im looking to apply for top computer science unis. Can you’ll suggest any good unis I would have a chance in?
Competition for “top computer science unis” is very tough here, and especially brutal for international students. That’s the bad news. The good news is that there are many “good unis” where you can get in, but they might not carry the “brand-name” prestige overseas. If you will not need any financial assistance, your prospects are good at all but the “top” schools (your stats are not competitive for, say, Carnegie Mellon). Your prospects are not very good if you will need a substantial amount of aid. Are you familiar with typical price ranges for American colleges? Many foreign students presume they can afford it, because their families are quite prosperous, but then face “sticker shock” when they see that a private college will cost more than $65k per year. Almost every state university here has a decent Computer Science department. You would be able to get into most, as long as you do not have your heart set on the elite ones (e.g. Berkeley, UCLA, Michigan, UNC-Chapel Hill, et al). Do you have any preference in terms of location, setting (ie. urban vs. rural/suburban), size, etc.?
As far as financial aid goes, I don’t really have any problems. Could you tell me whether I have a chance at say
Georgia Tech, UIUC or Purdue and doesn’t applying for early decision increase my chances for say the “elite ones”?
Every college or university here has its own Early Decision policies. Some large university systems, most notably California’s, has no early or rolling decision option, and have a limited application period (November, for California and Washington State). Other large universities have “rolling admissions,” which can open as early as September. They can issue a decision as quickly as within 2 weeks, or take months to decide, based on how they think you compare with other actual or potential applicants. Some colleges have non-binding Early Decision. With others, though, you have to commit to that college if you apply for Early Decision - you cannot apply ED to more than one college if they have binding ED. It can usually improve your chances, but not always. UIUC is very selective for computer science (generally ranked near the top). Don’t overlook some lesser-known, but highly respected, regional colleges like San Jose State (a “feeder” for the nearby Silicon Valley tech companies) or UMass-Lowell (ranked as having one of the best “returns on investment” in the nation, also with strong connections to local high-tech employers). Stevens Institute of Technology, in Hoboken, NJ, is a very short ride across the Hudson to NYC’s financial industry, and is also known for having some of the highest-paid graduates in the country.