International. Chances anywhere?

<p>I'll be just very very grateful if someone will tell me how do I "look" compared to other students... Am I an applicant any school will consider? Or maybe should I save money and don't apply anywhere?
Please, please, please help me =)</p>

<p>So there ya go:
SAT I: haven't taken yet, let's assume I won't get lower than 2150 (I will learn :p )
SAT II: Math II: 800 Physics: 800 German: 680 (this june, first time, single sitting, don't plan to retake, will hide German?)</p>

<p>I dream to major in Areospace Engineering and would want to make it clear in my application, if applying to schools with that major (or maybe I should generally make it clear?)</p>

<p>High school record:
High school lasts only 3 years. We have grades in range 1-6. 1 is the worst, 6 is granted for excellence in subject beyond what is expected, so I believe both 6 and 5 translae to "A". We have around 11 classes a year, I'm in a class with math-phys-IT focus. School doesn't rank. Probably top 10%, maybe higher.
freshman year: average grade 5.0
math, physics, English lang.: 6
Bio, Polish lang., arts: 4
Other: 5
junior year: average grade 5.15<br>
math, physics, English lang., Geography: 6
Polish lang., Chemistry :( : 4
Other: 5
math, physics and chemistry taken on the "extended" level (in order to take 3 "extended" subjects I had to take chemistry with bio-chem profile class and it hurt my grade :( ) </p>

<p>Extracurricular activities:
* Gliding course & involvement with the local airport
(last holidays and current holidays, paid for it from my scholarship recieved at the end of middle school for being a valedictorian of sorts. Generally, allows me to learn how things really look, pick up bits of technical knowledge and lots of other stuff)
* Math Club (7 yrs)
* Moderator on the largest physics forum in Poland (2 years so far)
* Chemistry Club/laboratory (started this year with a friend, only we two are interested..)
* Self-learning Russian (and English! =) )
* Self-preparation for Physics olympiad, because school didn't teach me anything >.>, took part in both freshman and junior year.
* Class treasurer for 2 years (do you have class treasures in the US or should I write vice-president? Because it's almost the same I guess)</p>

<ul>
<li><p>One physics teacher from school (not mine) promised me to involve me a bit with local University next year (my senior year). Mainly laboratory, but I should also take part in some lectures held in English (we'll have Spanish students over)</p></li>
<li><p>will try to get some volunteering at local hospice during these holidays</p></li>
<li><p>would reading books in a foreign language be considered an EC? Reading how airplanes work? Building airplane models?</p></li>
</ul>

<p>Contests:
- Physics Olympiad/national IPhO qualification semi-finals(?), ~ 100 people across the country get there. (lacked only 6 points to make it to the national finals - should I mention it or ask my teacher to do so in rec?)</p>

<ul>
<li>some math awards (mostly Math kangaroo distinctions - are you familiar?) and some very minor Physics ones (almost nothing to take part in, to be honest...)</li>
<li>have some nice contests from middle school, do you think they will count?<br></li>
</ul>

<p>Background & other stuff:
Country: Poland
Income bracket: less than 10k a year, without financial aid won't do.
Raised by a single parent, not high income even for Polish standards, rather small city (120k), public school that very very rarely has anyone in any national finals (the last person was maybe a few years ago). No EC's offered at school, except for Math Club, Theater Club and Volleyball(?).
Received an Exchange Student from Germany in October, will go there this October (but it's only a week).
Next year I plan to take part in Chemistry Olympiad, and ofc Physics olympiad again (and this time make it to the finals, lol. But even if, it won't show up on my app, because the results are in March)</p>

<p>Now that I wrote it, it feels even worse :( Is there any chance for me or should I just give up...? :( If I have any chances are there any schools you'd suggest? (well, at least as a starting point)
Thank you a lot!!</p>

<p>bump?
Sorry for making a mistake already in the first sentence <em>embarrassed</em></p>

<p>From what I see, going to a school with poor record actually hurts your chances instead of improving them, so I think I should add that I wouldn’t have problem getting into a better school (had won contests that guaranteed that I would be admitted by any high school I applied to), there just wasn’t any in my area… Financial reasons decided…</p>

<p>I’m not sure if it actually counts, but I learned calculus by myself during my first year (for the physics olympiad) and I’m sure my math teacher would mention it in a recommendation =)</p>

<p>Please… it’s really important for me :(</p>

<p>If you could suggest me my reaches or something…
I know that (provided I get the SAT I score I predicted) my stats are okay… But I know my EC’s suck, and that’s why it’s so important to me to get an opinion…</p>

<p>I’ll try to help you even though I don’t know much. I heard international students asking for financial aid substantially lower their chances but I would look for some schools that are need blind to internationals as well. I don’t know if they exist lol. But your ECs in my opinion are good for mid-tier schools. Without the SAT, I can’t say much more though. I know this wasn’t very helpful but i tried =/</p>

<p>The reason why you’re not getting responses is because:

  1. Your post is too long
  2. Aerospace engineering is not a major that many people are familiar with. </p>

<p>You should do your research and find the colleges on your own and then ask us to chance you. </p>

<p>You must have safeties in Poland.</p>

<p>Middle school and earlier DOES NOT count.</p>

<p>Oh, okay =(
Thanks to the both of you. I made such a long post because I thought it’s better to provide more information, because I considered eveyrthing to be equally relevant.</p>

<p>I didn’t choose any universities, because I honestly don’t know how to weigh the importance of SAT results in relation to my poor EC’s and only good (not great) grades. I don’t even know where to start looking.</p>

<p>Areospace Engineering course isn’t that important for undergrad studies, mechanical engineering will do, too. I only wanted to show something that is my “focus” =)</p>

<p>You seriously should find some schools first. That’s why people have terms such as reach, match and safety. </p>

<p>Obviously there aren’t many people interested in aerospace engineering so you’re not going to get suggestions. If you’re looking for MechE then there are quite a number of schools. </p>

<p>I’m going to throw out some names here:
MIT
Caltech
RPI</p>

<p>I have no idea whether they have aerospace engineering, except for MIT, so you need to find that on your own. I’m sure they all have MechE. </p>

<p>Use the CC college search tool and suggest a few more and I’ll see what I can do. It’s located on the left hand column.</p>