<p>So I'm an international applicant and I'm Asian and male so I know that the chances of admission into my top choices (Stanford, MIT, Harvard, Columbia) are not in my favour. I have described myself in another thread as:</p>
<p>"I have not participated in any international Olympiads (although I have been a finalist in the most prestigious under-18s science competition in the UK) and I am no 'genius' as my ACT predicted score is only about 34 (although I'm sure that I can superscore higher than that at maybe a 35). My ECs are above average as I am an RAF cadet and I have an intense passion for drama but again I haven't cured cancer..." </p>
<p>which I think does justify my anxiety about whether I have what it takes to gain admission into the colleges that I have mentioned. I am trying to think of ways to increase my chances and the topic of financial aid has come up. My parents' income is about $200K.</p>
<p>My question is: would I be eligible for FA and if not, will this drastically increase my chance of admission into the non- need blind colleges (specifically Stanford) that I have mentioned? Also, would it be worth the gamble not asking for FA and then struggling to pay if I am accepted? </p>
<p>Ask your parents whether they could afford 60K a year (plus the plane ticket - you could try to get an oncampus job for incidentals, although that’s no way guaranteed since the work study students will be first and you can’t work off campus). If they can live on 140k then yes it would greatly increase your chances at every non-need blind college in the US - so, essentially, it wouldn’t help with HYPM, Dartmouth, and Amherst.
With that ACT score you can apply to UAlabama’s guaranteed merit scholarship (full tuition, honors college, honors dorm; same + stipend if you’re in Engineering). That would be a pretty sweet safety for you. It’s merit, so, not need-based. You don’t apply for FA, you send in your scores and GPA and you are admitted with scholarship; :)</p>
<p>With a $200,000 annual income, you will likely NOT be eligible for need based aid at any college. Will this “drastically” increase your chances of admission? Probably not “drastically”. However at need aware schools, since you won’t need aid, you might have a tad a better chance of admission. If the college is need blind for admissions, they won’t KNOW that you do not have financial need when processing your application for admission.</p>
<p>ETA…you say you will “struggle” to pay the full cost of attending these colleges? Then you need to find more affordable options. With $200,000 income, you will NOT receive need based aid…and those schools don’t give merit aid.</p>
<p>I sure hope you have some other colleges on your potential list. The listed ones are reaches for EVERYONE. The schools accept 10% or less of applicants, and a lower %age of international students. In the 90% plus of rejected applicants, there are plenty of top students.</p>
<p>The MOST important thing you can do is have a well rounded application list…which includes schools that are affordable for your family.</p>
<p>Thank you for your reply. You have made some very interesting points and I think that applying without FA will be a very good idea (if my parents allow it); for Harvard and MIT, will I be eligible for any financial aid given the circumstances? </p>
<p>I haven’t heard about this UAlabama scholarship that you speak of however it does sound like an excellent back up! Is there a specific name for this scholarship and do I apply for it separately or will they offer it based on my application? Are there any similar scholarships of this sort that you know of?</p>
<p>You said that you cannot work off campus however I read on Stanford’s website that, and I quote, “you can apply for jobs through Stanford’s Cardinal Careers or seek employment off-campus.” Does this mean that I can work off campus? <a href=“Financial Aid : Stanford University”>Financial Aid : Stanford University; </p>
<p>Once more with vigor! With $200,000 annual income, you will NOT likely receive need based aid at ANY college in this country…including Harvard and MIT. They will expect your family to pay the full cost of attending.</p>
<p>What “circumstances” are you talking about. Need based aid is based on income and assets. If your parents have equity in their home, savings,etc…these will also be considered in addition to income.</p>
<p>As an international student, your ability to work will be SIGNIFICANTLY limited due to your student visa status. The number of hours is VERY limited, as well as the locations. I believe you can work ON campus only for a very limited number of hours.</p>
<p>How much CAN your parents pay per year?</p>
<p>Also, if you need financial aid, and there is an outside chance you will get it…what good would an acceptance be if you didn’t get aid? I personally don’t think $200,000 in annual income will net you need based aid. Hoping someone else responds!</p>
<p>Do you have ANY affordable options on your application list? You will need those!</p>
<p>"You said that you cannot work off campus however I read on Stanford’s website that, and I quote, “you can apply for jobs through Stanford’s Cardinal Careers or seek employment off-campus.” Does this mean that I can work off campus? <a href="Financial Aid : Stanford University;
<p>The above is a general statement and is targeted to US prospective students. With an F-1 visa, you will not be allowed to work off-campus in the first year. At all. Period. End of story. After the first year, it is possible to apply to work off-campus if you exhibit a demonstrated UNFORESEEN financial need, but Homeland Security rarely will give those waivers, and clearly you are aware of the financial situation up-front.</p>
<p>I also agree with $200K annual income, the possibility of FA is slim to none. I’s suggest looking at less selective, more affordable options. Your top choices are a long-shot for everyone.</p>
<p>Thank you both for your replies. I am not sure how much my parents will be able to pay however I did plan on getting part time work in the US although you have made it clear that this will be very difficult. </p>
<p>Regarding your ‘affordable options,’ I will be applying to King’s, UCL, Cambridge, Edinburgh and Warwick here in the UK where the fees are significantly lower ~£9000 a year and where I can apply for an interest free student loan. This is the main reason why I am applying to such selective colleges in the US as I have my UK choices as back up. </p>
<p>Well…very important. Ask your parents if they will be willing to pay $60,000 a year for four years. If they say yes, fine. If they say NO, save yourself the application fees.</p>
<p>And PLEASE don’t plan to try to guilt your parents into paying for these top U.S. schools. Your UK options are fine.</p>
<p>A good point but they do seem supportive of me applying to the US. They live overseas but when I see them, I will talk to them seriously about whether they would be willing to spend $60K a year on my education. </p>
<p>You do understand though why I am inclined on applying to places such as Stanford and MIT as they are unlike any university in the UK and it would be a truly fantastic experience to attend. </p>
<p>By the way, do you know any places that would grant low interest loans to international students? That may be a suitable option…</p>
<p>You would need to secure loans in YOUR country. You will not be able to get a low interest loan here. In addition, it is highly likely that your parents would need to cosign a loan for you. Will they do so?</p>
<p>Stanford and MIT are excellent universities for sure. But you seem to have them up on some pedestal. It is very possible to get a fine education elsewhere. So NO I’m not totally understanding of your insistence that these schols are the only truly fantastic schools to attend…that is simply not true. But you are not the only intrmational student (or domestic for that matter) who seems to think this. </p>
<p>Regardless…you MUST be able to pay the cost of attendance, or you cannot attend. Keep that in mind. and the first folks in line to pay college bills…your parents. Until you talk to them, this is all just blowing smoke.</p>
<p>MIT and Harvard are need blind in admissions for international students as well as US ones. You should run your family numbers through their NPCs and see what kind of aid you can expect from them. Frankly, your stats and profile are such, as most everyone’s are, that getting into these schools as well as other single digit accept schools are very, very small, even without needed fin aid in the picture.</p>
<p>My advice is for you to run NPCs on all of the schools that are on your list and see how much they expect you to pay. If it comes to just about the full cost or of the school, then you are pretty much wasting your time applying for aid. You either have to decide whether your family will come up with the money or look for less expensive options. If there is a differential of say, $5k (you pick your threshhold) that the school just might give you, give it a whirl. A lot of schools do not just look at whether you are applying for aid, but how much they would have to cough up in order for you to be able to come there. Funding $5K is a whole different story from having to fund $50k in need, and it may not have an impact on the admissions decision for you. </p>
<p>Buddy. You would be MUCH better served to start your OWN thread with YOUR own question. This thread is about an international student seeking advice about financial aid.</p>
<p>“I haven’t heard about this UAlabama scholarship that you speak of however it does sound like an excellent back up! Is there a specific name for this scholarship and do I apply for it separately or will they offer it based on my application? Are there any similar scholarships of this sort that you know of?”</p>
<p>It’s called the Presidential Scholarship and Eng’g Scholarship. You apply to the school AND submit the scholarship app. The scholarships are assured for stats. </p>