International Looking for Aero/Astro Engineering Schools

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Hi,</p>

<p>I'm an Israeli (no U.S citizenship) who wants to learn Aero/Astro Engineering in the U.S.</p>

<p>I'm currently looking at colleges I can apply to and have come up with the following list:</p>

<p>Boston Area (where I -really- want to be):
M.I.T (first choice)
Harvard (because you can take M.I.T classes from there)
Boston College</p>

<p>California:
CalTech
Stanford</p>

<p>I'm also looking at Princeton.</p>

<p>Thing is, I'm going to need a lot of Financial Aid, and I don't know of any other schools which give as much FinAid to international students as the ones I've mentioned and offer an Aero/Astro major.</p>

<p>As for technical information, my projected SAT score is going to be in the 2200-2300 range, according to the last diagnostic I took (Math 680 - gonna improve that by a lot, CR - 780, Writing - 780). I'm also learning Physics from scratch (it's going very well), and will be doing the SATII in physics and math (and am considering the Modern Hebrew one, just because Princeton wants 3 SATII tests).</p>

<p>I have no idea how to translate a Bagrut (graduation diploma from high-school) to the American system. I know that a Bagrut has 'units', like AP stuff do, and that Israeli universities require AP level grades from U.S applicants as an equivillant for the Bagrut, but that still doesn't mean that I can calculate a GPA off of it (weighted or unweighted - whatever those two mean...)</p>

<p>My EC's are plentiful, but I've never gotten an award for anything other than air-rifle sniping, which isn't even an EC of mine:
* Singing - was in a choire and every single school play that required singing voices, have been taking private lessons for it on and off for the past year.
* Visual Art - I draw a lot of fantasy illustrations. A drawing of mine was even comissioned for a website for a Fantasy world that an Israeli author created.
* Writing prose - mostly fan-fiction :P but also some private Fantasy-based stuff.
* I build and paint miniatures - Warhammer is love
* I'm very active in the Israeli Sci-Fi and Fantasy convention scene - I'm a member of the management team for a fanclub which organizes 60% of all Israeli Sci-Fi and Fantasy conventions. I've been volunteering for conventions for 10 years, in several positions including manning information and sales booths, being in charge of ****s, being in charge of the cash register, and doing graphic design. In fact, I'm in charge of the graphic design department and do a lot of graphic design for fanzines, posters, con programs and information pamphlets.</p>

<p>I'm 22, and have been out of high-school for 4 years, during which I spent 2.5~ years serving my country in the IDF (Israeli military). I went through a very rigorous and prestigous computer programming course there and did my service as a programmer at a civillian company that was contracted by the IDF to supply a top-notch C4I system, and ever since my discharge I have been working as a .NET programmer in hi-tech companies.</p>

<p>I'm entirely independent from my parents, and have been that way for the past 3 years, with a good salary and some savings (my parents didn't give me squat when I moved out, so it's all from my earnings in the past year and a half). I'm planning to start school in 2009 (late, I know, but I have my reasons), at which time I will be considered as an 'independent student' (I've no idea what that means in terms of the application process, chances of addmitance etc... but I'm told it'll give me a better chance for FinAid).</p>

<p>Aside from that stuff, I'm also the daughter of a holocaust survivor, an ambitious, sucess-oriented youth and a science freak. </p>

<p>So... can anyone recomment other shcools for me, or help me out with translating my Bagrut so I can see if my choices thus far are really a match for me?</p>

2

<p>...Am I asking the wrong questions or something? :-&lt;/p>

3

<p>No, you aren't. It's just that many people (like me!) aren't used to someone in your kind of situation on these boards, as most of the international students out here are in high school.</p>

<p>Were you a good student in school, one of the top few in your class? Or were you a slacker? That would be a good estimate of how you did...and class rank is also a very important factor. Besides some systems, like the A-Levels, don't have a GPA. It's not the end of the world.</p>

<p>Do you know anyone from your country who has gone to the States to study? Or could get more help from your school? 'Cause I really am not in a position to help you!</p>

<p>About the chances - applying for fin aid definitely lowers every international's chances. That's the sad part. Otherwise, I could envision you getting into BC (provided your grades are good).</p>

4

<p>Well, my school doesn't do official ranks... but it might be good to mention that I was in a special program for gifted children from third grade until I graduated. In the program, we learned about twice as much of the material on every class, and had a lot of 'enrichment' stuff (going to the Weizman Research Institue and Tel-Aviv University for special science and humanities classes for aspiring high-school folk). This program had about 24 students at any given time, out of 270~ students in the entire class, and I suppose that, grades-wise, I was in something like the top 10% of the 24-people thing.</p>

5

<p>Top colleges are very difficult to get into for international students, and with a 680 in math it might be unrealistic to get admitted to a solid engineering program. In addition, typically schools are not need-blind when it comes to admitting intl students, meaning requiring a lot of finanicial really hurts ur chances.</p>

<p>Your best bet would be to aim for really good aero schools that are more friendly to intl students.</p>

<p>Cornell
University of Michigan, Ann Harbor
UC Berkeley
Georgia Tech
University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign </p>

<p>I am sorry that none of these are in the Boston area, but program is important I presume. </p>

<p>There IS another engineering school in the Boston area, Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering. Anybody admitted attends free of tuition (so ur needing aid is less of a factor), BUT it is also somewhat difficult to get into AND does not offer and aero major. You would have to do Mech or General Engineering and then specialise aero in grad school (perhaps)</p>

6

<p>Your background is pretty unique, interesting and very impressive. You can do a lot with your personal statements and essays. I think you have a very good chance at some of the major universities in the US. MIT is probably your only good option in the Boston area. It is true that Harvard students can cross-register at MIT, but that does not give Harvard students the flexibility required to major in a discipline at MIT. BC does not have an Engineering program. </p>

<p>Caltech, Princeton and Stanford have excellent AE programs.</p>

<p>You may want to look into Georgia Tech and Purdue as a match and safety. Cornell University does not offer a major in Aerospace Engineering, but it has a very strong Mechanical Engineering department and they offer several Aerospace classes.</p>

7

<p>Well u have Boston University too..
Even they offer quite decent Aerospace Engineering..</p>

<p>But going thru your record.. M pretty sure that you'll get thru MIT.. Jst make sure ur Essay is awesum.. I noe a guy Hawkins class of 2012 MIT (He defferd 1 year).. Even he hd a profile analogous to yours..!!</p>

8

<p>Thank you all for your responses! </p>

<p>I'll take a look at GT, Purdue and Boston University... and extra thanks to Alexandre & rashi for the encouragement. :)</p>

9

<p>
[quote]
But going thru your record.. M pretty sure that you'll get thru MIT.. Jst make sure ur Essay is awesum.. I noe a guy Hawkins class of 2012 MIT (He defferd 1 year).. Even he hd a profile analogous to yours..!!

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I am sorry but I really wouldnt bet on that.</p>

10

<p>ayayc: I know MIT is a reach for me (as it is for anyone). I have 'hooks' that give me -a- chance for it, but it's all up to luck anyway.</p>

<p>Is that what you meant, or were you refering to something else? Do you think there's anything I can do to improve my chances?</p>

11

<p>Oops. Troubles of fast typing. I meant ajayc of course.</p>

12

<p>Well you certainly have a good profile but all I wanted to say is you cant take MIT for granted. Good Luck! :)</p>

13

<p>Yes, Purdue and GA Tech would be easy for you.</p>

14

<p>Hmm. I've checked Purdue, GA Tech and neither of them offer financial aid for international students. Boston university has all sorts of strange scholarships, but I'm not sure at all if I can qualify for them... Though I am adding it to my list of possible colleges.</p>

<p>...Any other suggestions?</p>

15

<p>All right let me make this very clear GT does not provide aid to International students. So you can chuck out Gatech from you list. Have a look at University of Maryland.</p>

16

<p>Well, it seems like the University of Maryland isn't an option either.</p>

<p>From their website:</p>

<p>"As a publicly funded institution, the University of Maryland is unfortunately unable to provide financial assistance to international students."</p>

<p>It doesn't leave me with a very large potential colleges list, but ah well...</p>

17

<p>You can go in for mechanical engg. and then do masters in aerospace. Maryland does have scholarships though.</p>

18

<p>The thing with Purdue and GA-tech is that they will likely give you very good MERIT scholarships when you apply since their application/attending pool is somewhat week, especially Purdue. I know someone from India with similar stats that is attending Purdue on a very hefty scholarship.</p>

<p>As for MIT, the reason I say what I said is that it is ridiculously difficult for international students to get in; think near 2400 SAT score and thick on ECs (which u do have).</p>

19

<p>mtalmor, not all public universities do not offer financial assistance to internationals. I know that Cal and Purdue definitely have scholarships for internationals.</p>

20

<p>I didn't think about looking for merit scholarship information. Thanks :)</p>

<p>I'm still not sure I can qualify for those kind of things, but I'll gove those colleges a go as well... can't have too many after all.</p>