International MIT / Stanford / Cornell / Princeton with low SAT and aid-need

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I'm a Hungarian high school senior intending to go to the US in '14. I'd like to major in engineering, probably in mechanical engineering. Please, could you help me estimilating the my chances to get into these top-class institutes? Here are some details:</p>

<p>Grades:
I don't know the GPA numbers, since in Hungary we have a simple 1-5 scale for grades. I was around 4.4/5 in 11th grade, and I can count with a 5/5 in 12th grade, naturally. My math and physics were 5s every year if that matters.</p>

<p>SAT:
I've done an awful SAT back in January with CR490 / M770 / W500, but I'm around CR620 / M800 / W600 now. Predicting an SAT Math II and SAT Physics both between 750-800, I am still ways behind most of the MIT/Stanford/Cornell/Princeton applicants.</p>

<p>Language exam:
I have a 7.5 IELTS and I'm about to have a TOEFL between 100-110.</p>

<p>Other school projects:
- member of the school government
- lots of math and physics competitions (but not succesfully, recently; my last final was in 9th grade...)
- volunteer teaching (I trained some seniors to get through the wrestling part on their sport final exams)</p>

<p>EC:
- volunteer teaching (I taught Hungarian to kids in Romania in a camp; and I taught math to children of homeless parents regularly)
- internship (I was an intern at Citroen Center in Hungary for 2 weeks, where I worked in the repairing section, attended lessons about the mechanics and got tests to write)
- work (not real work, I was a presenter at the Budapest GameShow, where I showed the mechanics and all of the Lego Mindstorms robot to small kids)
- 24-hour programming competition (semi-final)
- debating group-competition (semi-final)
- sport (club-level wrestling for 10 years now, tennis for 5 years now, soccer, skiing, penthatlon on club-level recently)
- short movie making
- film-club organizing</p>

<p>I would definitely need financial aid, which is an application-murderer for an international, I know.</p>

<p>Still, what are my chances to get into MIT, Stanford, Cornell or Princeton engineering? Thanks for your quick help!</p>

2

<p>Sorry to say this, but I think it’s gonna be nearly impossible for u to get into any of these schools. Ur sat score is way too low, and these schools accept Americans with even better ec’s and much better stats than u. But no harm trying - just apply :)</p>

3

<p>To be frank, your chances aren’t extremely high for those schools. As an international student, the competition is already fierce; GPA doesn’t matter as much for you, but SAT really does, and your SAT isn’t high enough yet to be competitive as an international student for those schools. Also, although your ECs are decent, because–as an engineering major–you’re up against kids who do published research and win national robotics competitions, they’re nothing that will “wow” the adcoms. </p>

<p>BUT: If you retake the SAT and score a good 100-200 points higher, that will surely help you. Also, your essays and teacher recs can show what an amazing student you are and/or how passionate you are about engineering. </p>

<p>The point is, the chance of admission into any of those schools is slim, but that’s true for anybody. You have a shot, so–assuming you have enough safeties and matches–go for it!</p>

<p>(Side note: As an international student, strong AP/IB scores can really help in admissions. Have you taken any of those tests?)</p>

<p>Good luck!! :)</p>

<p>Chance back?
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=1536207[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=1536207&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

4

<p>I’m going to be brutally honest. Your not getting into any of those schools. Your SAT score is way too low and your extracurriculars are meh. Remember your competing with other international students, whose test scores, grades, and extracurriculars are better than yours.</p>

5

<p>I don’t know about the others, but MIT doesn’t look at financial need until after they decide to accept you. If you get your SATs above at least 700 in at least math and you write really good essays and get really good recommendations, you should stand a chance. :slight_smile: They care more about how much you care (as shown by recommendations and essays) than about test scores, but higher is still better. It’s a lot more competitive for internationals though. Good luck!</p>

<p>Chance back?
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1540169-mit-chances.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1540169-mit-chances.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

6

<p>I have a friend who studied maths and then art history on Harvard, and he told me that 2100 with great essays and recommendations (which I will naturally have) should be competitive. I understand the drawbacks of the aid, and I guess you understand that $50000 can be too much for some, so this is the part where I can’t change.</p>

<p>Thanks, FlyEagle17, I actually wanted somebody to be this realistic, that’s why I mentioned my friend from Harvard. What SAT score do you think is competitive?</p>

<p>I have some aquaintances on MIT and Brown; they had weaker ECs, so could any of you help me, what mine inevitably needs? Thanks again!</p>

7

<p>At least a 2000 to have a chance and over 2200 to be competitive at any of those schools to be competitive. </p>

<ul>
<li>Remember, with extracurriculars it’s better to be in a few and be dedicated and have done a lot of work in them rather than to be involved in a lot of clubs and have done nothing. Your extracurriculars should show what you are passionate about. </li>
</ul>

<p>-Yes, MIT is need blind for applicants but it’s ULTRA COMPETITIVE for international applicants. I repeat IT’S ULTRA COMPETITIVE. </p>

<p>“MIT receives many applications from very smart and talented international citizens. From this great pool of candidates we may only take a small cupful. Every year more than 4,000 international students apply to MIT, and we can admit fewer than 150”.</p>

<p>That means you have a 3.75% of being admitted into MIT. Even the best international applicants, will not get into MIT. This also applies to the other schools. Even the best international applicants will not get accepted to the schools you mentioned.</p>

8

<p>Thanks again, only one question:
“it’s better to be in a few and be dedicated and have done a lot of work in them rather than to be involved in a lot of clubs and have done nothing”
You are right, but all my ECs but sports are I, myself. It is not enough(ly passionate), ok, but I’ve done everything I wrote myself.</p>