<p>Hi!
I am from India.
SAT score- 2380
Football player-regional level, represented school in various tournaments.
National Science Olympiad-State Rank 4- National Rank 87
National Maths Olympiad - State Rank 8- National Rank 92
Avid quizzer. I have won some quizzes and have participated in many of them.
I have won a few debates.
200+ hours of community service which included teaching underprivileged children.
I am part of NGO-"Run for a cause" which helps terminally ill people fulfill their last wishes.
I was in my school council.
I have won a scholar badge.
I have been given a certificate of honor by the cancer institute of india for my charity.
I have got good recommendations.
Grades in school range from A's to a few B's.
Toefl score- 590
SAT II scores -1600.
I have won a spell bee competition at my school.
I can play the guitar and keyboard.
Even though we do not select our courses i have done calculus- advanced and most of the things they teach in foreign universities .
Also, I know HTML and C++.</p>
<p>I know everything's not that great.
But what chance do i have at top colleges(mit, caltech)
What can i do to improve?(MOST important part of the question!)
Thank you for your time.</p>
<p>On average MIT admits 5 to 6 undegrads per year from India out of several hundred applicants. Caltech probably even fewer. All have very high tests scores and GPA. Most have international level awards such as IMO or IPhO recognition.</p>
<p>so what more should i do to become a better candidate for the seat?
To be honest i think being a gold medalist will not be exactly what I can do .
So which colleges would be a match?
Georgia Tech? or something better?
And Thank You for the replies.
I appreciate it.</p>
<p>Were you planning on applying for financial aid at these institutions? Financial aid is very limited and is NOT need-blind for international students, in the case of Cal Tech. Competition is fierce. Plus, most of the financial aid is in the form of loans and work-study. Consider this when applying: you can have the grades and stats, but if you don’t have the money to show the government that you can support yourself for a year, the point is moot in applying.</p>
<p>I will require financial aid, that’s why mit is a really good option for me. But Princeton too has international financial aid. But financially my family is not too bad off.</p>
<p>wow! ur chances are decent. I would say high, but these great universities are hard to get into no matter what your scores are. Since you’re from india and there are many competitive candidates, it is a bit hard since universities have a quota for each country. Yet, you seem to outpass most indian candidates
good luck with your application</p>
<p>and I forgot, if you’re asking for financial help, it might make it harder. Try getting scholarship from your government or a sponser and this will increase your chances drastically!</p>
<p>Hi! You have excellent stats! I think you definitely have a chance!</p>
<p>as for MIT, according to it’s website, they say that they have a need-blind admissions policy. HOWEVER, it has been known that if you are waitlisted at some schools (esp. top ones) they can say that they are out of financial aid to offer, and will more likely give the spot to someone who doesn’t require financial aid.</p>
<p>MIT is need-blind and will not wait-list you if they want you. But the demand is so high that you will need truly exceptional qualifications to be admitted. High test scores and high GPA are simply not enough when you are competing against IMO medalists especially from your own country. Princeton will not be any easier than MIT. </p>
<p>There are plenty of schools that will be happy to admit you, but unfortunately they are not need-blind. Most schools see international students as a source of revenue not as a drain on their financial aid. </p>
<p>You may want to consider state flagships such as Wisconsin where tuition is not as high as the privates and still offer an excellent education.</p>
<p>so what basically you are saying is I don’t have any shot at MIT or Princeton?
What can I do to improve my chances,I know nobody can tell you exactly but what would you look. I still have 1.5 years to improve myself.
If I do go to a foreign university, I would really want to go to the top only.
Thank you for your replies.
It means a lot.</p>
<p>My man, you have no chance at HYPSMC (you’re snart enough to figure it which uni’s I mean). The Indian people that are recruited are IPhO,IMO,IChO (gold) medalists or IIT-JEE toppers and such. My advice is that you stay in India and get admitted to one of the IITs… Those are excellent for undergrad.</p>
<p>Wow , thats a brutal reply. But thank you for the honesty. I was wondering if you could tell me how to improve my stats and ec’s? I have heard that many people got in without all those.</p>
<p>You have a problem in that you are unwilling to apply to any universities other than the “top” tier and you seem unaware that thousands of overqualified students, domestic and international vie for those few spots. Plus, you want financial aid. I think it’s unrealistic to say, "I have heard that many people got in. . . " Really? Who? </p>
<p>Don’t know if you’ve heard, but the US universities have had to tighten their budgets. The federal and state government are out of money which they used to give to the universities. Alumni aren’t donating money the way they used to because money is tight. The schools don’t have money to fund scholarships. Tuition and fees are up-so. . . the universities have limited what they give to international students and instead admit people who can pay their full tuitions and fees. Look at universities that you will be able to afford before applying.</p>