Well, I’m an international student from Colombia but studied high school in Spain.
My UW gpa is between 3.4-3.5 and my school doesn’t have AP or anything, neither clubs so my EC’s are not special or “official”, just things like programming some apps for android or iOS, creating a blog and a website from zero, and some other music and sport related things.
My SAT is 1500(CR+M)/2100, but I will retake next November 7.
I intend to apply to:
NYU
Fordham
Syracuse
Pace
I will also apply to some community colleges of CUNY in the case I’m rejected in order to get my gpa higher and get transferred.
Do you think I could be accepted in any of them? Should I apply to somewhere else?
I need financial aid but I also have a Co-Signer there so I could get a Bank Loan, if that matters.
Don’t waste your time applying to Pace or any CUNY school. Manhattan College is a much better school in a great part of NY. I would also recommend Siena College and University of Scranton for great safety schools in your case. Add Hamilton and Colgate to your list because an international applicant might attract them and they give great aid, but double check on aid to international students.
1 I've been thinking on Colgate and Hamilton but I though that with a GPA under the one of the usually admitted students, and with a quite weak EC's it would be such a miracle to be even waitlisted there, do you think is a good option though?
And you recommend me Manhattan College as safety instead of Pace or Cuny CC’s?
It should be noted that Riverdale is a little out of the way - students’ main form of transport into the city is the 1 train, followed by a transfer to another metro and/or a bus if they want to go anywhere besides western Manhattan. Places like the Bronx Zoo (and trust me, you’re never too old for the Bronx Zoo) are a ways away by bus. In that respect, NYU is more conveniently located.
Source: A lifetime of visiting my grandmother who lives in Riverdale (and can often be heard complaining about Manhattan College students).
But I agree - Riverdale is lovely, as long as the above doesn’t bother you overmuch. I’ve heard buses are quite commonly used in Spain, so at the very least you won’t be completely new to the idea of public transport as some people are.
The train to grand Central is about 40 minutes, that puts you in the center Manhattan. Riverdale has nice restaurants, shops and bars on its own. You don’t really need Manhattan all that much.
By average student SAT/ACT scores, your tentative choices span a range from 37th in the U.S. to 475th. I think your list may still be in need of further refinement. However, you do seem to have included some schools where you are very likely to be admitted.
You will get in Syracuse, Siena, Scranton and Manhattan I have no doubt. Union would surprise me if you didn’t. Your GPA is fine but your SAT scores are higher than average. So Union looks good.
NYU, Hamilton and Colgate are tough but it is worth a chance. Coming from Columbia helps.
There are also some schools in Pennsylvania like Muhlenberg College where you will most certainly get accepted with your GPA and SAT of 2100. 1500 is extremely good for the Math and CR section. Lafayette College might be a better risk than Colgate or Hamilton. So replace one of those with Lafayette? Lafayette is a wonderful school. NYC is about 90 miles away.
Your wish to stay in the NY area and New York State limits you.
Is just that my aunt is living in NYC and I would like to live near her, in NYC or at least the state, since I have no one else known there.
Living in New York is also one of my dreams.
Would you recommend me replace Hamilton for Lafayette?
I like Colgate, but I don’t know if I would have more chances there or in Hamilton, even though they are small in both of them.
Universities looking for diversity would enhance my chances, I’m sure, since I’m Hispanic at the same time I lived many years in Europe.
Colgate’s acceptance rate is 27% compared to Hamilton’s 25%. Your chances would be slightly better at Colgate. Colgate’s location is decidedly rural and adjacent to a charming village. Hamilton has its own regular transportation to a nearby suburban area. Train transportation to NYC is easier from Hamilton.
GPA and course rigour should be within range for your choices. If this threshold is met, then other factors such as SAT scores, recommendations and essays will be considered.
You need to open a map and understand US geography. I sense u want to go to school in NY City, so u are fixated on “New York”. New York state is a really big state. Some of the schools on your list are nowhere close to NY City. If u are willing to be as far away as Syracuse, then u may as well look outside of NY state.
Also, you mention u need FA. You need to be focusing on schools where u are likely to get it, and spend less time obsessing about Manhattan. Just because u have a possible co-signer (your aunt?) doesn’t necessarily mean that person is going to be willing to be on the hook for 10’s of thousands of dollars of debt. For the co-signer, that debt becomes their debt, too.
Admission racial preferences for hispanics does not apply to int’l students.
@cappex: The colleges on the OP’s tentative list (#6) range from selective (Manhattan), through more selective (NYU), to most selective (Hamilton). They all can’t be matches. (USNWR categories.)
@electrik0: ECs and APs will be weighed within the context of what was available to you. Course rigour does not have to relate to APs specifically. Selective colleges will often want to see three to four years each of math, science, a non-native language, etc, irrespective of the “titles” of the courses.
