International Student - help with SATs and ECs

Test Preparation SAT Preparation
1

<p>Hi all,</p>

<p>I'm an international student planning on applying to colleges in the U.S for next fall, I'm doing the SATs in October and November - it is a bit late, however, I am not done with my own country's university examinations and they are also important if I want to go to college in the States. I've signed up for Subject tests in French (Reading), Literature and Maths II, I'm not sure how to prepare for them and I do have limited time, does anyone have any tips? </p>

<p>Also, I'm planning on applying to these colleges:</p>

<p>Columbia
Harvard
Stanford
Princeton
Yale
Brown
Berkeley
UCLA</p>

<p>Of course, a strong academic record and high SAT scores are required at all of those, that's a given. However, I was wondering where exactly I stand on my extra-curriculars...here's a quick summary:</p>

<p>Debating team - 10th, 11th</p>

<p>Football team - 10th, 11th</p>

<p>Netball (a type of British sport...kind of like basketball, but not) team, outside of school - 9th, 10th</p>

<p>Model U.N - 11th (this was a competition that you are only allowed to enter in once)</p>

<p>Founded, established and captained the Social Justice Club at my school - 10th, 11th, 12th</p>

<p>Selected for a competitive exchange program in France, 11th</p>

<p>Classical dance - worked with celebrated artists and danced at numerous competitions and concerts - I've been learning since I was nine, still doing it</p>

<p>Duke of Edinburgh Awards - this is a sort of British awards scheme, I've got a Bronze and am pursuing a Silver, should get it soon</p>

<p>Social Justice Initiative Leader - 10th - this was a role given to people at my school and at other schools in the country, it was run by an organization which came around to schools and asked them to select specific people to run activities for underclassmen</p>

<p>Community Service at Veterinarian - 9th, 10th</p>

<p>Am going to be involved with community Service at a nursing home through my school - 12th</p>

<p>Active member of my school's charity committee, regular organizer and participant of its multicultural festival and annual concerts each year.</p>

<p>Assuming that I have high SAT scores and good school academics, what do you think my chances are at these schools? I should probably also say that where I'm from, doing extra-curriculars during 12th grade is very uncommon, the exams in my country are very, very, stressful and difficult and most people drop everything to study for them - haha I've got to go study now too. </p>

<p>Thanks, any feedback is much appreciated.</p>

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<p>Until and unless you present your academics, no one can chance you.
Moreover the ECs alone won’t let you in. </p>

<p>“High” is a relative term.</p>

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<p>r u frm india</p>

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<p>*This should be moved to the “What are my chances?” forum.</p>

<p>Your ECs show that you are an active participant in your community, but none of them stand out to make me say, “Wow, this chick is something else.” For schools like Harvard, Princeton and Yale, your ECs are not your strong point, although they are more than enough to get into other great schools. The ECs you’ve listed show a strong commitment to the humanities such as your Social Justice Club, Model UN, and Debate Team and shows a certain aptitude for leadership, which is a good thing compared to a lot of other people’s ECs which are basically huge lists of unrelated activites. Because you’re an international student, it’s going to be a lot harder for you to compete with US applicants. Without your SAT scores (or estimates from your practice tests) and GPA, there’s really no way to tell if you have a shot at any of those schools.</p>

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<p>Just out of curiosity, what would you say are extra curriculars that make you go “wow”? I do have friends who have gotten into Harvard and Yale (also internationals) and they couldn’t give a response either. </p>

<p>Dance wise, I have worked with famous people - I’m itching to say who but I shouldn’t - I worked very closely with one who had her own TV show. The Model U.N competition was a state-wide thing, the Social Justice Initiative was a national leadership position, the exchange group was an elite national selection, and I earned varsity letters in football. I didn’t want to put this down, but hey, it might count as an extra-curricular - I’m starting my own charity, working with disadvantaged and disabled schools. </p>

<p>SATs - I have only got my regular SAT scores - 2360 over all - 800, 760, 800. Subject tests are yet to be taken. </p>

<p>Other academics - I go to an elite school which has has rigorous entry examinations. I’m at the top of my state cohort, in the top two percent, and generally get As. We do not have GPAs and do not calculate them, the people from my school who apply just give in school reports and our own university entrance results.</p>

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<p>Just something extraordinary that is unique and interesting, like… spending a few summers volunteering in an army facility moving dead bodies or sth. There’s really no best way to explain it. You just have to think “wow” when you read from the list of ECs I guess. You’ve got awesome SAT scores and rankings and I doubt you’ll have problems with your subject tests (Btw, “regular SAT” is SATI and subject tests are SATII) You’ve got great academics and pretty good ECs so I say you definitely have a shot at those schools.</p>