But just in case, really just apply to HYPS. You don’t lose other than the app fee for applying, and there’s no reason to pull back. They have an incredible financial aid program - the only institution that surpass them in terms of financial aid would be the famous NYU Abu Dhabi. Your stats are pretty top notch, and take into considerstion that despite how much emphasis sites like PrepScholar/CollegeCofidential puts on AP and SAT scores, the most important thing those selective colleges look at is your school performance. Namely, GPA. Also, they take GREAT care to take those grades into context - they try to find out what are the typical average grades for your school and those specific classes, and you can also ask your admissions officers to mail an explanation of how strong your gpa is despite the seemingly low numbers.
For example, Harvard has their own academic capacity measurement tool, and a calculator that simulates it is somewhere online. In that calculator, an SAT score difference of 100 (out if 1600) makes a total measurement difference of 2-3 (out of 230). But a class rank difference of 10 spits a whole different number. And that is still based on an average American high school. Taking into context of your regional/national academia, that would only add up to your chances.
One thing you should always note is that the most selective colleges in US, including the LACs and Engineering schools like MIT or Caltech, is that they want someone who would lead, in whatever context they are in. So what matters is whether you are the best in that region/country, not what preparations you have done. Even if you are a homeless kid in a middle of nowhere slum, if Harvard thinks that you achieved the highest possible challenge in such context, they would consider that to be better than an upstate New York’s top lawyer’s kid with a perfect SAT score, perfect GPA, olympiad medals, etc.
If your family’s income is below 50k, it is very likely that if you get accepted to an Ivy, they will give you a full ride. However, since Ivy admissions are honestly a lottery, I would advise you to apply to as many colleges as you can afford (this may be quite expensive though, since most colleges charge around $70 for submitting an application and then you have to pay to submit your SAT scores. For private schools, you will also have to pay to send in your CSS profile. )
Even if you get a 1600/1600 on your SAT, no school is a guaranteed full ride for an international student. Almost every college (other than the Ivies) is need aware and you will have to aim pretty low for a full ride.
I would recommend looking at smaller private liberal arts colleges and universities, as state schools generally do not give much aid to out of state students. From personal experience, I can tell you that Trinity University in Texas offers great financial aid to international students. I’m an international student as well, and my income bracket would not qualify me for any need-based aid but I received a 50%-ride based on merit.
Side note, even if you do get a full ride, can you cover travel expenses and personal allowances, etc? You will not be able to get a job in the USA. Your student visa does not allow for employment. Even with a full ride, you will have to pay for a plane ticket, spending money for non-school related things, etc. and this may add up to more than $2000. My travel expenses alone are $3000 a year.
Apply to as many schools as you can. If you do have to take a gap year, and if you send in as many applications as you can pay for, I’m sure you’ll find at least one affordable option. Good luck!
@koreanstudent your 1st sentence is just wrong. OP is foreign student, and having less than 50K income will only make it three times harder to get into, not any easier for need aware schools, and half of Ivy schools are need aware. If that was true, there would be even more low-income international students getting into Ivy leagues. Dartmouth, Columbia, Upenn and Brown are need AWARE.
While state schools NEVER give aid, there are actually a number of MERIT SCHOALRSHIP opportunities. Whether they will be enough is dependent on OP’s financial status.
@gigichuck, you CAN work, but under limited conditions. I am assuming you will get F1 visa, and here are two cases:
if it’s ON CAMPUS, then you may work up to 20 hours during school session, and 40 hours during summer.
if it’s OFF campus, you have to be approved by school’s international office. Almost 99% of time this will be your internship or cooperative education. You can NOT work in off campus subway, grocery store, etc etc. There are very rare exceptions such as severe decline in your home country’s currency value, but I hope that doesn’t happen.
After you graduate, ifi you wish to work, you need to get sponsored to get H1B visa, but that is another story.
Howard no longer has guaranteed full rides but if you apply early it’s worth a try. McDermott at UTDallas is a good possibility, Miami-Ohio, UNC Robertson, UMontana have competitive scholarships you would be eligible for if you have 1500+.
They are and there’s even a specific package for internationals that take into account the difference with domestic applicants but it’s highly selective and students who can get McDermott have a lot of other choices .
@MYOS1634 Do you know any small LACs that would offer full ride to internationals? The LACs that keep showing up are Williams, Amherst, Middlebury, Hamilton, Smith etc and the women’s colleges like Mount Holyoke. However, they are all selective and I don’t want too many reaches on my list.
The only LACs that offer full rides for need are all highly selective. Your odds are low because between admitting one student who needs a full ride and two who will pay something, the only choice that makes sense is the second one.
The only safeties for you are ’ guaranteed scholarships for stats’ that match your stats.
@MYOS1634 Would applying ED to Princeton instead of SCEA boost my chances? I was considering SCEA to keep an open mind but now I’m wondering if I should just go full speed ahead. It is my 2nd top school, after MIT, so I would definitely love to go, if accepted. Considering they meet 100% demonstrated need, I don’t think there’s anything to fear concerning FA. What do you think?
