International student needs advice

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Hi there,</p>

<p>I just graduated from High School in Germany (so sorry for my english if it is not that good...), and now I am trying to find a good college for undergraduate studies. I want to study medicine after my bachelor, and therefore I am looking for a good college, so that I have good chances for admission to medical school.</p>

<p>However, my SAT scores were not that great. Could you recommend some good and reputable colleges, where I have good chances for admission?</p>

<p>GPA: converted from German scale about 3.7
Rank: 12 from 100
TOEFL iBT: 105
SAT: verbal:580, math:610, writing: 580 (I will take the SAT again in Jan. 2010)
SAT Subject tests: biology-e: 710, math2: 680 (I will take them again in Dec. 2009)
I won a national science prize in 2009 and have some other extracurricular things to mention...</p>

<p>Hope you can help me. Thank you very much in advance.</p>

<p>Best regards Amon</p>

2

<p>Lucky for you, it’s not important to go to TOP school to be in a strong Pre-Med program and get into med school. Are you considering going to Med school in the US, too? :)</p>

<p>As you may know, there isn’t such a thing as a “pre-med major.” Pre-med students major in Bio, Chem, Engineering, or whatever. They take recommended Bio, Chem, Physics and Math classes, then take the MCAT, and then apply to med school. :)</p>

<p>As long you go to a “good school” (doesn’t have to be a TOP school, just a GOOD school) that is strong in Bio, Chem, Math, and Physics, that’s good enough. :)</p>

<p>So… First…</p>

<p>How much can your parents contribute each year towards your education? Your costs are going to range from $32k -55k per year (US dollars) depending on the school you choose. </p>

<p>What “type” of school do you want?</p>

<p>Big? Small? Quiet? Sporty rah rah? Warm weather? Lots of Snow?</p>

3

<p>Preferably I would attend a college at the east or west coast (i.e. California, New England), but I would also move to a city in the mid-west, as long as the college is good.
As you can see, I am open for every kind of college, however it should not be too small and the student body should also be international.
The costs, and if the school is a university or a liberal arts college, is not that important. Main thing is, that the school is good enought so that I have good chances of admission for medical school after my bachelor.</p>

<p>Thank you very much for your quick respond!</p>

4

<p>bummmmmmmmmp</p>

5

<p>You’re asking for a lot: a “good” college that is likely to accept you with your modest SAT scores, on a coast, and which has an international student body. The only one I can think of off hand is Occidental College, but I think your SAT scores are below their average.</p>

6

<p>What percent of int’l students are you expecting?</p>

<p>With your stats, you’ll need to relax some of your expectations - such as your demand for an “international” student body or specific geographical locations. The west and the northeast good schools demand the highest stats.</p>

<p>Remember, as long as you go to a GOOD school that is strong in math, bio, chem and physics, AND you get a good MCAT score, you’ll get into med school.</p>

7

<p>amon28 -</p>

<p>Have you seen this thread in the International Student Forum? <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/international-students/816021-hopefully-prospective-international-student-bad-sat-scores.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/international-students/816021-hopefully-prospective-international-student-bad-sat-scores.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>If you are determined to study medicine, it would be MUCH easier for you to do so in Germany. It is very difficult for international students to be admitted to med school in the US. Not to mention tuition and fees for med school which even at public med schools (the ones least likely to admit an international student) can be well over US$60k per year.</p>

8

<p>Oh, well I am hearing this for the first time… I tried to get into a german medical school, but I was rejected by everyone of them… So I thought to get into an US college would be an even better alternative.
Are the spots very competetive or is the funding the bigger problem to get admission to a medical school for international students?</p>

9

<p>Don’t give up! :)</p>

<p>There are options for you HERE. You just have to loosen your expectations. Off the top of my head I could name 20+ schools that would accept you and would well prepare you for medical school. And, once you’re here for undergrad, I doubt you’d run into additional problems applying and getting accepted to med school.</p>

10

<p>Schools that will accept you and will prepare you for med school…</p>

<p>University of Central Florida
UArizona
AzSt
Auburn
University of Georgia
University of South Carolina
University of Alabama
University of San Diego
University of Oklahoma
University of Texas - Dallas
University of Kansas
University of Minnesota
USan Francisco
Fordham
Seton Hall
UDayton
St Louis U
U Iowa
U Indiana
DePaul
DePauw
Gonzaga
USeattle
UPortland
UOregon
UWash
Wash St
Oregon St
Loyola Maryland
Loyola New Orleans
UDelaware</p>

<p>And these are just off the top of my head - I could easily name 25 more that your stats would work.</p>

11

<p>*I tried to get into a german medical school, but I was rejected by everyone of them… So I thought to get into an US college would be an even better alternative.
*</p>

<p>Things work differently here in the US. You do have more choices and you will get accepted into schools that can prepare you for med school.</p>

12

<p>Many of the schools that I listed above are public schools. I mostly listed them because they tend to be lower priced than many privates. I know that you said that cost is not that important, but when you start adding international travel onto COA (cost of attendance) to any school, the costs start really getting high. If you go less expensively, other desirable things become more affordable - like having a car. :)</p>

<p>FYI… Cost of Attendance - tuition, fees, room, board, books, personal expenses (but not international travel).</p>

<p>COA per year for non-resident students , State Universities
$25,787, U MINNESOTA
$31,872, VIRGINIA TECH
$34,812, U IOWA
$35,029, U WISCONSIN
$36,210, OHIO STATE
$35,311, U N CAROLINA
$40,086, U GEORGIA
$36,977, RUTGERS
$34,696, TEXAS A&M
$34,922, U DELAWARE
$36,094, U FLORIDA
$32,752, U PITTSBURGH
$37,416, U MARYLAND
$36,985, U WASHINGTON
$37,548, CLEMSON
$36,848, PURDUE
$39,146, U CONNECTICUT
$38,120, GEORGIA TECH
$40,130, U ILLINOIS
$39,510, PENN STATE
$37,644, INDIANA U
$38,566, MICHIGAN ST
$48,041, UC IRVINE
$49,193, UCLA
$50,306, UC BERKELEY
$38,974, WILLIAM & MARY
$43,742, U TEXAS
$49,926, UC S BARBARA
$46,699, UC SAN DIEGO
$48,049, UC DAVIS
$39,483, UC S CRUZ
$42,570, U VIRGINIA
$47,188, U MICHIGAN</p>