Hi everyone,
I’m an international student from Hanoi, Vietnam, where the competition to get into a top school in America is insane. I applied last year and got rejected by most of the colleges I applied to and this year is no different - but thank God, I’m finally able to go to a college that is affordable. The rejections and especially waitlists hurt, but now I’m learning to focus on the positive things only, I figure starting a thread like this will be helpful for international students who will apply in the upcoming years.
So here is my stats:
SAT I: 2260 (single sitting) - 730 CR, 800 M, 730 WR.
SAT II: 800 Math II, 770 Math I, 770 Chemistry.
IELTS: 7.5/9.0 (should have taken again to improve, but I think it doesn’t really matter so why waste the money…)
GPA: 9.0/10 - 3.94 US equivalent.
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): N/A
Awards: Bronze Medal in an international science camp (actually not as major as it sounds); Merit-based scholarships for top students - all 3 years of high school.
Extracurriculars: very unique and unusual; I don’t participate in many different activities, but I was really committed to each one. But to be fair, I’d say my extracurricular activities are the weakness of my application.
Essays: Common App 9-9.5/10 (I wrote about my relationship with my dad and how I learned to accept him in my life again)
Teacher Recommendation: #1 from my English teacher, #2 from my Vietnamese Literature teacher - both are very personal and amazing.
Counselor Recommendation: glowing - she knows my family situation better than anyone and she supported me through the whole process.
Additional Recommendation: one from my writing advisor/college admission counselor - I’m her favorite and one of the best students she ever had (her words) so I’d think this letter definitely helps my application.
Major: English Literature - may double major with Economics or something more practical.
Country (if international applicant): Vietnam
School Type: Public, ranked 1st nationally.
Ethnicity: Asian
Gender: Female
Income Bracket: <20K.
Decisions:
Accepted at: Temple University (full tuition + summer stipends), Miami University - Ohio (full tuition), Earlham College (the package is very generous but still not affordable).
Rejected at: Amherst, Bryn Mawr (Deferred from ED2), Scripps, Sewanee, St. Lawrence, Smith.
Waitlisted at: Case Western Reserve, Franklin & Marshall, Gettysburg, Rhodes, Trinity University, NYUAD, NYUSH.
Waiting on: Reed (Deferred from ED) and UNC - Chapel Hill - I’m pretty sure I’ll be rejected at this point.
What to do next: Trying to negotiate with Earlham to get 5k more and deciding between Temple and Miami-OH. \
Advice to prospective international students: Hope for the best, but ALWAYS prepare yourself for the worst. Many people told me that I should have gotten in at least 1-2 top schools in my list, but right now I’m just grateful that my plans worked out, otherwise I’d have to stay in Vietnam or go to Bulgaria for a school I was guaranteed admission there. Also, taking a gap year may help your application but bad things could always happen, so you should have a solid backup plan back home. And don’t get obsessed with admission - getting into a top school should never be your main priority, and your life should never revolve around it only.
Lastly, I want to thank @MYOS1634 for guiding me throughout this process, and everyone who has given me helpful advice. This year has been really difficult for me but now everything is over I can finally rest and enjoy my life. I hope this thread proves to be useful for any international student who needs huge financial aid like me.
I’m really thankful for what I have so far.