<p>Finding out whether there is a difference between applying ED and RD at Amherst is key (when it comes to coach’s support).</p>
<p>Are you a recruited athlete any where else? I suppose you don’t mind going to college in your home country?</p>
<p>@PurpleTitan Trinity and F&M college have also expressed interest in recruiting me. </p>
<p>And uh, home country colleges aren’t very good, to be very honest. I am looking forward to a much more comprehensive and sports-integrated education that is virtually non existent here </p>
<p>So jeopardizing a spot at Amherst or at least Trinity seems rather foolhardy then, IMO, if you don’t have a strong backup option. Plus, would you get full financial need met at Trinity? Though I suppose that would be more probable with the coach’s support.</p>
<p>I guess it would be possible with the coach’s help</p>
<p>@Squashie, I think you have a good shot at getting into an excellent American college, especially if you cast a wide net and keep an open mind about name recognition and location. </p>
<p>I don’t mean to discourage you from applying ED at Amherst: it’s an excellent school and you will get a worldclass education. Most people in Asia (I’m guessing you’re South Asian) won’t have heard of it, but those who know, know. Graduate schools and multinational employers will recognize its value, and the alumni network will open doors for you all over the world.</p>
<p>The only reasons I would advise against Amherst ED are 1) you need to compare financial aid packages and 2) I don’t think YOU are completely sold on the idea. If that’s the case, I’d give Yale (or Harvard or Princeton) your best shot with EA and apply RD to a range of academically solid LACs, even if they are even less well known than Amherst.</p>
<p>A few that I would include would be Williams (which you’ve already identified and which I would say is better than Amherst for sciences), Carleton, Grinnell, Bowdoin, Hamilton, Macalester, Middlebury, Davidson. My guess is that your background would be a plus in admissions and that need based aid – and in some cases merit – would be good to excellent.</p>
<p>How you reconcile these little known colleges with your family’s ideas would be a challenge, but I can tell you, they send a lot of their graduates to Ivy League and other prestigious graduate schools.</p>
<p>Right thanks, @momrath for the advice. I’ll check in with the Amherst coach if he can support my RD application and then try to apply to my first choice EA or maybe even RD</p>
<p>Sorry if I missed this, I did not read all the posts. If Trinity is recruiting you for squash and you are international student, is professional play after college an option or a priority? Trinity is consistently (how many national championships?) the strongest squash program in the US, and the coach has a reputation as a very stand-up kind of guy, a guy you can trust. Depending on your post-college goals, the opportunity to play at Trinity could be an important factor. Amherst squash is fine, but no comparison to Trinity. Again, depends on your goals for college and beyond. </p>
<p>I do plan to continue playing squash after college (somewhat pro level) but tbh, I also want to get a great education so that I have a degree in my hand when I’m done playing squash. That’s why I’m looking for a well balanced university</p>
<p>in my experience, need-blind admission only means that you’ll get a package, but “gapping” is a common practice at many highly selective colleges, and remember that loans are a big part of college fin aid awards…</p>
<p>Also, a caveat to ED is that is not appropriate for financial aid candidates. It is a viable option for full-pay students.</p>
<p>I think what ucbalumnus meant was: Only six schools are both need-blind for admissions <em>and currently meet full demonstrated need for both domestic and international students: Amherst, Dartmouth, Harvard, MIT, Princeton, and Yale</em>.
With this ^ in mind, the fact that OP needs substantial aid, and he’s being recruited by Amherst, I can’t imagine turning down that opportunity. Of course I do not know the value of a name brand college in his country or what he plans to do with the degree. But for an affordable world class education, he is being handed the ticket. </p>
<p>Thanks a lot for the responses guys.</p>
<p>A bird in hand vs five in the bush.</p>
<p>I applied to Amherst ED and got accepted! Thanks a lot for the help!</p>
<p>Congratulations! </p>
<p>Congrats! Going there should set you up well post-graduation if you work hard.</p>
<p>Thank you 
I’m very happy with my decision.</p>
<p>Congrats!</p>
<p>Congratulations, although my soon to be Eph son will be rooting for another team. </p>
<p>I wonder if the international perception of the top lacs is changing. After all, everyone sees US News–which consistently ranks Williams, Amherst 1and 2, and Forbes ranking Williams first over all must surely have some kids saying, “But mom and dad, it’s ranked over Harvard.”</p>
<p>From another thread:</p>
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<p>The perception is definitely changing. Regardless of just Amherst and Williams, students apply to other top ones as well: Pomona, Bowdoin, Middlebury etc.</p>