Okay, so I know this question is probably more applicable to Stanford only—since its policy for international applicants is need-aware—, but I do list MIT as well because it is the only other university that interests me.
It goes like this. My GPA is 3.7, I expect to get about 1350 on the SAT, and I am pretty good at writing and I think I will be able to create a compelling essay. I have been working since 15 in internships and whatnot at my school’s enterpreneurship insitute, and currently hold a job at a VC Firm. I built a system in use nation-wide for my school (it is mostly a university, but it does run a High School). I taught myself how to code at 14 and have always been a leader-ly kind of person.
Currently I am concentrating a lot of my efforts in helping Mexican students get connected to Silicon Valley companies and mentors to improve their tech skills, as well as get started in tech.
I am Mexican and 18 years old, and another interesting thing about me is that I dropped out of High School (to work full-time) one semester. I have a personal blog on medium (@namesphill) but overall have low social media presence.
As far as minorities go, I am just Latino and Gay.
I am aware that getting into Stanford while asking for Financial Aid as an International Student makes it very hard to get in, and I have thought about applying without asking for Financial Aid (getting into a ton of debt and looking ferociously for backers and funds), but I wouldn’t want to if I feel like I can spare it.
I hope that the fact that I am applying to Stanford under Restrictive Early Action will make it easier for me to get in as I expect a smaller pool of applicants.
I think that is all the context that is needed to get to know my situation, and I would love to have your thoughts on whether my resume should inspire confidence or whether I should really find ways to finance it without the aid or maybe wait a year to build more stuff.
Approximately 47,000 students apply to Stanford every year for a class of ~1,700 students. Last year 197 of those 1700 were international students. So, of the 3.6% of applicants who enrolled, 0.4% were international students.
The SAT range for the middle 50% of the class (from the 25th to 75th%) was 1440-1550. 15% of the class had scores between 1200 and 1399- and if I had to bet, I would say that recruited athletes account for at least some of these…
So the stats look pretty terrible.
On top that Stanford takes financial need into account.
So, you need something pretty ‘extra’ to outweigh the negatives of being an international at the bottom of the SAT range and needing financial aid.
Note that the acceptance rate is the same for REA and RD, and the competition is just as fierce.
Applying w/o requesting financial aid and counting on GoFundMe & loans is not a good plan. Worse than not getting in is not getting in and not being able to go. As an international student you need proof of funds to get your student visa.
I don’t like raining on anybody’s parade, and I don’t know anything about you except what you have posted. If your plan is to go to university in Mexico unless you can get into a top-tier US university, then all you have to lose is the app fee and the time it takes to get the app done- so why not. If your plan is to go to the US no matter what, I would say assume that your getting into Stanford is about as likely as getting struck by lightening, so get to work on plans B,C,D,E,F,G…
May I suggest working on your self-presentation? Your technical skills, professional achievements and networking acumen may be one-of-a-kind or way overblown, it’s kind of hard to tell from what you have shared here.
Your SAT score seems out of line with your narrative. It doesn’t scream precocious coding whiz & amazing writer who got so bored with school that he dropped out because school was wasting his time. (Did you actually “drop out”? That means quitting school without a degree and without the intent to return later.)
I’m sorry, but as @collegemom3717 wrote, as an international students, with a 3.7 GPA, and a 1380 SAT who also requires financial aid, your chances at being accepted to Stanford are too low for it to be worth your while to fill the application.
Like almost every other college out there, the primary factors which decide whether you are admitted are your academic achievements. Unless you are a top notch athlete, or are world famous in something, you will not be accepted to Stanford based on your ECs alone range. Students are not accepted to Stanford based on their essay alone, either. There are a number of groups from which Stanford will accept students with GPAs and SAT scores which are not in the top percentiles, but unfortunately, you do not belong to one of these groups.
Since you are an international students who would require financial aid, your academics would need to be far better. A GPA of 3.7 is simply not there, unless that is the highest GPA that your high school has ever seen, and that is your GPA from taking the most rigorous courses that your high school provides.
Let me ask you seriously - why should Stanford accept you? What do you bring that is more interesting than the few hundred other Mexican students who are applying, but have GPAs close to 4.0? Moreover, why should they not only accept you, but provide financial aid?
And more: just from the emphasis in your post, (stats, some achievements, dreams,) it’s clear you don’t have an idea what it really takes to get into any tippy top holistic. That’s not the “it” package they look for. Alone, it’s not enough.
And a blog, learning to code early, are not tips, either.
Honestly, work more on what goals you want to achieve in life. Then plan out ways to achieve them while taking note that there are always multiple paths. Stanford/MIT isn’t a goal.