<p>I’m not looking for need-blind admissions but need-based financial aid, which it’s different.
My actual list is:
Stanford
Columbia
Cornell
Duke
Northwestern
Bucknell
Lehigh
Trinity College</p>
<p>I’ve built this list with schools that offer such aid to internationals, even if this influences the admission process.</p>
<p>And, just to say, if I don’t study in the US I’m not going into a “local” university but in Politecnico of Torino (or Milano) which is highly ranked internationally. </p>
<p>Most of the schools on your list are, like MYOS, says, “ridiculously hard to get into.” Competition to get into Stanford is similar to that of Harvard.
Check out the Stanford/Columbia/Cornell threads on this site, and see how many international students with excellent SATs don’t even get on a waiting list. </p>
<p>Only the last three schools on your list are less selective, and unless you’re a world-class squash player, forget Trinity. Most of Trinity College’s international student financial aid goes to high-ranking amateur squash players who don’t have the grades to get into Princeton, Harvard or Yale.</p>
<p>OK - especially since you have an excellent safety already assured.
I think you have a decent shot at Lehigh and Bucknell.
For the others, it’s really impossible to predict even if you raise your scores, but you’d need 2100+ on the SAT to have the school within possible reach. </p>
<p>Please be sure to come back here and post about your admission/rejection letters for other international applicants. It’s always frustrating not to know what happened and future applicants can’t learn anything from your experience if you don’t follow up once the college letters have arrived.</p>
<p>@katliamom: thanks for the tip about Trinity. Why squash especially though?</p>
<p>“Why squash especially though?” Because Trinity is well know for its squash team. It’s not a big school, and it has a limited sports scene overall, but its specialty been for squash ever since they recruited a great coach, and gave him a lot of freedom (and money) to put together a great team. The school gets a lot of the top internationally ranked players (and American players) who want a high level of squash but don’t have the grades or the test scores to get into the Ivy Leagues, where squash is also a serious sport.</p>
<p>katliamom: "Check out the Stanford/Columbia/Cornell threads on this site, and see how many international students with excellent SATs don’t even get on a waiting list. "
Yes, I know that it’s like a lottery and even the best students might be rejected, many people had already told me. I just want to try, who knows! I hope that the six-week internship at IIT (Italian Institute of Technology, very famous internationally) will be considered very positively, as I worked in the Advanced Robotics department and I’m also getting a letter of recommendation from my tutor there.</p>
<p>MYOS1634: “I think you have a decent shot at Lehigh and Bucknell.” I hope so!
“Please be sure to come back here and post about your admission/rejection letters for other international applicants.” Yes of course I’ll post which schools accepted me and which not =) I think that a lot of students can relate to my situation and picture themselves where I’ll be.</p>
<p>Another thing that has just come to my mind is about letters of recommendation. The three professors who had already sent their evaluation told me that they filled all the evaluation with “one of the best I’ve ever known”. Furthermore, also my FCE course teacher wrote an amazing letter to endorse my application.
While I’m very happy to know this, I’m a little afraid that the universities may see this as fake or something. Is there a reason to be so afraid?</p>
<p>Yes, you’re very competitive. Just remember that even though you’re competitive, the odds are not in your favor so that you’re not too disapointed. Bucknell and Lehigh are excellent schools so even if you didn’t get into your top choices, you’d still have great choices between your Italian school and those. Now, look at the website “essay hell” to avoid common mistakes in essays, and you’re good to go :)</p>
<p>Yes I see your point, fortunately I’m the kind of guy that tries not to be demoralized by “failure” (in general) and tries to see the best in everything, always.</p>
<p>Actually I love Bucknell, I’ve exchanged some emails with a senior student and this really helped me to understand what I’m actually looking for (if you noticed, I’m not applying to MIT which instead I mentioned in the first message).</p>
<p>And thanks for the link, I’ll surely read something from the site you mentioned!!
To be sincere, I’ve already written my essay and I think it’s very strong and well-written (my FCE teacher proofread it and corrected some tiny mistakes).</p>
<p>I’ve seen that Lehigh offers optional interviews on Skype for international students and I was thinking about requesting one… Do you think that an interview could increase my chances?</p>
<p>For Lehigh, where “interest” is heavily factored, requesting a skype interview is a must. Prepare well (be able to describe yourself, to talk about how you’re a good “fit” for the school, show that you know the website and the school’s offering - Lehigh hates to be used as a safety! Prepare questions, too.) Good luck!</p>
<p>I’m amazed about that 800 in Math! I’m really hopeful =) As I want to study Engineering, I believe Math will be much more considered than the other two sections (especially the writing which I found very easy)</p>
<p>To anyone interested: I’ve been rejected by all eight schools! I’ll study here in Italy!
The main reason I think it is financial need! If you need too much, your percentage of being rejected is SO MUCH higher… Think about it when you’ll decide to apply next year!</p>
<p>Anyway, this site has been useful, thanks to anyone who helped me!</p>
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