<p>Apparently, I am Korean and this is my third year in America. I've been really stressed out because i feel like getting into any ivy as an international student needing full financial aid just seems impossible to me even though I have a great grades and great recommendation letters and maybe decent essay since essay can be very subjective.
So I have 27 on ACT (but I took it again and i think it is gonna be better than 27) with when I graduate, ill have 7 AP and I'm graduating early(finishing high school in three years), a female Asian wanting to pursue engineering and mathematics. Do you guys think I will have chance of getting into either dartmouth or UPenn? I have applied to Yale but didnt get in. And Im going to apply MIT and Upenn and applied to UCLA, UCberkeley, Drexel, Furman, Dartmouth and Vandebilt. I just wish I can get into UPenn.
I have done fair amount of extra curriculars too. Im in band and played flute for 3 years and got superior in Ensamble. Also, played basketball, track and swimming and was most improved player in basketball. Im top 10% in my small religious school and got some awards for getting a good grades. Im really interested in math and pretty good at math. But didn't have a lot of competition experience to show how good I am. When I graduate I will have 3 math AP.. btw I took AP Calc AB as sophomore and got 4.. is that good?
I have so much more than just this short resume but do you guys think I have a decent chance? Or being an Asian international student needing financial aid makes it even impossible for any American college? Yeah, I'm pretty stressed out and mad that I'm Korean. Thanks for reading!</p>
<p>It’s great that you took the ACT again. Can’t you try taking the SATs? I think you’ll have a decent shot as long as your score improves.</p>
<p>Your issue is not being Asian. It is being an international applicant who needs significant financial aid.</p>
<p>What can your parents pay? Something? Nothing?</p>
<p>Some of the colleges and universities that guarantee merit-based aid for certain GPA and exam scores do offer significant scholarships for international students. However, your ACT score is low for those scholarships. You would need to pull it up to at least 30. Can you do that? Try the SAT, you may do better on it. <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1348012-automatic-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1348012-automatic-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships.html</a></p>
<p>Wow, thanks for the advice! Well, my plan didnt quite work out because my ACT that I thought I did better one didnt turn out as I wanted. So my ACT is still 27. (25, 34, 22, 26) It is pretty pathetic because I have lived in English speaking country for two years and my reading still sucks. Maybe I will try SAT? I mean I did not do very good on my first SAT and didnt really like it but I guess I will try it anyway. But isnt it too late? I have to take it on Feb 8th… </p>
<p>Also, happymomof1, I totally agree with you. Well, needing finaid and being an Asian is just a horrible thing. My parents can pay if they have to around 25K to 30K every year. But usually it costs 60K to stay in America for a year so I somehow have to get 30K or more for tuition scholarship. I will try my best on next ACT which has to be my last ACT and I will also do SAT.</p>
<p>There are a number of places where you could study for 25k. Use the college-matching search engines to identify places where the tuition and fees for an out-of-state student are 10k or less (so that you have 15k for housing, meals, transportation, books, insurance, etc.), and that offer the major you are thinking of. There are several public universities in Minnesota that would be within that budget, and most of the SUNY system would fit within a total budget of 30k.</p>
<p>Hey , I know exactly how you feel…… I was in the same situation until few weeks ago… as an international student needing full financial aid. </p>
<p>I am also an international student from Daejeon South Korea, and all hope seemed lost when my father’s R visa application thingies got rejected twice, so our entire family became, and still is, undocumented in the summer of my sophomore year (after F1/F2 visa expired.)</p>
<p>Btw since you said religious school I will assume it is a christian school. </p>
<p>Junior year was pretty depressing and difficult… and with articles/stats similar to this one
<a href=“Opinion | Asians: Too Smart for Their Own Good? - The New York Times”>Opinion | Asians: Too Smart for Their Own Good? - The New York Times;
talking about how harder it is for Asians, I was discouraged /indignant/depressed too regarding my financial status/immigration status/race. I was also angry at my parents and God. I mean R visa is for religious workers, and my father is a pastor;I just couldn’t understand why God had “forsaken me”… making everything so frustrating… I was starting to question the merits of Christianity… </p>
<p>After a period of teenage angst/depression first quarter of junior year … our family prayed a lot… and I did too… I tried my best to stay optimistic and tried not to lose hope, applied to things like QuestBridge, started studying like how used to do in school (before hearing the news about immigration status), started working really hard on essays for months (knowing that I was at disadvantage), and I became one of the lucky 895 students that got in to Harvard Early Action this year. I also received a full ride thanks to their need blind- meeting 100% demonstrated need policy. Also Obama’s deferred action plan passed.</p>
<p>So yeah… From my experience, it is no use worrying now. Worrying will only lead to depression… It is indeed a lot harder for you, and there are only 6 colleges in the U.S that are Need blind AND meet 100% demonstrated need FOR International students (Harvard,Yale,Princeton,MIT,Dartmouth,Amherst so apply to them all since needing Finaicial aid will not hurt your chances for theese schools in anyways), but nevertheless it is not impossible. </p>
<p>You can pm me, or ask any questions, or whatever. I hope everything works out for you, as it did with me :)</p>
<p>(If it is your 3rd year in U.S, why did you try and finish high school in 3 years? Maybe if it doesn’t work out this year finish 12th grade of high school and apply again? after refining ec/more ap/improve test score/improve essay?)</p>
<p>Wow, that is very encouraging than any other stories I heard. Thanks 
I am very glad it worked out for you! I actually had applied to Yale for Early Action but didn’t get accepted. It was hard to swallow at first, but I am recovering now. I applied to MIT and Dartmouth, I will try my best not to lose hope! Yes, I am a Christian from Korea(Incheon) and studying in Florida. Well, I worked really hard and studied really hard on essays and ACT but… I think essay came out pretty good but ACT is not as good as I studied for. I have applied to many other schools and will still pray about it. </p>
<p>And yes this is my 3rd year in US since I am kind of graduating early, and I will not be able to do another year since this IS my senior year. I will wait and see what God’s plan is for me. Hopefully the one I am praying for. I just wish I had prepared better because I am not an URM or like Intel nominee or whatever, and not like I have tons of money to pay for all years of college, but I will see what happens. I mean, Ivies are not the only colleges I can go, right? I wish I could have gotten into Yale since that was my dream school, but obviously that was a reach. Thank you so much for the heartfelt story :)</p>
<p>I am glad that you thought my story was encouraging </p>
<p>I’ll pray that everything works out for you too! </p>
<p>Good Luck!</p>
<p>Wow guys I’m so pumped that I found other Korean CCer’s who are ALSO Christians.</p>
<p>God be with you Sumin! Don’t lose hope!</p>