Look at WVU
We need the student’s gpa and rigor because right now we don’t know the strength of this student relative to their classmates/within the country (is this a male or female)…if they could potentially qualify for admission at a meet full need school (assuming the family has financial need and school’s calculate that need to be within the $20K budget) they can take a gap year.
Bottom line, this student is looking to attend college (at a greatly reduced price) in the country where that education is among the most expensive anywhere in the world…where many citizens can not have a 4 year residential college experience, and for many more, financial constraints limit college choice.
Travel will cost at least $2K per year, plus another $2k minimum for health insurance
Edited to add: Yes NACAC will have a list of schools still taking apps after May 1, but all of the schools that will be on that list are taking apps right now, and some will have scholarship deadlines and/or budgets run out by May 1, so DO NOT wait for that list.
3 Likes
And international students have to pay significantly higher tuition; and most CCs don’t provide housing.
Another point to consider:
My understanding is that not all community colleges are set up to accept international students. That is, they don’t have the knowledge/ability to issue the paperwork required by the State Department to issue a student visa.
1 Like
Since this student scored 1520 on a test given in a foreign language and attends a public school that has sent students abroad in the past, we can assume s/he attends a top academic/prep school, so rigor can be inferred (in the same way you’d assume rigor for a student at one of the exam-based NYC high schools).
In the same way, this student wouldn’t aim for study abroad and/or CS if s/he didn’t have a top GPA since parents wouldn’t risk sending their child abroad otherwise.
Have they seen resources offered by US in their region
https://educationusa.state.gov/centers/educationusa-advising-center-ho-chi-minh-city
Or in Hanoi
A scholarship is mentioned, apply by May 1.
3 Likes
That makes sense. If we have GPA and rigor it would solidify their potential to be admitted at a meet full need school, in which case a gap year could make sense.
While I understand a top student from Vietnam might not want to attend Western Illinois U, that school may very well be affordable to them this fall, if starting school this fall is a priority.
1 Like
I’m trying to talk them into waiting a year but it’s difficult to convince them. It is without a doubt the best option.
1 Like
None of us can make the judgment that it’s the best option for them…that is their call. This student could very well not get into any meet full need schools in the US next year.
Are Western Illinois and UMN Morris not appealing?
Perhaps South Korea will work out. If they do wait a year, they should look at UK and EU colleges as well.
2 Likes
Without knowing GPA, it’s not all that easy to predict where this student might get accepted.
@WayOutWestMom did this one miss the scholarship deadline for the NM colleges?
Looking outside of the US for programs in English but it’d mostly be for next year…
This would be within budget but deadline was in November 
https://www.insa-lyon.fr/en/asinsa
https://candidat.groupe-insa.fr/candidat/Guide_INSA_Vietnam.pdf
Not sure it’s within budget
4 Likes
GPA is 9.8 on a 10 point scale. Essentially top 1% in Vietnam at the most rigorous school. No extracurricular activities.
Third place in national math olympiad.
5 Likes
That’s awesome. Sounds like he’ll have excellent options at full meets-need schools if he takes a gap year and applies for fall 2024.
UNM’s deadline for international scholarship applications was Feb 15.
So it’s too late
Do students need to apply the year they graduate from high school…or can this student do a gap year and apply next year.
What about NM Tech?
UNM scholarships for international students:
https://international.unm.edu/undergraduate/scholarship-and-cost-of-attendance.html
NM Tech offer scholarship for both international freshman students and international transfer students. However, the scholarships max out at $6000/year–which wouldn’t get the OP’s cost under $11K/year.
https://www.nmt.edu/finaid/scholarships.php#international
Paging @hebegebe who might have some thoughts for this international student (1520 SAT, 790 Math) with suggestions of schools to send a late application or that the student may want to apply to if a gap year is taken.
In competition math, the top six math students in each country (as defined by each country’s selection process) are eligible to attend the International Math Olympiad, which is a great academic accomplishment. Did this student achieve that? If so, how did he do?
The reason I ask is that US students with that accomplishment are almost guaranteed admittance into MIT. With international students, admit rates to MIT seem to be about 50%.
If that is what this student has achieved, then it’s another reason to consider waiting a year to reapply to several highly selective colleges. But if that’s not the case, then it will simply be another nice EC to put on the application.
I don’t have much visibility into schools that are still accepting students.
3 Likes
Check Truman State - small public university in Missouri. How to Apply | Admissions | Truman State University