Misses to apply in 2013, do I still have a chance?

Applying to College
1

<p>Hi!
I am an international student and I would like to study in the USA, particularly at an ivy-league school like harvard or a comparable school like stanford. Three of my cousins already study in the US and I really like the broad college philosophy you have! </p>

<p>Now I know that there are literally houndreds of threads that cover similar questions but please help me ! :)</p>

<p>I finished school this may, but I failed to apply at american colleges. Instead I will go to another university this year.</p>

<p>Now this is what worries me;
Can I still apply to a top university in the US for 2015 regular entry? I am afraid that colleges like harvard will be sceptical what I am doing 2014/2015 and then reject me on the basis of this?!</p>

<p>In general; Do you think that this vitiates my application and that I have no chance of getting accepted? I understand that in order to be accepted I have to be excellent, especially as an international student right?</p>

<p>My extracurriculars are solid, thought not extraordinary stellar. I participated in many clubs at my boarding school, and was organizer of events, member, co-leader and founder of clubs (academic and sport) and have various more outside activities.</p>

<p>I was in the IB program and finished with 42 out of 45 points, which is as some you know quite difficult, and was the valedictorian of my class, even though I took 4 HL courses instead of the required 3 HL.</p>

<p>However I don't have tons of achievements, prizes, rewards that most american top-applicants seem to have... Somehow we don't have such things in my country!</p>

<p>I am studying for the SAT this october, but giving the rigour of the IB classes I took, I expect to have a combined score of 2100-2400.
If the result is too bad I will redo the test in november, or might even do the ACT Test as well (will this increase my chances?)</p>

<p>So given my background, do you advice me to apply? Do you think I stand any chance or should I save the 500$?
Please keep in mind that I am only considering the top of the top colleges, as for other schools its simply too expensive! As an international student I have to pay very high fees!</p>

<p>Btw I am multicultural child but I consider myself as caucasian.</p>

<p>Note: I dont want to apply as a tranfer student, as I read that this makes it even more difficult to get in!!!</p>

<p>Thank you for your patience and advice! :D</p>

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<p>Instead I will go to another university this year.</p>

<p>Note: I dont want to apply as a tranfer student, as I read that this makes it even more difficult to get in!!!</p>

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<p>True…so don’t start at the univ in your country…otherwise you will be a transfer student.</p>

3

<p>No if i am less than one year enrolled at a university (which i am if I would apply this year) I am technically not a tranfer student!</p>

4

<p>if you transfer credit from one university to the target university, you are a transfer student.</p>

5

<p>I will not transfer any credits.</p>

6

<p>Doesnt’ matter if you don’t want to transfer the credits. You can’t go to another univ and then come as an incoming frosh.</p>

<p>This isn’t allowed. You have to show all college classes that you’ve taken. </p>

7

<p>Students who will have completed less than one full-time continuous year of study at one college by the anticipated date of matriculation at Harvard should apply as freshman candidates. (All such applicants, if admitted, will matriculate as regular freshmen without any transfer credit.)
Source: harvard
I guess that applies to all colleges.</p>

<p>But that was not the question! :(</p>

8

<p>(<a href=“Transfer Applicants | Harvard”>https://college.harvard.edu/admissions/application-process/transferring-harvard-college/transfer-eligibility&lt;/a&gt;)</p>

9

<p>

That obviously depends on what you spend the year doing. A gap year during which you’re something useful (e.g. jobs, internships, volunteering, etc.) can improve your application. If you spend the year playing video games, that won’t help your application. </p>

<p>

Check the requirements for each college carefully. You can never assume that any two American colleges have the same policy. Some colleges require any student that has enrolled full time at a college to apply as a transfer. Stanford and Cornell have this approach. </p>

<p>Students who have enrolled either full-time or as a degree-seeking student after graduating from high school must apply for transfer admission.</p>

<p><a href=“Eligibility & Transfer Credit : Stanford University”>Page Not Found : Stanford University;

<p>You must apply to Cornell as a transfer student if you’ve graduated from high school and have earned 12 or more credits at another college or university since then. If you’ve enrolled as a full-time student at another institution, you’re also considered a transfer applicant.</p>

<p><a href=“Transfer Applicants | Undergraduate Admissions”>http://admissions.cornell.edu/apply/transfer-applicants&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>As for your question, I’m not sure what we can tell you. You have good stats, but so do many other applicants, the majority of whom will be rejected. You have as good a shot as anyone else, but only you can decide if it’s “worth it” to apply. </p>

<p>Consider your other options carefully, especially if you’re in a country with very solid universities like Italy or Germany. </p>

10

<p>1) You don’t have test scores, so it’s hard to say you have a chance.</p>

<p>2) If you spend a year doing nothing, yes, that will hurt your chances significantly.</p>

<p>3) Don’t ask a question and then tell people who answer it that they are wrong (especially when they aren’t).</p>

<p>4) You went to boarding school, so I’m assuming you are well off. Are you going to be full pay? If you are full pay at an ivy or top private, expect to pay $70,000- $75,000 per year because of the cost of transportation.</p>

11

<p>I don’t think you are interpreting the Harvard rule accurately.

So if you will have attended a full year of college by the time you start your studies at Harvard, you will be considered a transfer student. It seems you are thinking that the one year is measured at the time you apply, but it’s measured by looking back once you matriculate–i.e., begin attending. </p>

12

<p>No one will care about your age. Gap years are becoming more frequent as long as you use your time productively - working, volunteering, involved in a project, etc.
However, if you were enrolled in a college (vs. trade school, community education program, apprenticeship, postgraduate year in a secondary school, further ALevels…) you would be considered a transfer.
Transfers to Top 25 universities are few and far between (rare) and almost all are “lateral” transfers, ie., coming from a school in the US, often a Top50 or Top100 4-year university. Some universities, such as USC (CA) or Cornell, take a lot of transfers, but transfers from community colleges with which they have agreements.</p>