<p>I'm a current first year student at an Australian university and would like to attend a US university, particularly one of Stanford, Harvard or MIT. I am interested in computer science/IT, and to a lesser degree engineering.</p>
<p>My intention is to start the undergrad in the US from scratch, instead of transferring. Is this possible and are my chances the same as those straight out of high school?</p>
<p>I have 2-3 days to sign up for the June SAT which I'd have to do to apply early action. Does early action improve your chances of getting accepted and it is worthwhile?</p>
<p>Does asking for financial aid have a significant affect on your likelihood of being accepted? It seems to me that Harvard is more willing to hand out financial aid than Stanford, and this is the primary reason I prefer Harvard to Stanford. Even though the CS/Silicon Valley community around Stanford is more appealing, I can't afford 60k a year. Harvard seems a bit more altruistic. Is this the case, and would asking for financial aid at Harvard also reduce my chances of being accepted?</p>
<p>I am not worried about the testing as I'm confident I can get close to 2400 on the SAT and 800s on the subject tests. I've always enjoyed learning, am self-motivated (I'm not a robot whose mum/dad pushes them to study to become a doctor, lawyer, etc), and want to make the most of myself, and so I'm not worried about this aspect.</p>
<p>I'm particularly concerned about extracurricular activities that seem to be very important to top US universities. I haven't done anything particularly special with my life and don't think I could get much done in the next 3-4 months to put on my application. I feel that this is the reason I'd like to go to a US university. I love the challenge and the entrepreneurial attitude of the college community in the US, and feel that that is where I'd thrive and have the chance to make the most of myself. What can I do regarding extracurricular activities and how important are they?</p>
<p>Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.</p>
<p>
Most American universities would force you to apply as a transfer student after you have completed one year of college elsewhere. If you hide the fact that you have previously attended another university and your US university finds out, you would probably get kicked out (if you are still in college) or have your degree revoked (if you have already graduated). </p>
<p>The “transfer” designation is primarily administrative: transfer students need to submit their previous college transcripts, for example. You would apply as a transfer student even if you wanted to change majors or if none of your Australian courses would be accepted by the American university. Your transcript would be evaluated for transfer credit after you get accepted; depending on how many of your courses transfer, the college will set the number of years that you’ll be eligible for financial aid to complete your degree.</p>
<p>
Stanford is awesome indeed! 
If you cannot afford to attend without financial aid, then apply for financial aid regardless of what it might do to your “chances.” An offer of admission with no way to pay for attendance is practically the same as a rejection.</p>
<p>
The answer to that is highly debated. The admission rates for EA applicants are typically slightly higher than the admission rates for regular decisions, but the two rounds might attract different types of applicants. For example, the EA round might have more legacies or recruited athletes, which have a statistically higher chance of admission than “unhooked” applicants. </p>
<p>
The impression I have is that the tippy top universities expect their students to be “very good” at something and “amazing” at something else. For example, you could be a very good student and an amazing athlete. Or amazing at math competitions or a recognized violin player or active in politics or… Or you could be amazing at academics (e.g. some accelerated American students who start taking Master’s and PhD-level classes in their favorite subject at age 17, next to their regular high school classes) and less involved in other extra-curricular activities. </p>
<p>But that’s just my own personal impression. I have never worked in an admissions office and I certainly do not want to discourage you from applying.</p>
<p>Thanks for the reply b@r!um.</p>
<p>I didn’t realise that I count as a transfer student no matter what.</p>
<p>Does the amount of financial aid one would require have an effect on your likelihood of acceptance at Harvard?</p>
<p>How liberal are these unis with accepting transfer credits?
Can you cut years off a bachelor if you get enough transfer credit? (e.g. do a US bachelor in 3 years since I’ve attend one year in Aus, or if they’re stricter something like 3 years US on top of having done 2 years Aus). I’m intending to apply twice this year and the next, so I hope they do, otherwise I’d be 21 by the time I start first year in the US (if I got in) and most freshman would be 18.</p>
<p>Does applying twice (this year and the next if I’m not accepted) negatively impact your chances of getting in? I ask this since I believe my SAT and SAT subject test scores will be fine, but with 3-4 months I don’t think I can do much regarding extracurricular activities, so I’m thinking they’d reject me based on the fact I wouldn’t stand out in this respect. So applying again in my second year of Aus uni I feel like I could get something significant done that would appeal to them. Would I have to do the SAT and SAT subject tests again?</p>
<p>Thank you.</p>
<p>also:
I’ve heard of advanced standing also. Is this possible for someone in my situation? What grades, criteria do they look at for this? I’d be particularly interested in trying for this if after 2 years in Aus I’m accepted, since I’ve calculated I’d be starting at 21 and finishing at 25 years of age under this scenario. So finishing at 24 would be more ideal.</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>Whether youd get credit for your college work very muh depends on where you’ve attended college and if the college that accepts you has similar courses.</p>
<p>Aid does have a big impact on acceptance to Stanford and MIT. </p>
<p>If you really want o attend a US college you should add some that are less difficult to get into. These schools take very few transfers because few students leave. I believe Harvard took 12 last year.</p>
<p>All of these schools want significant accomplishments outside of the classroom. National level awards and honors, unusual pursuits taken further than the average young person has achieved. A 2400 is certainly nice, but these schools reject most that scored 2400. You’ll need to have truly stood out in both high school and college.</p>
<p>Please excuse my terseness. I don’t have much time right now but I wanted to throw a couple of thoughts out there. </p>
<p>
No, but what would you do between now and next year to become a more competitive applicant?</p>
<p>
“Advanced standing” is normally used in the context of first-time college applicants being classified as 2nd year students because of previous college-level coursework completed in high school. Transfer students are routinely classified as 2nd or 3rd year students because they already have actual college credits.</p>
<p>
Yes, but do think this through carefully. American college students take less than half of their courses in their major, most of them in the last two years. If you transferred to an American university after two years at a foreign university, you’d probably be close-to-done with your major and spend the remaining two years with general education requirements. (MIT, for example, has a general education curriculum of 17 courses in addition to the departmental major requirements.) That can be a valuable experience but only if that’s really what you are hoping to get out of college in the US. If you are hoping to dive more deeply into your major, you might be disappointed.</p>
<p>Have you considered finishing your Bachelor’s degree in Australia and coming to the US for a Master’s degree or PhD?</p>