My chances at Colgate?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Colgate University
1

<p>Here are my stats (I am planning to do ED I next year)</p>

<p>Country: Spain (Moved here at the end of 9th Grade from Connecticut)
School: American School of Madrid
Citizenship: Mexican/Hispanic (Minority at Colgate University)
Resident Status in the USA: Will apply for a Student Visa
TOEFL: Waived because of 11 years spent living in USA/England.
Have lived: Mexico (Age 0-1), England (Age 1-6), Connecticut (6-15 (Middle School and Freshman Year)), Spain (15-18 (Sophomore-Senior Year))</p>

<p>GPA: 3.7 (Unweighted)
Weighted GPA: 3.7, because my school does not count IB (International Baccalaureate) classes as weighted classes unless they are HL (which, at my school, can only be taken during senior year.
SAT I: 760M 610CR 680W
SAT II: 710 Biology M (in Freshman Year), and I have yet to take the other two which will be French and Math II.
AP/IB: Full IB-Diploma Student
Junior Course-load: IB English, IB Spanish IV, IB Theory of Knowledge, Model United Nations, Instrumental Music, IB Chemistry, IB Mathematics HL, IB French IV, IB History (and IB Biology (a junior class) that I took during Sophomore year)
Senior Course-load: IB English HL, IB Spanish IV, IB Theory of Knowledge, IB Biology HL, IB Chemistry HL, IB Mathematics HL, IB French IV SL, IB History SL.</p>

<p>EC:
Advanced Saxophone Level-Classes throughout Middle School and my High School.
Have done things such as class concerts and the Pit Orchestra for the Musical.
Two Plays: The first was a minor role, and the second was supporting actor (Secondary Role)
Student Government: Treasurer of the Junior Class (Junior Year) and Executive Treasurer (Senior Year)
School Help: Embajador (School Helper) for three years. Currently I help the school put on events, welcome new students, and have a year-round job grading Physics quizzes
Model United Nations: Delegate at the THIMUN convention in The Hague, one of the biggest High School MUNs.
3-week Language Immersion Program in France the summer of Freshman Year.
Math Team Participant and went to the American School of Paris Math Competition
Throughout Ninth Grade I participated in my town's EMS Service which was staffed entirely by high school students. It was the whole year and I had about three 24 hours duties where I was on the ambulance crew and about 2 6-hour duties were I worked in the Radio Room. There were also meetings, work parties, training sessions, first aid class and training for the ambulance, as well as the occasional 4 day duty which was second response. Website: <a href="http://www.post53.info/%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.post53.info/&lt;/a>
I won an award in 9th Grade for a state-wide French Contest where I placed 2nd Place. </p>

<p>Sports:
Junior Varsity Cross Country in Fall of Freshman Year. Team was Region 3rd Place Winners
Varsity Ski Team in the Winter of Freshman Year.
Varsity Tennis at a local Club throughout Junior and Senior Year
Sports Work Experience: Certified Connecticut Referee from 7th grade to 9th grade. </p>

<p>Essay: Have a lot of good ideas. Generally a good writer.
Recs: Guidance Counselor-Very good English Teacher-Amazing (A+ in her class, she comes over to my house for dinner) Biology Teacher: Very good
.</p>

2

<p>so you’re considered an international applicant, right?
if so, the most important question is- are you applying for financial aid?</p>

3

<p>I am not. My family makes enough money to be considered rich and when the Euros get converted into dollars, its look like a lot more money. I have no need to apply for financial aid. Does applying for financial aid hinder your chances?</p>

4

<p>Your GPA and EC’s are good enough, your SAT I scores put you in the mid-range. Because of your IB status and the fact that you are rather “worldly” I think your chances are very realistic. Good luck!</p>

5

<p>applying for financial aid most definitely does hinder your chances (less so at Colgate just because the actual amount of need is not taken into account, however at other schools having more need means less chances to get it).
anyway, you definitely sound like an interesting applicant. I’m an international who did apply for aid so I can’t be too helpful. however, i would try and get at least a 650 on the CR. that will make you look a lot better. plus, as i said to someone else, 760 in the math means you had very few mistakes. hence, you have good chances to improve that if you take the SAT again. another 40 points on the math and another 50 on the CR puts you at 1460/2140, which is competitive.
best of luck!</p>

6

<p>I think jshain summed it up nicely and is right on. At this point we will know in about a week or 2 so not much to do but wait</p>

7

<p>giaviv his 1600 score is 1370</p>

8

<p>@ceresma - right, but that puts him below the average (1390), and if he were to up his score in 90 points (50 in the CR and 40 in the M), it’ll be a 1460…
btw, he said he is applying next year :)</p>

9

<p>Applying for financial aid makes no difference to the admissions office given that Colgate strives to attract, admit and enroll the most talented individuals for a well rounded class. However, as many applicants do seek financial aid from Colgate (as well as other sources), there are limitations on these resources. The apportioning of financial support can lead to disappointment when expectations are not met such as when applicants are offered places but the terms of subsidy may not satisfy.</p>

<p>Colgate does have a relatively large number of “full pay” applicants and yet Colgate is extremely focused on increasing the aid it can extend from its own endowment. This is extremely important as Colgate endeavors to attract the best candidates from a global applicant pool. While many US applicants may be eligible for aid grants and loans from state and/or US federal sources, that might not be the case for non-US applicants.</p>

<p>I trust that this information is helpful and would urge applicants to pose questions directly to the admissions office for perpective on these issues.</p>

<p>Good luck with your application- whether you or other applicants are seeking financial aid!</p>

10

<p>Ahh I missed that he was a junior. I agree an increase in SAT especially the CR would be very helpful</p>

11

<p>@markham - your post makes it sound like Colgate is need-blind for internationals.
that’s simply not true - being an international applying for aid is A LOT more competitive than being a full-paying international applicant…</p>

12

<p>glaviv,</p>

<p>I didn’t make such an assertion nor would I do so. I simply stated that there may be more sources of financial aid to US applicants from local sources. Does that make it easier for US applicants needing aid? That depends…</p>

<p>While I don’t work in an admissions office I safely offer that the process is complicated, nuanced and dependent on many variables that differ month by month, year to year, and cycle (ED1, ED11 and regular). What counts is the quality of the entire application including the financial aid disclosure forms, who comprises the applicant pool as individuals and as members of the class sought to make a well rounded and diverse complement to the school, how many do and do not seek financial aid, how much financial aid there may from any variety of sources and what their stipulations are (grants/loans/work) in terms of individuals’ needs, how each applicant for aid is evaluated and what is determined as their need, the number of applicants to be admitted in order to deliver the class target number etc. </p>

<p>Colgate is need aware, as you say, and not need blind. It will meet 100% of an applicant’s demonstrated need. But in determining who is accepted many candidates who are deserving of aid will not be offered a place simply due the limitations of the financial aid resource. I wish that there were more resources available from all sources so that there would be no disappointment among these candidates. That applies to all applicants.</p>

13

<p>That’s true, however due to the absence of federal aid for non-US citizens and due to the fact that only around 10% of the class are international students, out of which around half are awarded aid, one can fairly say that an international applicant who is seeking financial aid is in the most competitive spot to be admitted. Period.
It’s true that Colgate meets 100% need - you don’t need to convince me! Colgate is amazing. I was not happy with my financial aid award so I appealed it and they immediately revised my award. They are kind and caring and I cannot wait to become a member of the Colgate family, however let’s not ignore the fact that admission for international, need demonstrating applicants is very hard. All the international students who were awarded aid that I spoke with had much higher stats than the averages.</p>

14

<p>Firstly, I am not arguing with you. I am agreeing with you at a certain level and have done so all along. Ii just wanted to emphasize all the factors and variables applicants for aid encounter so that they can prepare themselves. The worst combination of elements would be a sense of entitlement for aid and an inadequately clear and complete set of forms since disappointment might well follow in the university’s notification letter.</p>

<p>Of course I am pleased with your progress and success in organizing your application for the desired outcome. For many this journey must appear very difficult indeed.</p>

<p>Good luck with everything that leads up to freshman year at the 'Gate!</p>