Im an Iranian Female student
My GPA is 17 out of 20
In senior year i got 20 / 20 in Math Bio Chem Phys Eng
SAT subject tests : Math800 Chem800 bio790
ACT36
I can speak in 7 languages and i can code in C, C++, Java, C sharp, Java script, Python programming languages
Im a senior in high school. Ill have to wait for my USA visa so ill probably have 1 year gap (fall 2019) do I have a chance for any Ivy league or any colleges in USA? My friend had a great GPA and her other scores were just like mine and she got into Stanford with FULL FUND. Do I have any chance for full fund? I know my GPA is not concidered good but does GPA play a big role in international students’ addmission too?
Do you have a chance? Yes. But the competition for the top schools, especially for international students who need significant financial aid, is fierce… and sometimes getting in is really somewhat a matter of luck.
I would recommend you apply to a wide selection of schools to increase your chances – also consider women’s colleges such as Smith or Wellesley, which can be generous with financial aid.
BTW, what do you mean, you have to wait for your USA visa?
There are several issues that make obtaining any US visa for Iranian citizens and residents more difficult .the United States does not maintain an embassy in Iran. US visas for Iranians can be processed through US embassies in Abu Dhabi, Ankara, Frankfurt, Naples and Vienna. And it will take months.
Thank you for the explanation. I assume that includes a student visa, as well?
You will be able to get into some university in the US. Getting financial aid is more of a challenge. Getting into an Ivy League university or getting into any university that meets full financial need for international students may be quite a challenge. There are only a relatively small number of universities in the US that meet full need for international students, and they are all very difficult to get into.
Personally I do not know how to interpret your GPA since we have a very different system here. How does this compare to other students in your school and in your country? In general for Ivy League and equivalent universities (such as Stanford and MIT) you need to be very close to the top in your high school, if not one of the the top students in your country. For the top schools, test scores and GPA are both very important.
How much can you afford to pay in total for four years of university?
when I planned to study in USA and started studying for SAT ACT , 1 dollar was about 30000 Rials ( just a few months ago) but Iran’s currency fall to 90000 Rials against $1, its lowest point ever.
my family even had hard times (financial problems) paying for the SAT ACT, I even had to go to Turkey to take them because they are not held in Iran) and I dont know what more will happen to our currency as it changes everyday.Nothing is stable really So I cant say how much Ill be able to pay next year since I have to wait months for my visa.
Im just hoping to get Full Fund I dont know what to do more.
About the GPA , it’s so unreliable really . even Universities of Iran dont care about GPA at all and you only have to get good scores on Konkoor which is the only university entrance exam in Iran.
teachers and students cheat , questions get leaked and thats why I said its so unreliable
But Idk if US colleges know how unreliable our GPA is.
I studied at the Sampad which is a school for most talented students of the country and requires enterance exam which I took and got accepted and no, Im not a top student there.
Do you think I have a chance? I want to make sure before sending my applications since application fees are a problem to me
Yes any kind of visa
If I take Konkoor (Iran’s only and most standard university entrance exam) in which almost all of Iranian senior students compete each year in July . about (500,000 students in my major) and youll get a place within 1 to 500,000 based on your overall score if I score good and get a good place will that help me to show Im a top student in country?
The selective schools in America will understand Iran’s system and can judge your GPA in the right context. Absolutely showing your standing on a national level will be helpful. Many selective schools also do an in person interview over Skype; you could also discuss your accomplishments in that interview.
Take a lot of time to research schools before you apply – you will need to include non-Ivy League schools to increase your chances. Devote a lot of time to your applications, ask questions here and on the Parents Forum (lots of experience there!) This is an interesting thread for you to read through:
http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/international-students/1988587-international-student-looking-for-full-ride.html#latest
OP is also a highly accomplished international student needing significant financial aid. You can find out where she applied, and what her results were.
Good luck. I know there’s a lot of worry and concern in Iran right now. I wish you the very best.
Thank you for your time❤