My fears concerning colleges (especially NYU)!!!

I’m not a native English speaker, in fact, I’ve just moved to America this year, which is my junior year. I’m taking college-prep classes (I’m not in any ESL courses) and I’m planning to take 2 AP classes (AP chem. and AP Calculus) next year. I have no idea how my school is going to change my grades from 9th and 10th grade, which I completed in a foreign country (Poland). I’m in only 2 extra-curricular activities, that is in library aid and math club (When I came to Sayreville I didn’t know anybody and since I’m a generally shy person I didn’t sign up for any clubs until I realized how important ec really are, but then it was too late…). I’m trying to make the high honor roll at my school (which is the straight A’s honor roll) ,hopefully I’ll get the perfect attendance award and I was also accepted for publication in the 2004/2005 National Honor Roll Commemorative Edition. When I took the PSAT this in October 2004 my scores were 540V, 630M and 720W, so without the writing section, my score was 1170. I’m taking the old SAT on January 22 and then the new SAT in May and in October my senior year. I’m hoping to score above 1200, I’ve been working really hard this year and I’m a very diligent person by nature, so I’ll hope that by improving my English, I’ll be able to raise my verbal score as well. I was also thinking about taking TOEFL, but wouldn’t it be rather an impediment than an aid, and give a false impression of me, knowing very, very little English? (and I think my English skills aren’t that bad! Are they…?) I don’t have any definite plans for my future yet, but I’m very serious about NYU, it seems like such a great school, but…Do I have any chances at all??? Could I possible get in?? I mean, it is a very selective school… I’m also considering New Jersey colleges such as Rutgers and The College of New Jersey, but I really don’t know that much yet, I would also like to apply to some colleges in the states of New York and Pennsylvania, but which ones would be likely to accept me? I would appreciate any suggestions at all! Please respond!!!

<p>Even though you are going to schoolin the U.S. when you apply to college you will have ot apply an international student. SO please keep the following points in mind</p>

<p>The academic pool for international students is very competive with many people applying for a few spots at those schools which are need blind to internationals, and eith meet 100% of your demonstrated need or offer generous merit scholarships to internationals students.</p>

<p>NYU is not need blind, they do not meet 100% of your demonstrated need, and have very little if any financial aid (outside of loans) for international students.</p>

<p>iI would advise you to look at a good mixture of reach match and safety school as well as a financial safety (if admitted you will attend and you can afford the tuition)</p>

<p>Check each colleges policies on international students and Aid for international students.</p>

<p>I would recommend that you look at Bryn Mawr, Mouth Holyoke and Smith (even though they are women's colleges they are very generous with financial aid to international studnets)</p>

<p>Some sites which you should begin checking out are </p>

<p><a href="http://fdncenter.org/learn/faqs/html/internationalstudents.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://fdncenter.org/learn/faqs/html/internationalstudents.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p><a href="http://www.edupass.org/finaid/%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.edupass.org/finaid/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p><a href="http://www.iefa.org/%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.iefa.org/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Look to increase your SAT scores and continue to take the most rigerous curriculm that your school offers and continue to do well.</p>

<p>I commend you for starting the process now so that you can have many choices intead of scrambling at the last minute.</p>

<p>All the best</p>

<p>The student is not an international, he is going to h.s. in the United States. Your SATs are very strong considering that you are still learning English. This leaves you a lot of room for improvement, because you will continue to learn more and more words and gain reading composition skill that can improve your scores. Your English is very good, as I can tell from your well-written post. your verbal is not great, but better than the majority of Americans, LOL. </p>

<p>Keep up your good grades, and work on an SAT score of 1300+. I am assuming that you don't have a GPA yet, but work on the highest possible grades you can get, and work on a class rank in the top 10%(or top 5%). A 1200-1300 score would be fine. I only got a 1270 and still got into George Washington University in DC(maybe you should look into it?).</p>

<p>If you need financial aid, then apply RD to NYU. If NYU is your clear first choice and you can pay the full price for it, I recommend applying ED(it's binding), but it can really improve your chances. Show Lots of interest and your chances will improve.</p>

<p>The main thing severly hurting you is that you have virtually no ECs. The Perfect attendance thing is not worthy of mentioning, along with nat. honor roll(a scam for $). Do not put that on your college resume.</p>

<p>Math Club is a start, but you need to find a passion. If you are crazy about animals, volunteer at an animal shelter. Volunteer at a Nursing Home or at an elementary school. Explain in your apps. how you just moved here and didn't have the option to do EC's until your junior year.</p>

<p>"he is going to h.s. in the United States'.</p>

<p>It is not where you go to school that determines whether you are not an international students to because you do not have to be a U.S. citizen to attend public school in the U.s. What determines whether or not you are an international student is whether you are a U.S. citzen or Permanent resident (with a green card). If you are not either one of those, then you will willbe treated as an international student o matter how mny years you have gone to school in the U.S.</p>

<p>NYU Specifically states :</p>

<p><a href="http://admissions.nyu.edu/appprocess/international.php%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://admissions.nyu.edu/appprocess/international.php&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>"That if you are not a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, you must provide the information requested in the "other citizenship portion of the application even if you have an application for permanent residency or citizenship in progress.</p>

<p>Because of the limited amountof financial aid to international students, our general expection is that international students must be able to provide the full cost of their education from their own resources. As a result application fee waivers will not be accepted from international studnets"</p>

<p>Thanks for responding everyone! </p>

<p>Well, according to your messages, it turns out that I am currently an "international student", but I'm due to receive my green card in less than a year. And since I will be applying to colleges in my senior year in the winter (I'm only considering regular admission options and I would like to receive some kind of financial aid!)I might get it BEFORE I start applying to schools!
( I hope!!!).</p>

<p>I was actually wondering if the extracurricular activities that I was involved in during my 9th and 10th grade years when I still lived in Poland could be of some kind of help. Is it possible??? I would ask my guidance counselor, but the problem with her is that she's particularly unhelpful and probably doesn't know more about the process of applying and getting into colleges than I do, because it's her first year too! There's a lot of stuff that worries me, but I really don't have anybody I could talk to. </p>

<p>How do I know what places need volounteer help??? I would be glad to work somewhere for free if it could enhance my application! Where can I find any info.?</p>

<p>NYU is, in fact, my first choice, but money is a great problem, so if I'm not eligible for any financial aid there,I will probably decide not to apply. </p>

<p>And another thing...I am a woman! LOL , so please don't refer to me as "he" lol! :)</p>

<p>What are you intersted in. Hospitals, libraires, shelters, churches, after school programs are always looking for volunteers. Look at big non-profit organizations (United Way)</p>

<p>Look on the bulliten board out side of your college office because you find opportunities.</p>