I know I’m a hopeless case. I’m an international student who needs 100% financial aid and has a very low SAT score (1910). The good part is my internationally recognized ECs and my rank in school (7%). I expected to be rejected. However, it hurts. It hurts everytime I open that letter which tells me that I’m not good enough and that all my hard work turned into vain.
Stanford University: Rejected
Colby College: Rejected
University of Chicago: Rejected
Grinnell College: Rejected
St. Lawrence University: Rejected
Bard College: Rejected because they don’t have enough money to fund me
More to come this week. Will update this thread with results.
@thezealot Looks like we’re in the same boat. Although I’ve gotten into some colleges, I’m not interested in the ones I’ve been accepted at and denied at the colleges I worked so hard for. I haven’t lost hope yet though. I had a 1970 on the SAT, 4/532 rank in graduating class, a good variety and blend of ECs and pretty great recommendation letters.
I’ve been denied at:
Bates
Kenyon
Grinnell
Denison
Clark U
Waitlisted at:
Gettysburg
Accepted at:
Stony Brook U
Earlham
Gustavus Adolphus
Ohio Wesleyan.
Lets keep our fingers crossed! This week’s going to be one helluva week… pray hard!
Same here…Also rejected from Bates and Waitlisted by Gettysburg…
So far accepted only by NYUSH, but the financial aid is not enough.Honestly expected them to be very generous, but it looks like almost all of the RD admits are facing the same problem, and it’s very strange…
What do you mean by “internationally recognized ECs”? There’s no such thing.
And all the colleges you applied to may offer aid to international students, but 100% is going a bit overboard. Just saying.
@DarkEclipse there are such things as internationally recognized ECs, such as Intel, Google science fair, IMO, IBO, and other international competitions, just to scratch the surface. And OP did not say that he expected the colleges to give him 100% fin aid, just that he needed 100% fin aid (there is a difference…)
And OP, sorry for all your rejections. I really hope that you get in somewhere good and somewhere you are happy to be. I wish you the greatest luck.
thezealot, I hope that you have some safeties that you applied to and would be happy attending if accepted. Getting rejected by reach schools such as Stanford and Chicago is not the end of the world.
SalemN, have you visited Stony Brook? SBU is a really underrated school in many respects and has some strong programs, with the very nice benefit of being just a train ride from New York City.
SalemN - You can get a good education at any of the colleges where you were accepted. Three are small, private liberal arts colleges; one is a large public university. You should decide which appeals to you more. My sons attended a Quaker school where many faculty members were Earlham alumni/ae.
I’m sorry you didn’t get accepted to the schools you wanted, but I don’t understand why international students think they should be able to come to the US for a free education. Low income US students don’t expect to be able to leave their state to study, much less their country. Are there any schools in your own country that you can attend?
I have to agree that the attitude can be distasteful to US students who are also in need of FA, and don’t look down at schools that admitted them but “you arent interested in them”. Perhaps getting an education in your own or another country would be better for you if the US doesnt meet your needs. Sheesh.
I’m truly sorry for your rejections at colleges in US, but have you considered cheap and safer options of attending schools in your own country? Perhaps you can do undergrad there and do Masters or PhD here in the States.
@SalemN I’m an international student who also got rejected and waitlisted by schools I like and accepted at schools that I’m not quite interested in. But really, you should be thankful you even get accepted at many schools. Idk why you look down on Earlham though - it’s a really great school. I’d choose Earlham (one of my top choices even though it’s only a safety based on my stats) if it’s affordable for me (sadly not).
OP, I know this is disheartening. But everything is unpredictable for international students that have huge financial aid need. If it doesn’t work out, you can take a gap year and then try your luck again. Many students have done that, and my case is the same.
Actually, quite a few US students do go out of country to get a reduced tuition. And except for Stony Brook, all of the schools mentioned are private schools. These schools recruit international students to create a more diverse learning environment for the benefit of all - the schools have the right to award financial aid as they see fit. Please remember that both of the posters are teenagers with the same hopes and dreams as your kids…there is nothing wrong in them feeling disappointed when things don’t turn out as they had hoped. Neither gives any indication that they won’t be fully appreciative of any education they receive here in this country. And remember, like it or not (I for one do like it) we are a international community…having educated leaders around the globe, exposed to the principles we in this country hold dear, can only make the world a better place. Please The Zealot and SalemN keep dreaming and remember to use your education not only for your benefit but also for the good of all - just as I expect my daughter to do the same. Good luck to both of you!
@austinmshauri, I understand where you’re coming from, but there are opportunities for low income US students to study out of state and even in a foreign country. Maybe not at a public university because those rarely offer financial aid to out of state students(including internationals), but at a good private college there are plenty of opportunities for low income domestic students. Also, there are lots of American universities all over the world and I’m pretty sure that at least some of them do offer good financial aid.
@collegedreams11, only a handful of the elite privates (all of them tough to get in to) promise to meet full need for everyone. At other privates, it’s very hit-or-miss.
For low-income kids who don’t get in to those highly selective privates (and a few publics) with giant fin aid packages, CC followed by an in-state public may be the only route (and in some states, even in-state publics are unaffordable).
BTW, @SalemN, if you aren’t interested in the schools that have accepted you, then turn down the acceptances to those schools and let some other kid who is interested in those schools attend their dream school instead.
@neonerudite Okay, I forgot about those, but s/he’d have to actually achieve something in those, not just participate.
I never said the OP expected 100% FA. However, since the OP needs 100% FA, it would be logical to assume that the OP will not finance any of the expenses. Which would also mean that the OP would apply for 100% FA, and will not attend if the need is not met. Which would reduce his chances drastically in the admissions process for some of the universities.
@austinmshauri It’s not that simple. There are numerous reasons as to why low income students try to leave their countries.
@SalemN If you aren’t interested in the universities you were accepted to, why did you even apply?
Some US students may choose to go to, for example, Canada, for for favorable costs, but in the overall college application process each year, its probably a small percentage. And also, every year students (domestic and international) express disappointing admissions results. But most students realize that, especially at schools with single digit admission rates and other highly competitive schools, admissions chances can be low, even for very qualified students. It isn’t a personal statement on a student’s potential. As a separate matter, IMO if a student does not want to attend a certain school or schools, they should not apply.
@dyslexicmom, I don’t believe US students have the opportunity to study overseas unless their parents can pay for the programs or their SAT scores are very high. Which international programs give full rides to low income US students with 1900 SAT scores?
I do realize that both posters are children. The reality that education takes money applies to my children just as much as it does to them. My point is that if children were taught not to expect full rides because of their income (and I mean this for US families as well), we’d see far less disappointment on this board.
@collegedreams11, What universities offer full rides to low income US students with SAT scores of 1910?
Ouch! I really am sorry for offending anyone if that’s the case and I should have conveyed my message better. Only God knows how happy I was to be accepted at those colleges,Earlham and SBU especially, after receiving so many rejections! Rn, I am just glad that I even have the privilege of choosing a college and will turn down the other acceptances after making a final choice. I really wouldn’t want to waste a spot when it will be clearly needed. And it looks like I’ll become an Earlhamite soon though … they gave me a great aid package! Really am sorry again…
Lol. I am actually glad that I said what I said now. You guys really have opened my eyes to the blessing I’ve received. I am a lot more grateful now. I never really thought about the chances of low-income US students at the colleges I’ve been accepted to until now. Thanks for the mild attack! my “myopia” has been cured…
@thezealot I’m also an international applicant.
I haven’t got my admission notifications yet, I hope I’m accepted in any of the universities!
I believe the problem is that you needed 100% financial aid. I have a friend (also international) that got into Chicago University with a 2000 on SAT, BUT she didn’t apply for financial aid, and she had a really good profile.
Well, good luck!! And don’t be desperate, there are still chances.
