<p>Hello guys! I want to pursue CS. I have-</p>
<p>8.8-Class 9
9.8- Class 10
89%- Class 11
89%- Class 12(Mid term)</p>
<p>800 on Math 2 and Physics
7.5 IELTS
Expecting ~2100 SAT Reasoning</p>
<p>Decent ECs with chess at national level (represented school).</p>
<p>I need urgent help on the following issues-</p>
<p>1)I am not very rich and thus cant afford the high prices of most US colleges. I was applying to colleges that give financial aid like Cornell and Princeton but now I feel that my sat scores may be low and my time may be wasted. Should I apply to other colleges and take a loan later on? For example would Univ. of Michigan Ann-Arbor be suitable for me? </p>
<p>2)My counselor is sending stuff by mail but also told me to fill the common app. I am sending recommendations by mail so do I still need to assign them on common app?</p>
<p>3)I changed schools after X std so do I need to get transcript from my old school? (It is very difficult to do this) </p>
<p>4)My common app essay seems to be dull. Should I write in a more lively informal manner or is that okay?</p>
<p>5)I heard that if we score well in SAT writing then we don't need to give IELTS scores, is this true?</p>
<p>6)My counselor is insisting on a resume is this necessary? (She has done apps of mostly rich kids who don't need aid anyway)</p>
<ol>
<li><p>You can try applying to schools which are known for awarding lots of financial aid to international students, but at the same time have better acceptance rates like Grinnell and Macalester.</p></li>
<li><p>If your present school has your 9th and 10th grade marks, you need not get a transcript from your old school.</p></li>
<li><p>Admission counselors will be reading a lot of essays. Ask yourself if your essay stands out among a bunch of essays. </p></li>
<li><p>IELTS/ TOEFL waiver is generally based on your CR section score in SAT ( or the medium of instruction in your school.) Check individual college websites with regard to this ( or send them an e-mail.)</p></li>
<li><p>I don’t think so.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Thanks for your response 
I am confident of getting IELTS waiver because I did well in CR. I also talked to the principal and with your help all six issues are now resolved. (Except maybe the first which has no foolproof solution anyway) Will post more issues as they come.</p>
<p>Guys I am applying online. So I don’t have to courier anything right? How will the colleges verify our ECs without certificates?</p>
<p>Unless your teacher opts for the offline letter of recommendation, you don;t have to courier anything. ( I believe RPI asks for transcripts to be mailed.). Do check out every college’s website.
Certain important achievements/awards/extracurriculars can easily be found on the Internet. Also, your guidance counselor/ teachers would have talked about some ECs in their recommendations.</p>
<p>Thanks, you guys are awesome.</p>
<p>I need some feedback about the beginning of my common app essay. I chose the background or story prompt. It starts with a description of my parents and their jobs </p>
<p>Something like-</p>
<p>My name is ____<strong><em>. I belong to a typical middle class Indian household. My Dad is an engineer, he works with _</em></strong>_____. My Mom…etc.</p>
<p>Is this okay? I am worried that I should start directly or in an informal manner.</p>
<p>One big problem has occurred!
My counselor has uploaded the transcript that has the 12th mid -term marks ONLY. This is because she usually sends report cards of 9th,10th,11th in snail mail to the colleges. I am aiming for online app so I needed to include the marks of previous classes also.
Thankfully there is an “optional report” tab by which I can make a correction to the transcript once. Guys, especially anialways, will this save me? Should I send snail mail also just to be sure?</p>
<p>I think optional report tab should do it. And your counsellor can make a mention of the previous omission/goof-up.</p>
<p>I have made a new transcript. I might send high school reports also because my parents want to do it the way my counselor usually does it. Do you think that this will create a bad impression?</p>
<p>Send the reports in snail mail…you mean…that is ok and it is good to doubly sure.</p>
<p>My counselor is a subject teacher. So this means that she cant give me a teacher recommendation? Is it possible that counselor and teacher recommendation is written by the same person?</p>
<p>If your does not have a Counsellor your subject teacher can do the job of a Counsellor as well as the teacher recommendation. Basically as a Counsellor one puts you in context of the school and a subject teacher would highlight your achievements and strengths in that particular subject area, academically and otherwise.</p>
<p>Thanks, now my worry has decreased.</p>
<p>SAT reasoning scores out, got 2160.
800(math),720(cr),640(wrt)</p>
<p>Can anybody suggest a last minute safety with good cs and aid?</p>
<p>Scores are not competitive enough for merit aid. You may be admitted to some schools but not with aid. Try the southern and midwestern schools.</p>
<p>I mostly applied to need-based aid offering schools so either I get in with aid, or I don’t in at all. Anyway the deadlines have now mostly passed.</p>