<p>I've only been considering prep schools recently, and probably later than I should have done. I'm currently in 9th grade, homeschooled & an international aka the worst combination possible. I do have a few questions though:</p>
<ol>
<li>Does anyone know of any schools that offer full financial aid to internationals (if they need/are worthy of it, obviously)?</li>
<li>Can the SSAT be substituted with the ordinary SAT? The nearest exam centre is six and a half hours away. D:</li>
<li>Are extra-curriculars hugely important? I'm not currently in any because it's difficult with being homeschooled and because they aren't very common in the UK outside of dance. I already know what I'm most interested in when I start boarding school though! Tennis, possibly track, badmington & I'm not sure club-wise yet. But sports, I know what I want to do. (:</li>
</ol>
<p>Thanks for answering my questions! I'm new to the whole idea so excuse anything stupid I said. :)</p>
Most schools have need based aid and a few have merit based aid. Only a few schools that I know of distinguish between domestic students and internationals in determining financial awards. Be wary though, what they think you need and what you think you need could be wildly different.
This would have to be done on a case by case basis. You’ll need to call the schools you’re considering and ask them. From personal experience, though, most schools are reasonable. All the schools I applied to were willing to substitute the PSAT for the SSAT.
Not being an admissions officer, I can’t answer this absolutely. My guess, however, is that they are familiar with the situations in various countries and would take this into account. The huge emphasis on extracurriculars seems to be a largely American thing, and I imagine a number of international applicants are in the same boat.</p>
<p>That could be true. S: Just have to wait and see on that, though. I emailed a few schools asking about the SAT already so I should hear back from them in the next couple of days. Extra-curriculars do seem to be an ‘American thing’ though. xD It’s something that I’m really looking forward to if I get to go though. I just wonder whether it’ll be something that affects my chances.</p>
<p>Internationals hardly ever get aid. If goes to us residents first and foremost. I think there may be some scholarships for internationals but i don’t know any off the top of my head.</p>
<p>That may be true. I’m not terribly familiar with a large number of schools, and the most of the ones I am familiar with have very generous financial aid to begin with. Some schools, however, do not distinguish between residents and nonresidents for financial aid awards.</p>
<p>Even if schools have generous FA, they still fill all the US residents needed aid before heading to the internationals. It is very possible you may get full aid, but more likely partial or no aid.</p>
<p>Tapper, can you suggest any schools that do that? And thanks for the advice, preppychica. I’m guessing if I apply to a school that does distinguish between, I’ll have very little chance of air, or I’ll have a low amount of aid. What’s the typical aid cutoff point, do you know? I know there won’t be a consistant cutoff but just to give me an idea? Thanks. :)</p>
<p>Andover is the only one that’s still need blind, and they promise to meet all need. I know from experience that their offers tend to be actually affordable. Exeter and I believe a few others dropped their need blind policies recently due to the economic crisis. From what I’ve heard, the difference now is that they admit fewer people requiring aid, but if you’re admitted you’ll still receive a generous offer comparable to before the downturn. Unfortunately, as I’m searching to verify that what I’m telling you is true, several of the schools seem to have backpedalled their FA guarantees for both domestic and international applicants rather drastically. So, I’m not sure that it’s still true that internationals and domestic applicants are considered equally for the others. However, a few schools do have benchmarks where any family under a certain income is guaranteed full tuition. Two that come to mind are Exeter and St. Paul’s. Sorry I couldn’t be more helpful. It seems, at least in this economic climate, preppychica36 is right.</p>
<p>Thanks for that Tapper, I really appreciate it! (: We qualify for Exeter and I haven’t looked through the others yet but I’ll get to it tommorow. I’m glad decisions are sent in March though. Less than six months! That sounds like a long time now. But by the time I’ve filled in forms, got them sent off & all that jazz it’ll fly by. Hopefully!</p>
<p>What does international mean to you? Does it mean that you are an American, living in UK, your parents paying US taxes and applying for Financial Aid? Maybe then, you would be considered like anyone else. If you are A UK resident- I don’t know how it works then. Best to call or email the schools and ask them directly.</p>
<p>first off, disregard what preppychica said. Schools dont fill aid first with US students, then with Internationals.
Schools do have a different type of FA – students they want, no matter what the cost is (those that will get full aid, need to be extremely exceptional or just normally great and come from a prepforprep program) – students they want at a “normal” level of FA ie, based on your EFC (which is majority of students that get aid) – students they want but have very similar students that can pay full freight, so its a toss up for them, and theyll take you if you pay, or theyll take the other person that didnt apply for FA that can pay.
ec – is not an end all be all. if you have a sport , its as important as ec.
having said all that, it is harder to get in as an international, than a us student.</p>
<p>My two Chinese friends were enrolled by Hotchkiss with full financial aid, and their SSAT precentile are just approximately 83%, but they had got many honors at home, and they did well during the interview.</p>
<p>Also, my other two Chinese friends were granted full financial aid respectively from Choate and Andover!</p>
<p>Thanks for that Papilio! (: I think I can do well in the interview, but I won’t be able to get there so it’ll have to be a phone interview so I don’t know if I can come across as well. :S I’m making 1700s in the ordinary SAT without studying (waiting for my prep book to arrive) and I’m making 75th percentile in CR, 51st percentile in maths & 84th percentile in WR. The CR & M are from a few months ago, and WR only a few days ago so hopefully I’ve improved on the other two. We don’t have awards & such over here though but when I was in school I was in gifted & talented? I was also in the highest classes of my year group for all subjects. I could probably get them to confirm that if it’ll make any difference. </p>
<p>I can send in a portfolio too since I’m homeschooled. I’ve had writing read out on the radio in the past (three times) and I got a certificate for one of them (the other times they got lost in the post). Is there any essay competitions or whatever that I could enter that would help prove that I’m capable of the work?</p>
<p>Aww! Do you have tennis though? Tennis and track are the ones I’m most interested in. I don’t know how sports work in the US though… Do they do an ‘audition’ type of thing? That’s not the word I’m looking for… xD</p>
<p>I think what mhmm meant was that the aid for internationals and US citizens is seperate, though like you said, there’s very little put aside for internationals. Thank you though! (:</p>
<p>if you need FA, United World Colleges (though not prep-schools) are amazing. St. Andrew’s in Delaware is need blind as well, and is in the same “league” with Andover.</p>
But by the time I’ve filled in forms, got them sent off & all that jazz it’ll fly by. Hopefully!</p>