Hi, I’m a Senior (Black Student) at Princeton High school in New Jersey. I transferred to Princeton High from France in Junior and before that I was living in UK, Ireland and Belgium but both my parents and my whole family are from Cameroon (West Africa).
I have experienced a lot of changes and new cultures that I’ve adapted to, but now that I am in the process of applying to UNC Chapel Hill, University of Southern California, NYU and community college, I just wanted to get some understanding about if I have any chances of getting into those schools. When I was in the UK curriculum Freshman and Sophomore year I had all A’s and A* (which is anything from an 83%-100%) in all my 13 classes.
The system is a bit more rigorous then the curriculum at Princeton which is why the boundaries are lower. When I arrived Junior year the school didn’t considers the A’s I had in the UK so my GPA is a 3.210 unweighted, and I have taken 2 APs in French (with a 5) and AP World (with a 4). I took the ACT late because I had a lot family struggles (my parents lost their jobs, I had to work 3-4 days a week, my uncle died in Cameroon and we had to travel and take care of my cousins who are now orphans, so it wiped out most of our savings and we lost our home in NJ) so I took it unprepared and got a 21 ACT, which I have explained in my additional essay in the common app. I am a member of the African Leadership Academy in South Africa since I was 11 and I go there every summer for their Global Scholars program.
My Extracurriculars are VP of PHS Black Student Union, Leader of Boys Acapella Group, Treasurer for Model United Nations team, Gospel choir leader at church,free French tutor for AP students and Track. I also do a lot of Leadership workshops for youth in Cameroon over the summer and started a program for kids to learn STEM in my families village. I wrote my college essay about the use of the word “Oreo” against black students and how I have resolved a racially stressful situation with that slur. My supplementals were about how my intended major at those schools will support my plan to expand learning facilities in Cameroon and other parts of Africa.
I know that my grades might not be the best but do I have any chance?
You have an interesting background. There are plenty of colleges that will accept you, but it appears financial aid is necessary, and that is going to be a problem. You’re up against two main problems: 1. Competition for merit aid, scholarships, or for “need blind & meets full need colleges” are all particularly tough for an international student. 2. As a senior, you are late in terms of submitting any further applications.
From the list of colleges you said you already applied to, NYU and UNC are reaches, and USC’s aid is merit-based. Community college is a pretty good immediate and affordable option, though. They’re not only budget-friendly, but often they are feeders to your state’s colleges. Your degree after four years could be from Rutgers.
NACAC will post a list after May 1 or so with colleges that still have openings for 2019/2020, so you can check that out when it is published. I am not sure if those schools will have money left for aid by that time, however.
Probably should reconsider applying to NYU, which is notoriously stingy when it comes to Fin Aid for international students, and your 21 ACT puts you in the bottom 2% of enrolled students which makes the likelihood of merit aid extremely remote.
@Smbe123 , what status are you on in the US - a visa or a green card? If the former, as @Groundwork2022 says, you will find funding pretty difficult. However I’m assuming from your description, your family is resident rather here on a work visa? If you have a green card you’ll count as domestic.
You need to revamp your list entirely (other than your community college option). 1) Pay attention to affordability (run net price calculators etc.) – if a school is not affordably strike it from your list and move on 2) Focus on schools in your academic range. Be honest with yourself. As posters above have noted the majority of schools on your list are not realistic options with a 21 ACT.