<p>Hello everyone. I`m applying to Ivy League colleges and Stanford and desperately need advice , As I will applying as an international student I do not know much about what is good enough for those schools. Would anyone chance me?
My GPA 4.92( out of maximum 5)
I am ranked the second in my class
SAT- around 2100 but hope to raise it to 2300 till November
TOEFL- 104
Have not yet taken the Subject tests
I was the class monitor ( is it the same as the class president in the USA?)
Completed a certificate of proficiency at Artsakh State Dramatic Theatre
Worked as an actress at Artsakh State Dramatic Theatre
Have been in English club for six years
Have been in French club for four years
Have been in a basketball team and got numerous awards
Have been in a gym club for four years
Have been a member of a youth organization for six years
Have been studying screenwriting and wrote several scripts
Wrote for a local newspaper
Have been an English tutor
Was named one of the best students in 2006
Was the second in Armenia in the 2006 English Olympiad
Was constantly the first in my school, region and town in English Olympiads
Got awards in essay contests
I know no one can say for sure, but Im begging to tell me something.
My dream schools are Stanford, Columbia U, and Princeton University.Please let me know also if applying as an international student is a plus or a minus in the admission process. Ill be applying from Armenia.
Thanks in advance for your time and consideration. I`m looking forward to hearing from you.</p>
<p>Well, you have about as much of a chance as all the other overqualified applicants who will apply to those schools For schools like that, it’s nearly impossible to ‘chance’ - so as long as you keep up the grades, raise your SAT, and stay involved and passionate about all those things, you have an average (no such thing as a GOOD shot, unless you’re the son of the president or an Olympic gold medalist) shot at it. People with lower scores get accepted sometimes, while those with higher grades are rejected. It’s all about the way you present yourself on the applications (I think) ;-)</p>
<p>Thanks. Are you an international student ? Could you know why being an international student lessens one`s chances, while I heard that it is a plus? I do not know what to believe?</p>
<p>I’m sort of an international student - I feel international, but have a US passport. Internationals have it harder because schools in America tend to accept many more American students. So internationals have less spots. Also, the internationals that apply are usually top in their classes and very competitive - so there are few spots for a large amount of really competitive applicants. Plus, internationals tend to get a lot less financial aid, so if you need a lot of financial aid, your chances generally decrease (except at Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and about four other schools). </p>
<p>It can be a plus, if you can show that it is a hook. Are you a fluent english speaker? Do you have ties to the US? Then show how both the American and the Armenian cultures are parts of you. Or write essays about your culture and life in Armenia, and about why you want study in the US anyway. (Those are just a few examples of international hooks, there are many other ways to make yourself stand out. That’s the one good thing about being an international: You’re different, thus you stand out! Make sure you stand out in a good way! :))</p>
<p>I think you’re on the rough end being an international student, but your obvious talent in English is a BIG plus and I really think schools will notice that However…the +200 point jump you’re hoping for in SATs is a very biiiig jump. If you could get that, I think it would help you to stand out and boost your chances a lot.
Sooo as of right now, HYPSM are definitely still reaches. Besides English, what else do you have as far as ECs go? Anything you really love/are passionate about? The stuff you listed (theater, basketball, whatever) feels more like college app padding more than things you really like. I think top schools look for the kids not only with the good scores, but individual talents…so you should try to hone in on something you are definitely interested in…
Get some safety schools, like the UC schools, etc…GL!
p.s. chance me back if you have time? :P</p>
<p>TOEFL 104?
i may be wrong but isnt that ridiculously low? PR 368 colleges say a minimal of 600 is necessary to even apply to some of the selectice colleges.</p>
<p>Thanks a lot everyone!!! you are right, I am not that much interested in sports, I am very much driven to screenwriting instead, and just wanted to ask what part of my extracurriculars should I make the emphasis on? I will be in the USA soon and I plan to take tons of screenwriting classes and workshops(smth. I have no access to here), write a full lenght script and present it as an art supplement. what do you think of this? I<code>ll also definitely use the hook i have been advised already.
PS. I plan to apply to Columbia ED, so I think it</code>ll also boost my chances.</p>
<p>asian at lab,
I got this score on IBT Toefl, the TOEFL you are probably talking about is the PBT. My IBT score corresponds to around( I am not really sure) 620 on PBT.
all Ivy Lague say that a minimum score of 100 should be achieved on the IBT.</p>
<p>What do you think of IvySuccess services? Being on their site I had an impression that you cannot get into the Ivy League schools without their services.</p>
<p>Hey, I think that it’s fantastic that you’re shooting for the stars, and I think that you have decent chances at Columbia, Stanford, and Princeton. I hope that you raise your SAT score! Also, I would play up the actress/English abilities/accolades because that seems more unique. Best of Luck! :)</p>
<p>Well, they say that since it is so competetive nowadays to get into those schools they will help create an application that will stand out and get you in. The price for the service is around 30.000$.</p>
<p>Hmm, I think that maybe they would help, but wouldn’t be able to add anything that you couldn’t do yourself. I mean, they’re looking for YOUR personality, YOUR ideas, YOUR originality, and even if they say that they’re helping you, I think it would be more harmful in the long run –> I’m SURE that the admissions officers can tell when the application wasn’t put together completely by the applicant ;-).</p>
<p>But I have been known to be wrong, so maybe they really do help you! If it feels right for you, then you should do it, but if you’re not sure, why bother! :)</p>
<p>Hi,
Thanks for the help. I`d also like to ask if I become a US permanent resident, but I went to school in Armenia, will I still be considered International and would my chances still suffer?
Thanks.</p>
<p>SAT-2400
APs
AP Euro 5
AP Biology 5
AP Calc AB 5
AP Calc BC 5
AP Chem 5
AP US 5
AP French lang 5
AP French lit 5
AP Spanish lang 5
AP Spanish lit 5
AP Statistics 5
AP Physics 5
Various AP English classes 5
President of the GSA, STAND, Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity, Humane Society
500+ hours of community service
Captain of the varsity softball, swimming, volleyball, and basketball teams
I have given piano and violin concerts at numerous locations
I want to got to New Mexico Institute of Mining</p>
For schools like that, it’s nearly impossible to ‘chance’ - so as long as you keep up the grades, raise your SAT, and stay involved and passionate about all those things, you have an average (no such thing as a GOOD shot, unless you’re the son of the president or an Olympic gold medalist) shot at it. People with lower scores get accepted sometimes, while those with higher grades are rejected. It’s all about the way you present yourself on the applications (I think) ;-)</p>
feel free to PM me if you have any more questions ;-)</p>