Please Chance - South African :)

Applying to College
1

<p>Hey guys, please chance me... I'm applying from South Africa to various schools in the USA.</p>

<p>Objective:
• SAT I (breakdown): 2150 combined: 710 Writing, 720 Math, 720 Critical Reading
• SAT II: 800 Chemistry, 750 Math II, 710 Math I
• Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 3.75
• Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): School Does not Rank
• South African NSC (place score in parenthesis): English (7), Afrikaans (5), Mathematics (7), Accounting (7), Physical Science (7), Dramatic Arts (7), Life Orientation <a href="7">Compulsory</a>
Subjective:
• Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis):
(School Prefect)
(School House Prefect)
(Class Captain)
(Senior Mentor)
Cross Country (Varsity Captain)
2nd Team Rugby
School Surfing Team
2nd Team Waterpolo
Drama Involvement – Acting and Management in Drama Department since 9th grade. ‘Half Colors’ award.
Own Business - Strongest EC. Product reviews from top international surfers and sponsor of various surfing leagues.</p>

<p>• Job/Work Experience: Worked on a diamond mine for 2 summers
• Volunteer/Community service: Interact member 9th and 10th grade.
• Summer Activities: No activities to list.
• Essays: To still write – will be good.
• Teacher Recommendations: Excellent
• Counselor Rec: Didn’t read – but she seems impressed.
Other
• Country (if domestic applicant): South Africa
• School Type: Public School (1200 Stuidents)
• Ethnicity: White
• Gender: Male
• Income Bracket: Upper Middle – Low in US terms.
• Hooks (URM, first generation college,etc.): First Generation. White African?
Reflection
• Strengths: Extremely high entrepreneurial focus, all rounder.
• Weaknesses: Average Academics</p>

<p>Thanks alot! :)</p>

2

<p>The biggest issue that you will face is paying for your education. Sit down with your parents and find out just exactly how much they are willing and able to pay.</p>

<p>If you haven’t already done so, take the time to read through everything (and I do indeed mean everything) at [EducationUSA</a> | Study Abroad, Student Visa, University Fairs, College Applications and Study in the U.S. / America](<a href=“http://www.educationusa.info/]EducationUSA”>http://www.educationusa.info/) Then make an appointment with the counselors at the advising center closest to where you live. There are several in South Africa [EducationUSA</a> - Find an Advising Center](<a href=“http://www.educationusa.info/SouthAfrica]EducationUSA”>http://www.educationusa.info/SouthAfrica) These advisors are expert at helping students from your country find good places to study in the US, and they will be able to tell you where students with profiles like yours have been admitted in recent years.</p>

3

<p>How are we supposed to chance you when you didn’t list the schools?</p>

<p>Are your parents willing to pay for your schools?</p>

<p>Being a White African is not a URM.</p>

4

<p>Thanks happymom. Will have a look at those sites. </p>

<p>@mom2ck, I just want a general rating, not a chance. But I guess it makes things more relevant if I list some schools. I’ll take Stanford, UCs, NC Chapel Hill, NYU, John Hopkins, Boston U, and just for reference sakes; All the Ivies.</p>

<p>Thanks</p>

5

<p>And no, they are not capable of paying. Here in SA I may be well off, but paying for a US degree is taking things to another level. I thought I wouldn’t be URM, but I was just making sure.</p>

6

<p>I lived in SA for grade 9 and I think the biggest problem you may encounter is the grading scale. SA’s grades in general are closer to the British system and much lower than US schools are looking for. I believe that the scale may even be 30% difference. If this is the case, you better look at different schools. Also, what do you mean you haven’t written your essay? SA schools are on a different calendar year from us and we are done with the admission process. What year are you applying for? Frankly, i think your chances would be higher if you were a black South African since you can’t pay. Expand your school base. The ones you are looking for are the most competetive</p>

7

<p>Im also in SA looking to go to an Ivy next year, im taking my SATs in may. Ive been chatting to some ivies lately and harvard has said that they will sponsor me to go over and look at the campus and crew( going mainly due to rowing ). what scores should i be looking at for my sats? and what school are you in?</p>

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<p>@mindh10, I believe you’re somewhat correct when you state that the SA curriculum is inferior compared to the US. Even though we take more courses, the AP and IB are higher. Also, our OBE system is jutt, so that has negatively affected my whole generation. This is just a ballpark skeleton of my app form. I haven’t written the SATs, I will do so in June/July, then again towards the end of the year. But I do know I will receive scores in that region. As for the essays, I have written a few drafts, and I’m receiving help from teachers, etc. I wish there wasn’t all this black affirmative action nonsense, because really, it’s unfair for the ‘new generation’ of non blacks. Anyways, I just have to work hard. Fortunately, the USA has SAT requirements where they will have a better judgement of my academic abilities. </p>

<p>@montybreet, are you at a private or public school? When are you going over to Harvard? Do they pay everything for your visit? As in airfare too? You seem to be into your rowing. For Ivies, you’re looking at top SATs, prefferably in the 2250 upwards. But you can scrape in with lower, it happens often. I’m on the east coast, and you?</p>

9

<p>*I’ll take Stanford, UCs, NC Chapel Hill, NYU, John Hopkins, Boston U, and just for reference sakes; All the Ivies.</p>

<p>*</p>

<p>None of the UCs give aid to int’ls…neither does UNC-CH. NYU and Boston U won’t work either for aid.</p>

<p>Very few (if any) state schools give financial aid to int’ls. </p>

<p>Very few schools give a lot of need-based aid for int’ls. The ivies and Stanford do, but those are the hardest to get into. You probably need to increase your SAT for a better chance at those schools. </p>

<p>You will need to qualify for aid. The schools that give aid to int’ls will look at your parents’ income and assets to determine how much they should contribute. If your parents have an income/assets that is strong for where you live, they probably will be expected to contribute a good amount of money. You need to determine how much your parents will pay. </p>

<p>There are some schools that aren’t as highly ranked as ivies that give some aid to int’ls…but probably not full rides. </p>

<p>there are some schools that give merit scholarships for int’ls, but I don’t know of any that would give a huge amount that would only require your family to pay a small amount. </p>

<p>Even if you managed to get a full tuition scholarship from the few schools that give them to int’ls, your family would still have to pay for rooom, board, books, int’l travel, and all of your personal expenses (about $15k-20k per year). You would have to show funding before getting your visa to come here.</p>

<p>Seriously, even domestic students with your stats don’t often get free rides. </p>

<p>So, find out how much your parents will pay each year.</p>

10

<p>im at Bennies in jhb on scholarship, and im assuming that you’re in a govt school? UCT has placed IEB exams 10% harder than normal govt ones so a 90% for govt would give you a 80% in private… unfortunate that our system is so messed up. Harvard did say they would sponsor the airfare and stuff once i had written the SAts. But i have a lot of other things besides the rowing, like top 25 in national science olympiad etc. so hoping that will also be a bonus when it comes to admissions. but what ive found helps a lot is keep in touch with them regarding marks and extra activities…</p>

11

<p>That’s why my only chance is at the elite schools who can afford to give finaid. Otherwise, I’ll have to push for a scholarship this side in SA, there are one or two that award scholarships for entrepreneurial/leadership purposes. </p>

<p>I can pay some, not too much. My parents will be able to push for about $15K a year. Any more than that, and it may start pushing it a bit. I need to study much harder for the SATs, any advice on how to study or are there some study guides that are ‘worshiped’?</p>

<p>@Monty, On scholarship for rowing or academics?? I was looking at UCT too, but I just want to go overseas to start something new and meet new people.</p>

<p>As for Harvard, it wasn’t on the top of my list. But you seem to be keen to row crew eh? What other sports do you play? Are you going to Harvard on a ‘Summer Program’ or and individual visit?</p>

<p>As for the 10% that government schools have (I go to one), you’re correct… but somehow I’m the type of person who’ll have a sort of mental block to hit the high 90s. So I wish I had gone to a private school, but there aren’t any where you don’t have to board. If you want to send a message to my inbox, please do. I don’t want to publicly list my school and things.</p>

12

<p>I’ve got some new schools to add to that list. These ones do seem to offer decent aid, even to IS.</p>

<p>Tufts University
Schenectady
Hamilton College
Colgate University
Vassar College
Skidmore College
Connecticut College
Amherst College
Boston College
Boston University
Union College</p>

<p>What do you think, any specific comments or ideas? Please let me know!</p>