<p>Hi!</p>
<p>I am an international student(asian) and I need help regarding my college list. If you think I should add some colleges, do suggest them on the basis of my stats and my intended major(s).</p>
<p>The colleges on my list are:- MIT,Stanford,Harvard,Yale,Columbia,Princeton,Cornell,UCB & UCLA and probably UC Davis too,CalTech,GATech,Brown,Duke.</p>
<p>Here are my stats - <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1665159-chance-an-international-will-do-the-same-back-p1.html">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1665159-chance-an-international-will-do-the-same-back-p1.html</a></p>
<p>I will most probably major/double major in applied math/CS.</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Also, I do not need any FA. I will be able to pay full fees.</p>
<p>All these colleges are reaches due to their admission rates, except UC Davis - even though being internationally ranked AND being full pay will definitely help you (in short: you’re competitive and should get in, but they’re so hard to get into that you can’t bet on it). I’d add one more match, such as Santa Clara or UWA. UCSC would be a great safety for CS (Silicon Valley).
(Why UCD but not UCSD?)</p>
<p>Your accomplishments are impressive. I’d give the SATI oneore go then stop worrying about it. It won’t be the deal breaker. </p>
<p>In all of the schools on your list you’ll be competing with a crowded field of high achieving Asians from the usual suspect countries. It will be up to you to differentiate yourself from other applicants with similar cultural backgrounds. </p>
<p>In that context I’d say that your essays and recommendations will need to communicate vividly who you are: what excites you intellectually, what you can contribute to the campus community. The “Why X?” essays can be particularly important so don’t apply to more schools than you can effectively handle. </p>
<p>Another school is probably the last thing you need, but I’d suggest you look at Williams. It has an excellent math department and is interested in recruiting Asians. Your involvement in sports would be a plus. </p>
<p>@MYOS1634 Thanks for letting me know. I didn’t really know a lot about UCSD. I do not want to go into the tech industry rather, I want to pursue research. Is it still good? Thanks for your help btw!</p>
<p>@momrath So you say that I should add Williams on my list? Other than that am is my list okay? Yes I do know about the essays and I have started working on them. I will also be retaking the SAT in October. The prep tests are indicating something around 2350 so if I work hard, I will surely get 2300+ Thanks for you help btw!</p>
<p>Your list is okay as long as you have the time and energy to submit thoughtful applications. I think Williams would be a good fit for you. I’d worry less about that extra 70 points on the SAT and more about how you are going to make yourself standout in the international field. Good luck and let us know how you do. </p>
<p>Very, very impressive profile, although I’d add one more school (UIUC? UWashington? Both have amazing CS programs, and maybe a ‘safe’ school, you know, just to be safe).</p>
<p>Apply to Williams only if you are interested in a small LAC, which, from what I see in your current list, you are probably not. Generally, for CS students, I recommend schools with graduate programs (which let undergrads enroll in grad courses). A very impressive senior at Cornell started taking graduate level CS courses in his sophomore year and is graduating in dec 2014 with a BS and MS. For some students, a larger school makes more sense.</p>
<p>@momrath Thank you for your help! I will surely let you know how I fare.</p>
<p>@International95 Thanks for your help too! Though I want to pursue CS, right now, I am leaning a bit towards applied math. I will surely look up those schools. Any suggestions on some other colleges with a great math program?
2) As @momrath suggests, Williams have a strong math department…but I will have a second look before adding it to my list.</p>
<p>What I said applies to math too. Though Williams has a fantastic math program, some students would be better off going to a school with lots of graduate courses. </p>
<p>Does Williams even have an applied math program?</p>
<p>Look at NYU for applied math.</p>
<p>@HarvestMoon1 Thanks for your reply. Will have a look at it.</p>
<p>Ok, to be honest the top few schools on your list (MIT, Stanford, Ivies) are serious reaches based on your credentials. I would suggest that you keep a couple of them on the list, but mostly aim a tad lower, at the ones just below in selectivity, like the other schools on your list and suggested here.</p>
<p>I agree that Williams – and LACs in general – are not for everyone. A visit usually decides the case one way or another, but I don’t know if that’s possible in the OP’s case.</p>
<p>I would consider Williams for this OP because it fulfills his commitment to math, values his ECs in sports and offers an academically equal alternative to schools that are painfully competitive for internationals from Asian tiger countries.</p>
<p>Read more:<a href=“http://math.williams.edu/faculty/mathstats-at-williams/”>http://math.williams.edu/faculty/mathstats-at-williams/</a></p>
<p>PS to @humblefool: Do you plan to apply ED or SCEA at your top choice?</p>
<p>@momrath I plan to apply to Harvard/Stanford REA/SCEA. Haven’t chosen yet but I would choose between one of them based on how my supplement essays turn out.</p>
<p>My top choice is MIT but internationals can’t apply EA there.</p>
<p>And I don’t mind applying to Williams. The only time I can visit is after the admission results come out as it is not possible to come to the US just for the sake of visiting colleges. When I attended the Intel ISEF last year, I did check out Harvard,MIT and Stanford and UCB but did not check out other colleges as I did not have the time to do so.</p>
<p>@vandyman “serious reaches” ? What does that mean? And yes, I plan to apply to a few Ivies(3-5?),MIT,Stanford and CalTech. The rest are just the UCs and other colleges such as GATech and Williams maybe which I think I can easily get into.</p>
<p>Thanks for your help btw! </p>
<p>
[quoteMy top choice is MIT but internationals can’t apply EA there.
[/quote]
I didn’t know that. How strange. </p>
<p>Actually I think visiting after acceptances come is in a way better, especially with selective colleges. You have to be more creative with the “Why X?” essays though. The point is to focus on why you’d be a good fit for the college and what you can bring to the party, not how great you think the college is. They already know that.</p>
<p>PS, Williams isn’t so easy to get into, especially for internationals, but I think your background will appeal to them.</p>
<p>@momrath Thank you for your help! I will take care with the “why us?” Sort of questions.</p>