Hello CC!
This is my first time posting here so please be patient with me, and thanks in advance.
I am an international student from India, and I’m trying to get admitted into colleges in the USA. To be honest, my school does not have a counselor, so I know only a few things about admissions procedures- the internet is my only source and I’m learning new (and terrifying) things everyday. To start off:
Stats:
Not much. Wrote the SAT and TOEFL one time. Didn’t have much time to prepare (less than a month for the SAT and only a week for the TOEFL)
SAT
Score- 1520
Critical Reading & Writing- 740
Math- 780
TOEFL
Score: 115
Reading-30
Listening- 30
Writing-28
Speaking-27
I have not taken any SAT Subject tests nor do I intend to (lack of time, again).
At school, I do very well, consistently placing in top 2 of my class out of 39. I scored 10/10 CGPA in my 10th grade (under CBSE curriculum), and I switched to another school with another curriculum for my 11th and 12th grades. In 11th grade I secured 93% , and my predicted score (predicted by my teachers) for 12th grade is 98%. My school does not follow GPA/ credits system, and everyone takes the same courses, there is no choice of courses for separate students.
I have studied (and am studying): Physics, Chemistry, Math, English, and Tamil. I want to pursue undergrad in Electrical Engineering, and here’s a small list of colleges that interest me, in no specific order-
- University of Cincinnati- I've heard a bunch of good things about their co-op program;
- Purdue University West Lafayette- their EE program is highly ranked and they have co-op as well;
- North Carolina State University
- University of Pennsylvania/ Columbia University (undecided on which one to apply to- leaning towards UPenn though)
- Georgia Institute of Technology.
I’d really like to know some more colleges that have good EE programs which I’d be qualified to apply to.
Also, I’m not rich enough to pay for college without financial aid- so, if anyone could tell me how and what kinds of financial aid apply to international students like me, I’d greatly appreciate it. Do I still need to submit the FAFSA, or it only for students in the USA? I’m kinda focusing on colleges that offer co-op programs because I could use the money and the work experience to help pay my tuition.
Another thing to note: I have recommendations from 3 of my teachers, one who is also the Principal of my school- they said they’d write stellar recommendations, and I trust them. I personally feel that my Common App Essay is really good. What worries me is that I don’t have much extracurricular activities, except for writing a few Olympiads and winning some medals in them. The way stuff works here, there’s no time for extracurricular activities- The focus is on academics, and academics ONLY. I do not know if admissions officers will realise this , as I have no way of telling them. (Writing them an email about this sounds like I’m desperate which I don’t think they’d like).
I’m sorry for the long message, but I greatly appreciate anyone who helps me out. Thank you so much.
k2