PLEASE tell me what I should do ?!

Applying to College
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<p>Hello people ! I live in Mongolia and hoping to get into one of the top 100 universities</p>

<p>I've graduated my high school this year. I've done UK A-levels exams in mathematics, biology and chemistry. I got AAC in those subjects respectively (in AS-level last year). I'm expecting to get ABC in those 3 subjects. I have IELTS overall 7.5 ( no band less than 7 ). I don't know how to calculate my GPA. As long as I remember my all grades were A's in all subject except B's in physical education and physics in my Secondary Education Certificate.</p>

<p>My chosen major is Biotechnology. I would love to go to University of Melbourne which is my favourite but I don't care whether I am going to Canada, Australia, The USA or The UK. </p>

<p>I attend only a Christian Church and I don't do any extracurriculum. My country allows very few chances and opportunities to do that kind of stuff. </p>

<p>I am preparing for SAT exam and SAT subject tests. I am aiming to get 2100 at SAT and 700 in each subject test. But I heard in order to get into top American universites you need at least 2250. Is it true ? What are my chances of securing a place in a top university and secondly get full scholarship? :) </p>

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<p>I don’t think many top schools give out full rides to international students to tell you the truth. But I’ve heard to be competitive you should aim for a 750+ on your subject tests (check the schools you are applying to to see if you have to take any). Not having EC will hurt you application to the top schools since they are so selective. </p>

<p>Harvard’s average SAT was a 2240 I believe
Stanford/Princeton/Yale 25th-75th percentile: 2150-2400
UPenn 2070-2350 </p>

<p><a href=“Colleges that offer Full Ride to internationals? - Financial Aid and Scholarships - College Confidential Forums”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1575417-colleges-that-offer-full-ride-to-internationals.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://www.i-studentglobal.com/scholarships/top-tips/international-scholarship-faqs”>http://www.i-studentglobal.com/scholarships/top-tips/international-scholarship-faqs&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>Thank you. I will keep that in my mind :)</p>

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<p>Also, many of the top schools don’t offer merit scholarships, only need based aid. So if money is an issue (as I am suspecting it is) then apply to schools that would offer you merit scholarships. As long as you do well in undergrad, it doesn’t really matter where you went to college</p>

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<p>I’m sorry, but as you have only taken the minimum number of A Level subjects and that too with middling grades (i.e ABC; aab for AS Levels is fine), it is highly unlikely you would get into a “top [American] university”, much less get a scholarship (which is based on need). You could definitely go to a school in the US, but with those grades and the competition, it’s definitely not going to be Harvard or Cornell or even Tufts. The availability (or lack thereof) of ECs is hardly an excuse: I know many Mongolians who pursued ECs and excelled in them. They did, however, come from some of the finest schools in Mongolia that have a culture of sending students to the US for further study.</p>

<p>Take the SAT and tell us what you score. Your IELTS score is fine.</p>

<p>Can you afford UMelbourne? The costs approach American levels for international students, and although there are scholarships, someone who does not have AT LEAST four As in A Levels probably should not expect one. If you can afford it, go ahead and apply. It would make a great safety school.</p>

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<p>My school was not supportive. Yes there are some elite high schools in Mongolia which has a fee of $15000. I’m studying on my own. My family can not afford my even one year tuition fee. Also the living cost seems too much for me. You know tuition fees, living cost- 2 very big issues for me. On top of that, being eligible to enter a university seems too much (not too much but you know not easy ). Now I see that I should have taken at least 4 A-levels. Now I do not care as long as I am going to one of the top 100 universities. I wonder if it is possible to get scholarships from many organisations at the same time to make it up to full scholarship. I love Australia, The USA, The UK and Canada equally. University of Melbourne seems like where I should go there. I guess I should study my SAT exam right now. </p>

<p>Thank you guys. Please add more comments :)</p>

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<p>Answer this: what can you afford? And what do you mean by a ‘top 100 university’? Top 100 universities in the world? The vast majority of these institutions do not offer $$ to internationals. Places like Harvard and Yale and HKU and Maastricht do, but you need very high grades (i.e A*AA AT LEAST) to have a shot (and without ECs, Harvard and Yale and such are not even options). I didn’t say you NEEDED four A Levels, but most competitive applicants have four. Regardless, the point is to get the best grades you can in whatever number of subjects you take. I highly recommend you retake your exams in October/November.</p>

<p>There are no well-known, general scholarships available for international students funded by organizations. Usually the money comes from colleges themselves. Governments (such as Kuwait’s) do offer scholarships, but this is only for their nationals. Does the Mongolian government have money?</p>

<p>But can you afford the University of Melbourne?</p>

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<p>I can not afford to get into a university in a foreign country. My mother could only afford to pay for my tuition fees If I get into one of the Mongolian universities which is I am not totally into. I can not afford University of Melbourne. I cannot afford any top university in the world. Yes top 100 universities in the world. I don’t want to retake my A-level exams because I know that I can’t raise the grade (maybe in chemistry ? I’m not sure). Mongolian Government do offer FULL scholarship to students who secured a place in one of the top universities in the world. It depends on the major you choose. My major, biotechnology, is in Mongolian top 20 needed majors. That sounds very splendid but I don’t want to be forced back to my country after I graduate ( which does not matter at all at this moment but I don’t want ). I wish I could get scholarships from many organisations at the same time. I will take SAT I and SAT II so I guess I have a chance :(</p>

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<p>You will have to make compromises, in that case. Either go to a top school like Melbourne, which you can definitely get into and potentially get funding for from your government, or just study in Mongolia. Most organizations that offer $$ for study usually offer it at the MASTER’s level and require you to work for them or in your country. This is not an option.</p>

<p>You will take the SAT and SAT Subject Tests… but to what end? The American universities ranked in the ‘top 100’ either do not offer money to internationals or are so competitive that you simply would not be able to get in. Think long and hard before you make your next move as you could use that $200 for taking SAT tests for retaking your A Level exams. If you HAVE to, you could very well go to America if you can afford around $10-12k/year (look into McNeese State University or Minot State University), but otherwise, it seems unlikely.</p>

<p>I’m sorry if I discouraged you but you need to understand the situation fully before you make your next move. It would be a waste to just take the SAT and SAT II and then end up with no options in the USA. You also need to understand that even if you do well on the SAT/SAT II, your scores cannot make up for your grades.</p>

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<p>I see. Definitely I’m not going to study in Mongolia. I had chosen to study in Mongolia, I would have Mongolian national exams to get into one of the Mongolian universities. I would not have studied in my Year 12 to study for A-level exams. Most of my classmates are now in their second year in Mongolian universities so there is no turning back. A-level and IELTS. I’m eligible to get into almost any Australian unviversity according to my A-levels and IELTS. I am taking SAT to maximise the the chance of getting scholarship from the university. All australian universities give full scholarship to students with straight A’s in A-level exams. So it is a discouragement to me. I should have know it earlier. My english was very bad and started learning Cambridge’s International educational system very few years ago along with Mongolian MANY subjects. At this moment, I could see that I worked very hard. I hope people would see that. I thought University of Melbourne might give me scholarship if I get 2200 in SAT and 750+ in Subject tests. So yeah that is what I thought. I’m taking SAT in October. It would be useful I guess. I don’t care about the exam tuition fee. That is fine. </p>

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<p>The University of Melbourne does NOT require the SAT for students from Mongolia, and I don’t believe it accepts those scores from students who come from outside the US. You would be judged on your grades and your grades only. Your IELTS score and A Level grades would entitle you to admission to any Australian university. However, getting a scholarship is another thing. The <em>minimum</em> requirement at Melbourne, for instance, is AAAA. I suspect recipients of the scholarship have A<em>A</em>A*A’s or so.</p>

<p>‘if I get 2200 in SAT and 750+ in Subject tests’ I assure you, this is much, much harder than it sounds. Try a few practice tests first.</p>

<p>I understand that for a non-native speaker of English, your A Level grades came with significant effort. But the competition is so strong that it probably would not make a difference to admission officers. I still think you ought to retake the exam in which you got a C. Alternatively, look for options outside of the ‘top 100’ universities. Liberal arts colleges in the US, for instance, though very competitive, offer financial aid to international students. These schools do not have majors like biotechnology but offer excellent training for further study in the sciences. It’s going to be a difficult process for you, but you need to start researching your options if you really want to go to the US or Canada or wherever.</p>

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<p>Thank you you’ve really helped me. :slight_smile: After I receive my A-level grades in Aughust. I will consider taking chem in which I think I got C. Now I realise it is very competitive to get a scholarship. I will start researching my options. But I already started preparing SAT so I will take anyway. I have nothing much to do at home and outside so still studying. Thank you. I will keep that in my mind </p>

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<p>If you can, do retake the Chemistry exam and try to get a B, and add another subject. For American universities, any subject is fine, it doesn’t have to be in the sciences (economics, world history…) would count, so choose whatever subject you feel strongest in. Even one extra AS result - in say, Media Studies or Environmental Science or Business Studies… - can help although two AS levels would be better if they’re supposed to “replace” the Chemistry one. </p>

<p>There’s an excellent American college that’s dedicated to low-income students, which in the US means $45,000/year or so for a family of 4 (cost of living is higher than in Mongolia.) That college is Berea College in KY. They admit only 5% International Applicants, but thanks to generous alumni and donors, their full tuition is paid for, as well as their room&board, in exchange for working on campus. During your second, you’re expected to contribute from your summer work and freshman year job, etc. You can’t study biotechnology there (unless they recently added the major), but they’re strong in science and their graduates can go on to excellent graduate schools, including for biotech. </p>

<p>Other possibilities:
If you can get your last A-Level to a B (or any AS Level to a B or A) <em>and</em> get 1400 CR+M on your SAT, you’d be eligible for the Presidential Scholarship at UAlabama, meaning Honors College (with research opportunities), Honors Dorm, Full Tuition Scholarship, and $2,500 stipend. You’d have to pay about $12,000 though, which is likely to be too much. </p>

<p>Howard University has scholarships, too, but you need to apply as soon as possible in the Fall since they’re first-come, first-served. The scholarship depends on your SAT score but can be full ride ( tuition, room&board, books). Howard is a HBCU, where most students are African American or of African/Black heritage, but there are some non- African American students and the scholarships are open to all. Howard is among the top 3 HBCUs in the country (with Spelman and Morehouse).</p>

<p>Some universities in Europe may be cheap and in English, too. British universities have raised their fees tremendously but there are English-speaking degree courses in the Netherlands, Finland, Denmark…</p>

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<p>You need to read through everything (and I do indeed mean everything) at <a href=“https://www.educationusa.info/”>https://www.educationusa.info/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Then you need to pay a visit to the Advising Center closest to where you live. It looks like there are two in Mongolia: <a href=“https://www.educationusa.info/Mongolia”>https://www.educationusa.info/Mongolia&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>The counselors at EducationUSA are expert at helping students like you find good places to study in the US. EducationUSA is a not-for-profit organization that receives support from the US government for the purpose of providing unbiased accurate information about educational opportunities here. Any charges for its services go directly to supporting the office that you would be visiting. </p>

<p>If you are interested in studying in other countries, start by contacting the Education Officer at the closest consulate of each country. They have the responsibility for helping people find out what they need to know about education their country.</p>

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<p>Thank you guys very much for helping and sharing valuable information with me, especially at this imperative moment in my life. Please be there, later I might come out with some questions :)</p>

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<p>Good luck to you, and do keep us updated.</p>