pls chance an int'l

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hi, need your opinion for my chances. I know the international pool is highly competitive, so please consider that too. Any help is greatly appreciated.</p>

<p>Asian male, from Singapore</p>

<p>One of the 2 most competitive high schools in Singapore.
SAT: 2290 (C740, M780, W770) one sitting
SAT 2: have not taken. will take MathII and Chem, expecting >750 on each
Rank: HS does not rank</p>

<p>Courseload:</p>

<p>Heaviest workload possible in my HS, and in my country.
Grade 11:
Math A
Chem A
Phy A
Bio C (this is considered to be stellar in my school)
Econ B
General Paper A</p>

<p>Grade 12:
I expect my grades to fall this year, maybe an average of B. but i'm expecting average A on my actual 'A levels' exam.</p>

<p>Volunteer:
Led a nation-wide fund-raiser and raised $40k for a charity.
Taught a web design class in a primary school for 2 month
Selected for tutoring of weak math students in my school
public performance of calligraphy in a local museum</p>

<p>ECs:
local math olympiad bronze
2 year president for an academic club
stanford EPGY
National science fair: Entered 3 projects, received Bronzes on 2
Science research program
presented papers at a science conference
school projects day: high distinction, top project for category
play varsity inline hockey
class representation (elected)
volunteer for interact club
4 years calligraphy
1 year judo
2 year computer club
5 year karate (brown belt, under a very rigorous grading system)
5 year swimming (with many awards)
1 year of self-initiated research project in which i designed a medicine database, filing for patent, but most likely to be unsuccessful</p>

<p>Awards:
1st place for a national web design competition
ministry of education award for leadership
international bronze for calligraphy
various awards for needy students (i come from a humble background)</p>

<p>Work/Internship:
1. Spent one summer servicing computers and servers for a semiconductor factory
2. Internship at Legal Aid Bureau: 1 week full time
3. Internship at Centre for Strategic Infocom Technologies: 4 weeks full time, with research paper
4. Intership at National University of Singapore 1 month full time, 2 month part time, with research paper supervised by Assoc Prof.
5. paid Internship at a renowned graduate medical school, 2 month fulltime, 1 month partime. with research paper with NOVEL results *(hook?)
6. attachment with mediacorp. i was casted in a local game show.</p>

<p>extra:
1. I'm first generation college student, neither of my parents went to college.
2. I come from a humble background, even by local standards. I cannot attend college without financial aid.
3. I am very serious about karate, i will likely make it my essay topic.</p>

<p>Please chance me for (all engin. major, all with FA)
MIT
Princeton
Cornell
UC Berkeley
U wisconsin-madison
carnegie-mellon U
Umich Ann-arbor
Duke
Johns Hopkins
Purdue
any other suggestion are welcome. Im on the lookout for schools that give good money.</p>

2

<p>Because you are an international applicant and you need financial aid, you will have a much higher chance of being rejected.</p>

3

<p>warden ...time has passed since you posted this. I would like to know what has happened. The colleges that you were aspiring to are very selective and the financial aid they have is mostly for their instate students, then out of state... and then maybe for an international if he is outstanding. With your stats you have a sure scholarship or financial aid for many top 100 universities in your field, but not the top ten, which is where you're applying. The only university on your list where you have a clear chance of acceptance is Purdue, but they don't offer financial aid for beginning students. To Wisconsin, Umich, and Duke you have a fair chance, and the others between slim chance and no chance. Forget about admission with scholarship at Princeton or MIT, unless you have a probable cure for cancer. Let me know how it went, please.</p>

4

<p>Purdue for sure
UMich-reach</p>

5

<p>JC1? It's great that you started thinking about this early.</p>

<p>It is true that FA is a big deal for international students. Here's how I will rate your chances:</p>

<p>MIT = high reach (I know they are need blind to int'ls but you also gotta take note that you are competing with other S'poreans having 2300+ SAT or multiple gold medals in the local olympiads. acceptance rate for int'ls is like ~5%)
Princeton = high reach (same reason as above)
Cornell = reach (not need blind for int'ls. that said, your stats are very good compared to the average applicant)
UC Berkeley = reach (they don't accept alot of int'ls and engineering is the most competitive major)
U wisconsin-madison = match (otherwise a safety if not for FA, I've known some people from Singapore with <2000 SAT getting in)
carnegie-mellon U = reach (again, limited FA)
Umich Ann-arbor = match (same problem here, I know they love ppl from Singapore for engineering, what with 90% acceptance rate (at rjc) and all, but you asked for FA)
Duke= reach
Johns Hopkins = high reach for BME, otherwise reach
Purdue = match/safety (I really think you are in for sure)</p>

<p>This is all just a speculation. I think you should be able to get in into two or more. There are people with your stats getting FA at these top schools so don't be discouraged just yet. Definitely make some great essays.</p>