<p>hi - i just joined today.. Applications are killing me!
I applied to Columbia ED and was rejected -- I think it might be because of the fin aid (I'm not american), hopefully. I know Harvard is a long shot for me, but longshots do happen, i'm trying nonetheless...</p>
<p>I go to a boarding school abroad, so my counselor and I are like literally miles apart. I'm new here at the site, but I would really appreciate it if someone could just have a look at my supplement essay? i dont think my counselor has the time now... What do I do for that? I don't think I should have it here out in the open.. :d I'd really appreciate it if someone could. </p>
<p>My commonapp essay's really good I think, but it's really unique -- as if i just took it out of my creative writing portfolio or something. and my supplement essay's sort of long, its two sides single spaced, but i think it's okay. </p>
<p>And one more thing - i'm sending in my piano recording and screenwriting portfolio as supplement, will they even look at it? I don't think columbia listened my recording at all.. ;d</p>
<p>God I sound so helpless, haha. </p>
<p>oh, just a question - would you apply to uchicago, northwestern or williams and amherst if money was the issue? it's really hard for int'l kids to score scholarships this year right?</p>
<p>I would rank them as follows in terms of their financial aid munificence:</p>
<ol>
<li>Williams</li>
<li>U of Chicago, Amherst</li>
<li>Northwestern</li>
</ol>
<p>Williams is the best since its average financial aid package exceeds the cost of tuition; Chicago and Amherst are tied for all intents and purposes, and Northwestern is last due to the high amount of students that it has to support. However, due to Chicago’s Odyssey Scholarships, which add around $6,000-$7,000 per year, it may overtake Williams. I was accepted EA into Chicago, but I have not yet received the preliminary financial aid estimate.</p>
<p>For internationals, Harvard, Williams and Amherst are your best bets, as they’re need-blind. </p>
<p>Don’t bother with UChicago, I spoke to one of the dudes of the Dean’s international council, who strongly recommended I apply, before he found out that I’d need financial aid. He was poking around the system to see whether they had scholarships or something available but they don’t. It’s a shame, as it looks like a really nice place, but they’re <em>very</em> stingy with international aid and NOT need-blind.</p>
<p>The ONLY need-blind colleges for internationals in the US are Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Dartmouth, MIT, Amherst & Williams. </p>
<p>All others are a long shot if you need FA, but if you go on the collegeboard website you can see how much financial aid is awarded to internationals and compare it to other colleges. Brown, for example, looked decent in terms of international FA, but they’re not need-blind.</p>
<p>The fact that you got rejected from Columbia ED worries me; I’m an international needing finaid and I’m only applying RD :(</p>
<p>@UKtoUSA,
yea, I think I’m not even applying for F/A for uchicago and northwestern, but i’m still applying – crazy parents. :d
If you’re well prepared and confident with your apps, i’m pretty sure you’ll get in where you want to go with a decent grant, no worries! :D</p>