Reapplying to schools

Student Lounge International Students
1

<p>I am an international student on an F2 visa in the US and graduated high school couple months ago. I applied to 29 different schools and got rejected to 27, most of them being ivy league schools or top 20 LACs. I was accepted to UC San Diego and UC Irvine but could not afford.</p>

<p>My family's EFC is about 5000.</p>

<p>Despite the nightmare of last year, I decided to suck it up and try again, aiming for "lower-tier," but still good schools.</p>

<p>Major: Chemical engineering or physics/chemistry (planning to do 3-2 in an LAC)
SAT I: 2290 (690 CR 800 WR 800 M); SAT II Chem: 790, Math II: 790, Korean: 800
GPA: 4.21 Weighted, 3.76 Unweighted. (Straight As junior year, but in senior year, stress from applying to college took a toll in my emotional health. I got 2 Cs and a B first semester senior year, and a dropped class & a B 2nd semester senior year.)
ECs: Cello (was in a youth orchestra), school swim team, couple volunteering activities/clubs, and several leadership positions (founder/president of a club). Also was admitted to a selective science summer program (UC COSMOS).</p>

<p>During the gap year (so far), I landed an internship in a social policy organization (recently, a month ago) as well as founding a nonprofit org, but I didn't do much else. I taught myself math and physics through online MIT courseware and audited classes at UCSD.</p>

<p>Applying to community college is possible, but it is a last resort as it would cost us about $7000 a year.</p>

<p>I know it is difficult to determine "chances" from the information above, but I need input on whether being accepted to these colleges (listed above) AND receiving sufficient aid is possible or not. Any suggestions on what other schools to apply to as an int'l requesting aid would be welcomed. Words of encouragement/advice are also welcomed (I'm desperate). Thanks :)</p>

<p>Bard (EA)
Berea
Brandeis
Bucknell
Clark (EA)
Colby (possibly ED II) (previously waitlisted, then rejected RD)
Colorado (EA)
Colgate
Connecticut
Dickinson (EA)
Earlham (EA)
F&M
Gettysburg
Grinnell
Kenyon
Lafayette
Lawrence Univ
St. Olaf
Trinity (previously rejected RD)
Union
U Richmond
Villanova
Whitman (possibly ED II)
Williams (possibly ED) (previously rejected)</p>

2

<p>Previously applied & rejected to…</p>

<p>Bowdoin College
Brown University
Carleton College
Colby College (waitlisted, then rejected)
Cornell University
Dartmouth College
Duke University
Grinnell College
Hamilton College (waitlisted, never heard back)
Harvard College
Haverford College
Middlebury College
Oberlin College
Pomona College
Rice University
Skidmore College
Trinity College
Tufts University
University of Pennsylvania
University of California, Irvine (Accepted)
University of California, San Diego (Accepted)
University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, Berkeley
Vanderbilt University
Vassar College
Washington and Lee University (waitlisted, never heard back)
Washington University in St. Louis (waitlisted, rejected)
Wesleyan University
Williams College</p>

3

<p>So you’re just applying to anywhere that will give you funding? These are all very different schools in very different locales. Think about this before casting such a wide net. If you were previously rejected from a school, I wouldn’t apply again. Same outcome. If you apply Early Action, it might not help you know your financial situation yet.</p>

4

<p>Apply to UAlabama Honors and other schools with full-tuition/full-ride scholarships (both automatic and competitive).
You have a good shot for a full ride at Pitt, for example, if you apply by the end of the month (the faster the better). Merit doesn’t look at international status (in most cases) or financial need. Apply to CSUs, looking for Honors Programs that offer scholarships. </p>

<p>Bard (EA)
Berea => definitely
Brandeis
Bucknell
Clark (EA)
Colby => don’t bother
Colorado (EA)
Colgate => probably not
Connecticut
Dickinson (EA)
Earlham (EA) => you need to have 18k
F&M
Gettysburg
Grinnell => didn’t you apply last year? You can try again if you have new achieveent
Kenyon
Lafayette
Lawrence Univ
St. Olaf
Trinity => don’t bother
Union
U Richmond
Villanova => don’t bother
Whitman (possibly ED II)
Williams => don’t bother</p>

5

<p>

Back in 2009 when international admission statistics were still published seperately, Berea was as selective (about 3% international admission rate) as the top LACs. Just for the record.</p>

6

<p>Oh, I’m afraid my evaluations were not clear. I’m not evaluating for admission - just how worth your time it is to apply there.</p>

7

<p>@MYOS1634‌ Thanks for the reply! Can you give me a link where it says that I need 18,000 for Earlham? I can’t find it.</p>

8

<p>Personal knowledge. Same thing at Moravian.</p>

9

<p>CSU’s wont give the student the $23K differential for OOS students.</p>

10

<p>First of all, you should not be working withan f2 visa.
Secondly, you should also look at automatic full ride scholarship schools starting with Alabama. With EFC 5000 and international, many schools on your list will not be affordable even if you were accepted.
Thirdly you have to put the time needed to change visa status into consideration and it will take time.
In addition , EFC is meaning less for internationals. You won’t get any federal or state aid. </p>