Soo last year I applied to multiple colleges. (21) in the US, and I thought I had plenty good chances at getting in. I had expected 8A*s in Alevels, a SAT score of 1550, and a range (as well as a lot of) extras. I got my essay checked and reviewed by both the USEFP (US education foundation) and multiple college representatives and all of them seemed to like it.
So now my question to you guys (especially those of you who have had a similar experience) is, should I go for another round of applications? More importantly, what can I do differently? Regards x
(Ps: The colleges ranged from Ivies to Kenyon/Tulane/St.Olaf)
As an international student, your chances are best if you can pay full fees.
Rejections from the ivies is to be expected. The other schools were probably not need blind. I agree with @“aunt bea” that it was probably financial. If you can afford full pay tuition and room/board ($60,000/year + travel & miscellaneous expenses), it might be worth applying to a few other schools. Otherwise look in Europe at the countries with free tuition or look closer to home.
Seems you only applied to super-competitive colleges and rejections - especially as an international student and even more so if you need significant aid - should not be a surprise. If you reapply this year I would seek out some less competitive colleges in the US that offer aid to international students as well as options in your home country.
Completing 21 applications likely didn’t allow for time to make any of them stand out. I think you were in the negatitive marginal return area.
From your other thread so it sounds like you need a full ride. I don’t know if any US college offers those to international students. Even if they did, you’d need money for travel, health insurance and living expenses.
What did you spend the last year doing? Do you have anything to add to your app?
@“aunt bea” , @Groundwork2022 I am able to, this round!
@happy1 I’ll keep that in mind and go lower-tier this round
@Eeyore123 I actually did ensure that I gave sufficient time to all of them (I spent 3 months on my applications)
@austinmshauri I suppose only 5 do, and all of them being super competitive… But eitherways, I’m able to afford this round, and yes I certainly did - mostly social work including reorganizing the systems within an NGO and making their records etc. digital (and more manageable/clear)
Why should U.S. colleges or universities give you a full ride for your education? I’m not clear why you think you would receive this?
It sounds also like you didn’t care where you went as long as it was in the US.
Every college is different in everything and in location, location, location!
Going to a rural school, that has limited access in the winter, is very different than a small school in the city.
Plus, post graduate plans should NOT include trying to stay in the US after graduating. The government is getting even stricter on that.
Unfortunately, if you applied to the colleges that meet full need for internationals last year and didn’t get accepted, or you applied to need aware schools but didn’t get enough aid, the chances of getting accepted now with a full ride aren’t much better. Are you applying to financial safeties in your home country?
Last year you needed full financial aid, but this year you can afford $300,000 to cover four years? It seems unlikely, but you better be sure. These questions do come up in the student visa application process.
Additionally, those same schools may reject you yet again. It may have nothing to do with finances but, with fit.
You have to fit the class and the university. Twenty-one very different schools don’t all fit one person.
I don’t know exactly what was on your applications, but looking at your other posts from March, you have enough red flags for an easy rejection.You had that in addition to a full time student, you
2,000 hours per year is a full time job. That is nearly 3 years at full time.
in addition
I don’t think you know what mentoring is. You can maybe mentor 2-3 people max.
in addition
more jobs
in addition
more jobs
in addition
equivalent to a part time job in season.
in addition …
Full need + red flags = not good results
Apply to universities with merit scholarships: UAlabama, App state Wilson,. UNC Robertson, UMN Twin Cities, Temple, Indiana…
Beware: Nov 1 is often the deadline.
You can send your essay to college confidential essay readers (pm only, DO NOT POST HERE FOR ALL TO SEE) - see ‘essay’ section.
If you really have the money to apply as a full-pay international student, there will be many schools that will be happy to accept you. The elites will still be a reach. They are for everyone not named Trump, Obama, Putin, Gates – you get my drift.
@“aunt bea” I certainly have no plans of staying in the US post graduate. I believe they were mostly due to financial assistance being required (the ones not being biased based on it are obviously super-competitive ie. Harvard MIT Princeton) And I’m mostly thinking of limited applications this round.
@austinmshauri I am, and I already did start a course in professional studies as a backup!
@Groundwork2022 well basically my grandfather handed over the land to my dad now and he agreed to give me my “share” for educational expenses, so I can certainly afford it now!
@eeyorev3 well to explain the first part - 7cups counts interaction with one person continuously as run along time so I could be talking to 10 people at a time, with each replying once a few minutes (as is usually the case) and would have 10 hours if I continued that way for one (if that makes sense) I did ensure that I mentioned that in the additional info section. Mentoring, to the site meant something along the role of training the listeners on site so I suppose I could get that across more clearly. As for the canteen, it was run only during the school hour breaks. But I get your point. I’ll certainly try being clearer this round! thank you
@MYOS1634 I basically did lack counselling services and had little knowledge about these scholarships being offered till it was too late to go for them, but I’m certainly going to try this round (I do have almost everything prepared so I can!) I didn’t know there were essay readers over this site, I’ll certainly look into that.
@katliamom hopefully so!
Are you in college in your country now? US colleges may consider you a transfer student if that’s the case. Make sure you send transcripts from any college classes with your application.
@austinmshauri I have started a course in Chartered Accountancy - it can not be classified as being in college under the system in my local country because it doesn’t require credits/classes (though tuitions are offered by RAETs). It’s merely you studying and giving exams for an external body, which then later will give you internships for a set amount of time. So it can in a way, be termed as something similar to the SAT. I will get no degree till I’m done with the entire (at least 5 years) of exams and internships. I don’t that counts as me being from a “college” or being a transfer student, right?
If you get a degree, then US colleges might consider that a type of college. @MYOS1634 might know. What country are you from?
@austinmshauri I just checked Harvard’s website and they do not count professional courses as eligible-for-transfer-applications. I think degree is the wrong word. It’s a professional certificate that allows you to practice auditing etc. (after having completed the education/internships). I’m from Pakistan