Review this list

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I really hope this is the last thread I make here hahah.</p>

<p>International student from Italy.
Cogntive Science/Neuroscience and Marketing/Business Major </p>

<p>SAT (1): 1640 (CR 540 M 620 W 480)
SAT (2): 1860 (CR 650 M 570 W 640)
SUPERSCORE: 1910</p>

<p>I am currently preparing for the TOEFL, expecting around 100
I am also preparing for the SAT Math II and SAT Physics, but I don't know if I'll take them.</p>

<p>Help me make smaller this list.</p>

<p>UCSD (Cognitive Science Major w/specialization + Business Minor) - no scholarship
UCLA (Cognitive Science) - no scholarship
UCSC (Cog Sci + Business Management Economics) - no scholarship
U of Arizona (Cog Sci w/Emphasis + Marketing or Business Management) - yes scholarship
USD (Behavioural Neuroscience + Marketing) - yes scholarship
UT Dallas (Cog Sci w/Track + Marketing w/Track or Emerging Media Comm) - yes scholarship
USC (Cog Sci + Arts, Technology and Business of Innovation Major)
Claremont McKenna College (Neuroscience and Financial Economics Sequence and Leadership Program) - yes scholarship
Pitzer (Neuroscience and Financial Economics Sequence and Leadership Program) - yes scholarship
Pomona (Neuroscience and Financial Economics Sequence and Leadership Program) - yes scholarship
UVA (Cog Sci/Neuroscience + Pre-Business)
UT Austin (Neuroscience + Marketing)</p>

<p>I would like to have 5-6 colleges at the end.</p>

<p>About me:
I really like to study, to learn. I do not do drugs and I don't smoke. I would like not to see people do drugs around me, but smoking is fine. I do drink sometimes, but not too much. I don't really care about too much drunk people, but less there are the better it is.
I have walking disabilities, so not too much stairs or bad floors (not plain that is). I don't mind walking as long as it's at my own pace.
No financial problems, but if I get a merit scholarship it's not bad. Money are not a big deal anyway.
I plan to go to grad school, might be Business school, might be Med school. I don't know. </p>

<p>At school I have 7.73/10 GPA. I don't know how to covert it, and I know I shouldn't. Just so you know, 8 for some classes is the highest grade you can get, for others is 10 - depends on the teacher. Usually very few people get 8/10 GPA, and even fewer get 9/10. </p>

<p>I would like a place that is sunny year-long, where there's not much rain and no snow.
I plan to go to Honors College in every of these schools.</p>

<p>I want a challenging environment, but not one that will make me crazy. Somewhere that has lots of thing to do.</p>

<p>Tell me what you think about these schools, if it's worth it to apply and pay as int. student and how's the program I choose there. </p>

<p>If I missed to say anything - ask.</p>

<p>Thank you.</p>

2

<p>No financial aid required? You’re in a wonderful position. That said, you really should take the SAT once again to bring them up to around 2000.</p>

3

<p>If I can get it, it would be great. But no, my parents say that I don’t need it.</p>

<p>I really don’t want to take the SAT again. This result (apart from Math) is really what I was expecting (maybe a little more on W, but we’re there) and I don’t think I could bring that up very much. I suffer of anxiety and going through this 2 times was bad. Plus, I want to do the subject test now.</p>

4

<p>Okay, but it would be wise to remove these schools from your list: Pomona and Claremont McKenna. They are wayyyy too competitive, especially when it comes to intl admissions, so those test scores will very much put you out of the running.</p>

5

<p>Uhm okay, I’ll think about retaking it or remove those school from the list.
Thank you.</p>

<p>Anyone else?</p>

6

<p>I’m slightly confused - do the “yes scholarship” entries indicate that you’ve already been accepted and received scholarship offers to those schools?
How would you know that on June 26 without having committed anywhere? Have you actually applied to any of these schools? Or do they indicate schools where you would require a scholarship to be able to afford to attend?
What does “no financial problems” mean with regard to your budget - you’re international, will your government subsidize your expenses in any way?
Your low CR and W scores could be explained by English not being your native language, but how do you explain away the M scores?</p>

7

<p>Sorry, I forgot to explain!! yes scholarship means that there are scholarships for int. students.
No, my family has the money.
I will (prob) take Math II to explain Math score. but I thought 620 was high enough (?!) at least for some of these schools.
Do not suggest to stay in Italy for undergrad - I’m also applying to univs here, obv, but we don’t have the undegrad program I want to major in.</p>

8

<p>With these excellent Italian grades and good test scores (but not 700s), and keeping in mind that you’re full pay:</p>

<p>KEEP
UCSD (Cognitive Science Major w/specialization + Business Minor) - no scholarship => reach
UCLA (Cognitive Science) - no scholarship => reach
UCSC (Cog Sci + Business Management Economics) - no scholarship
U of Arizona (Cog Sci w/Emphasis + Marketing or Business Management) - yes scholarship
USD (Behavioural Neuroscience + Marketing) - yes scholarship => safety
UT Dallas (Cog Sci w/Track + Marketing w/Track or Emerging Media Comm) - yes scholarship => safety
Pitzer (Neuroscience and Financial Economics Sequence and Leadership Program) - yes scholarship
UT Austin (Neuroscience + Marketing)</p>

<p>REMOVE (they’re too competitive) - you can keep just one “just to see”
Claremont McKenna College (Neuroscience and Financial Economics Sequence and Leadership Program) - yes scholarship
UVA (Cog Sci/Neuroscience + Pre-Business)
Pomona (Neuroscience and Financial Economics Sequence and Leadership Program) - yes scholarship
USC (Cog Sci + Arts, Technology and Business of Innovation Major) </p>

<p>Check out:
UCR, UCM (UCM is the only UC with scholarships for international students; however, they’re rather small!)
Chapman
Wilkes College (FAU’s Honors College)
Colorado College
URichmond
Elon
NCSU
UMiami
Perhaps these two as safeties:
Regis (Colorado, so sunny year round, but snow = in the mountains; excellent ROI)
Appalachian State (NC, sunny but in the mountains, with snow in the winter; growing stronger every year)</p>

9

<p>I added U Richmond! I really like it! And I also eliminated Pitzer. Might keep CMC or USC. Still in doubt about USD (lots of people say it’s very bad…)</p>

<p>Thank you for your help!</p>

10

<p>Since you’re an international, applying only to a handful of colleges is likely not enough.
The rule of thumb for internationals is:

  • 2 safeties MINIMUM. Those are important because when Spring comes, you may realize you’d rather attend a safety college in the US than a university in Italy, especially if it doesn’t have your major. In addition, since many know you’re applying to US college, it can be important for you to be able to say where you were admitted (and for internationals being rejected from every college isn’t rare so applying to the two safeties serves as a way to prevent that fate and having to announce this news to everyone in your family and school.) Many internationals apply to 3-5 “safeties” simply because a “safety” may not be so “safe” for them (different criteria than for Americans, financial issues, etc).
  • a couple matches - generally, the same number as safeties.
  • then, the schools many internationals focus on: the reaches.</p>

<p>For example, if you like URichmond (a reach), request information from Elon (a match) and Chapman or Regis (safeties).
Try to find UCBAlum and Whenhen, who know CA schools well, and ask their opinion with regard to Chapman vs. USD. Personally I’d pick Chapman but I’m not sure how universal that choice would be :D.</p>

11

<p>I like Chapman, but it doesn’t have Cog Sci or neuroscience, so usless for me to apply there. sigh :frowning:
Regis has not really what I am looking for - the neuroscience program lacks of courses in CS and philosophy and has too much chem and bio, but I’ll still think about it.</p>

<p>Are all the other colleges matches? (The ones you didn’t write “safety” or “reach” on)</p>

12

<p>Okay, right now the list is like this:</p>

<p>REACH:

  • UCSD
  • UCLA
  • USC (might take this out)
  • URichmond</p>

<p>MATCH

  • U of Arizona
  • UT Austin
  • UCSC</p>

<p>SAFETIES

  • UC Riverside
  • Regis College
  • USD
  • UT Dallas</p>

<p>How’s this? Should I add more matches?
None of these schools require the Subject Test, should I do them just to have something more? Or should I retake the SAT again? Or none?</p>

13

<p>what about UCSB? will that be a match or a reach?</p>

14

<p>please bump</p>

15

<p>What about OXY? Please?</p>

16

<p>Oxy is a slight reach, academically, but I think they might like your international background. Write a good essay, and your chances will be good - I’m going to call it a high match for you. UCSB is also probably a high match/low reach, depending on how your Italian grades translate into the UC weighted grading system. </p>

17

<p>and what about U Richomon? Is it a match or a reach?</p>

18

<p>should I retake the SAT (I’ll bring it up with at max 100 points, no more for sure)? Or do Math II subject test? (getting at least +750, to fix SAT math score and school math score)</p>

19

<p>As long as you write good essays, you will probably get into both Richmond and Occidental. An international who is a <em>good student</em> in his school and is willing to pay the full cost typically does not have a problem getting into Oxy/Richmond-ish schools.</p>

20

<p>oh, that’s good.
thanks :)</p>