'SC France International Student

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hi everyone. I want to apologize for telling everyone all about my life while I could make it short, but there might be some details that you guys will think I should use for a future application at USC.</p>

<p>So, I am currently 18 and will be a freshman majoring in Economics at La Sorbonne, in Paris, France, this year.
I graduated a year in advance from high school in Paris, and is the first one of my family to graduate. Then, I was given a scholarship to go study a year in an american high school, near St. Louis, Missouri. I did ok there. I played soccer and ran track, won a few Newspaper & Social Sciences awards, and did other extracurricular activities. They even gave me my high school diploma, so I have two now. I took the TOEFL there without any preparation really, just showed up and got a 87 (around the 80% percentile I think). I can get it up to the low 100s with a proper preparation.</p>

<p>Obviously, I enjoyed myself a lot, and I basically want to keep studying in the US. Mizzou told me they were interested in me for their Journalism program, but my mother, single parent and unemployed, couldn't obviously pay for it. So I came back. Basically, the plan is to graduate from college in Paris in three years, try to get my credits transfered at USC, or even any UC school program. I was told that I'd have to do my junior year again because of credits transfer issues or whatever, which is ok. My grades through high school were ok, not great--a high B average I would guess. I don't know if it helps, but my mom is a Spanish immigrant, and I assume I'll be fluent in Spanish (and familiar with a fourth language--Italian or German) by the time I apply.</p>

<p>Regarding my financial situation, my parents won't be able to pay for anything unless a miracle happens. So I'm on my own on that. I'm trying to get a job at an American bookstore here, save a little money, but I'm ready to put myself in debt.</p>

<p>Now comes the most important part. I know 'SC is a very popular college, and about 25% of applicants get in. I obviously don't stand a chance right now, it'd be a waste of money to apply now anyway. But I have two years to get ready for applying, and that's where you guys come in.
I would like to know what among the details I gave should I use for my essay, the best way to study for my SATs (I should be fine on the english part, and some of the maths, but I never studied geometry--ever), what extracurricular activities I should do (I'm going to run college track, intramural at first but I hope to be strong enough to do intercollegiates by junior year, and I plan on doing charity work for the Red Cross or something).
If I have to fly to LA and talk to the International Admissions officer, like I did for Mizzou, I'll do it. But I'd like to know if there is anything those officers like about students and might help my case. I hope to graduate Cum Laude (maybe Magna Cum if I do well in math), but La Sorbonne is the best college there is in France for my major, and I chose that one because it's the only one known overseas.</p>

<p>Again, I'd like to apologize for annoying you all with my life, but I feel this application is something I must do, and must succeed in, and I'm ready to do anything to get in, for several reasons. Thank you all. Fight on, I guess.</p>

2

<p>well. why do you want to study in the US undergrad? your best bet by far is to graduate with honors from la sorbonne (ie do really well) and apply to graduate programs in the US. not only would you then be eligible for TA work to cover your expenses, but you wouldn't be wasting a year for no reason. moreover, you would be a FAR more attractive applicant as a grad student than undergrad in my opinion based on the way you characterized your current stats.</p>

3

<p>I agree!! I mean Sorbonne is a very good university and cheap so if i were you i would wait a little more and came hear for grad .Universities here are very expensive despite of beeing public or private for international students they are all very expensive.Or maybe you can get a loan of something similar in france..My best friend did that he did grad school at Yale and noew he has a very good job and he has no trouble paying the money back .Also you might want to consider Canandian universities like U of toronto Mcgill waterloo they are much much less expensive .It will all depends on your goals...
Bonne chance!!!</p>

4

<p>First of, it's a really GREAT thing that you guys know about La Sorbonne. See, I could have gone to a less famous college and take a better degree, a double major economics-english, but I chose La Sorbonne for its name only.
The second thing is that I can't stand France anymore. I hate the educational system with a passion. Now, with the new European directives, there are no longer 4-year diplomas. They are still delivered, but have no real value. It's either 3, 5 (master) or 8 (Ph-D). If I want a bachelor's degree, it's because I want to settle in the United States afterwards, one way or another, but I know visas will be delivered to me only if I say otherwise. I'd like to start my own company in CA with a couple of friends, because unemployment rates are outraging here in Europe. Besides, high-qualified jobs are reserved to a small part of the population already, the golden youth, and it is kind of hard to start a company here. But also, if I want to have a BD, it's because I hoped to double-major in Economics-History, because History is my true passion but I know it leads nowhere or almost, and then go to Business School maybe. Anyway, thanks guys. If I don't make it as an undergrad, I'll just try the Erasmus thing (european exchange program) my senior year and go to Sweden or something (gotta loooove the ladies lol) and try for B-school, or even J-school afterwards. If you have some more advice, feel free to share.</p>

5

<p>If I don't make it, I'll be disapointed, but I know I'll have no problem getting into Mizzou, their J-school is the best in the country after Northwestern (a good school in Missouri... random) and I'll try the exchange programs La Sorbonne has with the East Coast colleges (NYU, Duke...)</p>

6

<p>Ok look, I totally understand what you're interested in doing, but why not do the 3 year undergrad degree and then apply to all those great schools you want to go to in the US? In fact, you'd probably be better off doing exchanges through Sorbonne with Duke and NYU but in the end getting your diploma from La Sorbonne, then applying to grad programs here. I'm very familiar with the french situation because I have alot of french friends/used to go to a french school, so I feel your frustration, but it's in your best interest (from my perspective) to NOT transfer out of Sorbonne and instead focus on getting into great grad schools in the US--holding out on the transfer and doing well at Sorbonne will unlock many of the top US schools for you.</p>

7

<p>Well that's exactly what I plan on doing--do the 3 year degree, apply for a whole bunch of exchange programs, if I get in go all the way to the master's degree in 5 years, and go to go grad school in the US. </p>

<p>The thing is that NYU, Duke, Brown (that's the one I'm the most interested in), Cornell, and Tufts all combined take up to 10 students from La Sorbonne combined, not by major but in the whole university. That's a lot of people.
Whatever happens, I will apply to US colleges, independantly and with La Sorbonne. If the programs don't work, I'm not spending a fourth year at La Sorbonne. I get my degree, and I'm out. If you understand my frustration and what I'm going to go through there (riots for no reason, stoners, anarchs, and so on), and that I've experienced American education already--in Missouri, the lamest state ever, so I can barely imagine what's it going to be in CA.. I just can't do it. I don't care about taking student loans, whatever it takes, I'll do it. I want out. Besides, if I stay more than three years because European colleges don't do Bachelors anymore, it's either your an AD or a master, and what's the point of having 2 masters? But whatever happens, I must be the **** next year.</p>