Seeking Advice on College Choices [international student; 4A*, 3A, 1B O-level; 2B, 1C AS-level; 1330 SAT]

Applying to College
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Hi, College Confidential community!

I hope you’re all doing well. I’m a high school student in the midst of my college application journey, and I could really use some advice and insights. I’d like to share a bit about my academic background, extracurriculars, and the list of colleges I’m considering.

Grades and Test Scores:

  • I earned A*s in subjects like Chemistry, Physics, Computer Science, and Islamiyaat in my O-levels.
  • In O-levels, I achieved As in English, Pakistan Studies, and Urdu.
  • However, I earned a B in Math in my O-levels.
  • During my AS-levels, I received Bs in Chemistry and Physics, and a C in Math.
  • My SAT score is 1330.

Extracurricular Activities:

  • I’m a member of the AKYSB (Aga Khan Youth and Sports Board).
  • I co-founded and currently serve as the Vice President of an international community organization.
  • I completed an internship with AIESEC.
  • I work as a social media manager for a small editing agency.
  • I tutor both international and national students to financially support my family
  • In my free time, I enjoy practicing cardistry and magic, and I create comedy videos on social media.

My College List:

  • Alfred State College - SUNY
  • Angelo State University
  • Austin Peay State University
  • California State University, Long Beach
  • Troy University
  • Eastern Illinois University
  • Murray State University
  • Minot State University
  • University of Nevada, Reno
  • Truman State University
  • The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
  • The University of Texas, San Antonio

I’d be incredibly grateful for your input, advice, or any insights you could provide regarding my college choices. Are there any colleges on my list that I should consider more seriously, or are there others you’d recommend based on my profile and aspirations?

Thank you in advance for your help, and I’m looking forward to hearing from this wonderful community!

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I am assuming that you are not a US citizen or US permanent resident. You mention that you are tutoring to help support the family. How much can your family afford to pay for college for you every year? Aside from the cost of traveling to and from the US, you’d probably need at least 35K/yr to cover expenses for even the cheapest state college, what with tuition, books, room, and board. Unless you can demonstrate that you have funding, you’re unlikely to get a student visa.

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Actually…once accepted, you will be required to complete a certificate of finances that shows that you have the money the ready to pay for all four years of college here…or you won’t get a student visa. This money can include approved loans, money in the bank, financial aid provided by your college for all four years. It can not include potential money your family hopes to earn in the future.

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Why have you selected these schools ?

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Can your family afford the costs to attend these colleges? And I would suggest deleting CSU Long Beach. You are not a resident of CA so you most definitely will be full pay there.

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yes! one of my uncle in states in willing to sponser me. So I can show sufficient funds before applying for visa

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one of my uncle in states in willing to sponser me. So I can show sufficient funds before applying for visa

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so i tutor international students bcz of which i have to work all night 12 to 13 hours most day, as you can see this has really affected my academics i went from As in olevels to Bs and C in Alevel. so i am aiming for colleges with high acceptance rate, that are also less than 35k per year

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And your uncle will transfer all this money into your or your parent’s bank account? The State Department won’t count this if it’s not money in your control.

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not actually, he as a us citizen can either get me an approved loan or he can sponser me directly

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@micro23 are you African American? Latino?
Your list is all over the place.

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nope, i am pakistani

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You have listed at least 1 very Hispanic based school (UTRGV), Austin Peavy is predominantly African American, Angelo State is smack in the middle of West Texas.
Trying to figure out a rhyme or reason for your list.
I definitely think you’ll be in the minority at the 3 schools listed above, and could have quite culture shock, based on their completely different locations.

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is this something i need to take into account while applying? i was mostly concentrating on cost, academics, and acceptance rate

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Totally up to you. I would definitely do light research on all the schools-look at location, diversity, demographics, location of nearest major airport, etc. And look at photos, I’m sure most offer virtual tours.

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I’m not clear how he can get you, a non-citizen a loan. Maybe others can shed more light on this.

And what does “sponsor me directly” mean?

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These things tend to matter to Americans. To someone coming from another culture entirely, they may be fungible. :neutral_face:

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It may make for a happier four years if you can find a school within reasonable distance of a sizeable Pakistani population. That may not be the driving factor for you, but I wouldn’t discount how comforting it may be to find something as simple as a Pakistani restaurant to visit for a taste of home.

This is a Wikipedia link so may not be the most accurate and up to date source but may give you an idea.

IMG_5753
IMG_57531179×1573 253 KB

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It doesn’t work that way. He cannot get you a loan that the government would take as evidence that you would have enough money to pay for college. The reason that they want proof is that they don’t want you to work illegally in the US. And an uncle cannot file to sponsor a nephew for immigration.

What I think that he can do is send enough money to your family in Pakistan now, a full 150K, so that they can show that they have the funds to pay for college for you in the US, all four years. But I don’t think that’s a wise idea, since if they are so poor that you have to do 12 hours a day of online tutoring to support the family, then the likelihood of the family using that 150K to actually pay for college for you is very low.

I think that your uncle could open a custodial bank account for you in the US, in your name but with him as the custodian, and put 150K into it. That would probably satisfy the US government that you had enough to pay for college here, and would not have to work illegally.

Take a look at this list of cheapest colleges in the US for international students. https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/slideshows/15-most-affordable-colleges-for-international-students?rec-type=blueshift&slide=18

University of South Dakota is on there - that is the flagship U for SD, 87% acceptance rate. I also noticed that there are some inexpensive options in Minnesota.

I think that with that SAT of 1330, you’re likely to be accepted at schools that take over 80% of applicants, maybe even over 75%. You’re not likely to find a good school in a safe area with affordable tuition, room, and board, in a desirable major city, for cheap. It’s either going to have to be in an undesirable location, or low achieving student body which means low level classes, or in an expensive locale where you cannot afford to live. But SD’s flagship state U looks like a real bargain at under 25K/yr, is safe, is going to have a lot of majors since it’s the major flagship state U for SD. Your total cost for 4 yrs would be about 100K.

If your uncle cannot pony up the money, up front, for your education, I doubt that a college education in the US is an option. Your grades are not good enough to win you a scholarship, so without showing that you have the money, you won’t get a student visa. Make sure that you make options in Pakistan, too.

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Thank you for the advice.it’s really helpful. As for financial documents, my uncle has already had a chat with a visa attorney, so as far as I know, that should not be a problem. While I’m not quite sure about all the details of the process, I think showing financial support should not be an issue.

The University of South Dakota does seem like a great option, and I’ll definitely look into it further. As for the list you provided, it looks like a good starting point.

I understand your concerns about my family’s financial situation and the feasibility of funding my education. It’s a challenging situation, and I’m determined to explore all available options. In addition to the valuable insights you’ve already shared, I would greatly appreciate any further advice or guidance you could provide regarding the college list I’ve shared.

If you have any specific recommendations or insights about the colleges on my list or if you think there are other institutions I should consider, please feel free to share your honest advice :slight_smile: