<p>I'm a female student in a third world country where women are oppressed and treated unequally. There are barely any female applicants from my area who applied to international universities. Most of my extra curricular activities involved women rights and raising awareness about how women and men should be equal. I've also traveled abroad to the us and attended a conference (which I basically had to apply to and get accepted to in order to attend) which collected girls from all around the world to discuss the topic of empowering women. Would it be a good thing to write about the situation of my country in my college essay and how I strive to change it, or is it too risky? Keep in mind i'm applying to top and some ivy league unis. </p>
<p>Make sure that the overall focus of the essay is on yourself, your activism and your plans. The message should be, “I will change the world!” and not “Please rescue me!”</p>
<p>That is good advice, thank you :)>- 
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<p>Yes, and don’t give the impression that your plans are to stay in the US after graduation. Rather, that you want to use your education to make a positive change in your home country. </p>
<p>yeah that’s exactly what intend to do, thank you 
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<p>fyi, there is an essay section on the forum. I suggest you avoid making your essay into a manifesto or political opinion, keep it personal and how it is such an important issue to your for yourself, for otherwomen, for your country’s future etc. and show that you act on your desire to improve conditions for women.</p>
<p>I’m not sure how you think this is risky? </p>
<p>I’ll check that out, and I will most definitely stay away from politics/religion.</p>
<p>I had two options: write a traditional essay like most students, or just take the risk and perhaps it may help me stand out. Its risky because I could come off as begging for attention, help, or sympathy yet at the same time I should make the situation clear for the universities to understand my circumstances. So the essay is going to require lots of hard work. An essay like that should be powerful enough to convey my message, but a small mistake while writing it can blow off all my chances at getting in which is exactly what is worrying me. </p>
<p>Personal activism (political, social, environmental or otherwise) is actually a pretty standard essay topic. </p>
<p>Yeah and I guess that’s what I will be writing, thanks to everyone for the advice</p>
<p>I hope you’re applying to women’s colleges!</p>
<p>Since the topic is both 1° central to who you are and 2° something you do AND 3° going to college in the US would help you achieve it, I think it’s great but the trick will be the execution. You CAN be political or speak about religion, actually, since it probably is part of your reality.
It’s okay to disagree with the government or the authorities in the US and it’s actually encouraged in college (although it does not mean students go around shouting down their professor, but rather that they’re encouraged to share different points of view. So you wouldn’t argue “the earth is a flat lump of cheese” but you’d discuss why scientist questioned the “flat Earth” hypothesis and what was instrumental in your opinion in establishing a theory or making it accepted…) The trick is to avoid the diatribe and present what you actually encountered, or what your friends encounter, and how you went about solving the problem.</p>
<p>I definitely like to speak my opinion I mean it is a crucial part of what I’m doing.I’m actually not applying to women’s college since I prefer co-ed ones. I’ve been in an all girls school my entire life because that’s the system so I felt like the USA would be my chance to breathe and have some freedom. May I ask you why though should I apply to a women’s college?</p>
<p>Because women’s colleges exist in part to defend women’s causes and help girls achieve their potential by empowering them. Some are actually partially coed in the classroom. Bryn Mawr ((haverford) Barnard ( columbia ) scrips ( Claremonts )</p>
<p>The thing is i’m only applying to colleges which provide financial aid to international students and unfortunately only few colleges do so and these are the top universities. So I’d have to do my best to get in as admission in these unis is extremely competitive and I’ll end up competing with students with perfect scores whereas my scores are not so perfect but they are good nonetheless. </p>
<p>Actually, women’s colleges such as the ones I listed provide excellent financial aid (often full ride scholarships) to the young women they admit. They are, of course, extremely selective.</p>
<p>Yup, selectivity is the greatest problem I’m facing. I guess I’ll just try my best I mean I got nothing to lose. I’m willing to try my best and do anything to get educated away from here. I just wish I was american, life would’ve been so much easier :(( </p>
<p>Also, try Canada (if you speak French, UOttawa just started a new program where tuition is super-discounted to $3-4,000 a year as long as you take 3 classes in French 3 classes in English), check out Dalhousie, Lethbridge, university Northern British Columbia, Mount Allison, Simon Fraser… on top of the usual (UBC, UT, McGill).</p>
<p>Apply widely. Include the universities that are need blind, the women’s colleges, the universities that offer merit scholarships, etc.</p>
<p>Oh yeah Canada is a good suggestion. Thank you for the help.
If you don’t mind me asking, are you a student, or a parent?</p>
<p>an adult :)</p>
<p>Lucky, you’re done with studies and all sorts of pressure students have to go through. I still have a looong way to go. :/</p>
<p>in a sense, I guess you’re right but it’s kind of funnyto read it put that way :D. Let us say I don’t envy students applying from abroad, I know how incredibly hard it is for them. But if you apply broadly there’s a light at the end of the tunnel and the loong way to go is what makes life interesting. :)</p>