Suggest me some US universities please? Chance me!

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hey, guys. I'm an Indian student wanting to get some suggestions on shortlisting universities.
Major in Computer Science. I shifted to Delhi to complete my high school, and so, I live alone as of now. Undertake most of the activities on my own. I was wondering if you could share how, according to you, adcoms might react to the following details. </p>

<h2>High School Grade (CBSE Board)</h2>

<ul>
<li>9th 10th : 10 Cumulative GPA</li>
<li>11th : 85%</li>
<li>12th : In the process of getting a good midterm report.</li>
<li>12th projected scores : around 95</li>
<li>Ranked in top 2% throughout (among 250-300 students)</li>
</ul>

<h2>Awards and Activities</h2>

<ul>
<li>Student of the Year 2013 by Times of India, India’s leading daily</li>
<li>Nominated for National Child Award for Exceptional Achievement
Among three students nominated by State Government</li>
<li>Honored by Governor of State Haryana
Won General Knowledge Quiz two consecutive times</li>
<li>Scholar, Haryana Science Talent Search Examination</li>
<li>State Rank 1, Junior Scientist Talent Hunt.
Recommended by Director, Indian Planetary Society (Co-organizer)</li>
<li>Scholar, YYGS Science Policy and Innovation 2014</li>
<li>Team Representative, National Children’s Science Congress
Surveyed around 100 farmers from neighboring villages; studied patterns of soil fertility</li>
<li>Founder, Knowledge Sharing Group
Lead 20 odd juniors in discussions on diff. topics)
Counsel schoolmates</li>
<li>Winner, National Learn by Fun Quiz
Led a 5 - member team to victory outdoing almost 300 teams from India</li>
<li>National Rank 3 in Collage Making Event at National ComFest (Computer Festival)</li>
<li>State Hindi Essay Writing Competition winner
Essay published in a book</li>
<li>Commonwealth Class BBC Live debater
Participated thrice, views published on BBC Website</li>
<li>Table Tennis State representative
District Champion twice. </li>
<li>Volunteer, Hemophilia Federation India & Caring Souls Foundation</li>
</ul>

<p>Sorry for the above list looks kinda messy.
Avid quizzer. I love doing online courses. Certified with high distinction in 2 of them. Won Segreta (Online Crypt Hunt) IIT Bombay
Coded a 2P card game. Develop small Android apps. </p>

<h2>Standardized Tests (Weakest point, I guess)</h2>

<p>SAT I: 1980 (Jan 2014). Improved some bit since then. Don't have a concrete proof to show the same, though. Might well take ACT in December
TOEFL: 107/120
AP scholar with distinction. Did 5 APs on my own (5,5,4,4,4)</p>

<p>Recommendation letters are well placed. Hoping to get a 32+ on ACT if I do take it. (I know I will, just to lessen the burden, you know). Counselor report should be fine. Expected grades already told ^. What else? Um, essays. I just feel that I can expand on the fact that I've done a lot of stuff on my own. My English says that I express beautifully. Let's see. Certainly, cracks in my jar.</p>

<p>Guys, can you please suggest me some universities? Assume that I don't need financial aid. Also, please tell me as to how my chances of getting into the same universities could chance if I were to apply for aid. Basically, two diff. lists if you've got some time. It's okay, and quite understandable. Thanks a lot! Ask me if I can help you in any way.</p>

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<p>I think you have an extremely strong application and that your chances of getting into an Ivy/Very Selective school aren’t bad. Anything else (Selective - Open Admission) you are very likely to get into. </p>

<p>So, schools that have strong CS programs:
Cal Tech
MIT
Harvard/Stanford/Princeton/Yale
CU Berkeley
CU San Deigo
CU Irvine
CU Santa Barbara (seeing a trend?)</p>

<p>I think that if you apply to several high ranking schools you’re bound to get into one. I agree with you though, that your standardized tests scores could be higher.</p>

3

<p>UMass Amherst and UIUC beyond what the last poster suggested…</p>

<p>UMass Amherst: Low match
UIUC: High match
CMU: Reach</p>

4

<p>@Snoww26‌ what did you mean by “…you’re bound to get into one”? I didn’t quite understand it. Does my chanc of getting in a US university increase if I apply to a number of top schools?
And I do want to set everything upright. Starting ACT prep within this week. Thanks!</p>

<p>@Catria‌ Thanks. Can you please tell me the difference between MIT and UMass Amherst? I’m sorry if this may sound a stupid question, but I really don’t know.</p>

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<p>@Yashmittal2009‌ You’re chances don’t technically increase as colleges don’t say “Oh, he’s applied to lot’s of places, let’s accept him.” Rather, if you applied to 100 top-tier colleges instead of one, you would probably get admitted to one. I’d find it hard to imagine none of those schools would accept you.</p>

6

<p>UMass Amherst is a public university, part of the Five College Consortium and is located in the middle of nowhere; MIT is in a Boston suburb and is private.</p>

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<p>@snoww26 Why do you call the UCs, CUs?</p>

<p>OP, like everyone else has said, you have a decent chance at everywhere. Assuming you have safeties back in India, I would suggest CMU, MIT, CIT, Stanford, and Harvey Mudd. They’re my favorites for computer science.</p>

<p>I would strongly suggest against applying to the UCs (UC Berekely, UCLA, etc.), because they place a huge emphasis on GPA and test scores, and unfortunately, your GPA is mediocre for an amazing student while your test scores are below par, for the average amazing student. </p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

<p>Chance me? <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1690007-claremont-mckenna-duke-bucknell-grinnell-uofr-chances.html”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1690007-claremont-mckenna-duke-bucknell-grinnell-uofr-chances.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>@Woandering‌ Well U of Colorado at Boulder is shortened to CU Boulder, so I kinda of just do the same thing for the California schools :stuck_out_tongue: I hope it’s not confusing for anyone…</p>

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<p>@Snoww26 The University of California schools are pretty famously known as the UCs. It’s not too confusing if you put UC Berkeley, UC Davis, and a bunch of other together but CU Berkeley by itself is pretty confusing. </p>

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<p>@Woandering‌ I’ll try not to do that again, especially for those who aren’t overly familiar with those schools. Will you chance me?</p>

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<p>@Woandering‌ Thank you so much. Not to sound high, we Indians maintain quite low GPAs through high school, but do amazingly well at board examinations (in 10th and 12th). So, I guess my GPAs should be fine assuming that every top school knows about education system in India.
I do acknowledge the fact that I have to pull my socks up for SAT/ACT now. Thanks a lot. </p>

<p>Can you guys suggest me universities if I were to apply for aid? Counselor request done. Family income in aid bracket. And I would be happy to go to a not-so-brilliant-in-C.S. school. Aid for internationals sucks. </p>

<p>@Snoww26‌ Thank you buddy. I am flattered that you’re backing me up with such less SAT scores. <em>All smiles</em></p>

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<p>Let’s forget about who has the best CS UG programs. I REALLY want to study in the US. Need aid in a nice university.
Btw ask me if I can be of any help to you guys. </p>

13

<p>@Snoww26 Link me to your chance thread?</p>

<p>@Yashmittal2009 If you really /just/ wanted to study in the US, there are plenty of universities that will take you with some degree of aid. They aren’t well known, but they’ll take internationals. </p>

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<p>@Woandering‌ <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1691888-what-is-the-best-i-could-do.html#latest”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1691888-what-is-the-best-i-could-do.html#latest&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>@Yashmittal2009‌ Check out these two links <a href=“A List Of Colleges That Are Free To Apply To. - College Search & Selection - College Confidential Forums”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/444532-a-list-of-colleges-that-are-free-to-apply-to-p1.html&lt;/a&gt;
<a href=“http://automaticfulltuition.yolasite.com/”>http://automaticfulltuition.yolasite.com/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Let me know if those help at all!</p>

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<p>@yashmittal: how much can your parents pay?
This is THE key element in any international’s list and application strategy.</p>

<p>In particular, it is crucial you improve that SAT score, or do better on the ACT. With a 1400CR+M or 32 composite, you’ll have more choices.</p>

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<p>@MYOS1634‌ I’d be needing full aid.
Sure, I will try my best.</p>

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<p>So, you’re saying your parents can only pay for your books and plane tickets?
In that case, things are going to be very very hard. If a school is to invest $55,000 on you, they’ll want you to be the best in their pool. ($55,000 is how much an average family of 4 in the US earns in a year. So, even in the US where costs and prices and salaries are very distorted compared to India, 55K is a huge amount of money to invest in someone. And sometimes there just isn’t enough money.)
If you were full pay, you could apply almost anywhere provided your SAT score increases by about 200 points.
As a FA-seeking applicant from INdia, almost everywhere becomes almost impossible.
First order of business: get that ACT 32/CR+M1400 (or more if you can).
Second, as of now, the only schoos you can apply to with reasonable odds are Howard and Berea. I would add Waterloo in Canada. Start looking into Gustavus Adolphus, Kalamazoo, Lawrence. Also look at the YOLA schools (link provided above by Snoww26) and find 3 you like okay.
If your scores improve, there’ll be more possibilities (especially wrt merit) but we need actual scores.
Your resume is impressive, especially since you’re on your own. The big obstacle will be your financial need.</p>

18

<p>Actually, the thing is that I don’t want to burden my parents about such hefty fees.
Just want to know, do I really stand a chance at top schools (like you guys earlier mentioned) if I happen to to not apply for FA?</p>

19

<p>if you don’t burden your parents with the cost and don’t apply for financial aid, how will you pay? To get a student visa, you need to demonstrate you have enough money to pay, either through scholarships or from family or other funds. So not applying for financial aid when you need it is pointless.</p>