<p>Okay, hello there! I know many will read half of this and leave it, and many will read and not comment. BUT PLEASE DO COMMENT, I <em>DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO A COLLEGE COUNSELLOR HERE, AND NOONE KNOWS ANYTHING ABT COLLEGE ADMISSIONS</em>
This is an international student from India, n I am a HYP MIT aspirant.(I don't see anything wrong in dreaming)... Got my SAT 2 scores yesterday, and they were way below my expectations. LEVEL 1- 770, LEVEL 2- 760, PHYSICS- 760... And yes, my intended major is economics. I am doing IB here, and have been predicted to get 44/45. I scored 95% in grade 10 (CBSE), and my class rank was 1 outta 70 students. My academics are pretty 'decent' if u ignore my sat scores. 2290 in SAT 2, n 2050 in SAT 1...
I am reappearing for the SAT in nov, and am expecting a 2200+ score. MY ECs are also decent. I was the head boy of my previous school and am the head boy of my current school as well. I have won debate, extempore speech, quiz and essay writing contests and have also won medals in table tennis and cricket. However, all this was won at the school level. I have also done a LOT of service work as part of the IB CAS programme. HOWEVER, MY LETTERS OF RECCOMENDATION are <em>stunning</em>, and I am sure I can crank up a good college essay... The thing is, SAT scores are a lil low...</p>
<p>PLEASE PLEASE ANSWER A FEW QUESTIONS FOR ME
1) Where should I apply (suggest schools offering aid to internationals only).
2) Should I reappear for SAT 2s in dec (will get those 800s, but are they worth it?)
3) SHOULD I write about the conditions I live in in my essay.
(Surrounded by naxal attacks, 12 hours of power cuts and a load of crappy **** here. My school is like 40 km away from where I stay, so I waste 2 hrs a day travleeing)
4) I am also applying to the UK, and have got an Interview call frm CAMBRIDGE. My essay for UCAS was centred around my love for economics and my philanthropic ambitions. Shall I give that essay as a supplement, or will it not go well with the 'LIBERAL ARTS SYSTEM' here (coz I have presented myself as a die hard wanna-be economist in that)...</p>
<p>THANKS A TON FOR READING AND PLEASE DO COMMENT. Here is a guy who is probably most in need of your help. INDIAN COLLEGES DONT ACCEPT IB, SO IF I DONT GET IN an American or Brit college, I might well be sittin at home the next year.</p>
<p>I think it would be wise for you to apply to some colleges whose selectivity is a bit below MIT/Harvard/Cambridge U. Your SAT scores are fine and in general your “stats” are very good, certainly good enough to get you into one of these schools. However, with an under 10% acceptance rate, these schools also reject many with qualifications that seem just as good. Apply to some schools where you will get a fine education, and which are a good fit for you socially, but where your numbers place you near the top of the heap. If none come to mind (often international students just aren’t aware of US or Brit schools that aren’t in the tippy-top “famous” category) check out the US New and World Report rankings and give special scrutiny to the schools ranked 20-40.</p>
<p>Thank you jingle!
How many of these ‘20-40 category’ schools do you think I should apply to!
THE BIGGEST ISSUE IS- MANY OF THEM DONT SEEM TO OFFER AID!</p>
<p>I totally agree with the above post - also apply to several colleges at the next level that are not Ivies. Ivy admissions are too difficult to predict, and they turn away people with perfect scores. Many US colleges have high quality economics programs. Some are more politically conservative than others, if that matters to you.</p>
<p>Maybe other posters can answer this question: What quality US colleges offer FA to international students? The ones I know all say their need-based financial aid is not available to internationals. I’m guessing the merit aid is available to internationals.</p>
<p>Most Ivies say they don’t give merit aid. Many colleges give out tons of merit aid, particularly if you are near the top of their applicant pool.</p>
<p>For most students, it is good to apply to 2 to 3 schools that are a bit of a reach, 4 schools where you are closely matched with their average admitted student qualifications, at least one school that you still like where you know you will be accepted, and one college where you know you can afford it even if you don’t get financial aid.</p>
<p>Well, this is proving to be an eye opener! Thank you very much!
This is a very preliminary list.
Do you think my stats are good enough for-
columbia
ut austin
unc
colgate</p>
<p>Your stats are good enough for most schools – the question is which school will give you FA. As you may know, there is very little FA for international students, especially at state schools like UNC and UTAustin. Check out the International Students thread on this site for an idea of which schools have given FA to foreign students. My suggestion would be to target less obvious schools - schools other than the Ivies or well known privates. Research good private schools in the middle of the country which are less on the International student’s radar, and which might be actively trying to become more diverse. I’m thinking of schools like Macalester, Washington University of St. Louis, possibly U of Chicago.</p>
<p>Backing up katliamom’s point, there are a lot of excellent colleges in the Midwest that are looking to improve their diversity. I’m thinking about Grinnell, Kalamazoo, Carleton, and Oberlin. If you are male, that’s an advantage at LACs like these. Not in the Midwest, but Hamilton College is near Colgate and needs diversity.</p>
<p>I think an essay about your living conditions would make a good read if you make sure it does not come across as whiny.</p>
<p>Wow! This is so amazingly helpful. Thanks a lot!
About U Chicago-Its economics programme is <em>TOP DRAW</em>… But it seems to me that they’re too obsessed with ultra-high test scores! YOUR TAKE ON A <em>GOOD CHICAGO APPLICANT</em>!</p>
<p>You might also look at Canadian colleges. I believe they have reasonable tuition prices for non-Canadians. Also, you might feel very at home in parts of Toronto.</p>
<p>There are some smaller colleges with no students from India, and they might want to recruit a person so they can market themselves as having students from 30 different countries.</p>
<p>As a safety in case there is no aid available, you might want to look at a public college that does not charge a high rate for out-of-state tuition. I think that may include some mid-western universities and the State Universities of New York campuses.</p>
<p>I understand UNC reserves 90% of their undergrad seats for in-state.</p>
<p>Other good midwestern and southern LACs to consider: Macalester (also good merit aid and 12% international), Lawrence, and Beloit. Carleton doesn’t offer merit aid, but may still be generous with internationals who have financial need. More southern: Consider Rhodes, Hendrix, Davidson.</p>
<h1>2) Your SAT scores are high enough–not sure perfect 800s will make a difference.</h1>
<h1>3) Yes, write about your local conditions and how you’ve overcome the difficulties.</h1>
<h1>4) The economics essay will be a fine supplementary essay and a good fit for all colleges.</h1>
<p>Other college ideas: UMichigan, Emory (Emory Scholar $) (in Atlanta, GA), Vanderbilt (Nashville, TN) might need some int’l diversity and has money. Good luck.</p>
<p>“This is an international student from India,”</p>
<p>The IS a counselor near you - or at least relatively near you. You need to get in touch with the office of EducationUSA that is closest to you. There are several in India: [EducationUSA</a> - Find an Advising Center](<a href=“http://www.educationusa.info/India]EducationUSA”>India | EducationUSA) If for some reason, you can’t visit in person, they should be able to advise you over the phone or by email. These counselors can tell you which colleges/universities in the US have admitted students like you in recent years, and whether or not those students received financial aid.</p>
<p>It is very difficult for me to believe that none of the universities in India will accept applicants who have completed the IB. How did it happen? Does everyone in your program continue their studies abroad? If so, then the people at your school should be able to tell you just exactly where you can get in, and what kind of aid you can expect.</p>
<p>You also need to take your question to the International Students Forum. There you will find a sub-forum specifically for students in India. Some of them will have good ideas for you. Click on “Discussion Home” in the upper-left of this screen and scroll down to find it.</p>
<p>@happymomof1- Thanks. I’ll take a look at that site. As far as Indian univs in concerned, they follow the indian system. At high school, you either take a science, commerce or an arts stream. So a science student will study Math, Physics, Biology, Chemistry and English (STUPID, ISN’T IT?) I chose the IB as it gave me more freedom… But Indian colleges won’t take me. I may get into a tier 2 college, half of whose students are jobless a year after graduation, and the other half work for meager pays (less than a quarter of the US average income)… Now, with 95% in grade 10, 44/45 predicted on the IB and 2200+ on the SAT, I certainly do not wanna go to such colleges! YES BROTHER, IT’S THIS TOUGH HERE IN INDIA!</p>
<p>Your choice of IB would actually be interesting in one of the essays.<br>
If you have no local college counseling, please consider calling one of the HYP schools and asking about a graduate in your area- or some close city- who would be willing to speak with you. This would not start as an “alumni interview,” but be for information.</p>