What are my chances as a TUNISIAN applicant??

Student Lounge International Students
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<p>Hi everyone,
I am so excited to write to you!!
So, I am Tunisian (Northern Africa-Arab-Below Italy).
Two months ago ,thanks to Amideast(USA EDUCATION CENTER), i've heard for the first time about the possibility of going to Study in the US.</p>

<p>And since Our family income can't be compared to the american lifestyle ,i've decided to aim high ,and have a shot at applying to the most selective colleges.
And to be honnest I've always dreamt to go to MIT or princeton or yale.</p>

<p>So, as for my capabilities (which is a bit hard to translate to the american educational system) let me first tell you that english is my THIRD language after arabic and french and i speak german too.</p>

<p>Ok ,the Sat , I haven't took it yet but a practise site offers a predicatble minimum score, all i had to do was having a diagnostic in the 3 sections and then practise for two hours, and i received a minimum score of 2200: 780Math-720 Reading-700Writing,
but i know that with some practise i could have 2300+ easily.</p>

<p>As for my academics i am the top of my pionner high scholl(top 3 HS in the country) ,and my GP varies from 90 -94 (i have to say compared to my country HS's, my school is pretty competitive), and in my senior school (that's when my peers and i start working seriously i can have 97/100).</p>

<p>As for my extracurricular activities: i play chess ,tennis, and MAth olympiads in addition to mathematical games,(top in the country and going to compete in the international in france with great chances).I have many other extra-currilcular activitites but didn't have a good position .</p>

<p>SO, i am still thinking of the essay and reading some books(HArry Potter Dan Brown and sometimes shakespeare) .Toefl llokks easy ,as for the sat Subject tests ,i'll have to prepare the new english scientific vocabulary)</p>

<p>So as an international student :what are my chances at Mit or Princeton ?
and Thanks !!</p>

<p>NB:just wonna add for EC's
*could be in Model Un
*could get in the IMO 2012
*Going to the international mathematical games(hopefully:it's easy)
*Kangoroo competition: first in the country(math)</p>

<p>All in All, it's not as if i wanted a percentage of chance, i just wanted a moral lift, to know whether may dream has anything of concrete, to know whether i am ever going to get even a bit closer to my everlasting dream. So that i won't crash when i receive rejection!!
THANKS...</p>

2

<p>Well, your objective criteria- that is, GPA, SAT scores, etc- is in line with any university in the US. That is great!
Yet, the universities which you include in your list - Princeton, Yale and MIT- are extremely selective to international students (as well as to domestic students). When you apply as international student to an institute in the US – particularly if you need a need-based financial aid- you are immediately put in a separate, independent competitive applicant pool.
For example, last year, 3648 international students, just as good as you are- some of them with near perfect SAT scores- applied to MIT and only 131 of them were accepted. So, you see in this example, international students have only 3.5 percent acceptance rate in MIT while domestic applicants have about %10 percent acceptance rate. The same goes to Yale and Princeton. You must know that you chances are very low- just as the chances of any other international student- and be prepared to be rejected from some of the universities in your list.
Other than that, you seem well fit . But watch – you never know what is your real SAT score until you take the real SAT exam. I have a friend, an international student from Russia, who took some SAT exam online, received 2300 and decided not to study. Then, when he took the real exam he got 1950.
Anyway, good luck! I am sure you will do well. George. Israel.</p>

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<p>Yale is supporting 305 international undergraduate students with $15,509,771.00.</p>

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<p>I don’t think you have to explain where Tunisia is anymore ;)</p>

<p>Basically, nothing is concrete, especially at top schools. Admissions is difficult to predict, but just put your best foot forward, apply for scholarships, and apply to a few backup schools.</p>

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<p>The thing about these top schools and the reason why i am applying to them is the need-blind policy and the fact that they meet the full demonstrated need and there are only six universities that do so so my choice is limited!! And, i am not into llooking for a partial financial aid and then looking for scholarship in order to collect the needed money!!!It is a bit hard!!</p>

<p>But what about my extracurricular aren’t them below the average??</p>

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<p>Well, it is quite hard to define an “extra-curricular average.” From my understanding, as long as you passionately do something meaningful which occupies most of your time, you will be fine.
Also, what are the six universities you plan to apply to?
By the way, I really do not think that you should include Harry-potter and Shakespeare in the same sentence :)</p>

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<p>@GYKHASIN: certainly not, HP and Shakespear!!! I just wanted to mention the only books i’ve ever read in english!!
However, there is a lack of activities and clubs n my region that’s why: there aren’t such activities like in the US; however , i tried to create my own opportunity,I founded a chess club but it didn’t last for a year, As for tennis, i broke my hand and i can’t play in the competitios anymore, But mathematical game, that : i’ll never let it go until i get the most of it!!!</p>

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<p>I hope you have safeties in your country because admission to the schools (HYPDMA) are very competitive.</p>

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<p>You also should do a lot more reading in English. Not so much for admission, but to be ready to handle the ambitious reading assignments and highly competitive classmates at schools the caliber of HYPDMA</p>