@paul2752 Ok thanks for the info, even though UNC is harder than UMass Amherst I’ll apply. After what you said, I’m thinking in giving up in Ohio University State and probably going for other university.
@josevi
UNC Chapel Hill’s admission for OOS student is slightly harder than DUKE UNIVERSITY.
I think applying to UNC Chapel Hill may not be worth time because even US citizen applicants with top scores get rejected. Well,if you get lets say 35 or 36(very little difference), it may boost chance a bit.
I would rather recommend Fordham University(all undergraduates are considered for merit scholarship), Howard University, and Tulane University(additional writing is required)
By the way, are you a junior now?
How did you convert you GPA to US scale? Remember, you have to calculate not a composite grade, but INDIVIDUAL class grade in US scale, then average the number.
You’re absolutely correct. If OP has 25-30k, MANY private universities would be interested.
Don’t translate your GPA (in my experience, an 8 in Brazil is roughly a 3.8-3.9 in a US high school, even if it’s not the absolute best, still excellent. ISEP considers that anything 7 and above is an A, for instance, but recommends leeway as they consider the grading system stringent).
With an ACT 27-30, that keeps a lot of colleges in play.
I’m thinking Butler, Illinois Wesleyan, Earlham, St Olaf, Lawrence, Rhodes, Hobart&William Smith, Hendrix, Gustavus Adolphus, Centre, Uportland, Pacific Lutheran, Willamette, Goucher, Drake, Eckerd, Rollins, Dickinson, Allegheny, Wooster, Ithaca, Ohio Wesleyan, Nebraska Wesleyan (the former much stronger and intense academically than the other)… This is a nice selection with reaches, matches, and safeties for OP to explore.
Among publics where merit can be had: SUNYs (especially Geneseo), UMass Amherst, UMass Lowell, UNC Wilmington, UNC Asheville, Appalachian State (one or all of the three depending on whether one likes the beach and a resort-like town, an artsy small town, or a mountain college with lots of “football”/spirit), New College-Florida, TCNJ…
WIth an ACT 30 and readiness to study engineering or CS, UAlabama would automatically cover full tuition (+ honors dorm, honors college, a stipend, and other perks).
@paul2752 I’m really studying hard for the ACT, about 6-8 hours per day so I think I’ll get a good score, at least 30+. and yes with writting.
I’m changing UNC for other university then.
I finished my high school last year, but I haven’t joined a university yet, and I’m applaying as a Freashman… If I take classes in a brazilian university, i need to apply as a transfer ? even if I’m willing to start all over?.
I have not calculated my GPA yet, because i have no idea how to do that, I’ve looked all over the web and found many ways, but a lot of different results, especially for Brazilian system to US system.
@MYOS1634 Good to know that my GPA ain’t that bad hahahaha, I’m going for 30+ in the ACT plus writting so this must keep a lot of colleger in play like you said hahah that’s good.
Thanks for the universities recommendations, I’m look out for them
What means OP ? I think it is a term to indicate International students, but what exactly this mean?
@paul2752 and @MYOS1634 I really appreciate the help, thanks a lot!
I don’t know about other schools and would be rude to say UAlabama is the best among the schools mentioned above, but UAlabama does have very good facilities and has been spending much money on science department. Oh just 2 weeks ago UA athlete dep. gave 9.1million to academic dept.
OP=original poster.
Try to get at least 32+.
@paul2752 Thanks, UAlabama is for sure a option and ok 32+ then haha
@josevi Don’t take classes at a Brazilian university. You won’t get good merit aid offers if you are a transfer.
@gearmom Yes I was thinking about that, if I get a good ACT score I’ll leave the university before the classes start, btw, here in Brazil if we join a university we can lock the course for 2 years… that is, you are in but you are taking no classes… the US universities have that “course lock” too ?
DO NOT take classes at a Brazilian university. The “international transfer” classification kills any chance of getting scholarships.
If you’re interested in Computer Science or Engineering, you “only” need a 30 for the automatic tuition scholarship and honors benefits at UAlabama. 
@josevi Not sure. That could be tricky. @MYOS1634 ?
“locked year” I think you mean you got in but asked for a gap year/ deferred entrance.
@MYOS1634
For full tuition, it must be 32+. Yes you can get tuition schoalrship but 30 is onley 2/3
Also it’s not automatic anymore
nope, not in engineering, for full tuition only a 30 is necessary, the college of engineering completes the “Presidential scholarship for ACT 30” offer to make it full tuition.
“Students who have a 30-31 ACT or 1330-1390 SAT (math and verbal scores only) and at least a 3.5 cumulative GPA will receive a tuition supplement to bring their University-level scholarship offer up to the value of tuition. In addition, they will receive $2,500 per year for four years.”
http://eng.ua.edu/undergraduate/scholarships/
Are you sure it’s not automatic anymore?
Yeah, I had to complete a simple application. An essay, that was it. Super easy.
It says in eng.ua.edu/undergradaute/scholarships
Students who have a 30-31 ACT or 1330-1390 SAT (math and verbal scores only) and at least a 3.5 cumulative GPA will receive a tuition supplement to bring their University-level scholarship offer up to the value of tuition. In addition, they will receive $2,500 per year for four years
If it says “up to Value of tuition”, couldn’t that mean that it can be less than full tuition?
@MYOS1634 Yes, I’m in a brazilian university, but I haven’t take any classes yet, actually the classes haven’t even started, so I’m almost sure to quit it.
@paul2752 UNC is not harder to get into out of state. Duke is much harder to get into no matter where you live. UNC gets many applicants who wouldn’t have a chance at Duke. All students at Duke could have gained admission to UNC if they applied. Acceptance rates are not a good way to judge how difficult it is to get into a school because two different schools can have very different applicant pools. The average OOS applicant to UNC is a lesser student than the average Duke applicant, and there are more applicants to UNC than Duke because they draw from a larger, not as qualified segment of the population. /endrant
@StanManYeah , I may be wrong about UNC Chapel Hill OOS admission being harder than Duke admission. And No, I never meant that Duke is harder to get into as an OOS. It’s a private school. Why would a private school care about where a student comes from?
However, it still is true that OOS students have less chance than in state schools.
Since 1986, the UNC System Board of Governors has maintained a policy that no more than 18 percent of freshman classes at 15 of the 16 UNC System schools can come from outside North Carolina. (The North Carolina School of the Arts is exempt.)
At Carolina, the 18 percent rule includes international students and about 140 out-of-state students attending on Morehead, Robertson and other full academic or athletic scholarships. Since 1994, if a UNC System campus exceeds the 18 percent out-of-state limit two years in a row, it is fined more than $7,000 for each extra student.
Also, for the class of 2016, the OOS admissions rate was 14%.
UNC-CH is a state school, and therefore it’s not surprising at all that they prioritize in-state kids over OOS kids.
In UNC-CH common data set Section C7, the state residency factor is marked as “very important”, which means in-state students have better shots than OOS kids with similar calibre
http://oira.unc.edu/files/2015/03/cds_2014_2015.pdf
@paul2752 I don’t blame UNC at all for prioritizing in-state kids. That is the school’s purpose. I just wanted to paint aa more accurate picture of a student’s chances when applying to UNC out of state. The numbers can sometimes lie.
If being an OOS doesn’t mean it’s harder to get into, how come the “state residency” factor is marked “Very Important”? Yes, number can be deceiving but in this case I don’t think so.
http://admissions.unc.edu/files/2014/09/2013_Entering_Class_Profile.pdf
Here for 2013 admission statistics, 15% of OOS applicants was accepted while 51% of instate kids were accepted. Apparently, there is a huge difference.
And who said anything about blaming UNC for prioritizing in state kids? It’s perfectly legal and there is nothing wrong about it.