<p>IB:
Result: 41/42
Math HL: 7
Business HL: 7
Economics HL: 7
Hindi HL: 6
Biology SL: 7
English SL:7</p>
<p>SAT: CR- 610, M-760, W-770. Total-2140 (Will be retaking SAT this November)
SAT II: Math I: 730.(Will be taking Math II and Biology (E) this October. Looking at 750+ for both)</p>
<p>Extracurriculars:
National skating champion since 10 years. Have won 110 medals with 60 gold medals.
Three international championships: 1 World championship (at Colombia)
2 Asian championship (Taiwan and China) Won 2 silver medals at Taiwan.
I have won a lot of awards for my achievement in sports.</p>
<p>This is just a basic outline of the major things on my Application. I have a few more extracurriculars, but nothing major. I'm looking at California, Chicago or New York because of the social support at those places. But I wouldn't mind going to other places if they take me and they're better than the above. I'm not really looking at anything else besides the level of education at this point, even though bad culture at the university might keep me from going there.</p>
<p>One question: I can go for the Asian Games 2010 at China in November but that would mean I wouldn't be able to retake the SAT. Plus application procedure will obviously suffer. I will have to work very hard for that if I decide to go. Do you think it's worth the risk? Will participating in Asian Games make my application look stronger? I want to go, but I'm stopping myself because of the fear that I won't be able to work on my application.</p>
<p>Please help me with my list of universities.
Thank you :)</p>
<p>I’m doing the subject tests in October. I can do the December SAT but then I would just have a week to practice. To improve my CR score, I need to do a LOT of work.</p>
<p>One more thing: I was thinking of applying REA at Stanford. Is Stanford reachable or is it being a bit too ambitious? I can demonstrate a lot of passion for skating in my application essay.</p>
<p>Stanford is going to be tough with 1380 (I think that was your math + CR). Chicago has early action and might be very slightly easier if it seems like your kind of place. There are a few urban liberal arts colleges—Macalaster and Occidental, for example. Hopkins, Emory would be worth a look.</p>
<p>Oh thanks I thought Stanford looks at Writing as well (As they demand ACT Plus Writing). If I retake the SAT in November, what score do you think I have to reach to stand a decent chance? In order to able to send those scores, I cannot do REA. Is it worth that?</p>
<p>You are competitive for most top universities, but the international pool can be even more competitive than domestic. I’m not sure what you mean by social support, but I would not shy away from looking at any of the top 50 universities as they all will have a significant population of students of south asian descent.</p>
<p>Schools may look at the Writing score, but it seems that the M+CR score is more important…(maybe because they don’t want those reported averages to go down???). That’s just what I’ve noticed; others may say differently.</p>
<p>What is the last test date Stanford REA will accept? </p>
<p>How much will your family pay each year? Will you need FA? If so, which are your financial safety schools?</p>
<p>My understanding is that applying early action at top places like Stanford and Yale doesn’t really give you a better chance ultimately if you get deferred. So why not just apply regular decision? Then you would have time to re-take the SAT. I agree that they look mostly at the score US News reports (math + CR). If you are above the median you have a pretty good chance and below you can just about forget it except that you do have the exceptional EC which might help. So you need at least 1450. See if you can think of a very possible place for early action or rolling admission so you have something early on. University of Michigan, for example. Boston College, I think, has early action. Or possibly Chicago. Have you considered McGill? Wellesley (if appropriate) has an early indication they give in February which is pretty much a guarantee.</p>
<p>cltdad- thanks for saying that. It was encouraging! I have family at those places, which is what I call “social support”.</p>
<p>mom2collegekids- The last SAT testing date for Stanford REA is 9th October. So, there’s no scope of taking the SAT before November.
Beause I’m an international student, I’m offered financial aid at very few schools. Therefore, even though I need it, I might not apply for FA as I don’t want that to hinder my chances at a very good school. I will apply apply for FA at Need Blind schools for sure.</p>
<p>Hitch123- The reason I thought of applying REA at Stanford is that it is THE PLACE for me. If I get in, I’m going. But if bad test scores are going to reduce my chances significantly, then I would rather apply Rolling Admission. I’ll apply Early Action to couple of other universities.</p>
<p>*Beause I’m an international student, I’m offered financial aid at very few schools. Therefore, even though I need it, I might not apply for FA as I don’t want that to hinder my chances at a very good school. I will apply apply for FA at Need Blind schools for sure.</p>
<p>Hitch123- The reason I thought of applying REA at Stanford is that it is THE PLACE for me. If I get in, I’m going. But if bad test scores are going to reduce my chances significantly, then I would rather apply Rolling Admission. I’ll apply Early Action to couple of other universities.*</p>
<p>You need FA. Will you qualify for FA?</p>
<p>How much will your parents pay each year?</p>
<p>Are you going to apply to any schools that would give you good scholarships for your stats as safety schools?</p>
<p>Are you from China or Taiwan? Are you going to a competitive school? With your ranking, you should be able to get into a lot of good schools, but I have just read that THE #1 scored Chinese student in Beijing did not get into any elite colleges and he only applied to the HPYSM type. Nevertheless, your Gold medals will get you into many elite schools and you should start sending informations to those coaches right away. Eitherway, if you are serious of coming to America, you should have some safeties with large Div. I schools which will provide athletes a full ride.</p>
<p>What is your Tofel score? I see you have problems in English, make sure the essays are reviewed by an American English teacher there. However, the American Universities know better about those perfectly worded essays from China, so they will retest you after acceptance. You have to prepare for longer years at an American college, as the first semester or two, you will be requested to take remedial English classes. </p>
<p>Wake Forest is good in sports and it is SAT optional school. Perhaps you should consider that.</p>
<p>mom2collegekids- Financial constraints would not keep me from going to a very good university (such as Stanford, UChicago, Northwestern, etc.) My parents would pay about $20,000 each year. If I do not get a FA, remaining would be paid through loans. </p>
<p>More simply, I will go to Stanford without FA rather than going to colleges, which are not so good in terms of their level of education with full scholarship. Level of education at a place is what I’m looking at.</p>
<p>So, I might not apply to safety schools which would give me scholarships based on my stats as they would definitely not be very good ones.</p>
<p>Artloversplus- I’m an Indian who plans to go to a very competitive school. I will be taking the TOEFL this September. Since I’m in IB, scoring a 7 on English, I do not think I write bad essays. CR is the only thing I cannot handle. I scored 83 in the 10th Grade, but that’s supposed to be a good score. That’s just the way English is scored in my state. Nonetheless, my IB English teacher would review my essay, who is extremely good with English. I will definitely have safeties but right now I’m just bothered about the “Target and Reach Universities” list.</p>
<p>“Nevertheless, your Gold medals will get you into many elite schools and you should start sending informations to those coaches right away.” What do you mean by that? Sorry, I’m very naive at these things.</p>
<p>In the USA, colleges award athletes with scholaships and grants for those who are recruited. I am not sure if speed skating is a recuited sports. But if the schools you are interested have that sport, you should contact the coaches and see if they will sponsor you being on their team. That is not a guarantee for your admission, but with your stats, a coache sponsorship will go a long way.</p>
<p>Are you applying as an athlete ? If you are indeed an international-level athlete (medalist in the world junior championship as you claim), that might give you an edge.</p>
<p>artloverplus-Speed skating is not a recruited sport. So that won’t give me an edge. Nonetheless, due to training for speed skating, I can run fast. I have won a few medals at school level for the same. I would also like to run for the university I go to, if they allow me to. Can I do anything about that?</p>
<p>bruno123- I’m a skater which is not a recruited sport. So, I don’t think I can apply as an athlete, can I? I’m sorry, I don’t know much about this stuff.
I have won medals at Asian Championships (Taiwan) not Worlds. I have just participated in the World Championships. Will Asian Championships give me an edge?</p>
I thought Stanford looks at Writing as well (As they demand ACT Plus Writing). If I retake the SAT in November, what score do you think I have to reach to stand a decent chance? In order to able to send those scores, I cannot do REA. Is it worth that?</p>