Hey
Not sure if i am on the right side of the forum but i hope to find someone who can enlighten me on the topic.
I am brazilian hoping to study abroad; i’ve already done some research but i couldn’t find anywhere else if it is possible for someone like me to apply to a american university… so here it goes
i wasn't exactly a ''good'' student during high school. It is not that i'm a rebel, i didn't have any behavioral problem. It's just that the school and the teachers were so bad i didn't want to go (they were always advocating political ideologies, i've always opted for studying on my own). So even with bad grades on high school could i be accepted? if i hit high scores on tests such as SAT/TOEFL/IELTS will the university even care about my high school grades?
Is there any scholarships for brazilians? how to apply?
It’s going to be difficult to be honest. You will be competing with your compatriots and many of them will have high grades/some sort of distinction.
My son’s suitemate freshman year at WashU was from Brazil. He had multiple awards in science and math competitions in Brazil and internationally and was a gold medalist in one of the international science olympiads. So that will be your competition for admissions.
If I recall, my son’s suitemate got a government scholarship to study in the US (his father was a colonel in the Brazilian Army at the time and may have received a promotion to brigadier general).
If you were wealthy, undoubtedly there would be colleges in the US who would admit you. Not top notch schools, but there would be places. But since you haven’t got good grades, I assume no awards or honors to speak of inside or outside of school, and sounds like you don’t have money – then I think you are going to be out of luck.
There is very little financial aid for international students so the competition is FIERCE at those few schools which do offer scholarships to international students. Yes, your high school grades would matter, and even if you got perfect SATs, the odds would be against you, since the other applicants would have great SATs AND great grades.
Depends if your curriculum is like the British curriculum where national exams are all that matters (IGCSES, ALEVELS) or if your transcripts are produced and used.
Typically all grades 9-11 or 9-12 are used.
Then there’s the matter of your ACT or SAT scores.
Then there’s the matter of how much you can afford.
Then finally, what exceptional things have you accomplished?
In college you will have to take classes that are required but may not be your favorite or have the best instructor. Are you going to just blow those off too?
Grades are the best indicator of future performance. You may be smart and get good test scores. Tests are one shot deals. You don’t have to work with any one else in a test but you will in college and in the real world. Even if the instructors weren’t that good, you could have still gone to class and gotten good grades.
I feel sorry for you. But don’t go and start blaming others for your lack of success at this point. If you want someone to blame, look in a mirror.