Where am I going to end up?

College Search & Selection
1

It’s midway through March, and I’ve heard from some of the colleges on my list. I’m a little confused and worried; here are my stats to help you guys out.
I’m a US citizen living in India.
I know my ECs aren’t strong, but I’m hoping adcoms see something in me from my academics.

Objective:

SAT I (breakdown): 2220 superscored (770 CR, 800 M, 650 W), 2160 single sitting (770 CR, 740 M, 650 W)
ACT (breakdown): didn’t take
SAT II: 800 Math 2, 800 Physics, 800 Chem

Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 4 (all As in everything)
Weighted GPA: - (different kind of grading here)
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): (not official, but top 3 out of 250 generally, very competitive school)

AP (place score in parenthesis): 5 Physics C: E&M, 5 Calc BC, 5 Chem

Senior Year Course Load: Math, Physics, Chem, Computer Science, English, Sanskrit

Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): Ranked 1 all-India in a science test, Regional Mathematical Olympiad highest scorer in country, Junior Science Olympiad highest scorer in state, KVPY, NTSE (all national science scholarships), lots of local math competitions and quizzes.

Subjective:

Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): Competitive Programming, Robotics, Science Club, Quizzing, Soccer Team, Instrumental Music (piano)
Job/Work Experience: None
Volunteer/Community service: None
Summer Activities: Programming competitions, and preparing for a science competition.
Essays (rating 1-10, details): Ratings are very ambiguous, but I’ve received positive feedback from the many people who reviewed them.
Recommendations (rating 1-10, details): Should have been good, my science teachers liked me.
Teacher Rec #1: Physics Teacher (8/10)
Teacher Rec #2: Computer Science Teacher (8/10)
Teacher Rec #3: Geography Teacher (9/10)
Counselor Rec: 8/10
Additional Rec: None

Other:

Applied for Financial Aid?: Yes
Intended Major: Computer Science, or, Mathematics and Computing

So here are the schools I’ve applied to: (I have some safeties in India, as well)

Accepted: UIUC, Case Western (with 31K scholarship/year), UC San Diego
Waitlisted: Caltech, Georgia Tech, Rose-Hulman, UC Davis
Rejected: Stanford
Not Heard From: MIT, Cornell, Carnegie Mellon, Johns Hopkins, UC Berkeley, UCLA, UC Santa Barbara, Harvey Mudd

Thank you for your patience!

2

Right now, Case Western sounds like an amazing choice for you.
If you applied to financial aid, forget Georgia Tech, UCDavis, UCB, UCLA, UCSB (UC’s will not provide any financial aid to OOS students and since you’re in India you’re OOS).
So that leaves CalTech (iffy), Rose-Hulman (I’m surprised you were waitlisted, perhaps your recommendations and your essays aren’t as strong as you think; or did you not express continuous interest?), Cornell (depending on how much money you need, you have a shot, but it’s a reach), HarveyMudd (if your recs and essays aren’t as strong as you think, forget it; if it’s “interest” related, make sure you email both RH and HMC to express continued interest and make sure your guidance counselor sent your midyear report.)

3

@MYOS1634
I’m sure my essays were good enough. For the recommendation letter, I can’t be.
But, interest? I believe that was the main issue. I had interviewed with the Dean of Admissions when he came here, and I think the interview went well enough. Same for Harvey Mudd, I had another interview with an adcom (quite short though).
Could it be some kind of yield protection?
Also, do you think the waitlist at Caltech is a good sign?

4

Interest also includes joining the mailing list, checking your portal regularly, emailing questions to Admissions, visiting.
How would the Caltech waitlist be a good sign? It’s difficult to predict anything from a waitlist, regardless of how much you want to reassure yourself.
I do think you’ll get into some UCs but since you won’t get any FA it’ll be like a consolation prize since you won’t be able to afford to go. :s
Fortunately you don’t have to plan for a gap year due to that great CWRU acceptance. :slight_smile:

5

@MYOS1634
I think you’re right, maybe the waitlist isn’t that great either. I’m just anxious, at this point of time.
“Checking your portal” - do colleges really know how many times I’ve checked mine? I’ve never heard of this.
I have some very good options in India (I know I said safety, that’s because I’ve already gotten in, thanks to the scholarships).
I think the main reason I’m losing out is because I didn’t think about applying to US universities until last year, so no groundbreaking research/ECs (have a lot of ideas now though - that’s what college is for!)
Anyways, thank you for listening to whatever I have to say!

6

They track every communication. Did you click on their emails? They track that. And yes checking your portal 'counts’if you’re borderline and they look at interest.
Cwru is a very good choice.

Did you get honors program, too? (not impossible)

7

@MYOS1634
Okay, I didn’t know that. Thanks.
There doesn’t seem to be any honors program, maybe I should search more.
Would you say CS at Case is at the same level as any of the other colleges I’ve mentioned (Caltech, MIT, UCB, UCSD, UIUC…)?

8

Not Caltech, MIT, UCB, UIUC, but those are world-class (ie., I can’t think of any program that’d come close). UCSD, probably - and anyway UCSD is not in play since you won’t get FA, and as good as Rose Hulman or better, certainly. Are you in CAS or CSE for CS?
There’s “honors in the major” for CS majors specifically, and a special program in CAS too. May not be of interest to you.

9

CSE. I’ll look into it.

10

Get that heavy winter coat welcome to Cleveland

11

@MYOS1634, I don’t think Mudd’s primary concern is “interest”. Protecting their yield isn’t nearly as important as fit to them. They will be looking to see if the OP really understands Mudd’s culture and wants what they offer. They also want applicants that aren’t totally “pointy” – some interests outside STEM is rewarded.

Regarding Rose-Hulman, I don’t think they are need blind for internationals. If the OP has a lot of need, that is the probable reason for wait listing.

12

@intparent
I’m not an international applicant, as I am a US citizen living abroad.

13

Oh, sorry, I missed that. Can you afford Case Western with that merit scholarship? The UCs won’t give you much if any FA (I think probably none). UIUC probably is the same.

14

Nobody can guess where you will end up because you have not heard from a number of schools and don’t have all of your financial awards. Until you get that information you cannot reach a decision. I would re-post when you hear from all the schools and only include your affordable options.

15

@intparent: yes, I agree with you! The essays and recommendations may not have indicated “fit” although “ability to succeed in Mudd’s environment” is there.
Also, starting this year, due to the UC budget crisis* no financial aid whatsoever will be given to OOS applicants to the UCs; if they want to attend, they have to be full pay.

*/state choice - since there’s actually a surplus and a referendum decided some of the money shoudl go to the UC’s and CSUs; there was some arm-wrestling between the UC Chancelor and the state governor, where the chancelor wanted the per-student funding returned to previous levels and the governor said no. During that time, lots of CA students were not admitted.

@potatoheadhala: please keep updating your thread as you get mor answers and financial aid packages!

16

Well, I am talking specifically about Mudd, where the student doesn’t have an answer yet. They may have done a good job of showing fit in their essays (but still may not get in, it is a tough admission).

17

Update: I was rejected by MIT.
Life goes on. I’m now even more anxious about the rest of my apps, but it looks like I’ll be staying back in India. No problem with that, but I just wanted to see where I stood in terms of competition.

18

You’d rather stay in India than attend Case? So, when you applied to us universities, you didn’t want the different environment of an American university, but rather added prestige ?
Because Case is easily as good as many universities in India, not just in terms of academic rigor, but especially in terms of choices, resources, networking, opportunities… It’s not ‘MIT or bust’ in the US…
Of course Case is likely more expensive and you may be thinking of staying in India for your career. You could attend undergraduate in India, especially if you’re not after the 'college experience ’ and only expect to take classes, and then go to the US for your master 's degree.

19

I think you’ve misunderstood me. College in India is much cheaper, and my parents weren’t willing to finance an education in the States unless it was at Caltech, MIT or Stanford. If I get an acceptance at any of the other universities I’ve mentioned, I could try to convince them. But most are reaches for me.
I truly believe Case is a fantastic university, but I will not be attending it next year, sadly.
And I’m going to do exactly what @MYOS1634 has said, undergrad in India, and grad in the US.

20

Yes, I understand that.
College would be much cheaper in India. If you think of college as a place where you go take classes, staying in India makes sense, especially if your goal is to stay in India.
Case is worth the investment if your parents have money and see (as well as yourself) college as more than “taking classes”. Since you’re an American citizen living in India, for instance, college would be a formative experience in the US. Just as schooling in India “molds” you into an Indian, with values and beliefs, so does schooling in the US. You could see college as your last chance to “be an American” and embrace your dual cultural heritage. Grad school is too late - it’s not the same “formative” experience at all.
College is also a “shared experience” for many young Americans, that you wouldn’t have - you’d have a shared experience with other Indians at Indian universities.
Beside the shared experience of college and American-ness, you could also want more from college than classes - research, networks, developing interests, all of which are supported in the US and not in India.
Are those worth more money? They’re intangible so only you and your parents can decide.