Then why did you apply to those other schools? Most don’t offer good aid at all.
That’s why I’m thinking perhaps there was a goal also to reassert his American identity by attending college here. After all, college can be one of the most formative years.
It’s also possible OP’s parents changed their minds?
While this might seem confusing/arrogant/delusional, I decided to apply to US universities, as some kind of ‘backup’, in case things do not work out here. I’ll try to explain.
The target schools, that I have in mind, in India have their entrance examinations only in late May, 2 months from now.
The other universities I’ve gotten into, while they are also really good, do not offer my first choice major. If something goes wrong, I want to have some options available to me - hence US universities.
I respect the US style of education and I admire what opportunities America has brought to my family, but today, I’m more Indian than American, and I’m comfortable with an Indian college.
My parents believe that the value of education is in ‘the classes and learning’, as @MYOS1634 said. This is why they were ready to let me go to Caltech, MIT and Stanford, and forget about my schools here. Financially my family can support a US education anywhere, I just don’t want them to take that kind of burden, considering I have a younger sibling too.
You may want to deposit (“to firm” in British English) one of the universities in the US just in case your Indian top choices (those with your majors) don’t materialize. You have till May 1st for that, so it could be Case or another university… and this way you’ll go into the late May Indian entrance exams with a relaxed mind, knowing you will be able to pursue your major at a university that’s a good fit for you.
I would say, though, that research and networking are really important for college graduates - but perhaps your parents can bring you that network in India and you can use your Indian degree + your name + their contacts.
@MYOS1634
I will definitely do that. But if I deposit and do not attend, doesn’t that affect the waitlist as well? Wasn’t this the argument against double depositing?
And about the research, I know I will find a way to make things happen.
Double depositing means depositing at two universities at the same time by May first. You can legally deposit at one and, if you get off the wait list, go to another one, for instance.
@MYOS1634
Then why is double-depositing such a frowned upon practice? Is there something I’m missing?
You can deposit anywhere before May First (especially with public universities that have rolling admissions and housing shortage.) kind of like if you’re seeing people, none of them assumes it’s an exclusive relationship. On May first, you have to tell any university you’re not going. On May first every university knows if you’re coming or not. It’s firm, you indicate you chose ONE school. Double depositing is like dating two people at the same time when each believed to be alone. That’s why it’s frowned upon.
The wait-list situation is different: on May first, you’re depositing at only one place. And if on May 10th you accept a place where you’d previously been waitlisted, you tell the other colleges, lose your deposit, and deposit at the new university. No double deposit. (Wait lists don’t require a deposit.) in addition, international institutions are exempt from the double deposit rule. So, you could deposit once in the US, once in the UK, once in India… And it’d be fine.
Putting down a deposit at one school, while waiting for a waitlist (or in your case, an international school) decision is perfectly acceptable. This is not the same as double depositing, which would be putting down a deposit at two different schools at the same time.
You need to tell all US schools by May 1 if you’re attending or not. Pick one of them you’ve been accepted to and put down a deposit by then and tell the other schools you’re not attending. If you were waitlisted at Stanford and then got in off the waitlist or if you ultimately get into and decide to attend a school in India, there is no problem with telling the school you deposited at that you’re not attending; the only harm is that you will lose your deposit.
To put it simply, depositing at one school does not impact the waitlist at another school. If you are on a waitlist it is necessary to deposit at a school you are accepted at so you will have secured a spot for the next year. It does happen but nobody should count on getting in to a college off of a waitlist.
If you deposit at school A and get accepted off the waitilist and would prefer to attend school B the procedure is as follows: 1) Send in a deposit to take your place at school B and 2) simultaneously inform school A that you have accepted at spot at another school off of a waitlist (or that were just admitted to a school in India – whatever the case is) and will not be attending. This situation happens often and is perfectly acceptable. You should expect to lost your deposit at school A.
Got it, thanks everyone!
Wohoo more updates!
JHU: Rejected
Harvey Mudd: Rejected
But,
UCLA: Accepted!
Nice to have the acceptance, but I assume it is unaffordable.
I got the University Achievement Scholarship too (10k annually)!
But yes, it still is very expensive.
Congratulations!
But that makes UCLA 48K/year, so unaffordable.
You’ll always know you made it and it’s through no one’s fault that you couldn’t attend.
Deposit at Case Western and hope to get off the WL at Stanford and/or get into a top Indian university. Then decide.
^I think you meant Caltech instead of Stanford.
Thanks for the advice, anyways.
Accepted at UCSB for CS!
Congratulations that’s awesome!!
Next question is always…
Can you afford it?
@MYOS1634
Yes, of course. Just a few more decisions left.