I want to study Chemistry, Biochemistry or Biotechnology (both with Pre-med)
I got 2000 on my SATs (730CR-640M-630W) (If get above 700 in a Maths II test, will it remedy the relatively low score?)
I’m planning to do both Chemistry and Biology subject tests (and expecting to get above 700 because our school tests are harder and I usually do great)
I have an 80-90 average in school, with average humanities and good sciences. I also rank second in a class of 30 (also the only class in school)
I don’t have much extracurricular activities, I participated in Model United Nations and I’m joining the Red Cross this summer and senior year, I have also been in the same religious groups for 11 years.
I don’t know if my parents’ education level will be taken into account, but my mother has a Bachelors and my Father has only primary education.
So, where is my best bet? Where can these circumstances get me? Please list the best colleges you think I have a chance getting into.
Well, how much can you pay?
I would prefer a University that can provide around at least $15k financial aid.
Would UC Irvine be a good pick?
That doesn’t really answer the question… $15k aid out of a total $20k cost of attendance is much different than $15k aid out of a total $60k cost.
At least 50% of the tuition then.
What part of the country? East Coast/West Coast/Midwest? Large/Small/Urban/Suburbs/Rural?Religious schools??? What about living expenses??? Room and board??
Tuition price is different in EVERY school.
Where are you from? is 80-90 just average in your school, or is it over the average? Your GPA is not on 4.0 scale so whether you are eligible for some kind of merit scholarship, it will depend on school grade.
East Coast/West Coast/Midwest?
I have no preference really.
Large/Small/Urban/Suburbs/Rural?
Would prefer a calm rural/suburban campus, but I don’t mind a big city as long as the prices aren’t exorbitant (which rules out most cities I know)
Religious schools???
Definitely not.
What about living expenses???
Cheap/Average price.
Room and board??
Would prefer it to be university-provided dorms.
And 80-90 is the best in my school, I rank second in my class and get grades higher than most of the school.
You need to know how much your family can pay in US $. Then you need to find places where the estimated Cost of Attendance for an international student is no more than what you can pay, or where there is merit-based or need-based aid available that will bring the costs down to what you can afford. Check the websites of the places that you are interested in, and find out what the Cost of Attendance is. It is posted right on the website.
@georgess, UCI is full pay to international students so you would have to pay $55K per year if you got in.
@“aunt bea”
So my only bet would be a private University as far as I’m concerned.
Private pay universities get monies from their alumni and endowments. Your chances for funding are probably better at the private universities.
@“aunt bea” and public universities also deeply discriminate for their in-state students, which is conpketely understandable.
So, what are my options? Brown is a really high reach right? (bioengineering with premed)
To be competitive at the privates, you need really high SAT’s. Your 2000 is probably a little weak for the ones that will give you money. USC would not bend over backwards to give you funding with that score.
Also, a lot of the privates are religious-based, so you have to make sure you check online what kind of requirements they have.
(ex: on the west coast: Chapman, Pepperdine, USD, have money, but they are backed by certain churches.)
But aren’t grants need based? My mother is an English teacher who makes $12000 a year, my father is a mechanic who makes around $15000. Our household is made of five members (including me). I have a definite financial need.
Oh well, I can always re-do the SAT and focus on maths and essay-writing.
Morr you need, less likely you will get in
Thats how need based aid works in need aware school
Look for merit based scholarships at the private schools to get money. Your grades are good, so try to find private schools that would like to court an international student with your skills so that you can get the big money you need in merit scholarships.
If you are an international student, you need to know that it will be almost impossible for you to be admitted to medical school in the US. It would be better for you to go to medical school in your home country and then come here to do a residency after graduating. Most US medical schools do not admit any international students. The few that do admit international students normally require that those students pay the full four years of medical school tuition in advance.
If you have excellent grades to go with your excellent test scores, there are a number of places that offer merit-based aid. Read through the links in this thread, and check each institution to find out if the scholarships are available for international students: http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1678964-links-to-popular-threads-on-scholarships-and-lower-cost-colleges.html#latest