Which universities might provide maximum aid to an International student with the following profile?

Paying for College
1

I’m planning on doing my undergrad in the U.S and I plan on starting in Fall 2017. I’m in my senior year. I have a 9.5 GPA in Xth. And 96.8% in 11th. I expect the results to be similar in 12th grade too. I took the SAT (new) and scored a 1460 (730 in Math and 730 in R&W) (equivalent to a 2090 on the old test) with little to no prep. (I’m re-taking it in October but I don’t think the results will be out before I apply so hopefully an improvement in my scores will beef up my scholarship options) I plan on majoring in CS and have a stringent budget of 80 lakh INR (inclusive of cost of living) i.e roughly translates to about 120,000 US$.

It’d be of great help if someone here can take peek at my profile and tell me what schools I can apply to with a profile like this (that provide maximum possible fin-aid (either need-based or merit-based))

If you’d like to take a look at my EC’s :

AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

• Bagged a silver certificate by ranking 74 all over India in Technothlon (International school championship organized by IIT Guwahati in association with UNICEF)
• Completed all levels of Abacus with A+ grade by the age of 11.
• Shortlisted for National Geographic Junior Hunt-3 (city level) at the age of 10.
• Stood Second in the city in Multimedia Presentation conducted by over 60 branches of Gowtham Model School throughout the state at the age of 9.
• Stood first in all inter-school quiz contests from 6th to 10th grade.
• Stood first in all Essay writing contests from 7th to 10th grade.
• Stood first in story-writing contest in 6th grade.
• Won all elocution contests from 8th to 10th grade.
• Won all debates between 7th grade and 9th grade.
• Stood first in the extempore contest 7th through 9th grade.
• Won spell-bee in 7th and 8th grade.
• Built a working-model of a dam (that actually produced power) as a part of a science exhibition in 10th grade.
• Took interest in sketching (Won consolation prize at a city level competition conducted by Wall Hearts)
• Mental math demonstrations in front of small-medium audiences. (in front of school and outside audience)

POSITIONS OF RESPONSIBILITY
• Elected as Head Boy, Gowtham Model School, 2014-2015.
• Elected as Deputy- Head Boy, Gowtham Model School, 2013-2014
• Valedictorian, Gowtham Model School : 2014-2015
• Captain of GMS School U-15 Cricket Team, 2013-2014
• Vice-Captain of GMS School U-13 Cricket Team, 2012-2013
• Class Prefect in Grade 1 through Grade 10.
• House Captain of ‘Raman’ House, Gowtham Model School, 2012-2013
• Group Captain of various Science Projects including Gnyandeep: The Science Exhibition; lead a team of 7 peers and made a working model of a dam.

EVENTS ORGANIZED

• Valedictory Function, Gowtham Model School, 2013-2015.
• Teacher’s Day, Gowtham Model School, 2013-2015.
• Cultural Festival, Gowtham Model School, 2014-2015.
• Literary Festival, Gowtham Model School, 2014-2015.
• Independence and Republic Day’s, Gowtham Model School, 2013-2015.
• Various inter-school competitions.

EXAMINATION RANKS:

• Unified Cyber Olympiad : Rank - 427 (all age groups); Scored :42/50. (Average score was 24) at the age of 8.
• TRACK RECORD OF INTERNATIONAL ENGLISH OLYMPIAD (Conducted by SOF in association with the British Council)

Class Seventh Eight Ninth
School Rank 1 1 1
City Rank 25 110 51
State Rank 270 920 295
International Rank 3617 12970 4620

• National Cyber Olympiad (Sixth grade, Age: 11)

School Rank: 1
City Rank: 8
State Rank: 153
National Rank: 1943

• National Science Olympiad (Sixth grade, Age:11)

School Rank: 2
City Rank: 14
State Rank: 390
National Rank: 6000

STUDENT MEMBERSHIPS
• President at Science Club, Gowtham Model School, 2012-2014
• President of Student Council, Gowtham Model School, 2014-2015.
• Vice-President of Student Council, Gowtham Model School, 2013-2014.
• President at Computer Club, Gowtham Model School, 2012-2015.

CULTURAL PARTICIPATIONS
• Performed a song (with instrumental) dedicated to Teachers at Annual Day, Gowtham Model School, 2013-2014
• Delivered speeches on special occasions including Teacher’s Day, Independence Day, Republic Day etc.
• Mic hosted all the cultural programs, Gowtham Model School, 2012-2015.
•

SPORTS PARTICIPATIONS

• Under-15 cricket team, Captain, Gowtham Model School, 2013-2014
• Wicket Keeper and Batsman, Under-13 cricket team, Gowtham Model School, 2012-2013
• Under-13 cricket team, Vice-Captain, Gowtham Model School, 2012-2013.

*Guitar player

Extra-Curricular activities
• Learnt web-designing and web languages (HTML and CSS) in order to gain a better understanding of the Internet.
• Learnt basic programming syntax and jargon of C and Python.
• Tech Blogging (3 years) (started at the age of 12)
links:

• Online freelancing (Helped people write articles, design blogs, design logos/infographics, social media optimization and search engine optimization)

Thanks for reading. Means a lot. :slight_smile:

2

Start here:
http://automaticfulltuition.yolasite.com/
http://competitivefulltuition.yolasite.com/

3

You will need to check each of the colleges to see which ones offer their scholarships to international students.

The things you did on 6th grade likely won’t have an impact on college aid.

Do,you have financial need? Are you saying you HAVE $120,000 to spend on college costs?

4

Yes. I have 120,000$ to spend on college tuition and boarding. Also, yes, I understand that it won’t have a significant effect on my application so I’ll be getting rid of that. Thanks for your reply. :slight_smile: It means a lot.

5

So, basically you have $30,000 a year to spend on college?

Look at University of Alabama. I believe your $30,000 will cover the difference between any scholarship you receive and the cost to attend.

The application is online NOW,as is the scholarship,application.

6

Thank you. Will do. :slight_smile: I know this is too much to ask but aren’t there a few other better rated colleges I could probably apply to?

7

Better rated for what? Alabama is a state flagship university…and it has very generous scholarships even for international students. Most others don’t!

Programs are excellent also.

@mom2collegekids what kind of award would,this student automatically receive based on his stats, as a computer science major?

8

And yet you ask. You are asking for a nearly free education in the US and you are saying the school at which you have the best chance of getting it for you isn’t good enough for you. You are obviously a star at your school, but as far as US universities are concerned you are just one of thousands of international applicants from your country- never mind region.

9

“Beggars cannot be choosers” as the saying goes. I agree with @collegemom3717, Univ of Alabama is an excellent school with great opportunities along with giving you free money towards an US education since that is what you seem to be after. The school name means little in retrospect, but what you do once you get there is what will make the difference in your life and your job prospects.

10

@collegemom3717 I’m extremely sorry if my question rubbed you the wrong way, it definitely wasn’t my intention. Also, I respectfully agree with what you have to say. Like I said, my budget is 120,000$. I know it’s not much but it’s not nothing. Also, the only reason I asked was because my SAT score is way above the average SAT score at U. of Alabama. Thanks for taking the time out to help a student in distress, it means a lot. :slight_smile:

11

Your SAT score is NOT way above the average for CS majors at Alabama.

Also, it sounds like you don’t really have financial need. Is that correct? It’s just that your college budget is $120,000. There are some schools that give need based aid to international students…but the school determines your financial need.

12

@thumper1 I was looking for both need-based as well as merit-based aid. All of the information about the average SAT scores I have is from here - http://www.prepscholar.com/sat/s/colleges/University-of-Alabama-admission-requirements. Maybe I’m searching in the wrong places? I can’t put in words how much I appreciate the help I’m receiving from the kind people at College Confidential. :slight_smile:

13

@pcwizkid143 glad to hear you will be applying to Alabama. Make sure you domthemscholarship application as well. It’s not a lengthy application. You should,get your acceptance, and scholarship awards pretty quickly.

You don’t have to attend if something more affordable comes your way…but really…good luck.

In terms of need and merit,you need to understand that at most places, you won’t be getting both. If you get a merit award, that will reduce your financial need…so your need based award will be less…because your merit will reduce your need.

There are some schools that allow “stacking” of all kinds of awards, merit and need based, but that is not the norm.

Without knowing a ballpark of your parent income…it’s hard to,say where you would,even be eligible for need based aid.

I will say, in my experience, most students with $120,000 at their disposal do not have low incomes.

14

From another thread, you already have a list of schools you plan to apply. Do you not expect sufficient aid from those schools?

15

The above posters are correct. Beggars can’t be choosers.

What you don’t seem to understand is that the averages for admissions requirements are baselines, and they are based on domestic student profiles which include hooked US students (athletes, URM’s) that the universities need.
.
As an ORM from India, you are competing with all of the other students from India who want to come to the US. So, your countrymen are your competition.
Putting down awards from 6th grade could be seen as a desperation to pad a resume. One time “minimal” awards don’t mean a whole lot especially prior to 9th grade. The US colleges don’t count anything before 9th grade (unless you started something with international acclaim at a young age).

Your stats have to fit what the colleges want in international categories. You can’t assume that because your stats seem better than the posted stats that you are a shoo-in to get in.

Because you can afford $120k, you probably won’t get need based aid at most schools. So, you have to pick schools that may admit you and that you can afford.

U of Alabama is a very competitive and good school. You would be very lucky to even gain entry to that school.

16

@thumper1 Thanks a ton. :slight_smile: My family income is about 50k$ pre-tax and I have a younger sibling who’ll be starting college in about 5 years. Also, I don’t happen to have 120k $ at my disposal. My parents will have this arranged over a period of 4 years. Also, I really appreciate you taking your time out to help me, it means a lot. :slight_smile: Sending positive vibes your way.

17

@flatKansas Unfortunately, yes. Most of those schools don’t happen to offer any kind of aid to International students.

18

@“aunt bea” I hear you. Will surely take your advice into consideration before finalizing the universities I can apply to. :slight_smile: Thanks for your advice.

19

If you are going to receive merit aid, then your scores need to be above the average. Your new SAT score seems to translate into a 32 on the ACT, which wouldn’t get you merit aid at the best places that award merit.

20

To find affordable options, run any of the college-matching search engines to identify places that offer your major, and where the tuition and fees come to no more than $20,000 each year. That would leave you $10,000 for housing, meals, books, transportation, etc. The budget could be very tight, and you might not be able to travel home every year. Here’s the list from College Navigator: http://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?s=all&p=11.0701&l=93&ct=1+2&ic=1&tx=20000&ts=-2