<p>Hi everyone! I've just read the DO ELITE COLLEGES DISCRIMINATE AGAINST ASIAN STUDENTS thread. Now I guarantee you that I am not one of the super students who get 2300+ on SAT in US. In fact, I am an international student who has never been to United States. I have a different educational background, and I need your opinion: will this hurt me or help me?
Well, my high school courses were pretty easy. And I have definitely challenged myself through the first two years (out of 3 in total :)). But something has changed. My previous school has decided to split up the campus and divide itself into the boys section and the girls section. Given the fact that it has no experience of this, I've decided to homeschool. Later I found this institution, Forest Trail Academy which offers me honor courses and a legit diploma, I enrolled immediately. Because my parents are both teachers in a University, we live on the campus. I am now engaged in Graduate researches and Provincial, National projects, and I'm happy to work as an independent artist. I would definitely say that this is much better for me. I wouldn't go back to my high school for anything because of its simple curriculum and boring class atomsphere (trust me it's pretty silent). I'm truly enjoying my current flexible schedule. But when I discovered that there's only <1% homeschooled student body in top colleges, I'm confused. Will my background hurt me in admission process?
PS. You are welcomed to chance me. My SAT score is NOT good only 1900. While I am angry with myself I'm not panicing because I know that I can handle college readings and researchings.
Any helpful suggestions and opinions are welcomed. Glad to be here in CC :D</p>
<p>Let us just isolate some of the facts that you have mentioned
You are international student
You are home schooled (or getting a diploma from an on line institution)
Your SAT scores are 1900
You say you are doing graduate research, you are independent artist, but you have not mentioned any unbiased assessment that your work is in the exceptional category i.e. you have paper in a peer reviewed journal, you have won a prestigious art competition etc?</p>
<p>Let us just take those points up there
First: International students have a tougher time due to a variety of factors which I will not go into here, and you are up against some very motivated competition from other international students who have taken IB’s or AP tests etc. to show the rigor of their curriculum. Second, Home schooled students have certain hurdles as you have yourself mentioned, and an online institution cannot be considered as exceptionally rigorous. Third, most top institutions require SAT scores much higher than 1900 unless you have exceptional EC’s. You have mentioned some EC’s (research, art) but have not backed it up with justification that you are exceptional. </p>
<p>One negative can be effectively compensated by an very good positive. Two or more negatives make things very difficult. You have many things going against you. The SAT score of 1900 is usually enough to derail most applicants to top colleges, and to it add the fact that you have not shown a rigorous curriculum, you have not documented any independent validation of research success etc… Also, how are you going to pay for your education in the US? I am not sure about your country, but most college professors may not be able to afford $50,000 + per year in top private institutions and aid for even some of the strongest international students is limited. </p>
<p>Also, forget this discussion on discrimination against Asian Students. That is a thread focusing on Asian Students who live in the US and have very good and strong track records. So that to me is bogeyman. You need to look at your own profile, not on other issues which I believe are irrelevant here.</p>
<p>“But when I discovered that there’s only <1% homeschooled student body in top colleges, I’m confused.”</p>
<p>There are very few homeschooled students in top colleges because there are very few homeschooled students, period. Don’t worry about this statistic.</p>
<p>What is important, is for you to figure out what exactly you need and want from your college education so that you can start finding appropriate schools for yourself. As an international candidate, you should read everything at [International</a> Students - EducationUSA](<a href=“http://www.educationusa.state.gov/]International”>http://www.educationusa.state.gov/) and you should make an appointment with the counselors at the advising center closest to you for personal advice. Another source of information about individual colleges and universities would be your parents colleagues at their university. Where did those people go to school? What did they study? Where are all of their old friends working now? Who knows someone who knows someone who knows someone in an admission office who’d be willing to give you a hand with this process? What about universities in Australia, Canada, the UK? What about universities in your country of residence?</p>
<p>You might want to take some of your questions to the homeschooling forum. Click on “Discussion Home” in the upper left of this screen, and scroll down until you find it.</p>
<p>You have many options, and you do have time to explore them.</p>
<p>Ckohsa: Thank you for looking at my problem. You answered my question pretty well—— homeschooling will be a downside. However in term of my chances I realized that I haven’t provided enough information. My distant school of attendance is a distant private school which produced Dartmouth student :D. I am taking 8 honor courses. And yes you are right, I am going to be objective about my ecs. I am engaging myself in graduate biology research and National Culture Expedition project. As an independent artist I drew for national textbook illustration and design viewbooks for private conferences and participate in game designing (I’m not going to mention the last one in admission though haha)etc. I also speak six languages, but I don’t know how to show that in admission. I can’t possibly say that on the ec list,right? That will be flagrant. In addition, I have won National Art Competition for Students in my country and I’m working on many publications of mine during my flexible schedule. I hope the above info is useful :D</p>
<p>happymomof1: Thank you for your response! Your link is great Thank you again. ——As for now, I’m not considering any colleges and Universities from my homecountry. It’s not a English speaking country…</p>
<p>Currently none. In my previous high school I took biology. And I chose 3 APs including sth with bio(maximum at my former school) but I decided not to go back for senior year. My current biology research is located in a University. I am a lab assistant of a professor who does researches on protozoan cells ( my favorite).</p>
<p>I’m afraid you’re going to have a hard time convincing schools you’re doing “graduate research” with only high school biology. Yes you could be a lab assistant, but you’re not doing independent graduate research in biology if you haven’t taken or gained independent knowledge of around 10+ courses in college biology.</p>
<p>You might be right. I am applying to undergraduate colleges, so it is clear that I am not good enough to initiate a graduate level research by myself. But I have to say that I did massive background research in the project, and I am not a regular bio student at the University. I hope admission officers see that I am passionate about biology Thanks for your comment.</p>
Thank you again. ——As for now, I’m not considering any colleges and Universities from my homecountry. It’s not a English speaking country…</p>