So I got rejected from UChicago EA and my ed school. I had perfect grades, good EC, national awards and glowing LORs but I still got rejected(UChicago EA rejection did hurt a lot). My essays and supplements weren’t bad either. But I have been starting to think that because my profile is way too spiked, it might have been a reason. For context, I am applying as a Physics major and more than half of my EC is linked to something with Physics. In addition to that, my LORs also mention me being extremely passionate about Physics. My essay also mentions my passion for Physics briefly. My awards are also linked to science and math awards so they too are linked with Physics. So do you guys think this might have hurt my chances? Also, can you guys suggest some schools that might like an extremely spiked profile? I know caltech and MIT would like it but apart from those schools, any suggestions? Should I apply to Columbia given that they have a core curriculum which hints that they want people interested in many other things?
Colleges want to build a well-rounded class, which will consist of a mix of well-rounded students plus students with different spikes.
How that ratio breaks down depends on the school. Admissions decisions are independent events. Your UChicago decision will not impact others.
Having said that, your biggest challenge is that you are an international applicant asking for a lot of aid. International acceptance rate is much lower than the total acceptance rate. For need-aware colleges, needing aid is going to impact your application even more.
Almost every college will have gen ed requirements outside your main interest. Whether you want the predetermined courses a college like Columbia sets is personal preference.
What types of schools do YOU like? Giving us examples of what YOU want (size, location, vibe etc) can help us recommend schools where you will thrive.
If I recall from your other threads, you are an international student needing full financial aid? If so, please understand that it’s very difficult to gain admittance to the schools you listed. That’s unfortunately what hurt your chances, not your profile which is great. I’m sorry! Hopefully one of your RD schools will come through but hopefully you have affordable safeties in your home country. Best of luck to you!
Just to reiterate what I and others have told you: you are an international student needing financial aid and some of the schools you are applying to are not need-blind for internationals. International admission is extremely competitive, and at schools that are not need-blind, there is a pot of aid for internationals that is even more competitive.
Need blind schools for internationals are MIT, Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Bowdoin, Amherst, Dartmouth, as far as I know. Other schools may have merit aid but again that would be extremely competitive.
Have you asked your guidance counselor about applying for merit scholarships?
You cannot blame your application for any rejections. Just keep going and include some need-blind schools as well as possible merit aid.
OP’s schools are also a high reach for US applicants. So they’re just really, really hard to get into.
@tommyshelby, in your previous threads many of us had advised you that your chances as an international applicant were going to be very low, but you didn’t want to hear any of it. Which schools do you have on your RD list now? Maybe some posters here can help you tweak that list.
We had also advised you to have solid options in hand in your home country. I hope you have paid attention to that and have a few choices there now.
Colleges want a well-rounded class, but they tend to love spiky applicants who have a passion and depth in an interesting area. While many individual applicants can be spiked, the universities themselves will be well rounded, with physicists, musicians, historians, etc.
In addition to the very significant problem of being an international student needing aid, you don’t need to hammer your spike in your essays. The LOR, ECs, and awards are what they are and aren’t changing now. It will be evident that you love physics from all of them. Use your essay to talk about something many layers deeper. Be personal and vulnerable and allow an AO to understand why he or she would want to extend an opportunity to you. Lots of applicants will be good at and love physics. What about you as a person is interesting and meaningful and would add dimension to a class of other brilliant students? They already seen the academics…explore something else.
Yeaa, you are right. I do realise that its very hard for an international to get in with aid. Its almost like a lottery but still it does hurt when one gets rejected. I am going to get brutally ■■■■■■■ for my rd list but here it is:
All the need blind schools, duke, columbia(thinking about it), brandies, colgate, tufts, Whitman, URoch, Hamilton(only because my interview went very good), caltech, trinity college, reed, macalester college.
I do have options in my home country. They are not solid since Physics education here sucks. They would rank below top 500 unis but yea I do have options. But yea, I do have college where I have guaranteed admission with full aid given my scores.
Thankyouuu. That was uplifting
My essay is not really about Physics. There is just 1 line about it. But yea I think its too late to change that either
Yeaa I am applying to for merit scholarships at URoch, Whitman, Macalester and Brandeis University. In addition to that, I am applying to the need blind colleges too so thats that.
You may want to apply to Lawrence which has produced a number of students who go on to get PhDs in physics, tends to be generous in defining need, and is not as competitive as the other schools on your list.
That being said, being an international student needing significant aid can make a challenging process even harder. Best of luck to you.
Ok, I think you have the right approach targeting need blind schools and schools that meet need. It’s a tough process, so all you can do is give it a shot and see how things turn out.
I realize you’re not happy with your home country options for physics but I’m glad you have opened up to considering them. Don’t worry too much about global rankings - once you complete your bachelors, you can apply to a PhD program in the US. You will be evaluated by the physics department (so your spike will be an asset) and it’s easier to get aid, especially as a teaching or research assistant, than it is to get financial aid as an undergraduate. So if you land at your home university consider it a stepping stone along your path - not the end to your dreams of studying physics in the US.
Good luck!
Please understand - take the word International out of your sentence.
It’s really hard to get into schools you mention - MIT, Chicago, Duke, Hamilton, etc. international has zero to do with that statement.
You have some possible in your remainder but again if the are need aware and you have full need they might punt you. We saw this with a recent OP for a similar type school. They said if you will pay $40,00 we’ll admit your son - or some value like that. So they predicated a decision on the students willingness to pay a certain amount.
Those schools you have remaining are just hard to get into, not really hard. Just plain hard. I would add F&M….meets need Intl but is need aware.
International doesn’t help but the school you ED’d to and Chicago are really really hard for anyone, regardless of nationality
You can’t over analyze your essays, LOR, etc. these are single digit admission schools.
I hope you find something but if you have no funds, it’s unlikely.
Best of luck to you.
I hope you find something but if you have no funds, it’s unlikely.
Oof- That was harsh but thankyou for your honest response.
Yeaa, if nothing works out then thats what I got to do. Thankyou so much for helping me!!
I will surely look into it. Thankyou so much
I hope you had some sort of outstanding achievement, or award, in Physics. That’s what’s going to get you in - if a school sees you as a brilliant mind that will possibly bring credit to their institution in the future, not as a student who is well-rounded and pretty good at everything, and very, but not extraordinarily, good at Physics.
You did not make a mistake with your one-dimensional application. It would have been extremely unlikely for you to have gotten in anywhere with full aid for an int’l student with a well-rounded record, but no extraordinary spike. Top schools are looking for a well-rounded CLASS, full of high-achieving students who have some sort of extraordinary achievement, too. Students who achieved the highest score in their year on a large 3rd world country’s academic exams. Students who received the highest award in an int’l competition, be it in academics or the arts. World-class athletes (in which case they might be a recruited athlete). Really, the only way you were going to get in, as an int’l student needing a full ride, is as an extraordinarily brilliant Physics student (unless you just happen to be a world-renowned squash player, but forgot to mention it).
So yes, make options in your home country. Apply to US schools that offer funding for int’l students of extraordinary ability, that have strong Physics programs. And if you’ve got the extraordinary achievements in Physics and Math to support your application as such, emphasize them.
Really, the only way you were going to get in, as an int’l student needing a full ride, is as an extraordinarily brilliant Physics student
fair enough. Thankyou for your response
Not meant to be harsh. I mentioned F&M as one to add. Meets need and has a large Intl population. Brandeis, for example, does not based on their website.
Assuming you have a 3.5 and top test you could get $28k off at Alabama but that would leave you with about $18k a year.
Finally if you need a full ride but how will you get there (travel), etc and afford things like insurance ? Some schools will help but not sure all will.
I wish you luck. Don’t mean to be harsh (don’t feel I was) but I do think you face an uphill climb, partially based on your reach heavy initial list and the other based on the amount of need.
I wish you luck.