Hello,
I’ve a major dilemma between these universities and need some advice
I am an international applying for Financial Aid
I really believe UChicago is the university for me but I feel my chances of getting is just too low as an international applying for financial aid… Plus UChicago tends to be less generous in terms of financial aid…
So now I have decided to apply to Yale, which is still very difficult to get in but I thought I’d stand a better chance as a need blind student
Is this the smart choice? I’d love any advice and insights.
I think this is the right choice. Here’s what I would do: Apply to Yale early, with a financial aid application, and also a public school where you can also throw in an early action, which Yale permits. So you would apply to Yale SCEA and then simultaneously, under a public university’s Early Action program, apply for some merit scholarships. So you could apply to (for example) UNC (or Michigan or Virginia) scholarships and Yale at the same time. This allows you to get an early application in but also have other affordable choices. If you get into one of these colleges in the early round, I would then add in applications to need-blind schools for international applicants in Regular Decision, as well as some other schools that may not be need blind, but award high amounts of aid to international applicants once admitted, like Stanford or Chicago.
I second what the above poster said. Also make sure to add some safeties/matches that are generous with the aid because it is unlikely that you do actually get into Yale (at least from a general standpoint).
@neweducation and @jarrett211 Thanks for the advice!
I intend to apply to University of Wisconsin-Madison as a safety but they do not offer early admissions. A pity that I have written all the UChicago essays!
On a side note, would anyone know if Yale considers leadership qualities to be of utmost importance? (among many things?)
Why would that be a pity? As U of C seems to be your first choice, I assume you will apply in the RD round no matter what happens with you other EA and rolling admissions.
I will only be applying to maximum of five U.S. universities. So I will only apply to either Yale or UChicago.
Are you restricted by your school or something? Because if you are rejected by Yale, you will be wondering “what if?”… And your essays are done.
Yes, I am restricted by my school and so I’m very conscious of using my cards…
Yale SCEA for the financial aid and then Chicago RD is probably the best choice.
BUT, what are your stats? There was a post that said you needed around a 2200+ SAT, top 1-3% of class if school ranks, and somewhere around a 3.9+ UW GPA (95+ on a 100 scale) to be competitive as the early pool for Yale is super competitive.
If you have those, then applying to Yale will be better, but you can always apply during the regular round for both if you feel like you can improve your grades or test scores.
Yale does like leadership but leadership could mean many things.
@rdeng2614
Stats:
IB predict: 44
SAT: 2240
GPA: idk - our school doesn’t calculate
Several ECs including MUNs, cross country, etc.
It’s not bad but I don’t think it’s stellar enough for Yale… what do you guys think
Those scores are competitive for Yale (the 2240 is good enough, but won’t stand out). You can never get the full picture of someone’s EC’s from a post, but if you sell them well, then they could be good. Calculate your GPA online.
I’m currently doing the IB diploma programme and so I don’t really get the system of “GPA”… but we get report cards and the I got 44 on the last one…
Suggestions:
- SCEA at Yale
- EA at Michigan, Virginia or North Carolina
- RD at UChicago, UW-Madison, and one more school
That would be five applications.
I like the idea of the above poster. Make that one other school a safety school though.
The OP is international and needs FA. Safeties are hard to find. I don’t think Madison gives aid to OOS or internationals (they barely fund in-state after recent budget brawls). It doesn’t make sense for the OP.
Nor do Michigan, UVA, or UNC (or any public uni that offers little/no merit aid) as an int’l needing FA
Obviously, if the OP needs aid, the state schools will leave something to be desired.
OP, how much can you and your parents/family afford to pay?
How does
SCEA: Yale RD: Dartmouth, Vanderbilt, Emory, Wisconsin-madison
sound?
I know I meet the basic requirements to even have a chance at yale but I just feel it’s just too risky when I only have five cards…
Wouldn’t UPenn or Brown be better than Yale?
UPenn and Brown are less selective than Yale, if that is what you mean by “better”. They still would not guarantee admission for you; they would still be reaches.
And – if you love UChicago, why not apply?
I agree with @prezbucky. I’m very confused: UChicago seems like your 1st choice, based on the OP, so why not apply RD? I can understand picking a range of schools, but Dartmouth and UChicago are going to be a wash in terms of odds of admission. Financial aid is going to be hard to predict. I can understand applying SCEA to Yale instead of EA to Chicago based on your financial aid reasoning and to increase the chances of acceptance, but I don’t understand omitting it altogether.