Could you estimate my chances for financial aid as an international student?

jennykim605 · 12-11-2009, 08:33 PM

Hello,
here are my stats.
SAT: CR 690 WR: 770 M: 760 (2220)
SAT IIs: USH: 700 Math 1: 740 Bio E: 730
AP: Microeconomics 4 Latin Vergil 3 Biology 4 U.S.History 4
Class Rank 9/308
I live in CT, but I have Korean citizenship.

ECs:
-150+ Hours as volunteer recruiter for the National Marrow Donor Program
-3 Years Class President
-Secretary for NHS
-Treasurer/Secretary for World Language Honor Society
-3 Years Varsity Tennis (Two Varsity Letters)
-Several Gold and silver medals on national and state latin exams
-4 Years Librarian and Treasurer for Honors Band
-1st Clarinet (Several auditions)
-Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do
-3 Years Model U.N.
-Other clubs: Leo Club, Tri-M (Music Honor Society), Mu Alpha Theta (Math Honor Society), International Friends Club, Blood Drive, Relay For Life, Orchestra, Green Teens, Homeroom Representative, Latin Club

Colleges I'm applying to
Harvard
Yale
Brown
Wellesley
Georgetown
Dartmouth
Amherst
UPENN
Cornell (Hotel)
Duke
Rochester University
University of Michigan
-------------------------------
This is it for now. But I got these coupons from the ECO program that allows me to apply to 8 schools at NO COST. I've already applied to 8/12 from my list. So I can use 4 coupons! But I don't want to waste the remaining 4.

I can pay MAX 5,000 a year. I really need finanacial aid. If I get into good colleges but I can't afford it, I will probably have to go back to Korea and find an alternative school there. Personally, I am MAD about Wellesley and Georgetown...But not sure whether they will help me out.

Do you think I could get substantial financial aid from these colleges?

thumper1 · 12-11-2009, 08:52 PM

Harvard
Yale
Brown
Wellesley
Georgetown
Dartmouth
Amherst
UPENN
Cornell (Hotel)
Duke
Rochester University
University of Michigan

Most of the schools on your list do NOT give merit aid at all. Your stats will be used to determine IF you get accepted. They will not be used to determine if you get merit aid...because Harvard, Yale, Brown, Wellesley, Georgetown, Dartmouth, Amherst, UPenn and Cornell do NOT give anything but need based aid. SO...to get aid from these schools, you would have to demonstrate financial NEED per the FAFSA AND the Profile (which most of those schools use to disperse institutional aid). Need based aid is typically based on the income and assets of your parents and you. You don't mention anything about your family income other than what YOU think you can afford to pay. Perhaps that is in line with the financial aid calculations by the schools...no way for us to know that.
Need-Based Aid for International Students

Quote:

Federal regulations and University policy severely limit the types of financial assistance available to international students. University admissions policy requires that international students (those with F-1, F-2, J-1, J-2; and G series visas) have enough resources to meet their expenses throughout their stay at the University; students with these visas are not eligible for federal student aid. Please see the information at right to determine if you may qualify to apply for financial aid programs.

The above is from the UMich website. Re: UMich, I would not hold my breath about receiving substantial aid there as an international student.

Rochester University?? What do you mean? Do you mean University of Rochester, RIT, or what?? I'm assuming you mean U of Rochester.

Quote:

The responsibility for covering educational expenses (e.g. tuition, fees, room and board) rests with the student and his or her family. International students must submit proof of their family’s ability to cover the estimated cost of the first year’s educational expenses, as well as projected support for subsequent years of study at Rochester.

The above quote is from the University of Rochester website. It does not sound like they give aid to international students...but to be sure, give them a call and ask.

Quote:

International Students
Please note: Financial resources for international students are limited. International applicants requesting need-based financial aid should complete and submit the information below by the stated deadlines. International applicants admitted with "no financial aid interest" are ineligible to apply for financial aid for any year of undergraduate study. More detailed information for international applicants can be found on the Admissions website.

And the above is from the Duke website. It sounds like their financial aid resources for international students is limited.

To get information...all you need to do is go to the college website. Use their "search" function and type in "international student financial aid". That's what I did...the info is easily available for every college.

mom2collegekids · 12-11-2009, 08:56 PM

Financial aid is based on family income/assets. It's not based on your stats.

It doesn't matter what your family "says" it can pay, these schools are going to want to see full financial documentation of everything and then THEY will decide what your "need" is. They may decide that your family should pay $20k per year (or whatever). You need to use an EFC calculator to find out what these schools might consider to be your Expected Family Contribution. http://www.finaid.org/calculators/finaidestimate.phtml

Also, not many schools can meet the need of internationals. Most will required the international to either have the money or to obtain a private loan.

Do you know if Georgetown meets 100% of need to internationals without loans (have you looked at their website?)

Since you need 4 more schools to apply to, you need to determine which ones give full need to internationals. There's no point to applying to schools that can't.

So, are you in the US on a visa? or are you a green card resident?

jennykim605 · 12-11-2009, 09:43 PM

Thanks for the responses!
I'm sorry for the lack of information. I'll provide as much as I know.
Our family income is between 60,000 and 75,000.
With this income, I have a sister who goes to UR. It's very hard for my father to support
both of us fully..
I have a J-1 Visa. I have no green card and I heard somewhere that
international students CANNOT do the FAFSA.. I already sent out my CSS Profile!
And Rochester University is yes, Univ. of Rochester.
Many of the colleges I'm applying to states that they have "limited" aid for international students. I would love to know if there are any international students out there who has gotten a LOT of money!

Thanks once again

mom2collegekids · 12-11-2009, 10:02 PM

What kind of aid does your sister get at UR?

I would love to know if there are any international students out there who has gotten a LOT of money!

You've pretty much have already applied to those schools - the ivies, etc.

Only schools with huge endowments can give a lot of FA to int'ls. Those are the ivies/elites and some top LACs

Maybe Stanford and USC, but it seems like you're looking for mostly NE schools.

jennykim605 · 12-11-2009, 11:09 PM

My sister is a U.S. citizen, so she gets merit and government funded scholarships.
I would have been a U.S. citizen too. My mom was pregnant with me for 6 months in TN but got homesick and went to Korea where I was born...It's so frustrating

mom2collegekids · 12-12-2009, 09:08 AM

Yes, that's frustrating. It's too bad that because of your sister, you weren't able to get green card status or citizenship at some point.

Sadly, there are thousands of int'ls like you. Good stats, but inadequate personal funding to make education possible. I hope you get into an ivy.

Did you try applying to the Macaulay honors SUNY program that pays for everything? I don't know what the deadline is.

I don't know much about the program, but I know that Hunter has it and some others. Here's a link for info...nhttp://macaulay.cuny.edu/about/factsheet.pdf

I know that LSU is generous to int'l students. http://www.lsu.edu/financialaid/internationalschl.htm

Alfred U might also be generous http://www.alfred.edu/finaid/freshmen/scholarships.cfm

Monmouth U in NJ might also award a scholarship to you.. http://www.monmouth.edu/admission/sc...ps/default.asp

Birmingham Southern would also award you a scholarship, http://www.gotobsc.com/fa/achievement.htm BSC is one of those colleges featured in that book about Colleges That Changes Lives. Their overall COA is cheaper than most privates.

mom2collegekids · 12-12-2009, 09:30 AM

I didn't do the Macaulay link right... http://macaulay.cuny.edu/about/factsheet.pdf

jennykim605 · 12-12-2009, 10:01 AM

Oh my god. You are an angel. Thank you so much!!!

alamemom · 12-12-2009, 12:30 PM

USC was mentioned earlier as possibly giving FA to International students - Unfortunately no, USC (University of Southern California) does not offer need-based financial aid to International students.

Quote:

International students do not qualify for need-based financial aid.

International Students - USC Undergraduate Admission

They do offer many merit scholarship opportunities to International students, but the scholarship application deadline (Dec. 1st) has already passed for this year.

mom2collegekids · 12-12-2009, 12:52 PM

^^^

Thanks for the info...that's will come in handy when other int'ls ask.

thumper1 · 12-12-2009, 01:41 PM

Quote:

It's too bad that because of your sister, you weren't able to get green card status or citizenship at some point.

What did her SISTER do to compromise her ability to get a green card or citizenship?

mom2collegekids · 12-12-2009, 02:46 PM

NO.....

Having an immediate family member who is a citizen is usually a PATHWAY to citizenship or Green card status for the rest of the family. It's never a hindrence. I was wondering why her family wasn't able to use the daughter's citizenship as a pathway for the rest of them.

Good heavens...why look for the negative in an innocent statement? You did the same when I provided the link for registering for the draft on another thread. I made the comment that it's no big deal - meaning that it can easily be done online - which is WHY I provided the link.

:::shakes head:::

thumper1 · 12-12-2009, 02:52 PM

Thank you for the above clarification. For the record, I don't drink eggnog...or any other alcoholic beverages and I am insulted by your insinuation.

thumper1 · 12-12-2009, 04:42 PM

Re: my post 14...it was in response to a comment made in post 13 that the writer edited out. Sorry for the confusion.