ajayc

We have a similar thread but since the process is a bit different for International Students, so I thought of compiling specific points :

1. First and foremost, when you start on this journey you SHOULD know that its different for us. Rejections and waitlisting are part of the game. So first step is to believe in yourself. Never lose hope.

2. If you are seeking a LOT of aid. Apply to as many colleges as possible. 20. 25, 30 doesn't matter. Apply to as many as your capabilities permit. Its only going to help not hurt.

3. You should know where you stand. Applying to all reaches because everyone else is apply to Columbia, Harvard never works. You end up disappointing yourself. There are a lot of other colleges that will provide you a equally good if not better College experience.

4. Start early if possible. Make sure your college research is complete and you know what you are doing.

5. Writing essays is not similar to what you did in high schools. Look around for samples online. You cannot write your essays in a week or so. I can't believe I am saying this... -__-

6. Use fee waivers! Ask the head of your school or GC to sign them for you.

7. Recs are really important. Make sure you ask your teachers early.

8. Though people told me to look for scholarships around, I couldnt find any. But you keep looking. Any amount of funding helps.

9. Try and find a match between you and the college. If a college rejects you it doesnt mean you arent good. Maybe they wanted a trombone player but you were a flute player?

10. Don't get carried away by the chances threads. Most people who respond to your thread don't keep your financial need in mind.

11. They understand your education system so don't go around trying to explain every small thing.

12. Try and contact people who have already made it from your country. But DONT STALK THEM!

13. Stay on CC!



I can't remember anything else atm. Everyone else is also welcome to keep adding to the thread!

limitedvocab

Ooh, just when I was about to go to sleep! I'll be adding to this thread when I've got time, good idea, Ajay.

Rister_Chutophs

14. Never lose hope.
15. You wanna go big? Think big!
16. Study a lot for the standardized testing. test scores are even more important for internationals.
17. if you have a good SAT CR score ask the colleges whether they waive the TOEFL requirement for you. it's a stupid and expensive test.
18. consider applying to less prestigious institution that give out merit aid if you think that you might get screwed with need-based aid.
19. if you ask your teachers for recs, show them examples. (i know that there are examples and instructions for teachers on the admission website of MIT). while it's normal for US teachers, most foreign teachers have never written a recommendation.
20. try to go to as many interviews as possible. you're nervous the first time but in retrospect, i really enjoyed those interviews and i got to know some awesome alumni.
21. if you're from a country that has very easy admission procedures for universities (like most european countries) you should be aware of the fact that you'll have to do a LOT OF work just to apply to american colleges. if you don't really want to do this, you're most likely going to give up at one point or the other. so take the time and ask yourself if you really want to do this.

shreya.iitk

1) write honest essays- as an international student remember that what you have to give to a college is diversity. Try to show how you are unique.
From this process i learnt that wherever i wrote Essays which were honest or in which i wrote about things from my real life- i got accepted.
But was rejected from places where i was trying to be what i imagined they wanted me to be!

2) Standardized scores are very very important for intls. Imagine- If you are givin full tution to 1 person- who will you choose- a person with great marks, and good EC's with bad SAT's or someone with All three?
Also have enough time to give them again- often what you think you will get based on practice tests is not what happens.

3)Apply to many many schools - with lots of schools which are not the top- even lower ranked school will give you a better education then those in your own country usually.

4) start early- started junior year? start researching and studying for the SAT.

5) Last of all- don't put all your odds on getting into a college in US- you might just be one of those who don't make it with a lot of money- know that this process is a lot of luck and study hard for a safety college in your country which you wouldn't hate if you ended up going there.

tanveer149

#17 is so true. Many international students waste $140 for the TOEFL when most colleges waive it if they have a CR score greater than 550 or 600.

NNinj@

#22 How about being patient?? Don't be disheartened if the initial few decisions don't go your way. Applying to top colleges really is a crap shoot, so you just need to be able to wait it out (the decision process).

tetrisfan

Nice, ajay.

boho_girl

I can't stress the importance of essays enough.
I didn't take enough time to write them and couldn't achieve good results.
(I assume this would be 28th in a row?)
#28 No matter how tedious it seems to write one essay waaaay long before the application deadline, it is a very good idea to do so. If nothing, just to go through ideas and get a more firm idea of what and how you want to write your essays. If you like how you did them so early, great! But if you don't, then you'd have enough time left to do corrections.

Reason I say this is that as I wrote more essays, I began to discover more things about myself that I wanted to covey, but didn't have time anymore.
So I say it's a reaaaally good idea to write two-three different essays just to help you brain storm.

limitedvocab

Do I start from 29?

29) Honestly, it's tougher for us international kids because if you apply to anything "less" than HYPMS, everyone you know will be going "Huh?" But now is a good time to assess your priorities, your future goals. If your plans for world domination absolutely CANNOT materialize unless you attend a tippity-top school, then by all means go ahead and apply. But if not... plenty of schools can provide you with an awesome education no matter what the US News rankings say (okay although you may have to draw the line somewhere). Prestige matters, yes, but to what extent, that's entirely in your hands.

30) Do truckloads of research on schools! The websites, viewbooks, brochures, CC, other college websites, student-run blogs, YouTube, college guidebooks.. be resourceful.

31) It took me ages to whittle down my list to eight schools. (And no, unless your GC/school explicitly states you can only apply to X number of schools, try to apply to a wider range) So, it's good to start early. Also, even with all the research done, you may realize later that you didn't actually come up with a list that you're completely happy with. You may be dead set on a school one week, and then you've fallen in love with another the next week. It's pretty normal.. give it some time until these feelings sort of settle down.

32) You don't have to a gajillion things in high school just to beef up your portfolio. I think it might get quite annoying if you're president of this and that club, leader of this, founder of that.. of everything! I know some people really are genuine leaders, and maybe they can't help it, but please, you don't have to try too hard if it's just not you. Do what you enjoy, enjoy what you do, and make sure it shows in your application.

32b) Have a life outside school and anything that might seem college applications-related in general.

33) Regarding SATs.. yes I suppose it's true that they matter more for us international students, and it'd be awesome if you got fantastic scores, but if you didn't, and if there's no more time/money to retake, don't fret. Concentrate on other parts of your application, like your essays! And doing well in school and getting great recommendations.

34) Hmm, just don't come off as a ******bag in your application. Don't be all modest and stuff, you've got to learn how to toot your own horn, but there's a fine line between that and being plain arrogant. Be a genuinely likable applicant!

35) You =/= your college acceptances or rejections.

Honestly, I do feel pretty retarded writing these things. I mean, who knows what admissions officers want, right? So..

36) Take what people say here on CC with a.. block of salt. Not grain, but block. CC can be very helpful but sometimes too much of it isn't at all healthy anymore

limitedvocab

scheisse, that was LONG!

ajayc

We have lived in the CC land too long. I didn't even know they could rescind people. Thats another worry now I have...well coming back to the point. Don't judge a school by the applicants here. CC only represents the top cream of students who are applying to colleges. You think there are a bunch of students who apply to College? Hell no! There are other students out there with decent stats as yours who apply and make it through. But don't confuse this with the top school admissions.

shruthibaskaran

I completely agree with everything thats been said here.... Limitedvocab - That was too true. Very succintly summed up too..

Good job Ajay.

tanveer149

37) You can bargain for more aid. I got accepted at Clark w/o any aid. I e-mailed them telling them that I would attend if they provide me with some financial assistance. They just notified me that I will be recieving $23k/ year in scholarships. SO IF YOU DONT RECIEVE ENOUGH AID TRY CONTACTING THE ADMISSION OFFICE...IT WORKS!

shreya.iitk

^ congrats tanveer! thats a huge amount to get from none!

maichang

It makes you feel stupid and gives you inferiority complex over ur friends if u don't get into some top notch college. more so over, you feel accomplished if u get in one of ur dream schools.
rejection=frustrations, depressions, lost, u can never actually figure out what went wrong
acceptance=happiness, contentment, excitement, you assume all the things that might have worked in your application.