Help me out, parents!!!

[adrivit]

I want to major in Math, Neuroscience and Economics. I have fixed on the following college -- MIT, Dartmouth, Princeton, Stanford, Amherst, Middlebury. But since I am in my gap year(couldn't apply last year due to some family problems), I was thinking whether its too much of a risk not to apply ED to somewhere and wait for the April decisions, in which case if I am denied at those universities I won't be able to get into any Indian College either. I am pretty confused. I am strongly considering applying ED to Dartmouth. Please advise. Also I am hearing that MIT's research options are so grad focused. I would love to study at MIT but seeing that profs are inaccessible and so much more leaned on grads, do you think it would be wise to wait for RD decisions? These things are important for me --- Great Research Facilities, Great teachers, Intelligent and directed peers, Great Career Shape-Up ... Thanks a lot!!!!



My Profile ---

Grades ---
94% in Class 10
90% in Class 12

SAT ---
SAT I - 2300/2400
SAT II - 2340/2400

Research ---
Fuzzy systems, Neural Networks, Game Theory, Quality Control, Perturbation analysis

ECs ---
I am a poet
Won International Students Quality Circle
Led Save Tigers Campaign from my school
Made a short film
Nationally recognized essay on Modern Education, play on Culture

Sports ---
Did advanced Rock Climbing and mountaineering for five years
I don't play but I give classes to the local football team about dynamics and stuff to help them understand the physics behind the football

Music ---
Member of School band. Sing and play the guitar
I also teach singing and guitar

Social Service ---
Volunteer work of 300+ hours
Member of Green Peace
Supervised the micro-credit system in local villages
Taught the underprivileged village adults and kids
Helped village people sell their cottage goods

[adrivit]

No replies?? Please!!!

[marite]

MIT still has EA; consider also Chicago, which also retains EA. Stanford has Single Choice EA (meaning you cannot apply EA elsewhere).
Consider as well colleges that are somewhat below those you've listed; they are all reaches, and you need to have safeties (both in academic and financial terms).

[adrivit]

I am an international student ..... Oh I have considered safeties!

[adrivit]

I need more replies parents ... I am stuck!!

[ticklemepink]

How are you stuck? You need to do more research on colleges in the US that fit your needs- academically, socially, and financially. International students get the worst of financial aid as someone implied in another thread. You will be asked to work- don't expect a full ride anywhere.

Go on review.com or College Board's website and play around for some schools. What is it about Dartmouth that you like? That will help us give you a short list of schools to consider that are more realistic. You really do need safeties but I'm not sure what you suggest since those schools are all of different sizes and locations. Is it important to be on West Coast or Northeast? Big or small? Professors give far more attention to undergrad students in smaller schools like Amherst and Middlebury. But the science money isn't always there...even so great research opportunities won't be available to underclassmen and juniors at big grad schools like Stanford and MIT.

Do NOT apply ED unless you are willing to beg, borrow, or steal money in order to pay any difference between the financial aid package the school gives you and the actual sticker cost. Schools don't pay for books or any other incidential items like going out or fraternity dues. Financial aid only covers what's included in the basic sticker price- room, board, tuition, and student fees.

[JHS]

1. You look like a pretty nifty applicant. But things are very difficult for international students who require a lot of financial aid. So you CANNOT count on getting admission and acceptable aid at ANY of the colleges you mentioned, even if you apply ED. You need to apply to universities in India, too. Have a back-up plan.

2. All of the colleges you mention have no trouble attracting qualified Indian applicants. Colleges that DO have trouble attracting top-rank Indian applicants are more likely to make a decision to pay for you to come there. There ARE no safeties for you -- no place that is certain both to admit you and to award you realistic financial aid. You really want to find somewhere that thinks you are special enough to be worth a big investment.

[adrivit]

I love Dartmouth because its so undergrad focused, more laid-back, nice setting and all the obvious reasons ....

^Doesn't need-blind mean I get a full-aid if I am eligible?? I am pretty damn sure I am eligible to get full-aid from the univs that promise to do so. (Annual income is less than even the sticker price of room/board ...) And if there is some hidden message that '100% demonstrated need covered' contains ... then there is a problem ....

I can't apply to Indian univs anymore ... I am in my gap year. That's why I was thinking of applying ED to Dartmouth ... it comes second in my school liking list but don't I have a greater chance of getting in if ED??

[nysmile]

Meeting 100% need does not mean you get to go to school for free. Your financial aid package will include loans that you have to pay back and work study money that you earn for working at a job on campus.

[Northstarmom]

"How are you stuck? You need to do more research on colleges in the US that fit your needs- academically, socially, and financially."

This advice is very important. Before asking strangers or e-mailing financial aid offices questions, it's best to do as much research on your own that's possible.

For instance, the question that you asked Dartmouth that you referred to in another thread asked basic info that you should have been able to find on Dartmouth's website in the financial aid section.

Parents here aren't going to go out of their way to answer questions, and colleges won't either if your questions are asking people to do research that it would be easy for you to do yourself.

[adrivit]

I don;t care much about loans and anything that depends on me ... its jsut that my family can't pay anything ....

[sybbie719]

Personally, I do not think that you may be in the postion to apply ED becasue since you state that your family will not be able to contribute anything, you may need to see how the numbers are going to shake out especially since you will not be eligible for any U.S. federal funds or some loan programs.

[adrivit]

Thanks!! Lets see what the reply from Dartmouth churns out to be ...

[wis75]

"all the obvious reasons"- only obvious to those who like any given school. Since finances matter you need to be able to choose the school you can pay for among those you apply to and are accepted at- not an early decision scenario. Definitely have a backup school in India, you may need to save a US school for graduate work if money is an issue. All US students should have a safety, ie their state U, you should also. Reality rears its sometimes ugly head for most students, dream big but allow yourself a fallback position.

[hsmomstef]

Just to clarify things regarding need-blind admission and financial aid.

A school may be "need-blind" in admissions -- but make sure they are need-blind for internationals (many are not). Even if they are "need-blind" in admissions, they don't necessarily meet 100% of your need.

So -- if you are international and need tons of aid, you need to make sure that the school is both need-blind for international students AND meets 100% of demonstrated need. As nysmile pointed out, meeting that need will most likely include loans/work-study and a summer work contribution -- but I agree, you can probably handle that.

As far as I know, only about 6 schools are both need-blind for internationals AND meet 100% of demonstrated need, and they are by far the most competitive schools out there. You will be seeking admission to a school that literally gets thousands of highly qualified applicants -- so you will need to set yourself apart in some way.