I’ve just completed high school and am currently planning to apply to US colleges. Knowing that US education is expensive, my family and I are looking for affordable colleges with annual tuition fee <$15,000 and, if possible, with scholarships.
My stats:
GPA: 4.0(not so sure about this because I take A-Level )
A-Level result: 2A*,2A(bio, chem, math, phy)
IGCSE: 8A+,1A,1A-
SAT: hasn’t released, and I can’t really predict my score
SAT II: 780(Math II), 740(Bio,m) i know it’s low but I’m not aiming for top schools so it’s fine
EC’s: Leader of woodwind in high school orchestra team. Led team to win championships in various international competitions(smh lost count, I guess six…?). Won silver award in an international solo music competition. Won silver award in World’s children art competition in 2015(don’t be fooled by the name, it’s for high school students) Active volunteer of 7979 community service organization
*Actually, I don’t know why do I includey ec’s
*Will update on my sat score as soon as the result is released
I assume you will be applying next year for 2018-2019? The application deadline for many scholarships is almost here. This is very late to be starting the application process for fall of 2018 if you need financial aid.
And being able to pay less than $15,000 means you will need significant financial aid (for international students to costs are closer to $50,000+ per year)
Read through this forum for ideas where students are applying. Learn the difference between “merit aid” and “need based aid” and about need-blind or need-aware schools, and learn which schools guarantee to meet need. These are all important concepts to understand as you begin the application process.
Once you have your SAT scores, look for schools where your stats put you in the upper 25% (this info is available on each school’s website under ‘freshman class profile’) Note that many selective private schools (ones also with the best financial aid) expect/require students to have SATII scores as well.
@katliamom Thanks for the info. Actually, I have applied to a couple of colleges, but I still want to expand my list(since I have the app fee waiver so why not) The colleges that I’ve applied to are CCNY and University of Toledo(both of them have annual tuition fee that is <$15,000) @Dustyfeathers thanks for the list! @happymomof1 thank you!
@imsarah – according to University of Toledo, its cost of attendance with scholarship is more than $25,000 per year. http://www.utoledo.edu/admission/international/cost.html
And while CCNY does in fact have tuition under $13,000, you will also have to pay for room, board, books, fees and insurance.
Remember, you will not be able to even get a student visa if your family can show you can afford tuition.
@katliamom Yes, you’re right. UToledo gives me an international scholarship of $9902(this cuts down the amount of tuition fee to around $15,000)
I have contacted CCNY before and the person from admission department told me that international students will be looking for a total fee of $21,000(including room and board, health insurance, and miscellaneous) per year which is out of our budget apparently (too bad). We’re looking for a total fee of not more than $20,000 per year.
Perhaps you know any other schools that are not so expensive? My intended major is biology or biochemistry so LAC’s don’t work for me(too bad)
That tradition is why most LACs and universities in the US have ‘Distribution Requirements’, aka ‘General Education’ or GenEds: you have to at least dip your toes into each of the main areas of the ‘liberal arts’ in order to graduate (even at MIT, you have to take some humanities classes). In the US the primary (rough) distinction between a ‘university’ and an LAC is that LACs offer few (if any) post-graduate degrees (size is the other).
Many science students prefer LACs b/c, w/out grad students, the professors need undergrads to do research in their labs (and there are some surprisingly whizzy labs at many LACs). Most like the emphasis on teaching undergraduates in (comparatively) smaller classes, which can make the learning experience richer. The academic standards at a selective LAC will be just as high as at a selective university, and LAC grads from selective colleges tend to do very well in grad school placements (random example: Collegekid #2 majored in Physics at an LAC and is now in a top-10 PhD program).
To be fair, an LAC won’t have the sheer volume of options a larger university will have, and it is worth checking on the offerings at the specific LACs that you are interested in, but all of them will have enough options to prepare you for the next level.
@imsarah – the $25,000 University of Toledo cost of attendance is WITH THE SCHOLARSHIP. (Unless they promised you TWO scholarships.) Please read these pages carefully – and realize that tuition, fees, and books go up every year. Your $20,000 cost of attendance in your first year may be a couple of thousand dollars per year more in your last year.
I agree that you need to inform yourself better about this. LACs are absolutely a good place for a biology/biochemistry degree.
Thanks a lot for the explanation! All this while I 've thought that LACs meant colleges for arts and humanities (That’s what my dad’s friend who sent his two kids to study in the US said. So he’s definitely wrong.)
The writing on that website is not very well clear. LACsm are ‘private’ colleges, meaning that the government does not provide any direct funding the way that they do ‘public’ colleges & universities. For domestic students that means that their in-state public university is typically the least expensive option (there are a small number of public universities that have a few big scholarships, which are extremely competitive and a couple who give big scholarships for high test scores).
But private colleges have more discretion on financial aid- whether “need” based or “merit” aid. For international students, who don’t have a ‘home’ state this opens up more possibilities for funding support. The ‘popular’ state universities (for example, UC Berkeley) are now more expensive for out of state (OOS) students than many LACs. For students with the stats for UCB there can be financial or merit aid at LACs.
Two things to remember about aid:
‘Need’ based aid is based on the school’s calculation of your need, not yours.
‘Merit’ aid is basically a quid pro quo system, which is usually a ‘you have high stats that improve our average so we give you a discount to come’ calculation, so it will usually come from a school that you are v v well qualified for (many of the top LACs do not give ‘merit’ aid at all, only need based), OR it has inflated prices and gives lots of students some ‘merit’ aid, as an incentive.
Sorry for the late reply as I was busy filling up my application(it’s all done now!) I have finally received my SAT score: 1480composite(not really a great score but i guess still ok)
Colleges that I’m applying to:
-City College New York(It’s a little bit over our budget but hopefully I can get an on-campus job and also merit scholarship for continuing student–if i really end up at CCNY)
-Syracuse University (They do provide full scholarship to 5 students. I know it’s competitive but there’s no harm trying right? My sat score is well above the college’s 75th percentile.)
-Bryn Mawr(Dustyfeather’s suggestion! And i really like the atmosphere of the school)
-Clark University(LEEP scholarship)
Thanks a lot for your suggestions! You all are very helpful
Also, I apply to University of Toronto because my Head of School has nominated me for the Lester B. Pearson scholarship.
Congratulations on your SAT! I think it’s a great score! And so are your subject test scores. I count 5 schools on your list. Pretty short for an international needing significant aid. Can you double that?
Thank you, Chuck. But, I’m fully aware that I am far from being a competitive applicant cuz there are just too many brilliant international students
Also, I commented once on your post–not sure if you still remember me. And oh i think I left out Duke(apply to it anyway because it’s my dream school,and if one does not try, he or she misses 100% of the shot)
I do agree that my list is kinda short. You have any colleges that you want to recommend?
Apply to Agnes Scott, Mount Holyoke, Barnard + the universities listed in #2 especially WPI, Olin, Union - adding Clarkson, Lafayette, and Cooper Union (the latter only if you have housing in NYC, which I assume due to your applying to CCNY - wrt CCNY, Baruch is considered better. Apply to Baruch Honors).
Due to music prowess (check out music/talent scholarships and apply ASAP as some deadlines may have passed): St Olaf, Concordia Moorhead, Luther, Lawrence, Oberlin.
@MYOS1634 Thanks!
Are the music/talent scholarships restricted to applicants who intend to major in music? I intend to major in Biology tho
Am checking out the colleges now
In some cases yes (Oberlin, Lawrence - do check though as there might be exceptions like “music minor added to whatever major”) but generally not so. The other Universities I listed want excellent musicians who major in something else (math and science are popular for musicians at these colleges). I’m thinking Gustavus Adolphus might also have music scholarships for non music majors. Look at their websites.
Since you’re a " recognized" musician, if the deadlines have passed (some may have been dec 15) say your music teachers recommended you inquire about your applying to the college and auditioning for scholarships, not realizing the deadlines because in tour country it’s much later; list your academic and music credentials; ask if you can still send a recording for consideration.
Hey, it’s me again.
Update: I’ve added Olin, Oberlin, and Barnard to my list. @MYOS1634 Thanks a lot for your suggestion.
I’m currently in the process of completing the CSS profile. The student income section is a little bit confusing. Should I fill in the expected earnings(2018-2019 academic year) in USD or in my country’s currency? I have the same problem in the “sources for educational expenses” section—USD or my country’s currency…?
The colleges that I’ve applied to are CCNY and University of Toledo(both of them have annual tuition fee that is <$15,000)