@kiasuamma, can you share your thoughts as to what appealed/didn’t appeal with the schools mentioned in your previous thread? That can help posters with more targeted recommendations.
Also, your interest has switched from physics to applied/engineering physics. Can you explain the evolution of your thinking and what it is you’re hoping to do with your degree? Your answer may not fully help me, but it might help others who are much more aware of the details of U.S. programs and what might best fit what you want.
Also tagging @hebegebe who may not have seen your response on the last thread with the clarification about your Olympiad participation.
Also, looking at this list, two schools come to mind that I didn’t mention in the last thread:
The first school I thought of was Stevens Institute of Technology. It’d be a likely admit, as I don’t think they do much in the way of yield protection. It’s a very strong school and literally across the river from New York City. It’s 51% white, 19% Asian, 15% Hispanic, and then a small assortment of other races/ethnicities identifies (3% nonresidents of the U.S.).
The next school would also be a likely admit for you due to your strong background and their lack of yield protection, and that is Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. It’s just outside of Albany, NY. It’s within a 3-hour drive of the NYC international airports, but I don’t know if there are shuttles, and it might mean a longer travel time if using public transportation. Albany does have its own airport with some direct “puddle-jumper” flights to Newark and Laguardia, and that airport is 13m from RPI, so easily accessible via an Uber or similar. It’s 43% white, 19% Asian, 12% U.S. nonresidents, 11% Hispanic, and then several categories with 5%.
Both schools are generally considered “targets” for strong applicants, but I think they would be likely admits for you.