I’m an international student, and a first generation college student, from a low-income background. (I’ll be applying for 100% financial aid)
I’m applying to 20 schools through my CommonApp, including my dream schools Harvard and Stanford, to major in Environmental Engineering, but I’m worried about my application.
I’m the Headboy of my school and the president of the school’s science society with a class rank of 1, and My SAT score is 1560. But the big problem is my Olevel Grades of 2As* 2As 5B 1C which comes out to an equivalent of roughly 3.0/4.0 GPA.
My Olevel GPA is far from the standards of Harvard or Stanford, even though my Alevels are much much better with 6A*s in rigorous subjects equivalent to 4.0/4.0 GPA, I feel as though it might not be enough, because these are the school’s “predicted grades.”
My Activity List is roughly:
Headboy
President Science Society
Founded an NGO that works on UN’s sustainability goals, including housing, clean energy, environmental change, and education.
Published a research paper regarding a sustainable material for rural housing.
IT Intern with my country’s energy department
Worked in a fast food chain for a year
National Team Weightlifting
Graphic Photography & Design
my awards/honours are:
Gold in IAAC
Semi-finalist in ARSSDC
Won 3 national science olympiads
100% merit based scholarship
and Top in Math at my school
I’ll do my best to write a good personal statement, but I’m worried that in the sea of applicants my chances wont last, I need help on what I can emphasize on, what I can still try to do and increase my chances for a good university. I want to know what the AO’s at these colleges look for, because from what I’m thinking my Olevel GPA might kill my application altogether.
How do your grades compare to other students in your school?
Does this mean that you are the top student in your school?
It does not matter how your grades compare to someone applying to Harvard from a high school in the US, or a high school in Canada. There will be someone in admissions at both Harvard and Stanford who is familiar with typical grades in your country and in schools similar to yours. I am not. To be seriously competitive for admissions to Harvard or Stanford as an international student, you should not be all that far away from being the top student in your high school. Your SAT is superb. However, GPA is more important for admissions.
Stanford is not need blind for admissions for international students. Your need for financial aid will impact your chances there.
If you are the top student in your high school, then you are competitive for admissions to the top universities in the US such as Harvard and Stanford. However, the vast majority of other applicants to these schools are also competitive. You should consider both to be reaches.
If you are the top student in your high school (or close to top), then I do think that it is probably worth applying to Harvard and Stanford and see what happens. Do not be concerned about how your grades compare to the grades for a different student who is coming from some different background or some different country or some different type of high school. Admissions will know how to interpret your grades.
Also, other than grades, I think that you are already doing the right things to be competitive for admissions.
You might want to read the “applying sideways” blog on the MIT admissions web site. As I understand it, it recommends that you do what is right for you and whatever you do, do it very well. This is the right approach for other top universities such as Harvard and Stanford, and sounds like exactly what you have done. Both are however still reaches.
I’m curious at the difference in your O-level actual grades and your predictions for A-levels, and I imagine AOs would be too. Is this something your school’s guidance counselor can address in the application?
My Olevel grades went down because of multiple reasons, part of which was my own incompetence, I had a 10 Subject courseload which was reflecting well on my transcripts until I got more involved in extra-curriculars and focused less and less on grades. At the time of examinations I became bedridden sick with Typhoid. I could’ve dealt with it but my preparation lacked and I could no longer study in the last days. I spent the summer studying for my Alevels, I got my 2A*s in Physics and Maths, so I had a good basis. I focused alot on grades for my Alevels and took +2 subjects after my first semester.
I thought AOs would be curious about this too, and my school counsellor does know how all of this happened so she’s willing to address it in my application. I know being sick isn’t a strong justification, but I hope the rest of my application can help.
I’m currently thinking against applying to UK universities because I really need financial aid and I’ve heard that UK universities can’t cover financial aid as well as US universities do.
This is a moot point. GCSE’s are internationally administered leaving exams. Successful international applicants to Harvard / Stanford don’t have 5 B’s and a C on these standardized tests. Not that the OP shouldn’t take their shot, but they really need more realistic options outside these. And that’s even before mentioning that Harvard is wonderful in many disciplines, but engineering isn’t one of them, IMO.
It is incredibly competitive for an international student to get a full ride scholarship to any US college. Students with perfect grades and impressive accomplishments often do not get a full ride. And be aware that even with a full scholarship, your family may be responsible for transportation, health insurance, books, and other incidentals which can add up to thousands of dollars.
It is great to apply to some US colleges and give those applications your all – but I recommend you also seek out some affordable options in your home country.
American B’s and Cs aren’t UK Bs and Cs, and your guidance counselor would have to specify you were suffering from/recovering from typhoid.
Nevertheless they’re lower than what they’d expect especially since you need a full ride and LOTS of students from Asia apply.
You can try&apply to one of the few full need/need blind for internationals ED and have a good slate of possibilities. I’d pick Dartmouth even if it may not be the right fit, simply because it would be need blind/meet need, isn’t as well known as the others and your Gold IAAC+internship at country’s energy Dept would help.
Your odds are very small though.
Show interest in Lafayette, Lehigh, Bucknell (join their mailing list, open every email, click on links, contact professors about their research).
Scottish universities such as Stirling, Strathclyde, Heriot Watt, Edinburgh Napier, even Aberdeen, may offer scholarships/“bursaries” for your SAT score and A Levels. (Also, they typically accept Cs for OLevels with no problem.) Worth trying.