March has been a crazy month
Accepted: Tulane, UCLA, UCBerkeley, UCSD, Grinnell, Arizona State, USF, Miami (Ohio)
Wait-List: WUSTL, U of Chicago (Top-choice: already followed through with an email after accepting a spot on the wait-list)
Rejected: JHU, Middlebury, Vanderbilt, Georgetown, Amherst (colleges that I applied to rather impulsively)
Still Waiting: Ivies (Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, Darthmouth)
I think I have strong EC’s (quite unique) and my sat scores are 2320, super-scored, 800 in Math II, 770 Bio M, 700 USH. AP scores are of similar fashion. GPA has consistently been 3.9-4.0 unweighted throughout highschool. Intended major is biology or bioengineering.
Now I’m becoming immensely concerned about being accepted into the ivies I applied to especially with the “inundation” of rejections I received today (3 responses) and the fact that I am also applying for financial aid. I am really hoping for Princeton. Please given your honest opinion.
Thanks a ton!
To be honest your chances at those specific universities don’t look that good (based on your list of rejections). However, that’s not to say that it’s impossible. You have a pretty decent chance at Dartmouth I’d say. Good luck!
Do you think that those rejections may have come from the fact that I am also an international students that applied for financial aid and since those schools are need-aware for such type of students?
I think some but not all the Ivies are need blind even for international. Check out which ones if any, those are your best bets. Yes it will hurt you at a need aware school unless you are someone they want to recruit for some reason, either sports or academics
I didn’t think the UC schools gave financial aid to international students?
Anyway, I think you still have a shot. Maybe one of the Ivies will accept you.
may I ask what kind of EC activities did you have ?
Sure:
I’ll just expound upon those that I was really involved with
- I played violin for around 10 years: 3rd chair-first violin of a college orchestra, first-violin of a pro/sub-pro quartet that was set to tour Asia. I submitted an art supplement. There are some other things within this.
- Kickboxing for 5 years (Professional). Sponsored fighter and part of my gym's "TOP TEAM"- basically a team of fighters that go out to compete. I was ranked number 1 in my division in my city for a year once and won medals/awards. There are some other things within this.
- Hospital Volunteering for 4 years. I amassed quite a bit of hours through this. I was placed in an integrated program of volunteering and shadowing doctors and all the departments of the hospital. I wrote monthly reports for the board of directors and they asked me to document areas of improvement in each division.
- Founded a school debate club and enviromental club (President)
- Founding member of an off-school debate club that became renowned in my city. Became the youngest head captain at 8th grade.
- Volunteer at a government-run clinic set specifically for members of the impoverished.
- NHS
- I attend annual, week-long service trips in my city- There are SO many things within this.
- Varsity basket-ball/XC
This is an extremely truncated version of some of the things I did. I was involved with each of them since 8th/9th grade.
If you think that UCB and UCLA are not elite, you are mad.
Sorry for my lack of clarification. I am extremely happy that I got accepted to those 2 places, especially UCB since it has an amazing bioengineering program! I would be even happier if I had received some form of financial aid packet but the reality of the UC schools is that they do not give a single dime to international students (to my knowledge). I was really looking forward to Amherst since it is “purportedly” a need-blind school so now I’m quite worried about my future decisions.
Cal and Grinnell are great options.
The remaining Ivies are long-shots for anyone.
What colleges offered you sufficient financial aid?
Yes, being international means your odds of getting into Ivies are about 1% to 3%. Worse if you come from an over-represented country (China, Korea, India), better if you come from an under-represented region (Sub-sahara Africa, Pacific islands).
My parents have stated that they are able to pay up to $45,000 so every place except for the UC schools are tangible options. Since Berkeley has an amazing bio-engineering program, I might attend there if the 31st bears nothing but bad news
Saw your Middlebury thread, as well, OP. If you loved Middlebury, I have a hunch you will really like Grinnell as well. You are very fortunate to be in there.
You’ve got just a couple days left until the rest of your decisions. You are sitting in a really good place right now given the acceptances you already have. Good luck, and you will do fine.