Are these Universities good enough for an International seeking low contribution? [3.78 GPA, rank 1]

Chance Me / Match Me
921

OP, you are describing burnout. It is frustrating, it is confounding, but it is real.

I think you need to breakup your next steps into tiny, manageable chunks in order to power through it- and then go back to your real life (non USA college admissions) and get re-grounded. And perhaps trim your sails. Identify the two most likely affordable admissions colleges on your list- get those in- and let everything else go.

Agree you need to stop worrying about your recommendations. Adcoms understand that those are frequently submitted later, just due to teacher/counselor workloads.

Good luck and hugs to you.

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922

@tsbna44 – do you have the numbers that show that Delta State, Southern Miss, TAMU-I and Univ of Tennessee Southern will be affordable either on their own or with guaranteed merit? How about if there isn’t housing guaranteed for four years – are off campus rates affordable?

I did the research for Minot and Ole Miss. Both are affordable and don’t require LORs and both have deadlines post Jan 1. However, Ole MIss makes it challenging for on-campus housing after freshman year and it might be hard to find affordable housing off-campus (we experienced this with my older kid who was at a school that had no housing after sophomore year and local rooms were expensive even when shared). Based on that, I still think Minot is the more reliable choice between the two that I researched. Would love to know the details for the ones you have found.

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923

Sure - and again, these are - apply and hope.

I assume the Ole Miss cost you found is due to the SAT scholarship? If it combines with the GPA scholarship, that’s great.

The others are in the vein of - let’s get close.

Delta State has no OOS tuition. COA (direct) is a bit under $18K + $1K intl fee. There are other fees including health insurance. They have 100+ international, representing 45 countries. There is merit possible - but I quite can’t tell what. The deadline to apply is June 1 but it looks like some merit has earlier requirements. The downside here is the major is CIS vs. CS.

Southern Miss - I’m basing on another student said their friend from India got a full ride. The school says $29,410 estimated - but that includes all, not just tuition, room and board. So not apples to apples. Direct costs (tuition, fees, room, board) seem $25.2K. Seems to me they’d qualify for full tuition - and given they note internationals would be taxed on amounts above tuition, they must be eligible. Link below. They might also qualify for one year housing.

You found Ole Miss. I found Delta and Southern Miss. It might be we should be pricing every school in Missisippii :slight_smile: There’s MSU, Alcorn State, Jackson State, Ms Valley State U (home of Jerry Rice).

TAMU-I - tuition, room and board is about $35K.

They’d get $30K off. I don’t see an international exclusion. Link below. 2nd linke.

UT Southern (used to be Martin Methodist, but the state took over a few years ago and re-named it) - has CIS and Cyber. There’s no OOS tuition. It’s about $21.5K.

There is full tuition or $6K off. I don’t see international is excluded.

Here’s Mississippi Valley State U - no OOS tuition - tuition, room and board is about $17K. They have merit but I don’t think they’ll get because it’s pell based. But it’s a much better app than many OP is considering.

I have to think in these rural places that lower cost housing could be found if needed.

One more - not urban - Jackson State - I can’t find a COA but tuition is about $14K so let’s say 27/28K. but the student could qualify for tuition/room board but has to apply by Feb 1. It’s competitive. It doesn’t mention international - but OP can email and ask for Intl Opportunities - and is this included: finaid@jsums.edu

What I do worry about is the culture shock - this is the US but it’s very rural and different than what OP might think the US is.

But these are some options for sure.

Academic Excellence Scholarships | The University of Southern Mississippi

Scholarships

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924

All the people here are really kind and helpful to me.

My parents are really violent at this time, I can’t just seem to do anything. Home does not feel like a right place to be, I walk outside too much..

My Lors aren’t done, nothing is going well..

But thank you all though.

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925

Your LORs have nothing to do with the schools we are talking about.

These are easy admit schools - that may (we believe) hit your target.

You either apply - or you don’t have a chance.

I’m sorry for your troubles but you are worried about the wrong thing.

These schools don’t have LORs and likely don’t have essays.

You fill in the apps (unless on common) and done.

If you have enough time to write on here, you have time to do their apps.

For us to help you, you have to participate as well.

I know its tough - but this is your best opportunity.

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926

You’re burnt out. It’s normal, after the amount of work, lack of sleep, and stress you’ve been living through.

My suggestion: go see a movie, something light and bright and funny - has Zootopia2 been released where you live, for instance? Or whatever is absorbing.
Empty your mind for 2 hours.
Then aternate 2 hours on a walk WITH MUSIC LOUD IN YOUR EARS to drown out thoughts and self doubt and 1 hour on an app.
List each step and cross it out when done : personal info - complete and cross out; family - complete and cross out; education&scores- complete and cross out. There shouldn’t even be an essay to write, or you can recycle your ConmonApp general essay. These aren’t highly selective universities that look for reasons to deny you, these universities, if they ask for an essayz just want to see whether you can write an intelligible paragraph in English.
Complete the full application for the 4 colleges listed above. It should be the basic common app, so, essentially, what you’ve already completed.

They do not need recommendations so that’s not a worry.

For colleges that require recommendations, teachers have a grace period, especially since right now they’re supposed to be on vacation, so if the app is due Jan 2 for the student, the teachers have till Jan 10-12.
Focus on YOUR application right now.

Let us know after each application is completed that you’re going on a walk :raising_hands:

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927

Such amazing information! Thanks!

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928

OP— this is a real question for you.

Do you understand that some US colleges do not require LORs and do not look at them even if you have them?

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929

Please don’t be. Okay I’ll get them done as soon as possible

Right.

thank you.

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930

OP –

Are you willing and able to apply to the small number of colleges that have been listed above as very likely to admit you and very likely to be affordable? I know that #1 and#2 do NOT require LORs and I would strongly guess that the others do not either.

  1. University of Mississippi (Ole Miss). This is the most prestigious of the list. Affordable with merit based on SAT scores, which you will almost certainly get. It is a big-time University that a lot of people love. Note that it is sports-oriented and has a large Greek (fraternity/sorority) presence which many people love but which can usually be avoided if you don’t. You should definitely apply.

  2. Minot University — affordable without merit. You will have to organize and pay for transcript verification but you will almost certainly get in and be able to afford this school, so the transcript verification cost is almost certainly worth it if you can possibly manage it.

  3. TAMU-International

  4. UT Southern– check if you are okay with the CS-adjacent degrees

  5. Mississippi Valley State University

  6. Jackson State

  7. Delta State University

See @tsbna44 ‘s post above for details on #3-7.

Can you do one a day for the next few days? If you can’t work at home, can you take your laptop to a library or a coffee shop or somewhere else you can concentrate? Sometimes a change of scene is very helpful.

And that’s it – that will hopefully close the door on US applications.

(Editing to add that I don’t think there are essays required for merit for any of these – these types of universities tend to give “automatic” merit based on GPA and SAT scores, without needing extra essays. I have not confirmed this, but that is my experience and expectation. So again, an easy app).

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931

But thousands of students do it every year. Both my daughter and nephew got into situations where older friends brought them into the shared house as sophomores/juniors, and then they did the same thing when they became ‘head of household’. I swear the same furniture my daughter used is probably still being used by lacrosse players 10 years later. The owners never list the rentals, they are just passed down to the next group.

Some schools also have special housing for internationals so they aren’t in the same ‘pool’ as other juniors applying for housing.

This is a problem to worry about in 3 years, not now. Now, just concentrate on getting in.

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932

Excellent advice.

Student housing, furniture, pots and pans, dish towels are handed down from generation to generation. Even the spices in the cabinets….

Kids find housing- on or off-campus.

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933

Good point. I agree. OP – I definitely encourage you to apply to University of Mississippi by their merit deadline. You do not need LORs. You probably do not need extra essays. It should be an easy application and you will then have a university in the US that you can afford and that will give you a good, solid degree.

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934

If we get back onto easy apps, Winona State is worth a look.

I know OP is struggling emotionally, but hopefully they can let the LORs and essays go - and take the easy to complete.

935

OP, you’ve been given several options that should fit within, or very close to, your budget.

Get the apps in!

You won’t need letters of recommendation – put that thought out of your mind. You keep coming back to it, and it’s needless. Just go to the schools’ web sites, verify that they offer what you would like to study, are in a place you wouldn’t mind living, etc. – spend a little time learning about them, 30-60 minutes or so. And then apply.

These are all accredited, bachelor’s degree-granting colleges. Apply to them and then choose from among your acceptances. And go to college in the USA, since that is your stated goal.

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936

I’m guessing this is coming back to the Amhersts of the world. There was an initial list of meets need schools - but then facing the reality of 1-4% intl admit rates - and not the strongest profile.

Not sure how many OP applied to - but a lot - and many didn’t make sense.

These 6 or 7 we’ve been touting - at least on paper - make sense. Most probably aren’t on common, etc. so they’ll have their own apps.

One challenge will be transcript evaluation but that’s a next worry. Get the apps in or you have zero chance to come.

OP has worked too hard to let this pass….so time to make a plan and get in gear!!! 2 or 3 days he can knock off the 6-8 cheapies and be done.

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937

Oh, 100%. OP was looking at schools that would be nearly impossible to get into – for them, LORs are the norm.

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938

Of the ones I’ve looked at, several did not need transcript evaluation. So that’s good.

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939

OP, go online and Google Ole Miss vs. Georgia. it’s the college football playoffs, live. Watch the Rebels

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940

American football isn’t broadcast in India (or in most countries) — I’ve tried to watch games during my business trips there, during football season.

Even if it were, it’s a difficult and confusing game for outsiders to understand :slight_smile:

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