Hi.
I am an international student and I just got denied by Furman University and it was a little bit surprising. I have an unweighted GPA 3.8
SAT 1980
SAT Math 1- 740
Math 2 - 750
Spanish -700
My essays were really good and I believe so were the recommendations. Please tell me if it is normal to be denied fo not being a right fit and having higher GPA/Scores.
Tell me if I´m wrong. Thanks
Hi
I’m an international student and have just been rejected by Furman too. I am extremely disappointed and surprised so I know how you feel. I’ve once believed that I would definitely get to Furman, yet I don’t know why…
My SAT score is just fine and my GPA is around 3.75.
Well…so I was rejected by a school with an acceptance rate of approximately 70%…
Sorry for saying some irrelevant things @Aniani24
Maybe you were denied because you didn’t show interest? Colleges often deny studetns who they think won’t attend, especially if your scores and grades are well above the middle 50%. How was your common App essay? Did you let others read and comment? I am inclined to think my first guess is probably what has happened here. Even safeties aren’t safe in the ultra competitive world we are in. If you are really determined to go to this college, you could try asking your counselor to find out what happened, then appeal the decision. That would definitely show interest.
Or, it could have been due to financial info? Maybe they couldnt offer aid, as you are international. International studetns often have a hard time getting accepted when they apply for aid, and this ismtrue of many colleges… There are lists of colleges that offer aid to International students. There are many similar threads from int’l students, do a search.
I did show my high interest in Furman. I even emailed them several times and asked for an interview (which they said only took place when one was admitted). My CommonApp essay is not that bad I think… maybe not so distinctive, but is definitely a fine one. I can contribute about $23 000/year, is that the reason?
Actually they had no additional supplement essay where I could express my interest in university. My personal essay was pretty good. I´m leaning toward the financial part. That might have been the reason…
International students are commonly denied if the school cannot provide enough financial aid. Since Furman has a $61,000 annual cost of attendance, the simplest explanation is that they could not provide you with $38,000/year in financial aid.
How was your TOEFL?
Did you submit the I-20?
I got a TOEFL score of 110, SAT 2100
I am so disappointed about myself 
Well don´t be. Better universities will accept you :))
Hope you will be admitted to great uni-s too!
Most US schools do not meet need for international students, nor are they need blind for international students. If your need is high, that is a very likely reason for your rejection.
it’s all about those dollars. If you’re international and you need aid, then you’re going to have a hard time getting into schools, even if they’re not very competitve
If you are an international student and cannot afford the tuition, then you will be denied unfortunately. Many international students think they can get a free ride to US universities, which is not the case at all.
@IAMSAD, Furman’s admission rate of approx 70% is deeply misleading- that would make you think that they take almost anybody, when in fact, they are pretty choosy. As they are test-optional it can be hard to realize what the standard is like, but about 40% are in the top 10% of their secondary school class, and virtually all are in the top 20%. Combine that with ‘academic rigor’ of secondary school curriculum being the most important variable. Furman is considered one of the most academically rigorous conservative colleges. The students that I know there are very high achievers who come from very politically conservative families. Note also that it is one of the least diverse colleges (80% white; 5% international students- 10-12% international students is typical at academically selective colleges). Furman has a very distinct student population.
And, as the others have said, needing financial aid as an international student means that you would have to be pretty exceptional to get an offer.
I’m sorry that you are disappointed- this is just a case where you need to know more than a simple number (admission %). Hope some of your other choices come through!
@Erin’s Dad - Students don’t submit an I-20, that is the document that the university sends to them so that they can apply for their student visa. From what you’ve copied from Furman’s website, it is clear that Furman has very little money for international applicants. Those whose Certificates of Finance don’t indicate ability to pay, and who Furman doesn’t like enough to provide scholarships for, aren’t going to be admitted.
But ultimately, these rejections are a favor for the student. Even with an I-20 in hand, if the student cannot demonstrate ability to cover the full published Cost of Attendance for at least one year, the student’s visa application will be rejected. Too many international applicants (just like US applicants) think that if they can scrape together enough money to pay for one year, somehow the college/university will magically come up with money for them for future years. That simply is not true. When their money runs out, they will have to drop out of their college/university and return home.
^ Thanks for the clarification. I misread the part I quoted.