Hello!
first of all, my list contains no safeties because ironically the top one’s are the only ones I can afford 
you see, I’m an international student and I’m gonna be looking for a significant amount of financial aid and those are pretty much the only decent schools that give decent fa to internationals. so, I’ll take my chances and hope for the best!
Stats
Citzienship: Egypt
GPA:4.0
SAT1:2370
SAT2: taking in november
School doesn’t offer ap classes.
EC’s: probably the weakest side of my application but here they are
- Member of the elected students council all through high school, head of the educational department of the council in my sophomore and junior year, running for presidency of the council this year ( I’m a rising senior, obviously)
- President of the school’s debate club, we won the golden medal at the states national debate competition
3.2 years a Member of a community service organization that has organized a myriad of events, running for a com mite presidency elections in a month.
- I give free SAT sessions in a local center and I even organize mini-sat tests in the center
- Took care for my now dead grandfather who had cancer for almost a year and a half even tho I was on a very rigorous academic path
that’s about it for ec’s, others are just basically nothing special a few sports and activities here and there with no specific commitment unless gym would be considered an ec lol
my list is:
Harvard early decision
yale
prinecton
brown
columbia
penn
dartmouth
uchicago
tufts
amherst
I know it’s an absurd list but all together with a stellar essay and letters of rec would I stand a chance?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/grade-point/wp/2015/02/17/former-admissions-director-parents-calm-down-let-harvard-go/
Basically you are shooting for many schools that take 1 in 20 or 1 in 10 students. Those are long odds for everyone. Including an international student who needs significant aid.
Why should one (or several) of these schools accept you? What makes you stand out, what makes you special?
@ClarinetDad16 As I’ve mentioned earlier this post, they are the only ones I can actually afford going to:)
for the standing factor I would say that I’ve nothing but my essay and lor, I guess there is not really much to do any further, right?
Actually for a international student with significant financial need, the list makes sense. Only the very top colleges offer significant aid to international students. You do need to be able to articulate why these schools should pick you instead of one of the other 20 applicants. Has to be an interesting Arab spring story no?
If these are the only US schools you are applying to you need to have a safety school in you home country.
@Wje9164be not really, no. I have many interesting arab spring stories tho but I just don’t really feel that I should write my essay about one just because I’m an arab you know.
@TomSrOfBoston no worries, I can attend to any school I want in my country and our college application is due the summer prior to college so even if I get rejected from like every school on the list I’ll still have some place to go.
You are setting yourself up for a really bad experience. There are plenty of safeties that will give you financial aid. That is simply not true. And there are many schools where you can go that offer a quality education at a lower price.
@jarrett211 if you say so, can you recommend some?
you see, I’ve searched hundreds of times for “safety” schools but believe me when I tell you it’s extremely difficult to find colleges that are willing to meet full financial need for it’s international students.
How much financial aid do you need?
Not because your an Arab, because you lived through an overthrow of your government while your US counterparts were binge watching Glee
@jarrett211 in terms of numbers I can’t really give one, but I do need a college that would provide full need or like a full ride scholarship or something.Egyptian economy and currency difference is just way too much.
@Wje9164be ahh I see. well, thanks for that I might definitely consider that!