Foreign student applying to ivy schools

[axfr]

<p>Hi
I'm an international student from France and I'm going to be applying to some American schools. I'm filling in the apps and all that stuff and I'm slightly confused. Things are sooooo different!!! Anyway I wanted to know if i actually had a chance (applying to Harvard Princeton Yale Stanford Georgetown). I know they are topnotch schools and Ill probably not get in, so if it doesnt work out ill be staying in France. Here is some stuff about me.
SATI: Math 720 Verbal 800 (good enough or take it again?)
SAT II: not taken yet, but I've bought a prep book and hope to get 750+
My school record is pretty good. If i convert my (french) grades into american GPA, the unweighted gpa is about 3.9-4. I have no idea what the weighted gpa is. I'm one year ahead. Don't know if that counts. I've taken as many courses as I could. I'm fluent in French (and English of course) and I'm okay in German and Spanish. As for awards and all that stuff, we don't really have those sort of things in France. Sure I took part in a few Math or History contests and did ok. But thats about it. Its not that i wouldnt have been able to get awards, just that there was no opportunity.
By the way, I'm applying for Political science.
No work experience coz labour laws forbid under 16s to work (and I just turned 16 in august)
Now for EC's. My main activity is music. Ive been at the music conservatory for 6 years and I ve been playing the saxophone for 10. I play in an orchestra, Ive done jazz chamber music... And I performed in a series of concerts with professional musicians last year. (>2000 people at some concerts). Im a judo brown belt and im getting my black belt. (also 10 years)
Ive done a whole lot of minor stuff such as skiing tennis deep sea diving badminton soccer etc.
Ive also taken part in school gvt. Ive been class president the last three years.
I havent got much experience in community service, there isn't any opportunity for it here!!! My mother,some other people and me founded an Indian association (she's Indian thats how i speak english ;)) for fund raising and promoting indian culture in France. And I helped out a bit in a school when i travelled to India. But that's IT!
My application probably looks ok when compared to other foreign students, but it may seem a bit shallow from an american point of view...</p>

<p>what dya think??? (sorry for being so long...)</p>

[CC_Admin]

<p>SAT is awesome. from india but been in norway 15 yrs. i see ur situation as not bad. coming from a pretty int'l background + good SATs and if u glorify those things u did in india, ul prolly get in. UPenn is definitely in reach, CMU safety, cornell safety. dunno abt the rest though.</p>

<p>Just exxagerate but keep it on the plausible side ;)</p>

[ValdezVivasMR]

<p>Sell yourself and you have a shot. Colleges will especially be interested in your musical background, especially if it's something you have done at a higher level than other applicants. Harvard and Yale need good sax players, but keep in mind that the good sax players form America have a better shot than you do. Cornell, I think unlike callthecops, is also a reach (definately not as much as UPenn, though).</p>

<p>ZZ3</p>

[axfr]

<p>thx for ur opinion.
its just that what ive done doesnt sound very impressiv.
My awards dont have "East conference" or "National all-star" or stuff like that stuck in front of them (a bit bombastic in my opinion...)</p>

[axfr]

<p>will strong essays boost my chances a lot?
can they compensate for the lack of work experience/community service?</p>

[axfr]

<p>will the admissions officers understand my circumstances?
(almost 40h of class per week=8am to 5 or 6 pm five times a week + saturday morning...)
notmuch time for anything else...</p>

[axfr]

<p>i know schools say they don't have quotas for int'l students, but is that really true??</p>

[axfr]

<p>bump bump bump plz respond somebody
my math score is only 720 but the percentile is 96. is that ok?</p>

[CC_Admin]

<p>thats good. balances well with ur verbal. once the uni sees 1500 they consider you a bit more. I got 1350, 690 M 660 V and my counselor told me that if i got 700 in each, it just makes a heck of a lotta mental difference to the adm. officer.</p>

<p>800 looks gr8 esp in verbal so dont even worry. ur guaranteed in some good places out there</p>

[axfr]

<p>thx for the tips call the cops!
now i just need to get moving on my essays ;)</p>

[axfr]

<p>bump bump bump</p>

[frenchmom]

<p>You have a fair chance. Use they do have quotas, maybe not official, for internationals and even for kids from each Country. There are many qualified French applying. Yo have sililar stats to my son. My advice, try for those top schools but also apply to a little under where not so many French apply. Pamona, Boston College and Vassar are three my son is thinking of. Especially should you need money applying where they want a Frenchman and don't have many applying.</p>