Hi guys.
There is nothing I’d rather do than to study neuroscience in the USA. It’s my greatest dream.
I’m working my ass of in school, every single day. It’s exhausting, but I know it will be worth it if I get into one of my dream colleges.
But what freaks me out is the possibility that all my hard work won’t pay off. What if I don’t get in? I am indeed ambitious - perhaps overreaching, to be frank.
I read some of the “chance me”-posts here, and they are all giving me the impression that getting into an American college is more or less impossible. I try to shake off the nerve-wrecking feeling, but it’s constantly in the back of my mind. “I won’t get in… I won’t get in…”
Considering that I am an international it feels like even more of a reach. How do you all cope with this pressure??? I am scared to death that I won’t be good enough for my dream colleges. I have no idea what to do with my life then. (Yes I’m being a bit melodramatic, but right now getting into college is all that matters)
I’m looking for some encouragement. (Or a reality check, I guess.)
It is actually fairly easy for international students to get into many* American universities – AS LONG AS YOU HAVE THE MONEY.
If you need financial aid - sorry, there’s no other way to put it: it’s a long shot, it’s a bit like gambling, and you should definitely have a back up plan.
*but not all, of course - Ivy League-caliber “dream schools” being the prime example.
Grades: The system is a bit different in Norway, but about 3.9
Test scores: I’m still reading up for the SAT, but I find it quite difficult to get a decent score. I’m aiming for a 2100 (or more, if I can “superscore”)
Extracurriculars: I climb, I am the founder+leader of a few student clubs, I’ve been an exchange student in New Zealand for a year, I’m going to Tanzania to teach+learn swahili for 6 months. I haven’t gotten any awards or recognition though, so this is what worries me the most.
Ability to pay: Not an issue, I will pay everything with scholarship+loan+income
The “chance me” threads on CC are skewed toward the most accomplished students who want to get into the most difficult schools. Many are looking for reassurance that they will get into their dream school. Don’t freak out, just do the research. Look for schools that admit a lot of internationals, or are hoping to increase their yield of international students.
Regarding ability to pay not being an issue, isn’t it almost always an issue to a certain extent? The exchange rate with the US is not favorable right now, so it is bound to be expensive. A good LAC will set you back US$60K per year. Look for schools that give a lot of aid. Money magazine just published a list of the 20 private colleges that give the best merit aid. Start there and see if there is any place that looks promising.
Are you a junior or a senior who’ll ask for a deferred entrance/gap year (for the Tanzania experience)?
If you’re a senior, how come you don’t have SAT scores? Any SAT Subjects?
When you say you’ll pay with scholarship and loan, do you mean those are guaranteed to all Norwegian citizens?
What are your schools - divided into “reaches”, “matches”, and “safeties” ?
Being Norwegian would give you a diversity boost, because there aren’t that many of you applying to US schools, and the climbing EC is pretty unique as well, but @MYOS1634 asks some good questions.
I’m a senior. I graduate this year, but I’ve not applied to any schools yet, I’ll do that in a year. This is because I made my decision to study in the US a bit too late to complete my application in time. I will spend my time after high school working in Norway+Tanzania.
I’m still reading for the SAT - I’ll hopeful take two in a year.
Norwegians are guaranteed a lot of aid, and when I combine this with my own savings+what I’ll be able to save up working I think it’s not going to be my main worry.
Reaches - Brown, UChicago, Columbia
Matches - NYU, Boston University
Safeties - University og Colorado Boulder, Earlham
Were you not interested in the NOrwegian American colleges (St Olaf, obviously, but also Pacific Lutheran or Luther?)
If you can afford the 65K at NYU or BU, you’d have excellent odds of admissions.
Brown, UChicago, and Columbia are “lottery” schools, it’s impossible to predict anything about them.
Well, that’s true, but Norwegians from Norway would only be 2-3 on these campuses, so you could easily avoid them if you really didn’t want to have anything to do with them. The reason I mention those colleges is because of the ties to Norway, there may be scholarships earmarked for Norwegian students - kind of like LDS internationals at BYU, Israeli at Brandeis… Based on your list of reaches/matches/safeties, St Olaf would be a match and both Luther and Pacific Lutheran would be safeties.
Try the ACT as well as the SAT. Some people find it more straightforward than the SAT (based on the random sample of students that I know, esp. science-y types, but that’s anecedotal).
You might also consider UMichigan @ Ann Arbor (target) and UPenn (reach).
And a vote for CogSci at Vassar…
Also, if Canada counts (well it is North America), Magill & Toronto.
Hi! I am an international as well and I didn’t apply for financial aid! I got accepted to my dream school, so let me just tell you it is very possible. My SAT score was a 2170 (not that high, I know) and I didn’t get many major awards either. Don’t think that just because you’re international, you can’t get in, you can. Good luck!
BTW, you may find that you’ll want to meet some other Norwegians after a few months in the US. Trust me, you’ll experience plenty of “American” culture (there’s not really one) where ever you go in the US.
I keep an eye on the Vassar thread- have a D there, and it comes up a lot with the kids that I work with on college admissions, and thought I recognized your CC name Congrats- I hope you are as happy there as my D is!
