<p>Hi.
I had my list of colleges all prepared but I had to give up the idea of applying to some of them because they don’t offer enough financial aid to international students(and have secret restrictions that they don’t mention on their website, like there’s no aid for international freshmen at TAMU).
So could you please recommend some reach/safety schools where the acceptance rate is at least over 15%? I was looking at stuff like Vassar, Trinity(CT) etc.
Profile:
SAT I-2200(740-W, 740-CR, 720-M)
SAT II-Will take in October.
Acads: Standard Asian stuff, easily in top 5 of my class(school doesn’t give ranks), got a perfect CGPA in national level school exam.
Intended major: Nuclear engineering or a very strong program in physics and/or mechanical
engineering.
ECs:
- Astronomy: Founder, teacher at astronomy club in school. Came 3rd in a national astronomy quiz(olympiad due in November).
- Physics: Research project at school.
- Chem: Same as above.
- CS: Yet another project, making a text editor, not as impressive as the others, though.
- Music:Self taught guitar, a few other instruments.
- Quizzing:Won quite a few quizzes, can’t place all now.
Financial situation: Pretty. Darn. Bad.
I guess that’s all you’ll need. If there’s anything else that I need to tell you, please let me know.</p>
<p>Many liberal arts schools do not offer engineering programs, but here are some that do:</p>
<p>Vassar does offer a dual degree program that allows students to study engineering at Dartmouth, however, the school is not need blind for international students, meaning that they consider your financial situation in the admissions process.</p>
<p>Trinity offers a BS in Engineering.</p>
<p>Other schools that have engineering and good financial aid for international students are:</p>
<p>Macalester College (Engineering completed at University of Minneapolis or Washington University in St. Louis)</p>
<p>Union College</p>
<p>Dickinson College (Engineering completed at Case Western or Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute)</p>
<p>You’d have a pretty good chance at these schools admissions-wise. You could also apply to some larger schools with amazing engineering programs that would be considered “reach” schools, such as Stanford and University of Pennsylvania.</p>
<p>Top public safety school with merit scholarship(s) for international students!! 50% ACT 27-31
**
Scholarships:**</p>
<p>[Scholarships[/url</a>]</p>
<p>U.S. Institutions With the Most International Students, 2010-11</p>
<p>[url=<a href=“U. of Southern California Enrolled the Most International Students in 2009-10”>U. of Southern California Enrolled the Most International Students in 2009-10]Table:</a> U.S. Institutions With the Most International Students, 2010-11 - International - The Chronicle of Higher Education](<a href=“Merit-based scholarships - The Ohio State University”>Merit-based scholarships - The Ohio State University)</p>
<p>Top Mechanical Engineering, Physics, Astronomy, Chemistry & Music Programs!!</p>
<p>You can do a Minor in Nuclear Engineering at Ohio State’s Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Dept. Scott Lab is a world-class new facility!!</p>
<p>[Nuclear</a> Engineering at Ohio State | Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering](<a href=“http://mae.osu.edu/nuclear]Nuclear”>Nuclear Engineering | Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering)</p>
<p>The Ohio State University: A Grand Institution with President Gordon Gee (former President of Brown and Vanderbilt). </p>
<p>[The</a> Ohio State University: A Grand Institution - YouTube](<a href=“- YouTube”>- YouTube)</p>
<p>Best of Luck & Go Bucks!! :)</p>
<p>“Financial situation: Pretty. Darn. Bad.”</p>
<p>There are no safeties for you in the US. There aren’t even any matches. If you are an international with serious need, every single place here is a reach for you.</p>
<p>It is oddly freeing to know that though. Once you have your home-country “safety” tied up, you can apply wherever you feel like here, with roughly the same chance of being admitted no matter whether the place would be considered reach, match, or safe if you were a US applicant.</p>
<p>The experts on financial aid for international applicants are in the International Student Forum. Go to the main page where all the forums are listed, and scroll down to find it. Look for anything by b@r!um. She has good ideas about approaching this issue.</p>
<p>Wishing you all the best!</p>
<p>“Financial situation: Pretty. Darn. Bad”</p>
<p>If you need “full aid”, then there aren’t any matches or safeties for you. Only hard to get into reach schools give full aid to int’ls. </p>
<p>If your family can pay $15k - 20k per year, then there are some schools that would give you large scholarships…such as “full tuition”, but your family’s money would then have to pay for room, board, books, fees, personal expenses, int’l travel, etc. </p>
<p>I know that this isn’t the news that you wanted, but think about it. There are literally millions of kids out there with great stats and no money. Obviously, all of these kids would be going to school here if there were lots of schools that would give them money. There aren’t even enough schools/seats for the domestic students who have a lot of need.</p>
<p>sparkeye…</p>
<p>RE: Ohio State</p>
<p>[International</a> scholarship](<a href=“http://undergrad.osu.edu/admissions/international/scholarship.html]International”>http://undergrad.osu.edu/admissions/international/scholarship.html)</p>
<p>According to the above, it doesn’t look like there’s much scholarship money for int’ls.</p>
<p>^^ Indeed, mom2collegekids!! :)</p>
<p>Nonetheless, could anyone here find me a Top-20 “Public” University at undergraduate level that offers International Students merit scholarship? Personally (and as an alumnus), I think $20,000 four–year value is truly a bargain given the overall academic reputation and alumni connection of Ohio State throughout the world.</p>
<p>“Top Universities by Reputation 2012” has Ohio State at around 50s in the entire globe, slightly ahead of USC in terms of world recognition / academic reputation. Not to mention that the school is destined to become a “Top-10 Public” by decade end according to its strategic plan; truly the best investment for anyone’s buck for both domestic and international prospective students imho.</p>
<p>Source: <a href=“http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/world-university-rankings/2011-2012/reputation-rankings.html[/url]”>http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/world-university-rankings/2011-2012/reputation-rankings.html</a></p>
<p>Well thanks for the answers guys. To sum it up, I do agree that there’s little hope for a person looking for generous financial aid. That’s why I am keeping my safeties with an admit rate of 15%(how self-contradictory is that?!? He he.) But I got some great suggestions here. Thanks a lot. Now it’s back to making a college list.
Well, since the engineering issue at liberal arts colleges popped up, I was wondering what UG majors could lead to a graduate program in nuclear engineering? In other words, if I get into a college that doesn’t offer nuclear engineering to undergrads, which major should I go for? Physics? Mechanical Engineering? Should I repost this in a new thread?
And the colleges that have been spoken of here, like Vassar, Oberlin, Trinity, Macalester etc. Does my profile seem decent enough to get into schools?A lot depends on essays, recos, etc but just looking superficially, are these colleges really in my reach?</p>
<p>[3-2</a> Engineering Programs - Physics | Grinnell College](<a href=“http://www.grinnell.edu/academic/physics/engprog]3-2”>http://www.grinnell.edu/academic/physics/engprog)</p>
<p>Here’s an example of a 3/2 program at a liberal arts college - in this case, Grinnell. Many LACs offer similar programs.</p>
<p>And Grinnell is 11% international (last time I looked) with very generous financial aid policies for international students due to an exceptionally large endowment.</p>
<p>I second Grinnell. They are known for good international aid and they might have international scholarships as well.</p>
<p>If you are committed to a career in nuclear engineering, your best bet is to spend time reading the websites of the various undergrad and graduate programs. Take note of the admission requirements for the grad programs, and email the departments for more information. Find out if they do admit international students, and where those studentscompleted their undergrad work. I expect that you will find that a good undergrad engineering program from your home country can get you into a graduate program here. If it is a PhD program rather than an MSEng, it will almost certainly include full financial support.</p>
<p>Are you considering the U of Rochester? I don’t know that they have nuclear engineering, but I do know their aid for Internationals is supposedly good (albeit hearsay - my son’s roommate is an International coming on scholarship) and their reputation in research and science is higher than some of the LACs you are considering. Your stats should make you competitive. They had a 34% acceptance rate for this fall.</p>
<p>Nonetheless, could anyone here find me a Top-20 “Public” University at undergraduate level that offers International Students merit scholarship? Personally (and as an alumnus), I think $20,000 four–year value is truly a bargain given the overall academic reputation and alumni connection of Ohio State throughout the world.</p>
<p>You do realize that that is $5k per year? Not $20k per year. Right? </p>
<p>For someone who says that his financial situation is very bad, a $5k merit scholarship which would take his cost down to about $35k per year isn’t going to help this kid.</p>
<p>And as for the request for a Top 20 Public University giving Int’ls large merit scholarships…you’re right, I can’t think of any that give int’ls or anyone large assured merit scholarships. </p>
<p>But if he goes “down” to ranking #31, he’d get free tuition at Alabama for his stats…total value around $90k. And, if he majors in engineering or Comp Sci, he’d get another 2500 per year stacked on top. So, total value about $100k. </p>
<p>All he’d have to do is apply early and get accepted before Dec 1st…not hard to do…apps go online in July. </p>
<p>A student with a bad financial situation, getting about $100k in merit is a lot better than $20k. If he and his family can come with about $13k for his remaining costs, he’d have a financial safety.</p>
<p>The average financial aid for internationals at 25 or more private schools can exceed $30K, and in some cases $40K/year.
([Top</a> 25 Financial Aid Colleges in US for International Students (Need-aware) - Desperate Guide: Undergraduate College Financial Aid, Scholarship](<a href=“http://www.desperateguide.com/us/top-25-financial-aid-colleges-in-us-for-international-students-need-aware]Top”>http://www.desperateguide.com/us/top-25-financial-aid-colleges-in-us-for-international-students-need-aware))</p>
<p>Most of the listed LACs do not have their own engineering programs (Swarthmore and Trinity are exceptions). Some have 3-2 arrangements with universities.</p>
<p>@Creekland
College board says that the average financial aid package for an international student is around $17k. That’s not going to help. Maybe your son’s room-mate has a scholarship, but is it substantial?</p>
<p>@mom2collegekids
Uhh, so you are saying I should apply early to University of Alabama? I don’t think I understood all of what you said.</p>
<p>Also I found out that Bard and Haverford’s average financial aid packages for int’l students are quite generous, but Haverford fully funds 3 int’l students only and gives need based aid to 13-14 undergrads. So it must be quite competitive, but that’s how it is at every college if you’re looking for too much of aid, so I am not complaining. In fact, I am thinking it might be worth a shot competing for one of those 3 spots. They offer majors in Phy, Maths and Astronomy, so that’s good too.
Is aid at Haverford restricted because it is a college that very few int’ls apply to or is it because they don’t have any money for int’ls? Are subcontinental Asians a URM by any chance at Haverford? Do you think it’s a good idea to apply there?</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>It’s VERY substantial. 
Average doesn’t mean that’s what everyone gets. Some get more, some less. He’s in the “more” category.</p>
<p>But it still won’t be like a full ride. Just look at the difference in the average aid and cost of attendance. It’s too large. And average financial aid is a pretty good indicator of how much aid people get. But I’ll take your word for it. Thanks.</p>
<p>*@mom2collegekids
Uhh, so you are saying I should apply early to University of Alabama? I don’t think I understood all of what you said.
*</p>
<p>Yes, that’s what I said. Apply NOW…the applications are now LIVE for this FALL. So, submit your application, then a few days later you’ll get a follow up email, use the info in that email so that you can then log into MyBama and submit the scholarship app. Both apps take very little time. No essays, No recommendations need. Bama admits by test scores, GPA, and high school curriculum. </p>
<p>Their merit awards are ASSURED for stats, but int’ls have to be ADMITTED by Dec 1st to qualify and int’l acceptances sometimes take longer…so apply NOW.</p>
<p>Put mechanical engineering or some other eng’g discipline as your major. That is fine for someone who will go to grad school in nuclear eng’g. And, engineering majors get more scholarship money at Bama.</p>
<p>How much can your family pay?</p>