I’m a farm girl from a small village in southern India. Girls here are subjected to early marriage and early college dropout rates- and are heavily involved in household chores for a major portion of their days. None here even knows about the college admissions process or the SATs, including my family so I’m having a hard time applying. I took the SAT just once and had to prepare without any sources within a month- EBRW 630\ MATHS 670=1300. I know its a low score, but I didnt have any other option. I’ve been interested in philosophy for a long time- I’ve watched countess debates and discussions on various branches, watched online lectures from Yale, Harvard and other sources on it, taken almost 21 EdX courses from universities, lead debate club as club captain for 4 years in my school, was ranked 40th in Indian philosophy olympiad, written two papers on the nature of mind, answered the All Souls Fellowship Prize Exam from Oxford University, read a lot of books on philosophy, etc. I had over 20 literary prizes at my school before 11th grade, when I started questioning fundamental beliefs like afterlife and God- and it was not appreciated in my extremely religious institution. I’d to suppress my genuine thoughts during debates and essays- which I was uninterested in doing- so pretty much downhill on honors since 11th since you’ve to win school level to go beyond. Household chores takes a lot of time, and the school system is extra rigid with both maths and science groups of CBSE 12th, I;ve taken the most demanding courseload- and structured in a way that a student have to spent most of his time on it. I’ve to take time between these to pursue my interests and also go through the college admissions process all by myself. My school isn’t even listed in the commonapp, my teachers doesn’t know about college admissions or recommendation letters and none I know knows about them. All I know is that I want to research in the fields of mind, philosophy and language and is in the continued quest for it. I cant express anything in this area as its a center of religions and religious institutions.What are my chances really?
Paragraph breaks are a kindness to your readers.
Pretty sure that you know by now that Yale accepts just 5% of applicants- and less than 15 % of those are international students. So, the chances are exceptionally low for all students, for international students even lower, and for students from over-represented regions such as India and China, even lower (b/c there are so many from these areas applying, mostly to the same schools with such high stats).
It is also worth noting that US universities do not admit directly to a subject, as in the UK. Typically, you declare your major between the end of the 1st year and the end of the 2nd year. Overall, about 1/3 of your time is in your major subject (eg, philosophy for you), 1/3 in ‘general education’ or ‘distribution’ requirements (usually a certain number of classes across all subject areas), and 1/3 in ‘electives’ - classes you take because you are interested in them (the % varies a lot between individual colleges).
You don’t provide your marks, and I think that I see a hint that they have gone down over the last 2 years?
Can you afford to come to the US to study? Even if you were to get full financial aid (ie, tuition, room & board) (a very, very big IF), there are only a very few aid packages that would cover things such as transportation, books, personal expenses, etc.
Thanks. Should I even bother applying then?
No shot at Yale, honestly. And you need teacher recommendations for any US college that will provide good aid, it sounds like you have been burning some bridges there. What are your opportunities for education in India? Often students get degrees in their home country, then come to the US for a PhD.
What if I get recommendations from the principal and two other teachers? I’ve maximum CGPA 9th and 10th, 8.9 /10 in 11th. Wouldn’t they look at the context of my application rather than taking all applications the same way?
Apply to women’s colleges and explain the situation for girls in your state and in your village. Most adcoms know about the kidnappings and rapes, as well as early mariages, that take pace in some regions of India, but you’ll have to explain this in “additional information” as it pertains to your particular village and region. They may not realize what specific burden (housework - what does it include?) that you have, either.
I disagree you have no chance at Yale. Just like for girl applicants from Saudi Arabia or other areas where girls’ options are severely limited, adcoms want to see that you did the best of your circumstances and don’t compare you with kids from privileged backgrounds, they just need to know what those circumstances are. One quality of the us system is that it is holistic and flexible.
Wellesley, Smith, Mount Holyoke, Bryn Mawr, Agnes Scott, Scripps should be on your list.
What’s your budget? Do you have money for anything beside plane tickets and health insurance?
Obviously the chances are low, as they are for all internationals applying to Yale.
Is there any way for you to return the sat or take the act?
What do your parents think of your plans?
If you don’t get into a us college do you have a fallback plan or are you at riskbof being thrown into an unwanted union? Do you have contingency plans for this year (protection, rescue) if need be? In short, you can’t count on Yale to keep you safe if there are legitimate reasons to worry, and you need to have options regardless.
I’ll be blunt. Your SAT is low, you don’t seem to have any outstanding achievements, and “I want to talk about religion” is not a good reason for one of the world’s top universities to say “yes” to you. I wouldn’t bother applying if I were you.
The I want to talk about religion is not at all a reason for applying to Yale, I just mentioned it as the reason why I kept from some debate competitions at school. Leave it at that. Outstanding achievements come with having opportunities to develop them- all I could do was participate in the competitions that I’m exposed to- and be free to express my thoughts. There aren’t any outstanding achievements, but all my extracurriculars are pointed towards philosophy, debate and writing. I also had to spend most of my time with family responsibilities along with Chicken and Goat farming. All I could actually do was cultivate myself in the tied up free time I had- along with it not affecting my grades by taking the most rigorous curriculum in school. We dont have guidance counselors and my school has never sent anyone to the US (according to what I know). I had to make time in between the one month vacation between junior and senior years that was actually for preparing for pre-mid terms to learn something about the SAT. I think I’ve tried spending all the time I’ve had in pursuing my passion for philosophy, neuroscience and astrophysics.
I’m planning to apply for financial aid for college tuition, I’ve a backup plan in my country in doing medicine if I dont get in within India itself- its all set. I think my family can financially support the cost of living in the US once my college tuition is covered.
Many people here have no idea what it means being a Muslim girl in an Indian village - even if, clearly, your family is well off and probably in a very good social position.
Anyway, take their posts with a grain of salt.
Cost of living in the us is high - 15k a year wouldn’t be surprising.
Full tuition scholarships depend on test scores and typically 1400+…so you’ll depend on need based aid. That is related to your parents’ income. Basically, is your parents’income $65,000 a year and under ?
If your family is supportive both of your US aspirations AND your medical school aspirations you should be ok.
Just have plans in case anyone has early mariage plans for you. (A point could be made that your ‘value’ will be greater if you’re a US college graduate yet due to us culture kcost to acquire’ will be lower since the us frowns on dowry. Another point is that your going to college is your family’s honor and thus can’t be trampled.)
Beside family support and avoiding dangers common to being a girl in rural India, your next challenge will be to establish that you are different from the Brahmin kids who attend international private schools in Delhi, Kolkata, etc.
Thanks for understanding my situation, that was really helpful actually. Yeah, I know there is a chance I’ll be viewed amongst the other kids who applied from India who go to elitist public schools- that’s a real problem. I’m not applying for any scholarships but a need-based financial aid, and my family’s income is below $50000. The thing is hat I dont even know if a school like Yale would even consider me due my stats and country. My country is over represented, and my stats are not as competitive as that of other applicants- yet these are incredibly rare in my area and seriously hard to accomplish. Fingers twisted for now.
You can’t count on it. You can try.
Add all the women’s colleges I listed.
Plus Wesleyan, Holy Cross, Pomona, Reed, St John’s college in Maryland or New Mexico.
Man I need colleges which provide need-based financial aid and is need-blind for international students. Hell no I’m not counting on it?. It’s a crap shoot for anyone, more so for me I guess!
Or apply to Amherst instead of Yale (EA). It’s need blind/meet need.
(Avoid using “hell no” as “hell” is considered a bad word/curse word in US English).
I know it is. ?
@nihilist - Yale is need blind.
First issue, your own scores. Second, the other competition from India, not necessarily Brahmins from elite high schools. There are many bright, motivated students there, many with a tough backstory. Many students have issues even taking the SAT, much less repeating it for better scores.
Yale will want to know any applicant is fully prepared for the rigors there. When we say tippy top holistic colleges look for more than stats, it means on top of top stats. They look for more than the self study. (Or just debate club and prizes.) What else can you tell us? Yale notes its interest in leadership qualities, which isn’t titles, but how you lead and/or mentor among peers, how you stretch your own influence, encourage others, do some good with the needs around you.
You sound smart and interesting, definitely motivated. But getting in is complicated. And, at many “meet full need” colleges, you still have a contribution to pay, not just travel expenses. Best wishes.
- I disagree that the OP does not have substantial achievements. If her circumstances are as she describes, her ability to write clearly and cogently in English, with very few vocabulary or syntax issues, and notwithstanding the lack of paragraph breaks, is very, very impressive. Also impressive are the number of things she has done that show intellectual curiosity and academic orientation.
That’s not to say that she has a high chance of being admitted at Yale or any other similar institution, but I don’t think it’s completely out of the question at all.
- The OP is wrong to focus only on the handful of institutions that both meet full financial need and are need-blind for international applicants. She has a very good story to tell, and it's entirely possible that a non-need-blind institution will be willing to invest in her. I have seen something like that happen a number of times.
Definitely apply to Yale, Wooster, Wellesley, Harvard (you have an excellent chance with your background). You have 100% capability and the chance to get it, don’t let the naysayers put you off. Many folks I know have gone on to Ivies and other top schools with full scholarships from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh - yes, you are not alone so GO AHEAD and apply, if not this year then next. Be confident and you will be fine - don’t believe all the negative posters. Best.