my efc is very low like really low (maybe below $5K) , I get it but I can always take educational loans (like a huge amount- like it doesnt matter to me, I just want to study), like I just want to get accepted.
Do you have an affordable ex-US option whether in your country or elsewhere? You won’t be able to get huge educational loans in the US, and it’s a bad idea to take on a great deal of debt for undergrad. In order to get a student visa for the US you would have to show an ability to pay for college.
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my home country ofccc. And yes I’ll be applying for F1 visa.
Keep in mind that even with a “full scholarship” there may be costs not covered such as travel, health insurance, books, etc. which can run into thousands of US dollars annually.
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You need to be very cautious about taking on loans for at least four reasons.
One problem is that after graduating you will need to pay back the loans. Very often at least here in the US (and in Canada where I am originally from) the first job after getting a bachelor’s degree does not pay very well (this can depend a bit on one’s major). If you have to pay back a loan this sometimes is just not compatible with the job that you are likely to get after graduation.
You might have trouble getting anyone to loan you enough money. For international students, you should not expect to be able to borrow any money at all from any organization in the US.
You need to clearly show how you will be able to pay for your education before the US government will grant you a visa to study in the US. If you cannot demonstrate the ability to pay for your education then you will not get a visa to study here. Do note however that if a university grants you a full scholarship to study in the US then the scholarship is included as a valid way to pay (but it better be in writing, and renewable for a full four years).
It is possible to get part way through a bachelor’s degree and then find that you cannot borrow enough money to finish. You could end up with education debt but no degree.
Putting this all together, you need to be very careful about planning to take on loans.
Another issue for any international student studying in the US: You need to assume that after graduation you will be required to return to your home country. A student visa is intended to allow you to study in the US. It does not allow you to stay here permanently.
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Thank you so much for the advice!!
I just want to do my major in the US and then head to Europe for MS and then/or directly to Singapore (MD/PhD).
I will be taking educational loans from my home country. (Paying back would definitely be difficult but I cannot really say anything until I get accepted in any one of the colleges)
You need to get a scholarship from the colleges not loans. Visa considerations would quite likely consider a large loan a problem.
There’s still time for you to work on applications to some other countries.
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I have known some people who did this in a different order, with a bachelor’s outside the US and then either a master’s or a PhD in the USA. At least in STEM fields PhD’s in the US are usually fully funded. While a PhD can take quite a while to get, and this does involve postponing getting a significant salary, at least PhD students in the US, in the fields that I am familiar with, typically are not running up debt.
However, you can wait and see where you get in, and what financial offers you get, before you decide on this.
Best wishes.
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yep that is there!
got rejected :((
I feel like even the other 30+ colleges would reject me outright.
Sorry to hear that. Bowdoin is a very tough admit – even more so for international students. Good luck with your other applications.
I’m so sorry if Bowdoin rejected you (not sure because you didn’t specify in your post but I think it was your dream school and you applied ED2?? Or am I misremembering?)
You ARE a really strong candidate and any college would be lucky to have you. 
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tysm, I think I need it. Yep- Bowdoin rejected me.
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The ”good” news is the odds were so long at Bowdoin it really doesn’t tell you anything in particular about what will happen with your list overall.
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In that Bowdoin’s updated acceptance rate for international applicants is 1.26%, Bowdoin, in a statistical sense, doesn’t appear to offer space for general international applicants. As suggested above, there may be little to infer from such a denial.
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