International Student - HELP deciding Low, Target and Reach Schools

Chance Me / Match Me
1

I’m from Australia, and I decided that I am 100% going to study at a US university because I want that college life experience - something we don’t have in Australia. I want to study in California or an Ivy. I’m looking at Stanford but I’m not sure if I am qualified enough. Anyway these are my stats: Please help me compile a top ten list of low, target and reach schools. The school must have a nice campus, large cohort, good social atmosphere and in a nice area.

Objective:
ACT: 33C
SAT II: German self-taught - 770, Math II - 780
Unweighted GPA: Don’t really have GPA in Australia, but our curriculum in upper school (Junior and Senior years) are vigorous, equivalent to first year at university. These are my subjects, I’m doing most of the hardest ones: Maths Methods (2nd highest - incredibly difficult), Literature, Chemistry, Human Biology, Economics, Politics and Law. Imagine it this way, just put an AP in front of all of them, and even then the level might not be the same.
Rank: top 12%
AP: Senior year I took APs because I chose my upperschool subjects to correlate with the APs. I took: Calculus AB [4], Macroeconomics [5], Microeconomics [5] and Chemistry [4]
[ *] Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): Not that major - My First Speech Australian Parliament Winner (national), CPA Business Plan competition winner (national), my app/company is ranked top 10 in iTunes store and has been featured in Forbes, Business Insider, Huffington Post, Mashable ect, gave local tedX talk.

Subjective:
[ *] Extracurricular: Running my company/app (10 contracted employees), mocktrials (this is only a half year thing, its not full year, participated from grade 10-12, mocktrials is only availble to grades 10+), peer tutoring (10-12, only available to grade 10+), local youth club (organise events for communtiy ect, volunteering), Gifted and Talented Art (8-end of 10)
[ *] Job/Work Experience: My company?
[ *] Volunteer/Community service: ~ 60h

[ *] Intended Major: Economics - I keep changing.

2

You left out the most important criterion: money.

How are you going to fund this “college life experience” in America?

3

I can fund up to $30k a year

4

And do u expect to travel home every year for summer break, xmas break, spring break?

3 trips a year US-Australia will run 4-5k USD per year. That means knocking off 5k from your 30k figure.

Have u actually discussed the finances w your parents, or are u just guessing?

5

Assume $55k per year for the UCs. Stanford, if you get in, $60kish. California privates run $40+k to $65+k. CSUs about $40k+. This is not really including personal travel.

6

With $30k per year, your choices may be limited. Also, are you prepared to take extra semester to graduate? That happens sometimes.

7

I’m not here for financial advice. I can pay 30k, and if my choices are limited so be it. I need to create a list of ten schools, that is why I created this forum…

8

@adventure101 there’s no need to be rude. You’re never gonna get anywhere with that kind of attitude. These people are only trying to help you and make sure you don’t back yourself into a financial corner. You should be grateful…

9

Why would international students travel home for fall breaks or spring breaks? Winter breaks and summer breaks are the only times that most international students would want to go home. Many stay in the US because they are able to work full-time on campus.

Is this really true? ‘my app/company is ranked top 10 in iTunes store and has been featured in Forbes, Business Insider, Huffington Post, Mashable ect’

Why are you even going to college?