International Student seeking advice

ivyleaguefan
Thu, 28 Aug 2014 18:40:44 +0000

^I wholeheartedly agree with the above post.

I’m also from HK, high school class of 2014 and I did the IB at a local school. I’m sorry but your chances are simply as slim as…none. My friends and I were all predicted 45/45 in the IB, with at least 3 800s in SAT IIs, 2100-2400 SAT/34-36 ACT, decent ECs…but basically received rejections from almost every single Ivy/top 10. International student, being Asian, limited ECs/awards, doing a curriculum where adcoms don’t have an idea of……each factor just progressively slims down the chance. And it’s definitely true that there IS a set quota on the number of students the universities can take from HK - which is ridiculously low with no leniency. You may also want to know that throughout the decades, loads and loads of HKCEE 8As/9As/10As have tried their luck at HYPS etc with no avail whatsoever, year after year.

I’m headed to a university considered as prestigious as the lower tier Ivies, but out of 13 HK admits this year there was only 1 HKDSE candidate - she was the vice head girl of an extremely elite school in HK, applied early decision, got full and exclusive support from her principals…and she achieved 5 5**s in her DSE. Everybody got in by saying yes to paying full tuition willingly, btw. So I must inform you that getting into a elite college from HK directly is WAYYYYYYYYYYY tougher than Oxbridge/LSE/so-called ‘god subjects’ of unis in HK…etc.

However, I know of an absolutely talentless young lady in the so-called ‘best’ secondary school in HK - she had similar results to yours on her DSE but now has become a sophomore at a top 15 school. There are ways to get through, but it won’t be that easy. On the ‘regular’ route to the top 25 in US directly from HK, you would need a solid SAT (2100+) as your starting point, which you have, but you need other support such as straight As in your internal (high school) transcript, a good counselor and teacher to write recommendations for you, as well as 10 (that’s the number you’re given to supply) ECs’ details. For Harvard, I’d say only FTCL/FRSM/HKSMSA mufest 1st prize for piano would perhaps help a teeny winy bit, but not Grade 7. Maybe you get the idea. Finances are a key factor, sadly, for most schools. You’re welcome to PM me if you would like to know more.