<p>First of all, thanks for replying, Int’l95. actually, I wanted insights from someone within Wesleyan AdCom, but your advise is really appreciated.
You asked, “Where does the college’s website say that?”
It’s in line two of this page. ([International</a> Financial Aid, Admission - Wesleyan University](<a href=“http://www.wesleyan.edu/admission/international_students/expenses.html]International”>http://www.wesleyan.edu/admission/international_students/expenses.html))
(im quoting the website below)
“Financial aid for international students, however, is extremely limited and is awarded on the basis of both EXCEPTIONAL QUALIFICATIONS and demonstrated need.”
Assuming that exceptional qualifications mean one’s academic profile, the University has indeed stated that you have to have excellent academic profile (i.e. “stats” in the CollegeConfidential vernacular) to be eligible for aid. The other factor, that is financial need, shouldn’t be a problem (ironic, isn’t it?) as I’ve already stated about my family’s impecuniousness. So I’m guessing every other objective component (i.e. excluding essays, ECs) does boil down to my academic profile.</p>
<p>you said, “Perhaps it is that students who complete A Levels have done a better job with their applications?”. No, it doesn’t seem so. over the years, a lot many underqualified a-levels students have been accepted by many American Unis which claim to provide aid solely on the basis of “need”. As I mentioned earlier, in Nepal, you’ve to be either drug smuggler, animal poacher, or from other forms of well-to-do background to send your kids to a-levels, because clearly, an year’s a-levels fees is 6 times the national per capita income. Hence, how american universities find more "need"iness in these under-qualified (most of them are) prep kids than in kids (with high SATs and academics) whose family’s combined income is less than the cost of a laptop in US is beyond my understanding.</p>
<p>you said, “I am not aware of particularities of Nepal.” yes, you certainly aren’t. Nepal’s GDP is less than the endowment of Harvard, Princeton, Yale, and Stanford.</p>
<p>you said, “Your aid will be based on need, like that of everyone else, so I hardly think the admissions officer will be able to give you a concrete answer on that. If you need a full ride, and if the college deems you worthy of admission, they will give you that full ride.” I will have to disagree with you once again, because in my understanding, each college has certain fixed amount allocated for funding int’l applicants. with that, they can at least give me the range (if not the exact number) of the number of int’ls they intend to provide fin assistance to. For example, Tufts has a policy of providing 5 full rides each year to int’ls. Furthermore, even if Wes doesn’t have such policy of predetermining number of full rides, it can at least give me the number of int’ls that have been awarded full rides in the past few years.</p>
<p>you said, “you should check the website to realize that Wesleyan does offer international student financial aid and promises to meet the full need of every student.” Again, I think anyone who read my query (line 11) would think it was pretty clear that I have indeed checked Wes’ website, and have even emailed Wes.</p>
<p>once again, thanks for your response.</p>