So then why are you asking where you can match?
Top 30 US News is very unlikely - maybe U of Florida. And top 30 school does not mean top 30 physics - hence Arizona.
UC will not see your test. Santa Cruz is good in physics and reasonable admission wise - but UCs are double the price of others.
I see. But, why Top30 is unlikely? Do I need to improve my SAT? I will take another SAT exam in March and hope to over 1530.
Unlike in China and other countries around the world, the most selective colleges in America (and that’s at least the top 60 if not more) do not admit students solely based on GPA and SAT scores. They look at a lot of factors, including the kind of class they want to build. This is known as “holistic admissions” (look it up). That means you could have a perfect 1600 SAT along with your 4.0 GPA and still not be accepted by any of the “top 30” schools. Their admissions are hard to predict, which is why no one here can tell you if you will be accepted. That’s just how it is.
You can improve your chances by extending your list of colleges. A school that is #50 according to US News is still among the top 2% of American colleges.
I get it, thank you so much.
You need to understand that those schools have single digit acceptance rates. The GPA and test scores often listed does not mean anyone with those stats will get in, it simply means that is the typical profile of an accepted applicant.
I would give you about a 1-5% chance of getting into any of the Top 30 schools.
I addition to what @DadOfJerseyGirl said some also admit based on ability to pay.
International has lower admit rates and often they want full pay. It’s not the same as US admit.
Then u have to look at politics. If we are in any type of trade war or immigration collapse, it will be even harder.
UC are not all top 30 btw.
There’s many great schools here. You asked where you matched and were given names - great names I might add.
But how about UC Davis. As I know, about 5-6 students got in UC Davis last year which is 2024 fall, and the average GPA of them is only about 3.7/4.0 and without any outstanding national awards.
Sorry, I forget to say: they were all the students in my school.
To be blunt: UC gives no aid to out of state students. $40k will not be nearly enough to cover the cost of attendance. Non-starter unless you can find another $40k or so a year from somewhere else.
Top 30 schools mostly require test scores now. Your test scores are a disadvantage at most if not all of them, where you already face the disadvantage of a very low admit rate for internationals.
So it really depends how much you want to study “in the US” vs at home.
UC Davis cost of attendance for out of state students is $80k a year. No aid to internationals.
I see, but 80k is under my budget.
Did I miss something, I thought you said you got $40k?
In that case sure, give it a shot. UCs don’t look at test scores. You will need good essays of course.
They do not look at test scores. At least for US. They calculate the gpa differently.
Why would you choose that for physics vs Arizona or Colorado?
If you want to go there, apply.
You can apply anywhere. If you don’t apply you can’t get in.
But it will not be a safety.
For a U.S. student, it’s $79,000 a year. International will cost more.
That’s right.
Interestingly UC Davis admitted nearly half of the internationals who applied in latest CDS data -but only around 1 in 9 of those actually enrolled. I’m guessing cost is partly the reason for that low outcome.
I understand. Thank you. and is there anything that I can improve before I apply.
Because UC is a “brand name” I guess. This is not uncommon with internationals, where name recognition seems more important than how good colleges are relative to each other for the actual subject being studied. Or where they are. Davis (town) is loved by many for sure but is not everyone’s cup of tea.
Maybe right. Because Chinese company (most of them) ONLY recognized QS (mainly) and Unews ranking to employ fresh graduates.
From where…and are you guaranteed these scholarships?
This is a poor way to choose where to apply to college here as an international student who needs a financial support to attend college here.
So really, you don’t need any scholarships. If your family can afford to pay $120,000 a year for undergraduate school and will do so…give them a huge hug and thank you.
And you can apply to colleges here without considering costs.
ACT 32/ SAT 1460, GPA 91//100 Weighted, TOEFL 104
In my opinion, your SAT and ACT scores and really your GPA are not what most top 30 colleges are looking for.
Where do you hope to work after undergrad school with a degree in physics?
btw I was accepted by Clark Scholars Program for physical engineering of summer term, but I refused it. So, I’m not sure whether it is helpful in college application though I got in.