Other special factors (first generation to college, legacy, athlete, etc.): None of these
Intended Major(s): Chemistry or Mathematics
GPA, Rank, and Test Scores
Unweighted HS GPA: 4.0, avg marks 98.5%
Weighted HS GPA (incl. weighting system): IB school
Class Rank: #2
ACT/SAT Scores: SAT 1580
Coursework
school is in IB,
Chemistry SL 7,
Math SL 7,
Computer SL 7.
Physics HL 7(prediction),
Bio HL 7 (prediction),
History HL 6 (prediction),
English HL 7 (prediction),
AP exams were all self studied and scored 5:
grade8: Physics 1, Physics 2
grade 9 : Calc BC (AB Subscore 5), Physics C Mech, Physics C E&M, Chemistry
grade 10 : Psychology, Micro Econ, Macro Econ
grade 11 (coming): Stat, Human Geo, Environment, World His, Europe His
grade 12 (planning): US His, US Gov
local University course:
Linear Alg: B,
Calculus I: A, Real Analysis: A,
Stat: A,
Micro Econ: A,
Macro Econ: A,
Aboriginal Culture in Canada : A ,
Philosophy : A
Battles in WWII : A
Awards
Canada National Awards in Olympiad open contests: Physics (top #20), Chemistry(top #20) and Math (top #50).
AIME Qualified; 3 times
Scholiastic Writing: Silver Key
Scholiastic Art: Gold Key
French Speech contest: Provincial #2
Leadership Award: Provincial, the only one in the grade.
Piano: RCM Grade 10 of Distinct Honor 90%.
Extracurriculars
Math society director, serve 200 local students annual
Student Union executive.
Paid TA in math and physics tutoring studio.
Computer summer internships in local university
One Research in Organic Chemistry.
Volunteer in local hospital.
Essays/LORs/Other
I am good at writing, so the essay will be interesting and unique. Two local university prof for sure will write LORs (because I took courses and research in the univ). The high school vice principal write about leadership.
Cost Constraints / Budget
household Income is about 120K. Plan to not apply for any fa in order to increase the acceptance chance.
Schools ED/ ERA: cannot decide which to REA or ED, is there a chance to HYPSM? or should aim for UConn, Brown?
Safety *: U Mich Ann Arbour, UC Irvine, USC, GIT
Match *: UCB, UCLA, UCSD, UCSB
Reach *: T10, CMU, please advice good matches. I am not quite familiar with US schools except for those highly-selective big name universities.
Ok. Then if you get accepted, will you be able to afford it? What is your budget? College is very expensive in America, and you need to show proof of funds to get your I-20 (permission to enter the U.S. as a student).
Some schools will provide merit aid (not based on financial need) but most on your list don’t give any and the others give so little you can’t expect to get any.
These are all reaches!
You definitely need schools that are easier to get into. We can suggest some once we know your budget.
You’ll need letters of recommendation from your high school teachers, preferably in core courses. Some schools do not require LORs, but most want 1 or 2 LORs from your HS teachers and also one from your guidance counselor. Some allow additional recommenders, so I guess you can use the professors for those.
I’m sorry to have to break it to you, but better to hear it early in the process and make an alternate plan, but — barring significant savings — the UCs (and probably Michigan as well; I don’t know it well) will be too pricey to go full-pay. (A bit more than $70k, I believe, plus travel costs.) And, to be honest, I don’t think UCs are worth it if you’re paying out-of-state rates. I would recommend completely dropping them from your list.
I’m surprised U Toronto / UBC / McGill aren’t on your list. What Canadian schools are in line with what you’re looking for?
Your safeties aren’t safeties. They’re even possibly reaches. University of Toronto, Waterloo, UBC and McGill should be on your list. They provide the same level of education at a fraction of the cost of the US universities.
If you need FA, you need to apply for it. CMU and T10 schools are $85K+…unless your family has significant savings for college, they can’t afford $85K+ for a year of college on $120K of income.
I also agree with the others who suggest adding Canadian schools and schools where you may get significant merit aid. Talk with your parents about your budget, then come back here. It could be the case that you would choose to go to college in Canada rather than choose a less selective affordable school in the US.
As others have said, you cannot afford these schools unless your parents have substantial savings. And if you apply to these schools without applying for financial aid you cannot then turn around and apply for aid from these schools. That’s not how it works.
All the schools you list are reaches. Some may admit you like the UC’s but they will want your money as a full pay student.
Many of the schools in the T10 are need blind, meaning your ability to pay is not considered by admissions and has no bearing on whether or not you are accepted, so you should definitely apply for aid at them if they offer aid for international students.
If you happen to have significant savings to pay for your education and want to use that to your advantage then look for need aware schools where your ability to pay/the amount of need based aid you need is considered in admission decisions.
The California UC’s do not offer any need-based financial aid to International students and little very competitive merit aid so expect to pay $74K/year to attend if you are admitted or $296K for 4 years.
Not only are the UC’s listed not Safeties or Target schools (all Reach) but they will be unaffordable unless your parents have substantial savings for your college expenses.
The schools that are need blind and meet full need for internationals are MIT, HYP, Bowdoin, Amherst, Dartmouth and Brown. Many other schools are need blind but don’t meet need for internationals…the UCs, UMich, Ga Tech, would fall into this group for OP so OP’s level of need for those schools won’t matter, yet if accepted they likely won’t be affordable (pending OP speaking with their parents.)
As an international, at most places…if you don’t apply as an incoming freshman, you can not apply in subsequent years. If you require aid to attend, apply for it. An acceptance without the ability to pay is just like a rejection…
I think all the schools in your list are reaches….my opinion.
And the costs of attendance start at about $75,000 a year. Is your expectation that your parents will pay more than half of their income for four rears for college for you.
The CA publics do not give need based aid to anyone who isn’t a resident of CA…you will be paying $75,000 a year or so plus the cost of health insurance. @Gumbymom already commented.
Do you have four years each of social studies, English, math, science and foreign language? And an arts course if you do end up applying to the CA public where an arts course is required?
And many schools are need blind - especially the publics. So unless you’re willing to pay over $70K+ a year, take all the UCs off your list.
We don’t know your budget, but based on Chemistry (and math), look at U Delaware and look at UMN. They too might be too expensive but will be much less than the names you gave.
Frankly, in these subjects a flagship is a flagship.
If you need budget schools (under $30K), look at Alabama and there will be more.
You first need a budget - a bottom line figure - to then find schools.
You can apply to CMU as it will have aid - but not others - unless your family (on its salary) can pay huge amounts - even Ga Tech may be too expensive).
Let us know what you can afford.
In this case, your finances will direct your school choice, not the other way around - as others have noted.
It is unlikely that your family’s (CAD or USD?) $120k income will afford the (USD) $75-95k list price of the named US universities without financial aid (which is harder to get for international students even if you do apply for it).
Thank you for the sincere advice provided earlier. It seems that I am no longer able to edit the original post. Here is an update:
Our family income amounts to USD $120,000. I have saved USD $20,000 from summer jobs, and my parents have set aside USD $60,000 in an RESP (Canada’s education fund). Additionally, both of my grandparents will contribute USD $50,000 each. This collective amount will cover the expenses for the first two years of university. Meanwhile, I am committed to working as much as possible while in university. In the worst-case scenario that I cannot cover the third and fourth year univ expenses, my parents are willing to sell their initial residential property, which is presently a rental valued at USD $200,000. Its worth has tripled over 20 years.
Courses
I missed a IB course.
IB French 7.
Courses not part of IB curriculum , instead following the regular provincial curriculum,
2 yr Chemistry: 98%, 96%
3 yr Art: 100%, 100%, 100%
Cyber Security: 98%
Debate and speech: 100%
Programming: 99%
Information Processing: 100%
Schools
Safety : Waterloo, U of Toronto, McGill, McMaster, U of British Columbia, UC Irvine
Match : UCSD, UCSB, Ga Tech, U Mich Ann Arbor
Reach : T10, CMU, UCB, UCLA,
Working in the US on a student visa is limited, so do not count on earning a lot of money while studying at a US university: Students and Employment | USCIS
You have several excellent universities in Canada at much lower cost to you and your family. Given your subjects of interest, you may go on the PhD study, in which case completing a bachelor’s degree at a university in Canada and then attending a US university for PhD study (which is fully funded if worth attending) would be a better idea.
So, it appears that your total budget is $180,000 (not including the sale of property, which I think is a bit much). So your budget is $45k per year - well below the cost of attendance of the schools you’ve listed.
You will only be able to work up to 20 hours a week max (more likely 10, given your academic workload) and mostly at low paying on-campus jobs. As an international student you are restricted in where and how much you can work.
(ETA: post crossed with ucbalumus who mentioned this as well)
Plus remember, you need to show proof of finances up front.
I repeat: these are not matches. They are reaches.