<p><<it’s like="" someone="" who="" has="" been="" graciously="" invited="" to="" an="" elegant="" private="" party="" berating="" the="" generous="" host="" for="" having="" gall="" serve="" them="" osetra="" caviar="" instead="" of="" beluga…="">></it’s></p>
<p>If the host brands the party as truly elegant, it is only fair that beluga be served.</p>
<p>My son goes to high school with the children of many Asians (Indians, Koreans, and Chinese) who were the best and the brightest in their countries of origin back in the 1980s. Their successful parents wish their American born children did not have to work as hard as they do. I have never before in my life encountered such a large group of incredibly smart, hard working kids. Many of these kids are up to third year college math and have taken all the rigorous AP science courses, and in many cases, AP foreign language courses, too, in addition to the usual AP English and history courses.</p>
<p>So, I know the type of kids to which himanshusahay refers. Some were born in the US and are American citizens who have attended American schools since kindergarten. I know three who have 2400 SAT scores, and I’ve lost count of the kids who have 2350+. Apparently, the junior class has even more students with perfect SAT scores.</p>
<p>College admissions was a blood bath at my son’s high school this year. Many of the best and the brightest were admitted to at least one college they are happy to attend, but not all of them. And they are all American citizens of Chinese, Korean, and Indian descent. Quite frankly, I think these American kids should be entitled to an education at an Ivy before internationals. Their parents have already paid their “dues”, having come to the US, happy to enroll at second tier universities, despite being the best and the brightest in their countries (mostly China).</p>
<p>@guitar I am not dissing anything. All I’m saying is that often smart people (internationals, and I’m not talking about myself, I’m talking of the ones who have no got any good acceptance) do not get the chance at a good education.</p>
<p>Anyway, I think enough has been said. </p>
<p>You guys should go back to addressing the OP’s concerns and those of others in a similar situation.</p>
<p>The are a couple of inaccuracies that have been mentioned so far:</p>
<p>First off, ALL non-profit colleges (or if not all 99% of them) receive some federal, state, or local funding. So it is our tax money to some extent that pays for schooling even at the post-secondary level. Even private schools receive federal monies and at the caliber and size of institutions that we are discussing, it’s actually a pretty substantial amount.</p>
<p>Finally: @himan: you really need to get off of that high horse of yours. because if you don’t get off of it now, you’re going to be knocked down from it as soon as you set foot in college. Remember that you are a guest in our country, and it’s time to start behaving like it. I do not doubt your qualifications to do well at any university here in the United States, but disparaging your host nation, the students in said host nation, and more ironically, the educational system in the host nation that you have worked so hard to get into is going to shut a lot of doors in your face. Be very grateful that you have gotten this offer of admission and I certainly hope that for your sake you are able to mature faster than the average teenager. As a expat, you will need it.</p>
<p>@Wulabs Look, I have nothing against anyone, but some of my comments were misunderstood and taken out of context and I just defended my stand (maybe a little too much).</p>
<p>Still, I think we all have learnt lessons here, and you’re right, I did get carried away. I hope no love is lost. :)</p>
<p>@himanshusahay - Has it occurred to you that it wasn’t the request for International FA that prompted to you to get rejected to many schools? Your stats show a very heavy math focus, definitely at an outstanding level, but a 690 CR score which doesn’t match up with your 790s-800s in math/science. Many students that are intently focused on specific strengths / interests find themselves facing a difficult challenge in U.S. universities where students are expected to pursue a more well-rounded education, with excellence not only in math but also in literature, humanities, critical thinking, etc. There may have been a sense among adcoms that you’re unprepared to cope at their schools.</p>
<p>My brother is a Harvard and Stanford-educated physics professor. Back in the 1980s, his math/science stats were similar to yours, but his English scores were equally outstanding, he took AP English/History/and I can’t remember what all else (along with dual-enrollment college math/science courses), he worked a part-time job, was class president for several years, was involved in drama, played varsity water polo, and competed in cycling events at the U.S. national level. The adcoms look for well-rounded people who excel in the things they love.</p>
<p>This is something for you to consider before you continue to blame the influence of international FA, bashing the system where American taxpayers don’t rush to subsidize the education of guests. As an American living in the Middle East for over a decade, I’m actually surprised by your attitude. Certainly the U.S. education system, with all its flaws, is much more fair in this regard than any other country in this region. A country’s education system is primarily designed to meet the needs of the citizens who pay for it, no matter where you go in the world.</p>
<p>I thought I’d read in the past that starting back in the Bush era, colleges were offered financial incentives for incresing the number of international students they admitted. Can anyone find that info?</p>
<p>@ksamom I do know that the low CR score hurt me, but the internationals not applying for financial aid, got in to the same schools that I applied to, with lower stats and no significant awards (I’m not talking of ivies). Moreover, I believe I have shown a lot of literary influence in my application. My blog has won 2 awards and I have won awards in English too. I am also the editorial board president at a prestigious school and I do believe that my essays were really good (not my words). Still, I understand that 690 CR is a cause for concern.</p>
<p>Yes, you’re right in saying that a country’s education system is meant for its citizens, but I believe that the American higher education system is really meant for the world. In fact, the majority of students in doctorate programs are internationals (as many as 60% in some cases) and there are hundreds of thousands of internationals students in the US. I believe that as the economy improves, we could see better financial aid prospects for internationals students in the future.</p>
<p>Do universities in other countries offer FA to internationals?</p>
<p>@jym626 UK universities offer scholarships. Singaporean universities offer both financial aid and scholarships, and most top EU universities have highly subsidized fees (although language of instruction is a problem for undergraduate courses here).</p>
<p>Thought some schools like Oxford would not even consider an app for scholarship until after the student was accepted. Not sure how that works. That said, I admit I agree with those above who feel that grant $$ and FA should be directed first to nationals before internationals. Flame away, but its JMO.</p>
<p>Do the top engineering schools in India offer FA or accept internationals?</p>
<p>Look, federal aid is American taxpayers’ money, and that should only got to citizens and PRs. All I talked about was institutional aid being need blind, like at HYPMD. Still, I understand that this could take some years.</p>
<p>@himan And, who gave the money those are being used by university to give financial aid?</p>
<p>I’m not talking on behalf of anyone. But it is true that many students like you and me get into universities. You’ve got into a university which has given you money to get the education. Let’s consider a thing, you’re from Dubai who has gotten many opportunities to showcase your potential. Now consider an international just like you and Indian who has lived in the rural area of india. Has he got the same opportunities like you? And this thing comes to a fator when a student gets admitted. And universities do care about diversity. </p>
<p>I think there is one thing you should know at first. Those universities which give financial aid to internationals, have need blind admission policy. You are admitted first without your ability to pay. After reviewing your app for admission, the adcom sends that to finaid office. If there is money available, you’re admitted otherwise not. And those students who apply for aid are reviewed as separated group and most of them are from developing country which don’t have many opportunities for students. And those students aren’t rich. You are competing against those people who didn’t get many opportunity to show their passion. Go through actual results thread, you’ll get to know that many universities have accepted students who have less qualification than your qualification. </p>
<p>And one thing, you’ve said that you spend 28 hours in summer and top 1% in class, have great score in M and W. For that universities wanted higher CR score. If you got another 30~40 points, you would’ve most of the schools.</p>
<p>Go through your previous posts you’ll get how you’ve posted . Somewhere in your essay, these words got light and maybe for that universities rejected you.</p>
<p>I’m actually from India and only moved here a few years ago. Talking about opportunity, schools here really don’t offer that much. My school back home, and others like it in India, offer much more in terms of extracurriculars and opportunities for admissions to American colleges.</p>
<p>My parents are always comparing this to decide whether i should go to college here or in india but the thing is, there is so much competition already in India when it comes to the top schools. Like I’m pretty sure everyone would love to get into IIT. There are some state ones too that are pretty nice. But they are all hard core academics with extra activities that are supposed to help prep kids for jobs/masters in the US.</p>
<p>The biggest problem is the fact that American universities get A LOT of Indian applicants.</p>
<p>himan,
Can you respond to my question in post # 92? I do not know the answer and am curious.</p>
<p>Northwestern, CMU and Notre Dame are reach schools for anybody. I cannot believe that your guidance counselor would let you consider these as safety schools. Di you not have a college planning meeting or two with your parents and your guidance counselor? While one of these schools might have been considered a match, they were definitely not safeties.
Pitt is an outstanding school and you will probably thrive there, plus it is great city with lots of opportunities for internships also.</p>
<p>@himanshusahay</p>
<p>“All I talked about was institutional aid being need blind, like at HYPMD.”</p>
<p>You didn’t understand how “need-blind” is applied in private schools in US. The question came up at recent college visits (YALE and UPENN) whether “need-blind” is applicable to international students. The answer: “need-blind” is only for US citizens and permanent residents for undergraduate’s admissions. There will be very limited financial aid (they didn’t use the term “need-blind”) to international students since the financial aid comes from a different pool. Admission representatives emphasized that they should apply with no financial-aid needed to increase the chance of being admitted. </p>
<p>Each school probably has its own policy. You can call/email the schools you are interested to verify if “need-blind” is applicable to US citizens/permanent residents only or not.</p>