Should I reapply to Amherst College?

Maybe something in here worth researching. I googled 100% international student
scholarship United States. Many don’t seem to match but maybe one or two do ?

@tsbna44 some schools give need-based financial aid to international students; they aren’t limited to merit scholarships. (Why I recommended W&L generally, even without the Johnson).

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Yes - why I mentioned the Johnson (and to your point and you may have earlier W&L in general) and Franklin & Marshall - who meets 100% of need.

I also noted - we don’t know the student’s need. Does he? That’s the budget. What a school and student think often aren’t the same - and the school wins.

I put forth that list - because for example - the Harvard one is for students of Arab descent and that might be this student. What I can’t tell is - if it’s a full ride or just a partial. It just says they were trying to raise $10 million.

But if on that list there’s a potential worthy scholarship opportunity for the student, I figured it might be additive to share it.

OP said $9k max around post #16

That’s his budget - but we don’t know what a school will determine his need to be is my point. Often those aren’t one and the same.

In other words, let’s say he gets into school X and they give him enough need that his cost is $25K.

I read on here a lot that the NPCs are not accurate for international. Is there a way for an international student to determine their need level as determined not by themselves, but the school? If so, what’s that best way if you know?

So you would start college at twenty one, as opposed to at 18. I really do not think that a small LAC would be a good fit for you. Take a closer look at universities which have lots of graduate students, to whom you’d be closer in age.

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By the most recent Common Data Set information, Amherst accepted 1 of 37 international applicants. If considered statistically, Amherst’s need-blind policy wouldn’t seem to confer a particular enhancement to your chance of admission.

There’s no such thing as “need-blind” for anyone at Berea, because they accept applications only from students who qualify for full-ride need-based aid.

I think this is a smart school for the OP to apply to (I was going to suggest it before seeing that it was on the list) but it can’t be considered a safety.

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Need blind schools that meet full need are Harvard, Princeton, Yale, MIT, Bowdoin, Amherst, Dartmouth and Brown (for 2025).

Your guidance counselor needs to communicate directly with schools about this mistake.

Some schools like “outliers,” but not sure these tops colleges are among them. One of my kids got a GED but was a professional dancer so their story was interesting. It is unclear why you dropped out before exams and what you have been doing. Your story is an important factor for any application, regardless of grades and scores, in my view.

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Just so there’s no confusion for the OP, there are schools that consider need when making admission decisions, but this does not mean you can’t be admitted.

The important thing is to apply to schools that pledge to meed the need of all kids admitted. You may or may not get in, but if you do you will receive adequate financial aid.

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Important post by cinnamon1212. And merit scholarships may be another avenue for qualified applicants at some schools.

I did not mean to imply that applications should be limited to those 8 schools.

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This is my concern. We do not know this to be true, relative to OP’s budget of $9k.

How can OP get a realistic reading (like doing an NPC for internationals)?

Just because his family has a budget it does not mean the need profile will equal.

If he gets in the school will provide adequate aid - as you say - but as they determine.

I think we are missing this point here. Budget does not necessarily = need.

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This is the issue I have with your question: no one, on this website, can confirm that you would be likely to get into a school and be completely funded.

The only ones that know that, are the universities themselves. What I understand now, that you want from us, is a guarantee of acceptance/funding and we can’t do that, so the best that you can do is apply to schools, write your essays and wait.
You have to also understand that there are NO guarantees even if you do everything that the school/university asks of you. There are no guarantees. It’s competitive, it’s expensive, it’s time consuming so shoot your shot, and apply and make sure you have back ups at home.
Also you need to realize that if you do gain admission to a US university with funding, your choices will narrow down even further.

“Beggars can’t be choosers” is a saying we use when you’re stuck with a limited choice.

Some US universities are large and have vibrant social communities and have lots of activities nearby.

Some universities are hard to get to, are in the middle of nowhere and have limited social activities.

Some universities have weather issues.

The point is, you may like being accepted, but you may not like where it is, what it is, who goes there, or the school itself. Beggars can’t be choosers. So when you apply to a US university- 3000 of them, They are all very very different. Asking people online to give you a guarantee of where you’ll be admitted? no one knows.

Is there a way for you to take your AS/A2 exams in November? This would go a long way towards helping your admission.
Having your GC provide predicted scores for these exams would also help.
A GED is just a certification but doesn’t imply preparation for higher education. Your iCGSEs are good though you only have 5 (the subjects and results will have to be included on your transcript.)
You would need to pick a meet need college for ED, after running the NPC - it won’t be absolutely accurate but if you remove the federal loans&Pell grant it should tell you roughly how much the university thinks you should be able to pay. If that’s affordable,shoot your shot.

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@nn1nasif do you have any affordable colleges in your home country? I think you need to look for these options.

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Just to reiterate what @MYOS1634 has stated, did the OP, at any time over the space of the last 3 years, run an NPC for Amherst?

I’m from an emerging market originally, and the most common path to highly ranked global universities is to do very well at a local university for undergrad, and get accepted with funding to grad school overseas.

I would suggest pursuing this option. At least research it!!!

The OP is an international student. The NPC results should be viewed with caution

Oh, of course. But aren’t you the slightest bit curious?