I am living in the USA but am international (h4). My stats/awards, if i was domestic, are fairly good - above UChicago level. However, I will need aid and UChicago is need aware whereas Princeton is need blind. But then again, UChicago is ED, so it has higher chances.
Please help, thanks.
Since you describe yourself as âabove UChicago level,â it sounds to me that you think this university is not good enough for you and you do not actually want to attend. In that case, you should not apply ED.
IMO no applicant is âabove UChicago level.â
I think the student was saying stats are above - not themselves personally.
I go back to - which school does the student prefer. Donât ED to a school you donât want to be.
And how much aid ? $40,000 likely doesnât scare them. $90k might ? And depending on budget, the strategy could change because there might be affordable alternatives to both.
Personally I donât see a huge delta in the student bodies. And perhaps your SAT score is above 1550 - but they chew those kids and spit them out for fun. In other words, you are likely not above.
UChicago is ED, so it has higher chances.
ED does not necessarily provide higher chances. Neither Chicago nor Princeton provide any data on their common data sets regarding either early admission or early action, so there is no way of knowing if there is an advantage.
Yes exactly, I would love to attend UChicago as for myself and the current state of international students: my only real chances seem to be at UIUC, Georgia Tech, and UChicago possibly. I am applying to all the ivies and such but I am assuming I dont get in.
I agree, I do not think I will have great chances of getting in, that is why I am seeing if I should ED to hopefully increase the chance
If thatâs your school, go for it.
You are kind of missing the most important school on your list, however.
The affordable, I can definitely get in, likely/safely.
I see none - just big names.
Whatâs your budget and whatâs that school of you strike out with these ??
What major - CS I presume ?
The administration is targeting intl students - so far at Ivies but more will be coming.
I have some safeties and more also, that is just the schools I hopefully get into. My major is Physics. And for scale, I have top 300 in Usapho, Astrophysics olympiad top 100, AIME Qual, Chem olympiad nationals etc. Also, for UChicago, their calculator says I will need 60,000$ in aid, currently im leaning towards ED there bc it will be signifcantly cheaper than even GT, so it is really good if i get in.
Also, I can pay up to 70,000$ max.
$70k a year ? Or over four years.
This year, tuition, fees, room and board are about $94k. Thatâs this year. So if you can pay $70k a year, you wonât need $60k. If you can pay $70k overall, youâll need a lot more than $60kâŠeven more than $60k a year.
I didnât include books, insurance, personal, fun.
I still donât see a safety. You might consider U Arizona, a physics powerhouse. Thatâs a safety. Ga Tech is a reach no matter your stats.
If you have $70k a year, you can afford U of A - and itâs renowned in Physics, #10 on the PhD feeder list. Or LACs on the top feeder per capita list - Allegheny, Kalamazoo - for internationals, they can get under $45k, even lower.
Good luck.
Huh. How did you determine you were âabove UChicagoâ level?
Chicago 2024/25 CDS:
Princeton 2024/25 CDS:
That is true at the Ivies and some other schools but Iâve observed that ED at Chicago does make a meaningful difference for unhooked kids. However, I donât know if itâs the same for international students like OP.
Actually, I was wrong I can afford to pay up to about 50k per year which would mean about 45k in aid that they have to give. Also, I have considered safety schools such as what you said.
Ok and the NPCs have you covered ?
Then youâll find a home. Just make sure the safeties come under budget too. Thatâs most important.
U of A is $60k but as international it may be more and merit is less. So it may or may not work. Purdue another.
Thereâs always Alabama - itâs a home run cost wise, even for international.
When you have a budget, depending on ability to get into reaches, you may have to make trade offs - even attending a school you might have never considered.
I know some LACs will definitely hit.
Make sure to have a backup plan. Anyone applying to the two schools mentioned needs one.
Best of luck.
I think that you are indeed a competitive candidate for Chicago and Princeton. I do have questions on some of your information:
I donât understand ââŠsays I will need 60,000$ in aidâ Does this mean that Chicagoâs NPC stated that it will give you aid of $35K and that your expected family contribution is, say, around $60K?
My second question:
Financial aid is confusing, but do understand that the universities determine what applicants need to pay based on their income and asset information AND NOT on how much their family is willing or able to pay.
I repeat that you are indeed a very competitive candidate for Chicago or Princeton, but until you have ascertain your finance I recommend SCEA to P instead of ED to Chicago.
Edited to add: What is the expected family contribution from Princetonâs NPC for you ?
Hello, Chicagoâs NPC stated that it would give me 60,000$ in aid per year, which I do not understand because my family can afford to pay more than 35k/year. Maybe, once they receive more detailed info, the aid will decrease some.
For your second question, Princeton is fully need-blind, and if I get in, Princeton will be nearly free. But, I do not think I should do SCEA there since I will be considered international, and typical entrants have International olympiads/crazy awards. Mine are good but not to that level at all.
If P is your top choice than donât ED Chicago. You can EA Chicago and RD Princeton. While ED may give better odds, itâs a myth one needs to ED or REA/SCEA to get in.
Some schools have a formula that will work in your favor financially
Did you do the detailed NPC or the less so My Intuition. Of you did the NPC, in theory it should hold weight and if not you can back out - hence you still need an alternative.
Plenty of kids donât have awards - itâs not true you need them. Anyway awards mean little. Itâs what you did to get the award that matters.
I donât think you understand what need blind means. It means that the amount of financial aid you need will not affect your admission decision in any way. It doesnât necessarily mean it will be nearly free. They still determine how much you will have to pay. Did you run the NPC at Princeton and what were the results?
yes, the NPC said I will have to pay like 6,000$ a year - so nearly free.
The main decision is that if there is a small chance i get into Princeton, i donât want to ED to UChicago and loose that, if I get in there too.
This is exactly why you shouldnât ED to UChicago (and why ED isnât the right choice for many other students as well). You donât love Chicago enough to ED it⊠you love another school. Good luck, I hope it works out.
