What're my chances for Georgia Tech, University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, and Purdue? [US citizen outside the US, 41/45 IB predicted, 1530 SAT, mechanical engineering]

Chance Me / Match Me
1

US citizen, but international student (live elsewhere)
India
ICSE (9-10), IB (11-12)

Mechanical Engineering

No GPA (ICSE/IB)
9th grade: 67%
10th grade: 92.4%
11th grade: 37/45 (6s in all HLs)
12th grade (predicted): 41/45 (7s in HLs)
SAT: 1530 (790M, 740RW)

Physics, Math AA, Chemistry (HL)
Business Management, Hindi B, English A (SL)

Awards
Certificate of Excellence in Math, Physics, and Hindi (school)
1st place in science fair (interschool)
2nd place in entrepreneurship competition (national)
3rd place in science fair (school)

Extracurriculars
Invented brick that captures & converts wasted heat into usable energy
Wrote a paper on using bioluminescence for energy generation
Theorized and made a proof of concept on irrigation of water using only solar heat. Calculated distance of reach to be 200+km.
Self taught pianist.
Taught 2 adults music theory and conducted evaluations.
Registered Ayushman health insurance for 50+ BPL; Led food drive, distributed sanitary pads to 65+ women, clothes, blankets to 50+ street dwellers
School soccer team captain
Student council

Essays/LORs/Other
Essays are great.
LoRs are also pretty nice. Math LoR includes how I found a mathematical way of predicting the year on which a date lands on a specific weekday, Physics LoR includes my projects and how I created my own version of Biot-Savart Law for helical conductors.

G-Tech (EA)
U-M Ann Arbor (EA)
Purdue (EA)
These are the important ones.

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Assuming these are all affordable?

I think Purdue is likely but @momofboiler1 can comment.

Michigan and GA Tech…maybes.

ETA, many colleges want two LORs…one from a STEM and one from a humanities teachers who have had you in classes. I see the STEM one, but not the humanities one. I also don’t know whether these colleges require this combo of LORs but worth checking!

3

This does not seem to be a requirement at GT (two optional teacher recommendations) or Michigan (one teacher recommendation), but may be a requirement or preference at some other schools that require recommendations.

4

Yoo! Thanks for your reply and predictions!!
So, I’ve sent a Math LoR and a Physics LoR. For these universities, I am positive that there’s no such requirement to have a STEM and Humanities LoR (I don’t even have any Humanities subject lololol). This is actually the first time I’ve heard of such thing; it probably is for other universities.

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Humanities would include any social studies (history, for example), English or literature study in your school. Things like that.

It sounds like you might not need them.

Does your school not offer anything but STEM courses?

6

Ohhh.
Well, I have taken English, so we have grammar and literature.
And also, our school does offer Humanities courses, it’s just that I’ve not taken them. So, in the IB curriculum, we have 6 groups (that’s why I have 6 subjects), and in group 3, the Social Studies group (where I’ve taken Business Management at Standard), my school offered other subjects such as Psychology and History. It just comes down to the choice of subject in each group.

7

Yes, MIT has this requirement (although the non-math/science category includes social science as well): Letters of recommendation | MIT Admissions

Your humanities teachers would be the ones you have for English and Hindi that you mention as your SL courses.

US universities do tend to expect some courses in history and social science, which are not present in your IB courses (whether business counts may depend on the university). Do you have such courses in your high school record? A few also expect visual or performing arts course work.

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Yes, yes. I’ve had History/Civics and Geography up until 10th grade (ICSE Board) in the field of Social Science. However, I’ve not had Performing Arts as a coursework from 9th to 12th, but I do play the piano (self-taught, 3 years), so maybe that counts?

9

Check the web sites of universities of interest to see what high school courses they want to see.

10

Regarding Purdue, here is a link the the Purdue Data Digest: https://www.purdue.edu/datadigest/. Look at the links for “Applications, Admits, and Matriculations,” and “New First-Time Beginner Profile”; this may provide you with some useful information about your admissions chances.

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My D25 is applying to all these 3 you mentioned. We are international. I believe Purdue will be likely but the other two would be a reach. Good luck to you.

12

67%, although a pass, is on the low end for some of the schools on your list…11th grade IB scores are relatively low for these schools too. Where do you rank in your class? Make your best estimate if your school doesn’t formally rank.

Have you taken a biology class?

I can’t chance you but would consider Tech and Michigan as reaches. Purdue maybe a target, but hard to say with the info you’ve given us so far. Have you applied to at least one highly likely, affordable school?

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I think I’m in the top 25% out of 45ish students, so top 10/12 something. No, I’ve not taken Biology. My subject are Physics, Chemistry, Math AA at HL, and Business Management, Hindi B, and English A at SL. Also, I did get into ASU, and I’ve applied to MSU.

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14

Then you’re in great shape. Two fantastic schools already.

Congrats !!

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