Because there are so many indians applying will the admissions compare me to other indians or to all the applicants as a whole?
@Nikshep
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/cornell-university/1176294-advice-after-speaking-to-a-cornell-admissions-officer.html
@Salutation I went through the thread. I want to know specifically if there is a quota for the number of Indians they accept because if there is a limit,I will be fighting among fellow Indians and Everyone else. I really dont want to make competition harder than it already is. xD
@Nikshep
I honestly have no idea. Have you tried looking at their website for admissions and see how much percentage of each group was admitted? I am an Indian as well, but I am not going to apply for ivy’s. Sorry I can’t help you there.
@Salutation Well thanks anyway xD! May I ask what colleges your applying for and can you briefly show me your profile? Like your scores,EC’s and what not?
@Nikshep
I would love to.
I need to know which schools I should apply to, so if you can help me with that also.
Live in CA
Parents going to pay 20k
Thinking of applying to:
Purdue - RD
SCU - EA
LMU - EA
UIUC - RD
Georgia Tech - EA
UT Austin - RD
UM Ann Arbor - EA
Carnegie Mellon - RD
Embry-riddle Aeronautical University - RD
ALL the UC’s
I am a senior this fall.
Major Choice: Mechanical Engineering.
ACT with writing - 26
English (26), Math (31), Reading (24), Science (22)
SAT - 1740
Math (660), Critical Reading (510), Writing (570)
(I’m planning to take the tests above another time, I will most likely improve by at least 2-3 points on the ACT, and 200 on the SAT)
GPA - Unweighted (3.98), Weighted (4.19)
EC:
I am multi-lingual.
100 + Volunteering Hours (Various Organizations, Library, Tutoring, etc…)
Played the piano for 8 years
Played the guitar for 4 years
Won certificates in both instruments
Performed in front of audiences ( Recitals, Ensembles, etc…)
Took ABRSM exam for Music Theory Grade 3 - passed
Took ABRSM exam for Guitar Practical Grade 3 - passed with Merit
Took 3 Guild Repertoire Piano Music Exams and passed all. (1 of them I earned a plaque) (3 of them with certification)
I played on the JV team for Basketball and Soccer in freshman year of high school.
I played tennis for about 4 - 5 years. I reached the sectionals tournament of USTA Norcal in the state of California with my team, Almaden Valley Athletic Club (AVAC).
I also achieved recognition in the field of art, as I do all types of mediums: Oil Pastel, Pencil Shading, Pen & Ink, Watercolor Paintings, Acrylic Paintings, Oil Paintings, as well as Graphic Design (Adobe Photoshop & Illustrator).
I won several medals and certificates in art contests.
I am also proficient with all of Microsoft Office and HTML.
Great letters of recommendation.
I flew to the country of Turkey and interned there at Gediz University with a professor in the area of Aeronautical and Aerospace Engineering . As I shadowed him and aided him in his research, I learned the basics and the foundations of aerodynamics, college level.
I feel like all my colleges are reaches and not matches.
@Salutation Woah thats an impressive profile. I think your just mainly lacking on those Standardized Test Scores everything else looks really good. What I would suggest is that you should try showing them how your interested in Mechanical Engineering because from what I’ve learnt, they want to see your passion for the field. I think you have a decent chance at all the Universities you listed. If you can get your score a little higher it wouldn’t hurt applying to the Ivies like Cornell or Brown.Also how are you going to send in so many ED/EA? Arent you only binded to 1 ED only?
@Nikshep
Please do not over exaggerate. I really need a honest opinion. I am applying to colleges under either early action or regular decision, not early decision, meaning, I am not binded to any college after acceptance. I really don’t want any false hopes please.
Let’s say my ACT score increases from 26 to a 30. Would I have a chance of getting in to my listed colleges? If the scores increased, should I even bother applying to Ivies, because my scores are that low?
@Salutation I was just saying that it looked good to me. Your extracurriculars are par/better than what I’ve seen at other Cornell ED Result threads. Your just lacking at your scores. If you manage a 31-32 I think you have a good shot at most of ur listed colleges except like maybe UT Austin,Georgia and some UC’s. YOu do have a slim chance at Ivies with a good essay and recommendations. There isn’t any harm trying.
@Nikshep
Thank you for your honest evaluation. I will get my test scores up and then do ED for maybe Cornell or Brown.
I have great recommendations, and an above average essay.
@Salutation At a 26 you have zero chance at many on your list. Indian or whatever. At 30, some become more reasonable; some are still unobtainable
At ACT 30
Purdue - possible-- but no Fin Aid. Cost you $50K
SCU - unknown
LMU - unknown
UIUC - possible
Georgia Tech - unlikely
UT Austin - unobtainable, no Fin Aid
UM Ann Arbor - unobtainable, no Fin Aid. Cost you $55K
Carnegie Mellon - unobtainable, no Fin Aid
Embry-riddle Aeronautical University - unknown
Cornell or Brown – unobtainable with a 30
ALL the UC’s unknown
Given your family can afford only $20K (you add another $8 through loans and work study), you should not expect any of the non UC schools to be affordable. None of them will have the fin aid to cover the gap between their fees and what you and your parents can donate.
Try to hit that 30 and focus on the best UC package you can generate. Many of the others I commented about are both affordable or will admit you with a 30.
What’s your EFC at Cornell? Did you run the NPC?
If your family is upper middle class Cornell may not give you enough grants thus Cornell or similar schools are not affordable to you.
@Salutation I know Cornell admissions are holistic and all, but I really think your scores are too low, especially for engineering. How many times have you taken the ACT? Most retakes do not go up more than 2 points, and even at that, it’s not guaranteed. What types of classes have you taken/will you take in senior year?
Even thought UIUC takes more OOS, you will not get aid from them, and for engineering, your score is too low for their engineering program, which is one of the best in the country. Same for UMich.
I went to Purdue back in the day, and IMHO, your are borderline for engineering.
My D goes to Carnegie Mellon. It’s a tough admit and the academics are brutally hard. FYI, you also need 2 SAT II subject tests, (math, science) for their engineering program. At CMU you apply college specific (as with Cornell and UIUC and probably others on your list above), and again, I think your scores are too low.
Make sure you research what the freshmen admissions requirements are regarding SAT subject tests (Cornell mandates these as well) for each university so you don’t submit an incomplete application.
Additionally, you can look at the common data set for each school to see how your stats match up to their admitted students. For Cornell it is here: http://irp.dpb.cornell.edu/common-data-set. Just google “common data set ” and you will find out a wealth of info.
@Nikshep , no college in US is going to be on record having quota - Indian or not. Further, I think all south east asians are clubbed with other asians - so, you are not competing as “indian” - but as an asian. You can research to see what % of asians Cornell admitted year over year.
@Salutation, I echo what @T26E4 and @TiggyB62 said. You can of course dramatically improve your ACT or SAT score but you do need to carefully look at SAT subject test requirements. Don’t go by some odd website. Check each college painstakingly and even every college within the university that you may consider. Each of the colleges may have their own requirements for this. Additionally, look for median scores for ACT, SAT and try to be in top 25% for at least 3 of them. All of your colleges sound reaches to me. How about CalPoly or San Jose state or SMU? Rose Hulman is good too though I think it is getting harder to get into now!.. I think financially affordable schools should be a priority - you can have reaches and hope someone gives you scholarship but you cannot have all colleges likes that on your list! BTW, since you are good at artistic things, have you looked at Brown - RISD program? I am not going to lie , it is a reach even for the best ones - but at least it is in your area of interest!