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@GuaroEl
0 answers, 7 votes
 • 2 years ago •
Admissions Advice

What are my chances of getting accepted with a nice scholarship?

Hello, guys! I'm an International Student that need some help from you. What are my chances, as an International Student, of getting accepted (USA university) with scholarship. I know there are universities and colleges that are not ivies which also provide Need Blind admission for IS, such as Colby, Vassar, Reed, Amhrest, and I am planning shoot my shot on them. Now, my profile:

Brazilian;

3.5/3.6 GPA Unweighetd (Studying in the best Federal School in Brazil, with 10% of acceptance rate);

Applying Test Optional;

Technical High School Diploma - Civil Construction;

Internship in the area, foucused in Construction Budget;

CFO of the winning project in the biggest Science Fair of all Public Schools in Brazil;

Bronze medalist in the Brazilian Investments Olympiad 1st edition;

After the award, I was invited to work as a volunteer in the project, with the Education Ministry partnership;

Manager of one of the high school's soccer team at the biggest School Soccer Championship in Rio de Janeiro, achieving - at the moment - 5th place, the highest ever achievement of a High School team;

This program is called Cefet Without Borders and helps to give information to People who want to apply for universities abroad. During the project, we made presentations and Talk Shows. We were glad to receive Janaina Cardoso, former Brazil's diplomat at the UN European Counsil. On the other one, the USA Consulate sent their representative from EducationUSA, this presentation had up to 250 people, approximately 20% of all high school students.

Honestly, do I have a shot?

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1 answer

1
@Liltrooper
221 answers, 463 votes
 • 2 years ago[edited]

Hi @GuaroEl,

The American college admissions process for Int'l students is very competitive. And as someone applying from Brazil, I think more and more high-achieving Brazilian students are applying to American colleges now that the pandemic has subsided.

I think your extracurricular activities are very good for a Brazilian student. You have not let the pandemic hinder your ability to find things to do that are impactful and impressive.

The MOST important criterion for International students gaining admission to top US colleges is academics. Academics is not only grades like GPA but your course rigor (how many APs, IBs, College courses you took), your intellectual vitality/curiosity with projects outside your high school (independent research, work-internships, publications either self-authored or co-authored, and the pursuit of other subjects or higher level subjects not offered in your high school and lastly standardized test scores such as the SAT and ACT.

While I think your ECs qualify you for most US colleges based on their expectations for international students, your academics are rather average, not remarkable in any way.

I do not think you are a highly qualified candidate to gain acceptance into a top American college. Furthermore, I do not think you make the academic index cutoff for any of the schools you mentioned (including others) that are both need-blind and meet 100% of financial needs. Currently, your odds for a full scholarship are slim to none and I think there are some colleges that would offer you financial aid but they are not going to be Top 50 colleges. Maybe Top 75-150 colleges based on your GPA.

If you are a 10th or 11th grade, you might have time to improve your GPA a little and take either the SAT or ACT tests and aim for a 98%-99% test score. But if you are a senior currently applying to colleges, I don't think there is much you can do about your academics so you just have to focus on your Essays, Supplemental Essays and make sure you get the best teacher and counselor recommendations you can get.

I wouldn't recommend applying to an Ivy League college, and Elites like UChicago/Stanford/NWestern/Duke or any Top LACs like Amherst/Williams/Swarthmore/Pomona. I would focus on lower-tier colleges that still are need-blind and meet 100% of financial aid. And pick some safety schools as well.

Good luck.

1
[🎤 AUTHOR]@GuaroEl2 years ago

Which university you think I should apply for?

@Liltrooper2 years ago

Look into the following colleges Babson College (MA), Lafayette College (PA), Bates College (ME), Colgate University (NY), Pitzer College (CA), the University of Maryland-College Park (MD), University of Illinois UC (IL)

[🎤 AUTHOR]@GuaroEl2 years ago

Good evening, brother. Well, I would like to say that my unweighted GPA is actually about 90% - saw on College Board that means 3.7. Do you know some generous LA's that I should apply? Here in Brazil LA's are not famous as the ivies. Btw my weighted GPA is 4.3 if it means something

@Liltrooper2 years ago

My answer doesn't change because 3.7 for an unweighted GPA is really not that competitive to the schools I already listed. You can apply to NYU but their financial aid for international students is not that good. No one is going to evaluate you on your weighted GPA but it does show you took some weight coursework and did well. Consider taking your SAT or ACT tests. I think it's very important for int'l student to take these tests.

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Unweighted GPA: 3.7
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SAT: 720 math
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| 800 verbal
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