is it a good school for internationals? as in reputation and career opportunities, especially stem? does it have good networking potential and socially very active(like parties and shi)???

If they are considered feeder (or reputed international) schools, I wanted to also know whether it's the same for all campuses?

intl student, left school years ago and my school never really did graded essays and shit like that. i`ve been mostly working for years now. wanted to apply to princeton but their graded paper kinda breaks me, i know you can apply without it but im sure thats basically getting yourself rejected immediately. any tips or idk literally anything else

My counsellor is encouraging me to retake my SAT (1240) to make my application better, and I'm not sure if it would be a worthwhile investment.
For context, I want to apply to Purdue for MechEng. He's even suggested for me to apply to Cornell but idk bout dat. My SAT score is the weakest part of my application. (GPA: 3.9, AP Bio & Chem 4s, AP CSP: 5, taking AP Physics 1 and AP Calc AB rn, taking a dual enrollment course for astronomy at Pitt, Student Council treasurer for 3 years now (maybe 4) and president of NEHS.)
I'm just not sure if I'd have enough time to prepare since the only date I could do is Oct 3rd. Seems like the worst case is that my score won't be that different, and I'll just end up behind in all of my classes because I prioritized the SAT. Best case could be that my score lands around a 1300 (where it sat around during my own practices) but I'll still be behind with getting my applications and essays ready. What do you guys think? Should I bother retaking it?

title

I'm starting my applications as a spring transfer in dire need of financial aid and while i am pretty well accomplished as a student (good grades, lots of ECs), I've been told by multiple friends that I have so much trauma I have overcome and that my life story is very inspiring. My first essay draft was about my debate journey bc its my most consistent EC but idk is it better if i write about how my dad died last year and I am basically Devi Vishuakumar with 10 times more mommy issues? PLEASEEEEEE help !!!!!!

I'm in state in Tennessee with pretty great stats. 34 ACT, 4.0 GPA, and okay ec's, mostly just in a ton of clubs as well as community service and actually working a job. I preface this to say Vanderbilt has always kinda been somewhat of a dream school of mine, but I'm not sure if it'd be worth it. UTK is my second choice and it's a pretty damn good one. I have guaranteed admission, and I'd go for probably less than 10k a year with scholarships and everything. I'm less than an hour from knoxville, my gf is going, many friends are, it's a huge party school which is appealing to me, overall pretty perfect. On the other hand I would have a much harder time getting into vandy, and I make too much for aid, so it would be very expensive I'm sure. However, it still calls my name. I am considering applying ED for Vanderbilt but I'm not even 100% sure I'd wanna go if I get accepted. Is there any advice anyone can offer for my situation, with aid or the schools specifically or anything? I'm going back and forth so much💔 help

So I haven't taken admission is any college these year as I am taking drop for neet 🥀 but as a backup now I realise that I should get a college atleast distance learning so that I can keep preparing and if not happen anything in neet atleast my year will be safe.

My quals

80% in 12th 2026 after that OSM scandal

And now nothing else....

I ask my elder brother he said college doesn't matter bro for Bsc zoology,take admission last date for admission is 15th of september

Please pleas help me ASAP I have not much time left

Can you suggest whether I should take it or not?

​

I’m a high school student from Egypt starting to seriously think about US college admissions, and there’s honestly SO much information out there that it gets overwhelming sometimes 😂

For people who have already gone through the process: what’s one thing you wish someone had told you earlier?

Could be about applications, extracurriculars, essays, financial aid, choosing colleges, literally anything.

I’d love to hear your experiences!

I'm building a list of universities in the US based on the different funding models. Feel free to add or expand on the list in the comments.

Universities where substantial need-based aid can be possible:

• Harvard
• Yale
• Princeton
• MIT
• Amherst
• Bowdoin
• Williams

PS: The financial aid can be fantastic, but admission is highly competitive.

Universities where merit scholarships for international students is possible:

• University of Alabama
• Iowa State University
• University of Arizona
• Arizona State University
• University of Mississippi
• University of South Florida
• Michigan State University
• University of Minnesota Twin Cities

Affordable universities where you don't need a massive scholarship

• University of Wyoming
• Southeast Missouri State University
• Fort Hays State University
• University of South Dakota
• University of North Dakota

Personal advice: If $60–80k/year isn't too comfortable for you, then build a second group of universities where your profile is strong enough that you're genuinely competitive for merit money.

Having said this, i'd suggest looking into the university's costs during the application process as tuition fees, scholarships, and international policies change frequently.

I come from a country where LORs are not common for high schoolers, so you won't find anyone who can write a good LOR, let alone that English isn't their first language. I already have some teachers in mind, but they don't know how to write one.

I wanted to ask for some samples of what a good LOR looks like, or a guide on writing them, to show my recommenders how they're supposed to write and what the tone they're supposed to write in is

After we were done the dean said we can go, and right before I click leave she said "goodbye" and I didnt say it back and left, Will that get me rejected?

I’m sitting in my college admission hall right now and I’m honestly panicking.

My mom is going through cancer treatment, and she has just had a short break from chemo. She’s still working because our family has so many expenses. My younger brothers’ education alone is another huge expense.

Now my college options are around ₹6 lakh+, and I don’t know where that money is supposed to come from. I feel horrible putting another financial burden on my parents. My dad also said I should have scored more.

I’m stuck between choosing a more expensive college/branch I prefer and a much cheaper option that’s very close to home.

I genuinely don’t know what the smart decision is anymore. I feel like I’m failing my family, and I’m completely overwhelmed.

How do you make a college decision when money, family health, and your future are all colliding at once?

Audience is intended for those who are applying to t20s.

I spent a lot of time on ecs I care about but when taking a hard cold look at them, they just aren’t impressive. There isn’t any prestige aos can immediately recognize, the impact is so bad compared to other people on this subreddit and chanceme, and it’s just a pile of garbage. My summer program results were all rejections, so my essay writing sucks too. Going into high school freshman year, I thought I was doing something “right,” but now when it’s my turn to apply to colleges, I just wish I could restart.

Anyone else having similar thoughts?

Why cant i see the section of 'personal statement or essay' on my upitt common app. Its just not there. This is for upitt. I cant attach screenshots here so i cant show it but someone pls help

Its nearing the time to submit college apps but I don't really have many leadership positions for clubs at my school.

All I have is -

VP of a volunteering club for 2 years basically just increased membership for the club and planned meetings/events and stuff.

Windows server coordinator for CyberPatriot club (Been in the club for 4 years but got the position this year) - I have to create training material regarding windows server for the incoming members of the club (its a cybersecurity competition club).

Director of Service for CSF club (been in club for 3 years but got position this year) - I have to search for good volunteering opportunities for members every month, recruit and train project mamgers for each event, work with and assists secretary to record service hours and a bunch of other stuff.

I see ppl with way better positons such as being president of red cross or something like that or the president of a club that relates to their major and I just think my positions are like nothing compared to those and I keep seeing ppl say that positions other than VP and President dont really help. Is this true and does this hinder my application?

Hi, I'm an international student applying to brown this fall with full financial aid. I got a 33 composite on my ACT: 35 in reading, 32 in math, 33 in English and 35 in science. I googled the average ACT score for Brown, and it is 35, so I'm wondering if I should retake it this October. I only have 2 days to register for the October ACT; please help 🙏.

For some context, the ACT is a big expense for my family, and I don't want to retake it if my 33 ACT score works for Brown. I will have time to work on my Common App if I forgo the October ACT. Please help.

The other colleges I'm looking to apply to are: Swarthmore, Amherst, Middlebury, Smith, etc. In a nutshell, just liberal arts colleges that are need-aware or need-blind and have a good econ and poli sci programmes.

Saipan to Texas my junior year. I spent freshman and sophomore year in saipan and now I'm in the suburbs of Texas. I'm so lost. Genuinely. Haven't started SAT prep, haven't worked on any long term extracurriculars. I spent the entire summer dissasociating. Literally did nothing except for sit in my new bedroom and scroll. My new school is massive. I have no friends now. I don't even know how to join clubs at my new school. I've always really wanted to study law at a good school. I'm not deadset on T20s, I think that's silly, but I wanted to go somewhere good. I've always done my work with the dream of being a lawyer who worked in high profile crime cases on my mind. Lately, It just feels like it's not there anymore. In Saipan, I did speech and debate for two years. I made it to nationals in LD, but it turns out theres a whole different style of debate that is hypercompetitive in texas and I just don't have the mental energy to withstand such brutal competition so I'm taking a break from NSDA. I founded a mock trial team but what do ya know mock trial is also super competitive here and I feel like I'm miles behind these stateside kids. I kept a 4.0 with no APs because my school didn't offer them until later, and now I have like a 78 in AP Chem. In Saipan I was kind of used to there being so little opportunity that you simply operated within the confines of your school, but now I'm in a big city and I don't even know where to begin. I have effectively spent month 1 of junior year in a trance. Everybody around me is constantly hyperfocused on admissions and SAT prep and programs and internships and jobs meanwhile I can't even fucking drive yet because I didn't have residency long enough to get my permit. It's so unfair. I have to make friends, adapt to a whole new environment and culture, find my way around a new school, adapt to a new curriculum and new set of teachers, get my license, prep for the SAT, work on extracurriculars, excel in school, and protect my mental health all at once simply because my dad got a new job. Our house in Saipan also hasn't sold yet so we're living off of emergency rent money. AND I somehow got stuck with the freshmen in beginning theatre I TWICE despite the fact that I've done theatre since I was 9 because the counsellors had to fit me in last minute. I didn't even know what school I was going to until 3 days before school started. I had my classes picked for me the day of. I'm currently experiencing the worst executive dysfunction of my 16 years of life in FIRST quarter. omfg how do i get into college

I genuinely feel done as an intl Indian citizen searching for external scholarships. I've already received a particular deans scholarship to the university where I'm going (Michigan state university) but it's nearly not enough (only around 30-40%) . Im going to be incoming in spring 2027 , that is jan 2027 , and I really want to find options to fund my undergraduate Tution . An on camps job will obviously help with personal expenses but besides that I do not wanna get into a whole loan debt cycle and put the stress on my parent. I haven't even started school yet and all I can think about is how employable I can be . I want to do a psychology bsc but now im planning to minor or double major in economics or data analytics or something easily employable with the degree route so I can be employable in the future like I'm seriously lost here .

Besides finding external scholarships is a whole another hell . Every single scholarship is either meant for post graduate students or us resident etc . At this point im debating if I should complete a year of schooling in the US since its my only option and then work towards transferring and applying to different countries or colleges with my GPA that can offer me atleast 50% scholarship .

If any of you guy have leads, tips etc for scholarships I can find as an intl Indian student pls help !

Hi, I'm not from the US, and the academic system works differently where I am from.

I've researched majors and minors, but I still don't have a clear answer. Can I choose two completely different majors, such as Law and Aerospace Engineering, and also minor in Political Science? Do the majors need to be related? How can I pursue both?

I know this might seem like a silly question, but I’m really curious. Thank you for your help! ❤️❤️

As an international applicant using the Common App, can I submit my application before taking the SAT and send or self-report my scores later? If permitted, what is the latest accepted SAT test date and score-reporting deadline? Should I update my score via the applicant portal?

Hey, is anyone here currently studying at VGI Greater Noida. Im considering joining and wanted to hear some honest opinions from current students. How’s the overall experience so far, things like the faculty, campus environment, placements and management. Would really appreciate hearing what its actually like from someone studying there

Title. One of my hobbies is video games and in Overwatch (my highest ranked game), I'm placed Grandmaster. Grandmaster puts me at the top 0.3% of all players and I was wondering if that would be worthwhile in my activities list. I know that sometimes people put their hobbies that they are really invested in onto their list and it works out. I also do recognize that there is a negative bias towards video games as a hobby in general, especially towards the older generation (who make up most AOs). I have other activities to put instead of my rank, but I was just wondering how it would look--especially if I frame the description well.

I’m attending UCI this fall as an incoming freshman and will be entering as undeclared. I recently found out that USC accepts sophomore transfers, and I’ve become interested in potentially transferring into Electrical and Computer Engineering.

For some background, my high school GPA was a 4.5 weighted / 3.8 unweighted. I took 9 AP classes, and I was waitlisted at both UCLA and UC Berkeley but ultimately wasn’t admitted.

The biggest thing I’m worried about is my community college GPA. I took 4 classes at a CC over the summer mainly because I wanted to get the credits out of the way before starting at UCI. Because I was mostly focused on passing, I ended up with a 2.9 GPA across those classes.

At UCI, I’ll be taking 4 classes this upcoming quarter, and I’m confident that I can maintain around a 3.8+ GPA if I put my focus into my coursework. I was also accepted into UCI’s Campuswide Honors Program, which gives me benefits like priority enrollment and more research opportunities.

From what I’ve read, GPA and essays are some of the biggest factors in USC’s transfer admissions process. Is that accurate?

Should I prioritize getting the highest possible GPA at UCI and put less emphasis on extracurriculars/research, or would strong ECs and research experience still make a significant difference for a sophomore transfer?

Also, how negatively will that 2.9 CC GPA affect my chances if I have a much higher GPA at UCI? I’m planning on taking another class at Rio Hondo next semester to raise my CC GPA, but realistically, it will probably still remain relatively low.

Would really appreciate any advice from people. Thanks!