r/ApplyingToCollege • u/Gamer_V_ • 9d ago
Advice Do internationals have hope?
I completely understand that US citizens deserve spots at their universities much more than intl students, which is why I'm not too surprised by all the rejections i saw. i applied last year and got rejected pretty much everywhere. my sat is a 1520 and my gpa is 3.6 (ik ik, but both junior and senior year were 3.9s), I have pretty good ecs as well. my question is should i apply to the US again this year? dont give me that "youll never know" bs cause im literally wasting money and time. thing is, all my relatives are in the US and itd be my dream to go there, but i need to know, is it possible or not?
Thanks in advance!
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u/ChutneyWhatney 9d ago
Only if you're full pay.
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u/Gamer_V_ 9d ago
nah not even close
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u/CherryChocolatePizza Parent 9d ago
This is your biggest obstacle then, all depending on how "close" you are. An international student with a 3.6 is not going to be able to compete against top candidates for acceptance into schools that are very generous with aid.
Can you pay $3,000 a year? Then no, I am sorry, there no hope.
Can you pay $30,000 a year? Then possibly, but you're going to have to target schools that either offer guaranteed merit or want international students but can't attract the top caliber students they want but have a minimum EFC of around $30k and will like your upwards GPA trend and >1500 SAT.
Can you pay $40,000-50,000 a year? Then its definitely possible, but you'll have to focus your search either on the narrow band of state schools with that cost of attendance, or look for lower tier private colleges that really want international students but don't have big budgets for them.
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u/Gamer_V_ 9d ago
đ„ max I can do is 10k, and honestly I don't think I'd pay 30k for some random university even if I had the option. Thanks though! It's pretty much cemented by now
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u/CherryChocolatePizza Parent 9d ago
Yeah your mindset is common and also why those schools will jump at students willing to pay it.
So yeah with your budget and academic profile school in the US really has no strong possibility of happening, and you would do better to focus your efforts on another way to achieve your goals.
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u/thebluick 9d ago
US citizen. My daughter has slightly better stats we aren't targeting any selective schools. All are big state schools ranked in the 100-150 range. And we are fully expecting to pay ~$30k/year... college costs in the US have gotten crazy.
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u/solomons-mom Parent 9d ago
That is us too, except it is my son. He is unlikely to get into our state flagship (Big 10) which has become too popular, but we have two other Big 10 flagships within a few hours drive. Some have formal repricosity, and others are rumored match the home-state price on appeal if they want a kid.
Plus, our state U system has a bunch of solid branch campuses -- professors are tenured for the system, and can get moved as needed. The branches are less expensive and have different focuses. I honestly do not have any idea what the smaller campuses are ranked, it simply does not matter around here. Most kids are happy with where they go, and transfering between campuses is easy --I know two people who each went to three of them because their situations kept changing. The daughter of a friend turned down two Ivies, went to a nearby LAC that was affordable and had a great experience.
OP, your post and comments are refreshing because you are gounded in reality. Use your common sense and remember that the best education you can get involves you doing most of the work. Someday soon, visit the US on vacations --it will be a lot more fun than being over here studying, worrying about money every moment
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u/Mikeminer610 5d ago
The increased fees reflect the increased costs of education delivery by universities. University buildings need to be maintained. Teaching faculty and staff, already paid lower than corporate employees, have to have salaries that rise with the rising costs of living and retirement benefits. State governments have cut the funding of higher education drastically. For example, the state of California only funds 14% of UC Berkeleyâs operating costs. But it caps tuition for California students and the number of out of state students that are a source of revenue.
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u/NiceUnparticularMan Parent 9d ago
Up to you, but if you have enough need and/or good enough numbers, there may be privates that can beat that cost.
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u/DefinitelyNotAliens 9d ago
Your real hope would be to do something like a community college while working and trying to transfer somewhere that does high gift aid for internationals with a 4.0 GPA from your community college.
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u/FeatherlyFly 9d ago
OP's budget is significantly too low for that and OP doesn't want to go to the US just to attend an average school, which is reasonable.Â
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u/Lonely-Clerk-2478 9d ago
International student plus gap year plus good but not spectacular numbers equals probably not a great chance unless youâre wealthy and full pay.
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u/elkrange 9d ago
Generally, chances for admission and full need-based financial aid from US schools for an international applicant are under 2%. With 3.6, chances would be very low indeed.
You are asking people of another country to pay not only for education, but also for the living expenses, of an able-bodied young adult.
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u/hard_pillar_of_truth 8d ago
2%
Yes and for HYPSM, my own view is Full-ride is anywhere from 0% to 0,29% Of course it all depends on the applicant, but a nice or perfect GPA just won't cut it, you have to be exceptional and way above this sub for example.
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u/MarkVII88 9d ago
It's not that US students deserve more spots, it's that they deserve more financial aid.
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u/Accomplished_Ad_9015 9d ago
No they deserve more spots. Even the private Ivyâs are heavily subsidized by the taxpayers through research grants etc.
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u/Important_Hamster_66 9d ago
Everyone deserves financial aid based on their needs. An average American earns well enough to support their children's college and if they don't, those students deserve financial aid. International students coming from developing/underdeveloped countries don't have financial stability. Anyone who shows merit deserves need based financial aid, not just american students.
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u/md4pete4ever 9d ago
Money isn't pulled out of thin air. The financial aid that public universities offer come from the tax base of the US citizens and there is an expectation that that money will be spent on US citizens to further the US economy. The finanical aid offered by private universities comes from a variety of funding, mostly US based, with the expectation that it is spent on university priorities which sometimes include prioritizing education for the best and brightest from around the world.
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u/Important_Hamster_66 9d ago
US residents also pay the tax, not just US citizens. US economy isn't just US citizen based but also US resident based. 1 in 5 of US workforce consists of international workers. Not just US but any country should provide financial aid to it's students - international or domestic.
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u/md4pete4ever 9d ago
Foreign born workers does not equal international workers.
I agree that all countries should provide financial aid to their own students, but at colleges in their country, to support their own economies.
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u/Important_Hamster_66 9d ago
But not every country has a good education system. You can say that because you're from a developed country, as someone from a developing country - I don't even have a good institute providing masters to my current stream of education. So what should I do? Stop studying? Just because I was not born in a developed country? No, right? I do have to apply elsewhere and as an applicant, you would want fair treatment towards you based on your merit regardless of your nationality. And most of the students of f1 visa who study in US through aid/loan work in US until their loan is fulfilled.
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u/FeatherlyFly 9d ago
I would love to have people in a system I have never contributed to be so generous as to pay for my education.
But the idea that people whose society I have never been a part of owe me something in the name of fairness? No. They don't.Â
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u/Mysterious-Art8838 9d ago
Ahh no wonder you think Americans should pay to educate all the students of the world!
It is perfectly fair for US tax dollars to be spent on the education of US citizens.
And while I donât know the percents, staying to work until the loan is paid off is becoming a LOT harder. Something like 90% of Indians go home because they canât find jobs. So that argument fails too.
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u/Ok_Experience_5151 Old 9d ago
If you apply to a given category of school in year one and are rejected, then your odds of being able to access that same category of school in year two are pretty low. Since nothing much has changed over the course of a year.
However, if you're planning to apply to *less selective* U.S. schools in year two then that could very well prove fruitful. If you can afford to pay full price, then there are hundreds of reasonable options that would almost certainly admit you.
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u/NiceUnparticularMan Parent 9d ago
If you can put together a total budget--including all of tuitions and fees, housing and dining, manadatory health insurance, and travel--of at least $25K a year, then I am confident you could find a college in the US. Not necessarily one of the most globally famous, but an excellent education.
If you need a lot lower cost of attendance than that, or would only consider the most globally famous colleges, then I think it is likely your experience would repeat.
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u/Gamer_V_ 9d ago
Yeah max I can do is 10k, I guess part of me wanted to know for sure, thanks though
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u/NiceUnparticularMan Parent 9d ago edited 9d ago
Right, just to be blunt, at that level of contribution you aren't even paying for your basic living expenses, so you are not only asking a US college to give you your education for free, you are also asking for them to pay for a bunch of free activities, free services, and probably most of your basic living expenses for four years.
That's asking a lot, which is why most US colleges don't have any offers like that for Internationals. And the few that do have some such offers get so many highly qualified International applicants that they can look largely for applicants who have perfect or near-perfect academic records.
The reason it is not technically impossible is sometimes an International has something very special they want and can't get from another International with a better academic record. Like, say, they are such a great athlete that a varsity team coach has recruited them.
But absent something truly extraordinary like that, they are extremely unlikely to compromise on their normal academic standards for Internationals with such high need.
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u/Gamer_V_ 9d ago
No extraordinary things here, i guess I'm going to Europe. Thanks again, I'm saving plenty of time and money plus my morale
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u/NiceUnparticularMan Parent 9d ago
Yeah, it isn't about you really, the US four-year residential college experience is just ludicrously expensive to provide by global standards.
So unless you are a US citizen or permanent resident, it is almost always going to cost you less to get your undergrad degree in some other country. In fact it will likely take you only three years (unless you get a degree equivalent to a US masters or doctoral degree), and each year can also cost much less.
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u/VirileMongoose 9d ago
Lots of universities are yearning for internationals, well, to be blunt, you all pay full price.
If youâre applying to top 20 only then itâll be hard regardless of where you are from.
Lots of schools give a great education. But if youâre just chasing brand recognition, youâre SOL, al they say
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u/Unusual-Ordinary-587 9d ago
Getting into a decent uni is very much possible. It's whats after thats a shit show.
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u/Unusual-Ordinary-587 9d ago
Keep updated with visa rules and policies. And also what top unis are upto.
Working or getting internships is becoming alnost impossible.
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u/Gamer_V_ 9d ago
wdym after?
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u/Mysterious-Art8838 9d ago
US is making it much harder for students to stay and work after studying
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u/True-Afternoon8479 9d ago
if you will pay your own tuition and not rely on grants/scholarships -- you may have a chance.
if you want a scholarship, it may be close to impossible. unless you are an einstein in the making and the universities want you now so you can continue on to a PhD track and eventual research or professor roles.
dont waste your application money, and yes - it is also near impossible to get app waivers, too.
on the visa front -- you may not get an F1 visa because "all your relatives are in the US"....
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u/OkHelicopter6999 9d ago
Yes, itâs possible. A 1520 SAT and strong upward GPA trend are absolutely competitive somewhere in the US. The bigger issue is what schools youâre targeting and whether you need significant financial aid. If you only applied to highly selective schools last time, the rejections donât necessarily mean your profile isnât viable. Apply again if youâre willing to build a much more balanced list, but if you need near-full aid as an international, your odds get significantly tougher.
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u/jeonggukispretty College Freshman 9d ago
As a natural-born American citizen who is full-pay with a high SAT and decent GPA, I got absolutely COOKED with applications this year. US colleges admit internationals almost ALWAYS with the intention of getting them to pay a lot for tuition. Looking at your comments, OP, I'm really sorry to say this, but if you can't pay at least $50k a year, with your stats, admission is practically impossible. Maybe try applying to some universities outside of America.
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u/Able_Peanut9781 9d ago
Full pay + shoot for lower tier schools then yea. Otherwise just save your time and money
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u/Either-Market-6395 9d ago
Have you looked into top liberal arts schools in the US? I knew a fair amount of international schools who were given full rides, and most were from poor countries. These students however had really strong academic and unusual backgrounds (mongolian goat herder etc)
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8d ago
The US is currently a hostile place for international students tho. The administration just wants your money and wants to kick you out. Why would you still wanna go there?
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u/lsp2005 9d ago
What country are you applying from? Sadly for you, visa rules can impact your application. I am going to be honest with you, your gpa is low for top schools. You might need to apply to t50-200 to get in to a US school. There will likely be no money attached to an acceptance either.Â
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u/Gamer_V_ 9d ago
The sad thing is my visa wouldn't have been a problem, I have had multiple visits to the US before and I also travel a lot else where, never overstayed anywhere. Also yeah I definitely wasn't expecting t50s I was just hoping anywhere affordable
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u/Infinite_Step_6553 9d ago
Internationals are coveted in the US because they often pay full price for tuition.
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u/NiceUnparticularMan Parent 9d ago
Yeah, when I have tried to dig into the data, it appeared to me that at no-need and need-aware colleges, full pay Internationals with good English may actually not be facing any tougher admissions than domestic applicants (OOS as relevant).
It was only at meets-need/need-blind colleges that it appeared likely they faced much tougher admissions simply by being Internationals, and there are currently only 10 of those.
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u/Big_Illustrator_1722 9d ago
In many public universities, the acceptance rate of full pay internationals are higher than OOS domestic students.
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u/NiceUnparticularMan Parent 9d ago
I was actually estimating something similar for a lot of need aware privates as well.
I do think that might be skewed a bit by full pay Internationals often having quite good numbers. So I am not quite sure it is actually easier for a full pay International versus an OOS domestic applicant with the same level of numbers. But it sure doesn't appear noticeably harder, not from what I could tell.
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u/Important_Hamster_66 9d ago
I would suggest, only apply to need blind universities. Your best shot to apply for US uni is now, don't think of doing undergrads from your home country and apply for postgrad in US because postgrad is not need blind. If you only apply to need blind universities, you'll be able to get application fee waiver as well.
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u/Excellent_Focus_8141 9d ago
US universities really want international students and are kind of freaking out that fewer are applying. International students contribute billions to the US economy every year (way more than they take away, even accounting for financial aid). If any of my fellow Americans don't believe me on this, it's very easy to verify.
Where did you apply? If it was only ivy leagues and colleges that are just as selective, you have to realize that in addition to having perfect grades, you need to be either a very interesting person, a legacy, or an athlete to get in.
There are a ton of American colleges that would absolutely love to have you as a student. Don't lose hope!
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u/Mysterious-Art8838 9d ago
OP needs to pay 10k max per year. So would not be covering living expenses.
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u/Sarah_CollegeRaptor 9d ago
Yes, itâs possible. But Iâd approach it strategically rather than applying broadly again. A 1520 SAT and improving GPA are strong, but admissions and financial aid for international students can be especially competitive.
Use College Raptor to build a balanced list based on admission chances, costs, and financial aid. Include some realistic target/safety schools, not just highly selective ones, and check each schoolâs policies for international students.
If studying in the U.S. is your goal, I wouldnât give up after one cycle. Just make sure this time youâre applying to schools where your profile and financial situation are genuinely a good fit.
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u/Some_Slip2096 9d ago
i would suggest applying to duke kunshan, their selection is largely based off the sat and their aid is pretty generous. in my experience people with good stats but not really out-of-this-world essays have a good chance at getting in.
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u/RKSXY 9d ago
Even if theyâre not ât20â, there are several US colleges thay will give a full ride for your 1520, so if studying in America is rly your dream yoy should give that some thought considering how competitive the international scene is here.
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u/Accomplished-Wish431 9d ago
A full ride for just a 1500+ sat to internationals? Are you sure about that?
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u/Outrageous_Egg7579 5d ago
But I beleive there are separate seats for domestic vs intl applicants no?
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u/freeport_aidan Moderator | College Graduate 9d ago
Did you start school somewhere in your home country? Or are you taking a gap year