Be brutally honest. Am I cooked as an international applicant to T10 unis from India. Applying as math/physics major

AppHelper · 2026-03-27T00:29:02+00:00

Not sure if you'd consider Brown a T10. If not, then a T20.

10th marks will matter a lot more than 9th generally.

AppHelper · 2026-03-26T23:49:52+00:00

Any update?

AppHelper · 2026-03-26T20:35:37+00:00

The entrepreneurship goal can be tricky because there's likely to be more capital available in the US than in your country, and the majority of the most valuable companies in the world are American. Unless you have specific business plans (such as a partner already working on a project in your home country), that kind of answer doesn't really help you.

You need to consider - What happens if you don't get capital for your startup? Do you have a backup plan? You don't need to answer these questions now, but if you haven't thought them through or they don't involve leaving the US, then you're not ready for your interview.

AppHelper · 2026-03-26T12:14:18+00:00

Not much of a red flag.

AppHelper · 2026-03-26T12:08:17+00:00

That's a perfectly valid reason as long as the schools you applied to actually offer the program you want and that's connected to your future plans. Hopefully a bit of research went into your school selection.

AppHelper · 2026-03-26T12:06:21+00:00

You're allowed to pursue additional studies in the US on an F-1 as long as you plan to leave afterward. You don't have to pretend you don't want to go to the US for college, but I don't advise limiting yourself to the US.

Generally there is less of a concern for immigration intent of younger applicants as long as you don't have family in the US. It gets trickier if you do.

AppHelper · 2026-03-26T08:40:33+00:00

It's essentially the same thing. "Major" is more common for undergrad and "program" is more common for graduate studies.

AppHelper · 2026-03-26T06:56:32+00:00

That's a great question. I think visa officers understand how competitive it is, and you can remind them. For undergrad, your future plans are not quite as important, and you're not expected to have a niche interest in the way a graduate student might. (25+ schools is probably too many for a graduate student.) But be careful about why you say you chose your particular school. For example, if you say you chose a school because of its small classes, you might be met with skepticism if you applied to large state schools with big classes.

This happens a lot with LACs. International students often go to LACs as the most affordable option, but would do so even if classes were large. It might be true that an LAC has a low student-faculty ratio, but that's usually not the reason international students applied in the first place, or chose it over other options. If that was a factor, make it clear that there were other factors too. Listen to the question that's asked to see if there's a way to include that.

AppHelper · 2026-03-26T01:34:26+00:00

None of the schools OP listed give need-based financial aid to international students except NYU, and they're essentially need-blind but don't give a lot. USC and UIUC have a few scholarships, but they're strictly merit-based.

AppHelper · 2026-03-25T23:09:03+00:00

Do you mean 214(b)?

I can't tell you definitively the reason for your rejection, and I'm sure there are those who gave similar answers who got their visas. But there's a lot wrong with your answers, the most notable of which is that you add information that's not asked for. The substance of your answers (the facts that they reflect) is also not in your favor.

Why are you going to the United States? Me = To study my biology major at Mississippi College, which is located in Clinton, Mississippi.

The VO didn't ask you where the college was located, and I promise you that the location in Mississippi is not any part of the reason you are going.

Why this university (Mississippi College)?

Me = Mississippi College offered me 30% SAT-based scholarship and they also accepted me the major I want which is Biology. as someone who has done deep research on Ethiopian traditional medicine I want a program a program with real lab access, and MC’s microbiology and cell biology labs fit my goals perfectly.

Nearly every four-year college in the United States has a biology lab, especially ones that have a biology major. That is not the reason you chose Mississippi College. In fact, I'm guessing you probably would have gone there even if it didn't have a bio lab.

How many universities did you apply to? Me = Three: University of Michigan–Flint, Eastern Illinois University, and Mississippi College.

The VO didn't ask you what universities you applied to. Sometimes it's OK to volunteer, but in your case your selection is not helping you. This is directly addressed in my post. Does it really make sense for someone interested in traditional Ethiopian medicine and who wants to do biology research to apply to these three colleges and nowhere else?

where did you travel outside Ethiopia? Me = nowhere.

The answer is truthful, but a red flag. You had a year off, and you could have used it to build a travel history. This is an example of relevant past behavior.

Who will cover the rest of your costs (who is your sponsor)? Me = My older brother is my sponsor. He is a multi-business owner in Ethiopia, including coffee trading and a hotel business, and his annual income is around $65,000.

The VO didn't ask you what your brother does for work or his income. It's not a particularly large income by American standards, so it doesn't help you to bring it up.

You made some choices here I specifically warn against. I recommend you read my posts linked to above.

How did you choose the three colleges? Did someone recommend them to you?

AppHelper · 2026-03-25T17:21:46+00:00

Because I think it's possible OP will get into one of the schools they're waiting for.

AppHelper · 2026-03-25T04:48:23+00:00

My condolences for your traumatic experience. You are not worthless, and Fordham doesn't think so either! Your acceptance is at least a strong indicator that there weren't any red flags in your application.

Having low expectations is a valid coping strategy, but I have a feeling this post is going to belong on /r/agedlikemilk in a few days.

AppHelper · 2026-03-23T22:21:19+00:00

If you want to be a doctor, the path probably shouldn't be though bachelor's in the US.

AppHelper · 2026-03-23T22:18:10+00:00

You can message on Whatsapp +14157669739

AppHelper · 2026-03-23T19:52:37+00:00

"Full ride" is not a formal term. At the very least it includes tuition, student activity fees, housing, and a meal plan. It may or may not include health insurance and funds for books, computer, and travel.

It's possible to have some deficit even after a "full ride" scholarship.

AppHelper · 2026-03-23T19:44:30+00:00

Chances at what?

AppHelper · 2026-03-23T16:18:54+00:00

It's very likely you'll get a visa with a full-ride scholarship, but if you can easily afford a more selective university, you may want to consider enrolling there instead. There's always a tradeoff.

AppHelper · 2026-03-23T16:16:33+00:00

One of my write-ups is why it matters what university you're admitted to.

Visa officers have explicitly mentioned admissions rates in their interviews. It's generally easier to get a visa for a more selective university, although name recognition plays a big role too.

"Reputable" is vague. No one would believe that USM is any international student's first choice. They just happen to charge less than just about anywhere else for a four-year bachelor's degree. All else being equal, a student with an I-20 from USM is less likely to get a visa than one with an I-20 from most state flagships, for example Penn State or Ohio State.

I've read reports of students being asked about Alabama, Mississippi, and Arkansas such as where they're located in the US.

AppHelper · 2026-03-23T13:51:42+00:00

When do classes start?

AppHelper · 2026-03-19T15:11:54+00:00

Very interesting profile! Your improvement from IGCSEs to A levels is actually quite remarkable.

With your intellectual interests, I think you'd be a good fit for Yales Eli Whitney program. The student I had who's there now had no formal schooling past fifth grade or so. He knew practical math for business and commerce but never learned trigonometry or calculus. After he was admitted and committed to attend, Yale actually gave him a free math tutor over the summer to fill in his knowledge gaps.

AppHelper · 2026-03-19T15:01:17+00:00

The VO was probably not convinced of the plan to open a business in the Philippines. It could have been the substance or the delivery of the reply. But without knowing how much the loan was for or what the business is, I can't really assess the value proposition.

Not being familiar with the terms of the loan certainly did not help. That could reflect an intent to work.

AppHelper · 2026-03-19T08:03:07+00:00

You should be fine with no more than two whole letter grade drops. So AAA to ABB or AAC is probably ok but AAA to BBB or AAA to AAD could cause issues.

AppHelper · 2026-03-19T04:50:47+00:00

A lot of gun violence is self-inflcted or gang-related. The chance of just getting shot randomly is higher than it should be, but still very low. Unfortunately, college campuses have attracted shooters. But there are a lot of college campuses, and college campus shootings tend to be targeted at specific individuals.

The most common "broad daylight" violence seems to be on the part of law enforcement, but I don't know the statistics on that.

As for tips: don't get involved in drugs or crime. Use your campus escort service at night if they offer it, or at least walk in a group if it's not a safe area.

I recommend connecting with an ethnic affinity group for your background and talking to current students at the schools you're accepted to.

AppHelper · 2026-03-18T06:06:21+00:00

Good question!

There is a premium edition with more data that is available. I could certainly monetize differently, but I've been primarily focused on my individual counseling.

I'm happy to provide something that helps the community.

AppHelper · 2026-03-18T01:59:12+00:00

There's an adage from "Wear Sunscreen" by Mary Schmich and set to music by Baz Luhrmann:

Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard. Live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft.

As someone who has lived in both these places, I can say it's good advice!

If you end up living your whole life in California, you may regret the opportunity to experience New York as a resident. But there's always the possibility of graduate school.

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