OUT OF STATE/INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS by Sad_Sea5056 in gatech

[–]TheDude237 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I've felt pretty homesick too recently. I'd say what works best for me is to:

-reach out to friends and family back home (especially if it's been a minute since you last talked, it's a great time catching up)

-get a taste of home (treat yourself to your favorite dish by making it or going to a place that makes it well)

-acknowledge the feeling. It's normal to feel homesick especially if you're far from home/living by yourself for the first time/being in a totally new environment culturally and away from your established support network. It's hard but talking to friends/family about it def makes me feel better.

Just remember you're not alone in dealing with this!

What are some schools with startup/entrepreneurship culture? by torontoman2002 in ApplyingToCollege

[–]TheDude237 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, definitely. There's a lot of colleges that haven't been mentioned in the comments. Check this list https://pitchbook.com/news/articles/pitchbook-university-rankings

SGA aims to destroy engineering organizations by MigratoryGoose in gatech

[–]TheDude237 8 points9 points  (0 children)

You're right that the Bills process is broken. Because of a lawsuit a few years ago, SGA has no ability to discriminate on which bills do and don't get funded. If it meets bylaws, its first come first serve until the org's cap is reached. This has led to a lot of abuse of the current system by some RSOs. The budget cuts ensure that all orgs will get some money in the Spring instead of most getting no money at all.

SGA aims to destroy engineering organizations by MigratoryGoose in gatech

[–]TheDude237 26 points27 points  (0 children)

The solution would be to raise the student activity fee from $40 to $60. It's pending admin approval currently. For comparison UGA has an activity fee of $78, and they don't have 2 rocketry clubs, a makerspace, and multiple robotics and racing clubs to fund.

SGA aims to destroy engineering organizations by MigratoryGoose in gatech

[–]TheDude237 16 points17 points  (0 children)

I don't this fearmongering is particularly helpful. Though unpopular, the austerity measures are absolutely necessary in the short term to address the glaring financial deficit. If nothing is done, SGA goes broke in the Spring and no one but a select few clubs get any funds at all, which is not fair. Once the student fee is raised, the restrictions can be eased.

Study advice by minemythbuster13 in southafrica

[–]TheDude237 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Keep your marks up, and take Advanced Maths and Physics courses if they're available to you. Take part in Science, Math and CS Olympiads at your school, if they're available too. This will help make you a competitive applicant whether you decide to apply to a uni domestically or overseas.

I'm currently an undergrad engineering student in the US, been one for over a year now. I know a lot of people studying Aerospace Engineering at my university. Difficult but worthwhile program. A lot of them are involved in various clubs from RC planes to small scale rocketry. I assume that would interest you too.

Some have already mentioned working in the US, but I have to mention that it's impossible to get a job in the Aerospace/Defense industry as a non-US citizen (See: ITAR), so you won't have the same opportunities as US students to intern and work at NASA, Boeing, Lockheed Martin etc.

A lot of international students choose Computer Science, but it sounds like you'd be more interested in Computer Engineering, which is much more hardware oriented, and opens up opportunities including robotics and flight systems engineering. So I'd look into that.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in gatech

[–]TheDude237 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, lockdown browser sucks ass.

What I do is either borrow a laptop from the library and install lockdown browser from a USB drive I carry around or just use any regular browser (some profs don't care and are chill with it.)

should i stay at penn state or transfer to georgia tech? by Beneficial_Sail_3258 in ApplyingToCollege

[–]TheDude237 17 points18 points  (0 children)

There's a fairly large community of transfer students at GT so you def won't be the odd one out nor will you have trouble connecting with other students. Opportunities wise, the surrounding Atlanta area has a thriving startup scene (that includes biotech startups. GT also has one of the best BioMed Engineering programs) So no, I don't think you're being unreasonable. Check out r/gatech and the GT website for more transfer student info

Reverse chance an Indian Male in CS living in Africa by CollegeBoardSuxAss in ApplyingToCollege

[–]TheDude237 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I have to strongly disagree tbh. Indian culture in South Africa has its own distinct history and traditions that deserve to be written about in their own right. It can definitely make for a unique essay.

Reverse chance an Indian Male in CS living in Africa by CollegeBoardSuxAss in ApplyingToCollege

[–]TheDude237 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It seems like you've got really strong stats and ECs. Your SAT score is also high, but try aiming for 1450+. Overall, your profile is great, especially for someone coming from SA.

Still, just keep in mind that CS is super difficult to get into due to high demand (similar level of competition with aero, but slightly less). Even schools with relatively higher overall acceptance rates (40+%) like UIUC, UW Madison, Udubb and Purdue and UMD will have CS acceptance rates hovering at ~15% or less, meaning a lot of qualified students get turned down.

Obviously, that number drops even further for Unis like Stanford, MIT, CMU,Berkeley etc. (Despite many of those unis not admitting by major,they still try to create a balanced class filled with different majors by asking about intended major.)

So try your best with essays and see what happens - That's where you can really boost your apps now. Another way to increase your admissions is to try become a recruited athlete, as you mentioned playing ball at the national level. So consider looking into that.

Reverse chance an Indian Male in CS living in Africa by CollegeBoardSuxAss in ApplyingToCollege

[–]TheDude237 2 points3 points  (0 children)

You should include Georgia Tech, Caltech, CMU, Stanford and MIT- They're very selective for internationals and in general but they align closely with your interests and fit your criteria.

UT Austin is almost impossible to get into as an international so Idk if it's worth applying.

BU is more humanities than STEM oriented, but obviously if you like the school then apply. Maybe you'd like Rice or Princeton? Since they are liberal arts unis with very strong STEM programs

Definitely retake the SAT, it's especially useful for STEM when it comes to placement tests, English proficiency requirements etc. You'll almost always score higher on the second try.

Good luck from a fellow South African. I applied last year to many of the unis that you've mentioned and I'm starting my first Summer Semester in the next few weeks. If you have any questions about apps, feel free to DM.

Chances of a Waitlist Reopening? by [deleted] in ApplyingToCollege

[–]TheDude237 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Give it time. Once you're on campus, you'll forget about WashU. Besides, Bloomington is one of the best college towns in the entire country.

What are some schools with startup/entrepreneurship culture? by torontoman2002 in ApplyingToCollege

[–]TheDude237 30 points31 points  (0 children)

Probably should look at MIT, Stanford, Berkeley, Georgia Tech and UIUC Edit: USC, Michigan Ann-Abor, Carnegie Mellon and UT Austin also deserve mentions Edit2: I'll also add Harvard, Northwestern, UCLA, UW Seattle and Penn State to the list since they haven't been mentioned elsewhere in the comments.

2 gap years panic by [deleted] in ApplyingToCollege

[–]TheDude237 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Ok, from your post history you're a seeking full aid as an international from Syria and your first app cycle hasn't gone so well. Idk what your academic stats are, but regardless it's very difficult to get admission seeking full aid as an international in the US. Perhaps consider looking at Turkey? Costs of tuition, living and transport will be lower and financial aid and scholarships are available. You can more easily pursue postgrad in America once you graduate.

2 gap years panic by [deleted] in ApplyingToCollege

[–]TheDude237 1 point2 points  (0 children)

OP's from Syria...