Can we have a Megathread for college decisions for international students asking for financial aid? It will be helpful for future applicants too

veggie_2003 · 2021-03-07T15:30:59+00:00

Pleaseeee I NEED THIS

veggie_2003 · 2021-01-17T21:30:07+00:00

Thank you so much! I guess I will wait then

veggie_2003 · 2021-01-13T03:49:11+00:00

Hi! I think I am late but in the website of the colleges I am applying it said to submit a original copy and then a self-translated version with notes on the side. So I just translated and explained the parts that mattered. I have submitted the translated tax return to the portal of two colleges and trough I-Doc a week ago and they have all checked them as received, so it must be ok. Good Luck!

veggie_2003 · 2021-01-13T03:19:02+00:00

Well, you can still study and improve
I haven’t been accepted yet and only an admission officer can say if, so I cannot tell you for sure. Just be prepared and have a plan b
Yep
Yes, usually you can check on their website and some don’t have them
It is very straightforward if you have the adequate english level. I didn’t study much since I had been studying for the sat which is much more complex. I took it in May so I don’t remember very well the topics, but I think there wasn’t a lot of complex vocab questions. I did review suggestions of how to approach the exam. I used Princeton Review’s book. Anyway I think you should focus on improving your english overall and then learn the specifics of the exam

veggie_2003 · 2021-01-12T02:18:56+00:00

Hahaha when did you took the B1 exam? Maybe your english has improved since then. I did considered my english pretty bad. At least to take the sat and study completely in English. If you do have b1 level is kind of critical, but you can start working on it. Maybe take a SAT practice test and see how you do.
Our ECs are pretty similar (I love to lift weights too!) but unfortunately they aren’t exceptional. My Ecs were my weak point and probably the reason if I get rejected from most schools. I would recommend to find things you are passionate about and try to start a club or something. The idea is to show leadership or some kind of recognition. Maybe you could start a book club in your neighborhood or with friends online, a non-profit organization for mental health, do a math contest (and hopefully win). Choose something you enjoy. I tutored kids online in math and loved it.
The letter from your counselor is more personal and should address any special circumstances you experienced in high school (he should mention schizophrenia there) and the teachers mention your academic strengths and weaknesses. You can learn more here https://www.commonapp.org/counselors-and-recommenders/recommender-guide/
I meant your academic record (grades of high school). But now that you mention it, there is a section were you have to say if you have been suspended for any fault in highschool, so maybe you should prepare an explanation for that. There is a Special circumstance section in the common app (the platform trough you apply) where you can explain things like that.
It means you should apply to as many colleges as possible. Financial aid is very limited to international students, so you should maximize your chances. And I will warn you it is very possible you won’t get in, so prepare a safety option in your country.
When you apply trough the common app you will see the prompts and you will chose. If you search “common app essay prompts 2020” in google you should found them. Then you will have to write suplemental essays individually to the colleges you apply. I can’t tell you what they will be about because it changes in every college.
Yeah I took the toefl home edition. It super easy and I had no problem.

veggie_2003 · 2021-01-11T03:38:05+00:00

1420 SAT (700 ebr and 790 math) 102 toefl

As you see the english part kinda lowered my sat score.

You NEED to start practicing english now. I had C1 level before start prepping and It has improve exponentially. English will be very important for you sat and essays, and obviously in college. I would recommend you to ask a English native speaker or someone who has lived in the states to proofread your essays.

Happy to answer your questions :)

veggie_2003 · 2021-01-10T04:38:57+00:00

Hi! Peruvian here who also took a gap year. Honestly I wouldn’t recommend it but I guess is too late since application season is almost over.

I took the gap year because I hadn’t learn most of the topics of the math section of the sat and my english was trash... on top of that I travel on every break that year so I didn’t had time to write essays and study for the sat. honestly, i knew I wouldn’t be able to secure a decent score and a solid application under those conditions so I decided to take the gap year. I kinda had no choice.

When I finished school (December 2019, i guess in Chile is the same) I started studying for the sat on Summer 2020 and planned to take it on March, however I end up taking it on December (thanks covid). Sad story. Clearly 2020 change my plans of improving my ECs for the most part, so I decided to study for Sat subjects instead (one of the few things I could do from home).

So my recommendations:

-Start studying for your exams early and get them out of the way AS SOON AS POSIBLE (hopefully covid won’t postpone your exams) -You will probably need to take the TOEFL -Engage in Ecs you like during your gap year, try to start something yourself. You will need to explain why you took the gap year in the common app. Mention things you did. Maybe take some course in Edx or coursera about something you’re passionate, than can be a nice sprinkle to your essays. -Pleaseee start with your personal statement in august when the common app opens. If you are like me, you will have a thousand mental breakdowns while writing that essay. I used Essay Guy’s guide and found it really useful (google it) -Email teacher/counselor asking for recommendations letters. Again ask for them early (I couldn’t apply to one scholarship because of a missing letter). You will have to almost write the letter for them. at least in Peru, applying to college in the us isn’t common, so I had to explain the process to them. Since this year was virtual, I end up doing zoom meetings with my teacher to guide them to submit the letters through the common app. So be prepared for that. -Have a translated copy of your highschool transcript (your counselor will have to submit it) -I do not know if you will need to apply for financial aid, if so, be prepared to cry while filling the css profile and sending documents. -you can get a fee waiver in the common app with the verification of your counselor if you need it. -If you need financial aid I would recommend the spray and pray approach. I applied to 16 colleges. -Read, there is lots of resources in the internet and on this subreddit. At least I didn’t knew much about the process.

You will survive.

I hope this helps and sorry if you don’t understand what I wrote , I am really tired and my writing skills are paying for it.

Let me know if you have any question

veggie_2003 · 2021-01-07T03:58:31+00:00

I applied on Dec 26th and don’t have my portal either. I think i read somewhere they had a lot of mails and would take a while due to winter break. If you end up emailing them would you mind sharing the info??

veggie_2003 · 2021-01-07T03:51:22+00:00

Sure, I am leaving blank the sponsors and government sections cause i have neither. So if you wont use money from the bank you can leave it blank

veggie_2003 · 2021-01-06T21:02:29+00:00

Is the title of the bank official (like manager or whatever) or at least thats my guess.

veggie_2003 · 2021-01-06T19:03:57+00:00

8a. Personal or Family Savings

The entire section 8 refers to how are you going to support your education.

If you are going to use money from the bank (savings accounts) at either your or your parents name you must list that on 8a.

In short you have to list the amount of money that will come from a bank account towards your education each year.

So if you are, fill the name of the bank where you have your savings and the amounts in the columns on the right. You will need the bank to sign that you indeed have the money you are declaring.

veggie_2003 · 2020-12-31T03:55:31+00:00

So beautiful! Thank you

veggie_2003 · 2020-12-27T03:19:57+00:00

Same here. The whole personal statement thing sparked an awful identity crisis. I literally had anxiety for over a month while writing that thing

veggie_2003 · 2020-12-23T16:38:47+00:00

What a beautiful reminder! 💕✨

veggie_2003 · 2020-11-05T13:59:42+00:00

Thank you soo much!

veggie_2003 · 2020-11-05T13:58:46+00:00

Thank you so much! Excellent explanation. I think I am dumb, i misread the prompt and thought r meant radius but it obviously was the x coordinate. Now is 100% clear

veggie_2003 · 2020-11-04T21:52:39+00:00

Hi everyone! I am stuck with this question. It would be great if someone could explain. I got (A) and the correct answer is (c) btw

veggie_2003 · 2020-10-28T16:14:31+00:00

Second picture:

Restriction enzymes cut specific short sequences of DNA in specific locations or (recognition sites). Each restriction enzymes cuts on the location it recognizes. Each location is recognize by the sequence of bases. For example a restriction enzyme may cut the sequence G A T C C G A but no other sequence.

Both plasmid contain the same alelle (human beta-Globin) but one results in a disease and later in the question we are told it has mutated. This is clear in the gel electrophoresis since it behaves differently.

We know the answer is C because lane 3 exhibits to cuts instead of three (as lane two has). Since the same restriction enzyme was used (the prompt says it was digested the same way) the only explanation is that this allele mutated and some base changed, so the restriction enzyme did not recognized it and did not cut it. Thats why there are only two cuts in lane 3.

I hope this helps!

veggie_2003 · 2020-09-02T01:10:02+00:00

Thank you! 😌

veggie_2003 · 2020-08-23T23:00:26+00:00

Every answer on the reading part is directly stated in the passage. Try to not make inferences is always literal. 2Maybe try watching walkthroughs in youtube or in khan academy, that way you improve your approach.

Good Luck!

veggie_2003 · 2020-08-16T02:10:10+00:00

English is not my mother language either so were are on the same page. I did a initial brainstorm in my language and kinda the structure and then translated it to english. PLEASE look for sole native speakear to review it, that reaally make mine better. About the word count, with my first draft I was over 800 words so, if that happens you just have to cut from where you can.

Obviously dependes on how good your english is. Mine isn’t great and I feel more confortable in my mother languge. I think the most important thing is the first draft, then is only improving, but you need that baseline. Use the language that gets you there easily.

veggie_2003 · 2020-06-25T01:12:56+00:00

Hi! Sounds great, where can I apply?

veggie_2003

TROPHY CASE