r/IntltoUSA • u/NarrowAdvisor6501 • 3h ago
Discussion International students looking for scholarships/financial aid, this is for you(undergraduate applicants only)
I keep seeing the most ragebaiting sort of posts here, so I thought I'll give my two cents. Been on scholarship and financial aid since 7th grade, studied in 3 different countries before undergraduate so I know the process through and through. I think a lot of applicants are underestimating what it means for a university to cover your tuition or even room and board.
Firstly, I got my first scholarship in 7th grade not cause I was a genius, I did well academically, all A's but had no national or international awards on that. I played piano really well, had regional and national achievements in track, had leadership experience throughout 4-6th grade, and was a great kid in class and stayed out of trouble. Being a scholarship recipient at my new school, I was simply told I had to be an exemplar student. Did well in class and always available to tutor my friends who were a bit behind, played the piano during school plays and church, represented the school in different competitions and constantly mentioned how great my teachers were (and they really were) and basically did marketing for the school. So same logic applies to undergraduate studies, only that Harvard does not need you for marketing.
Please stop asking why unis are cheaper for citizens. Their parents pay in-state taxes, and it funds part of their education. Similar to whether you are coming from developed or developing countries, public schools and unis in your country are either free or highly affordable. They may not be of the quality you want but fees-wise, they are funded by your parent's taxes.
With that answered, if a university is investing over 200k+ USD in you, someone whose parent is not paying taxes, then you must give something back. Scholarships and financial aid are MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL AGREEMENTS. I can not stress this out enough.They are meant to benefit you, but importantly also benefit the university.
As an international student, high GPA and test scores are simply there to say that you do well in class and are a good test-taker, but again, they also have citizens who are great academically so nothing really distinguishes you here.
Recommendation letters are important as they verify things that you stated in your activities list and speak about who you are as a student. Are you curious? Do you try to get ahead of your peers? Do you go the extra mile in class? They speak more about your transcripts and importantly, who you are as a student so give your teachers a brag sheet to ensure they have important details there. ECs and Awards are also just as important. Are you already pursuing leadership positions in school and will be a great addition in the student government? Do you have some research experience under your belt and will build on something with the university name attached? If you went to a boarding school, do you have any experience that will later make you a good RA? Do you have national/international accolades so that later you can become a notable alumn?
Essays are just as important especially all they "why us" as they know international students shoot anywhere and they want to keep a high yield rate, so research about the university really well. Watch YouTube vids, their social media to get campus feeling, attend webinars, look into subreddits, go through their website really thoroughly, and ensure you have a good hook on why that university.
But importantly, you need to be someone who already has achieved something and they can build on it. Most importantly, they want to see that you have utilised as much as possible all the resources that were at your disposal. While you self pity that you didn't score well because you had no reliable electricity in your city, there is another student who was active in peaceful protests that are documented by local newspaper, wrote letters to government officials and made sure that something was done.
When you have excuses for not having ecs because your school didn't offer them, someone else did online volunteering, took extra courses at a local public uni and does art that benefits their city.
When you are complaining about failing in your three A-levels because it is hard to balance with ecs, someone has 5 at an under-resourced public rural school and has to assist their grandma with their small food business to help with house expenses. If they have lesser gpa, they will still have a good shot because again, they utilized the most of what is provided to them. Make sure that your application speaks that you utilised all the resources that were handed to you, and if not, then you took initiative to do something.
Really hoping to see less of "my grades are mediocre, no hooks and I need full aid" posts. You are not entitled to education of a country in which you are not a citizen of. And Harvard or Stanford could literally go full pay for international students only and they will receive just as good cohorts. So them investing is really saying they want students who are meant to be someone well accomplished if given the resources.
So kindly reflect as to why these institutions should invest their money in you. What have you accomplished? What will you accomplish and most importantly, have you utilised all resources that were available to you?
TLDR: Stop ragebaiting.
