ok so having made some of these posts last year as a junior, here I am, yet again, to cope with my anxiety and get some +ve feedback to improve upon this application

Demographics: Indian male, international applicant, India
Applying: Fall 2027
Intended major: Electrical/Computer Engineering (No CS)
Academic interests: Robotics, electronics, embedded systems, mechanical engineering
Financial aid: Need substantial financial aid (EFC=10-15kUSD)

First gen

Academics

Curriculum: CBSE

• Grade 9: [91%]
• Grade 10 CBSE: [96%]
• Grade 11: [96-97%]
• Grade 12: currently in progress
• SAT: [1480 (800M 680ERW)/hoping for an improved score in the august sat, getting scores this friday]

My academics have improved substantially over high school, with my strongest performance coming in Grade 11

Context

I'm from India and have pursued most of my technical work through my school's Atal Tinkering Lab (ATL) and my own resources.

My school has a relatively developed ATL, but much of my electronics and robotics work has been self-directed. I have also pursued external opportunities through robotics competitions, an engineering college incubation lab, and independent projects.

A lot of my work has involved actually building things rather than just participating in STEM clubs.

Extracurriculars

1. ATL Captain / Robotics & Innovation Team Leader

Led my school's robotics and innovation teams through the Atal Tinkering Lab. Mentored ~5–7 robotics juniors and 3 innovation students, and helped organize annual interschool robotics/innovation competitions involving ~10–15 schools. Also handled competition arenas, formats/rules, registration and more complex events such as Robo-Soccer.

2. School Robotics Team, Cofounder & Team Leader

Cofounded my school's robotics team and built 10+ competition robots across combat robotics, Robo-Soccer, Robo-Race, line following and other categories. Led the team to ~20 interschool wins and QF/SF finishes at higher-level college competitions.

3. ******, Founder & Lead Developer

Independently developed a posture-monitoring device using an MPU6050 and ESP32. Started with an Arduino prototype and iterated toward a Wi-Fi-enabled, user-configurable system. Selected through INSPIRE-MANAK, later received ₹2.5L in government-subsidized project support through ITS Engineering College, and have filed a patent that is currently pending.

4. Team ********, Lead Robot Builder / Core Member

Joined as an intern and progressed to core member and then robot leader. Worked on chassis design, circuitry, motors and weight distribution across 25+ robots for school and college teams. Helped generate ~₹1.5L in robot sales. Team placed 3rd at IIIT-Delhi ESYA 2025 Titanium Breakdown.

5. ITS Engineering College, Project Development Intern

Worked at the college's ******* incubation lab to further develop ******; improved its circuitry, interface and functionality and worked toward the patent/product-development stage. Received ₹2.5L in government-subsidized project support through the college.

6. Independent Electronics & Embedded Systems

Built an ESP32 music player, posture-monitoring devices, a foot-posture system, custom perfboard circuits for competition robots, and 5+ other electronics/prototyping projects. Most of this has been self-directed.

7. “The Professional Idiots” Robotics Team, Cofounder

Independently cofounded a three-person robotics team with two friends outside my school robotics commitments. Built 5+ combat and Robo-Soccer robots and reached the semifinal of IIT Bombay Techfest's International RoboWars/Robo-Soccer event.

8. German Exchange, School Representative

One of 11 students representing my school on a ~10-day exchange to Germany. Helped lead cultural and STEM presentations, including a presentation about my robotics work, and visited local engineering industries.

the following two activities are just some hobbies kinda ones that ig add to my overall personality as a "non nerd" ig. Tho i do have one innovation activity but ig ive already sufficed that shi in earlier activities soooo yeah

9. Computer Building / Hardware

Built my first PC at 13 with guidance and later independently built two PCs. Long-term personal interest in computer hardware and systems.

10. Go-Karting / Motorsport

Competed in ~5 regional karting events. Learned about kart construction and mechanics, expanding my interest in how engines are built and tuned.

Honors

• CBSE National Science Exhibition: Zonal Winner (1/~50), Top 10 nationally in category
• BITS Pilani YEB Pitching Competition: 1st among 144 participants selected from 1,000+ applicants
• INSPIRE Awards–MANAK: Top 10% of ideas selected nationally
• ₹2.5L Government-Subsidized Grant through ITS Engineering College for UPRYTE: Only local school student
• IIT Bombay Techfest International RoboSoccer: Semifinalist

Other academic/technical work

I have also independently written a technical/research paper documenting my UPRYTE work and made it publicly available on Zenodo. It is not peer-reviewed. So not really considering to submit it in the application

Schools I'm considering

Elite / major reaches

Strong private / realistic-ish reaches

Publics

Additional / separate-portal pool

Still possible but not counting on em

• UIUC
• Purdue
• Georgia Tech
• Michigan State
• Virginia Tech
• Michigan–Ann Arbor

majority of this 'ambitious' college list is dependant upon the sat score i get in the upcoming 2-3 days soooo yeah

Questions

1. How competitive does this profile look for T20s as an Indian international applicant needing substantial financial aid?
2. Does the combination of competitive robotics + independent hardware development + UPRYTE/INSPIRE + patent/grant constitute a meaningful spike, or does it still look too concentrated around school-level activities?
3. How much does the progression from independent tinkering → school robotics leadership → external engineering work → product development help the overall narrative?
4. How valuable is the ₹2.5L government-subsidized grant and pending patent in admissions terms?
5. Does competing against college teams at events like IIT bombay or a similar IIIT Delhi ESYA materially strengthen the robotics profile?
6. Are there any activities that seem too weak or redundant and should be replaced before I submit?
7. Which schools on my list seem like the strongest fit for this particular profile?
8. For schools with restrictive early options, would you prioritize Stanford REA versus applying ED somewhere?
9. What are the biggest weaknesses or red flags in this profile that I should address before applications?
10. Brutally honest opinions welcome. I know international admissions at these schools are extremely unpredictable and I'm not expecting any individual award or activity to guarantee admission.

Hi guys,
I'm an international high school student planning my roadmap to apply for US undergraduate programs around 2029-2030. Given the current shifting landscape (visa policies, financial aid constraints, test-optional trends, and CS saturation), how do you foresee the environment for international applicants by 2030?
What critical factors should someone in my shoes start preparing for right now to stay competitive? Thanks for your insights!

I am gonna do partial ib , math aa hl and physics hl .I’m not sure if i can handle the full ib diploma because of the extended essay and etc . Do you guys advise me to do full ib ? , in my country there isn’t a lot of extracurriculars beside volunteering in hospitals and mun . I also plan to do the sat alongside the partial ib courses . My dream is to go to a strong university in the USA , atleast top 50 in the world . My desired majored is finance or engineering/law , what ib classes should I do if I do full ib and how many hours a day should I regularly study?

Profile:

Demographics

Location: South Asia ( not India )

Gender: M

School Type: Private

Secondary School Graduation Year: 2026

Intended Major: CSE , IR ( minor)

Financials

Full Aid needed

Secondary School Academics:

Curriculum (9-10): National boards

Year 9 Final Exam Grades/GPA/Percentage (if available): 3.89/4.0

( Year 10 ) Board Exam Grades/GPA/Percentage: 3.86 / 4.0

Curriculum (11-12): A-level

List of Subjects Year 11:

EGP

CS

Math

Physics

Chem

List of Subjects Year 12 (if different):

same

Year 11 Final Exam Grades/GPA/Percentage: a,a,a,a,a

Board Exam Grades/GPA/Percentage: A* ( comp) , A,A,A , ( egp is as level only)

Rank (if available): No rank

Standardized Testings

Sat : 1520

Honors

1. AI olym ( IOAI ) HM
2. Meta Hacker Cup - R2
3. International Young Physicists’ Tournament (IYPT), National Team Member
4. International Computer Science Competition Finalist (Top 15%, Featured for Outstanding Submission

Extracurriculars

1. Team Captain, NASA International Space Apps Challenge - Global Nominee (1,294 of 18,860 teams)
2. Designed curriculum and study plans for 300+ underprivileged students in Grades 1–10; taught Grade 10 for national exams
3. Working with a major reinsurerer to predict hail storm losses ( potentially saving millions )
4. Intern at a US firm - Built agentic AI
5. Varsity Cric

6-7-8-9-10 --> Generic EC's

Essays/LoRs/Others

From the school : It will be okayish

i am not sure if i can get letter of recom from the internship firm. I have a letter of work from the insurer but not LOR ( they are kinda busy and it's difficult to ask them)

Essay well idk ;-;

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Based on my profile what should i do. I will ED to dartmouth potentially ( bc its need blind ). E

I’m an international student admitted to a U.S. university for Fall 2026. I had my F-1 interview on August 5, and my case went into administrative processing.

On August 24, the embassy emailed me under 221(g) requesting a new I-20 with a start date at least 2 weeks from the date I submit it. They used the word “refused,” but specifically asked me to submit the revised I-20.

The problem is that my school is now telling me they may only be able to move me to Spring 2027 because of my late arrival.

However, my school's international office previously told me I could enter and complete immigration check-in by around September 23/24. I’ve also contacted my professors about my late arrival and made plans to catch up.

I’m now asking my school if there’s any way to keep my Fall 2026 admission and issue a revised I-20 with a later Fall start date. One email said they “can only put me in the Spring semester,” which is what I’m worried about.

Has anyone experienced something similar? Is it possible for a school to issue a revised I-20 with a later Fall start date in this situation? And should I keep pushing for Fall, or accept the Spring deferral?

Any advice would be really appreciated!

Hello there, as the title suggests, I am currently in my undergrad final year and wish to apply for a PhD right after my graduation (I will graduate in May next year). So far what I learned is that the deadlines for most fall applications are within December 2026 - January 2027. And I have to manage a professor within this time (although I have seen people getting admission and GRA/TA-ship without first contacting a prof).

My interests are in Hydrology, climatology, atmospheric and earth science. My ongoing thesis lies at the intersection of paleoclimatology and hydrology, exploring their relationship with the regional climate. I have also done research work under different relevant courses I had throughout my university which helped me build my own preference. So I actually know where my interests lie, and I have short listed some of the professors from different universities whose work closely matches with my interest.

Thing is I have not yet published anything in a peer reviewed journal. I am currently collaborating with multiple faculty members on various ongoing research projects that are not yet ready for publication which they can vouch for in LOR.

And so I'm asking this question again, because the application fees are quite unaffordable for me at this moment (will try to get waivers), I wont be able to apply to many universities. Given my ongoing research experience, do you think I have a solid profile to apply for Fall 2027? I ask because a senior student from my department recently secured funding without prior publications, which encouraged me to consider it.

Thank you so much

So I am an Indian from a CBSE school and I plan on applying to colleges in the US. My school does not have a school profile but I have talked with my counsellor and she says she would prepare one. If anyone has any examples of a CBSE school profile or what it should include and all that, please let me know. It would be very helpful if I had an idea on what it should look like. Thank you!

Hello everyone, so i want to move to Florida because It has been my dream since i moved to Spain in Europe Over 9 years ago now. Before Florida, i lived in Canada, Cuba and Venezuela where i grew up, and i was probably THE HAPPIEST kid in the world. I simply have everything i dream of in Florida, and have always wanted to come back to the Americas because It’s where i was born, raised and where i feel i have left everything behind. I have been more than unhappy in Europe.

I am about to finish GED exams these next months because i genuinely have a diploma that is not enough to move yet, so once i do finish them, ill have moved on the the VISA process and etc. i am knowledgeable on what i’d have to do and when to move. I do have some doubts, however. Specifically on the financial side.

I am looking for an F1VISA, as i do not know which other i can do for university students internationally. I will be in the process of getting one once i finish my exams, however, i do not know if i can get a BECA to also help to pay everything apart from my on job campus. I am of course, looking for a university that offers on job campus, as i am dependent on this as i will be living alone. I also have my family living in Florida but i will not be asking them for any help financially as they are my cousins.

I think ill be able to manage because ill be getting some sort of University residence or like a shared university room to rent. Of course, it’ll have to be as cheap as possible, but i am not looking for a good looking place anyway. I will not be planning to spend on anything such as clothes except every once in a while, as i know the responsability you have living alone, especially as an international student. However, if there is any way to have a BECA or anything that can help you financially, as i am a student moving from Spain for my studies, i would deeply appreciate it. Thank you!

I'm not from america and come from a low income family so i need a full ride scholarship to attend college in the us. I know it's extremely hard to find full aid and that i need to be extremely competitive but I'm not. I don't have any awards and my school doesnt offer any aps or harder classes, we also don't have any sport teams or clubs that I can join, and my class consists of 9 people which makes it hard to start something of my own. I also have a special needs little brother amd I have a responsibility to care for him every day after school when my mum goes to work. I am a straight A student and I got 1520 on the sat so there's that but nothing else ig. Everybody online says that when colleges review your application they take your circumstances into account so this gives me a bit of hope till I remember that I'm absolutely not qualified to compete with anyone for a scholarship. I could write caregiver as an extracurricular and elaborate how this includes independently teaching him how to communicate via sign language and just being his teacher since our school doesn't have anyone qualified for him and I could also talk abt my hobbies?( crocheting, painting, gardening, woodworking) there's nowhere to volunteer here which I knowis really important for them( helping elderly neighbors with yard work and errands could count?) .every scholarship is so competitive, I need someone to just straight up tell me that I should quit it. I don't have a counselor/ advisor so I would really appreciate someone being real with me .(T_T)

I’ve applied for an F-1 visa twice and unfortunately wasn’t approved. I have 4 family members supporting my education, and I’ll need to defer my class and apply again.

Has anyone been in a similar situation and eventually got approved on their 3rd attempt? I’d really appreciate hearing your experience.

Please be kind, Thank you!

See, I am an international student and preparing for the SAT but the thing is that the college board is not taking my address as a valid even I ticked outside of the us 😭

I’ve spent an abysmal amount of time scrounging the internet for people with my background who have gotten into ivy leagues or t20s, and shared their stats, essays etc and found nothing. Maybe one of two people at most, but as i approach the application season myself i’m struggling to determine whether my choices are realistic considering the opportunities available to me ( stanford, cornell, mit, princeton etc). I know ivy league education is a long shot for everyone, let alone internationals. However i genuinely feel i’ve done everything in my capacity to pursue my passion, although it may not be up to par with some of the people in my country. I’m just wondering if i still have a chance. For context my grades are stellar, my ecs are mid (but are what’s available to me), i’m a black african female applying for engineering. I’m aware this isn’t enough information, but if anyone is on the same path as me or knows someone who was able to make it some advice would be helpful.

If you want industry experience or want employment post-grad...

CPT OPT H1B are basically gone. Without these you can't get industry experience in US or secure post-grad employment in US.

If you want to go for PhD...

Government is doing their best to fuck up research and even US citizens are applying en masse to Europe cuz US PhD programs are getting fucked. Plus you can't do internship during PhD and you are basically putting all your eggs in getting a tenure track position post graduation with no back up of industry position.

If you want US experience....

get a tourist visa and visit New York or something.

No point in wasting hundreds of thousands of dollars

FIU G1Y

Hello everyone, i has been admitted to FIU Global for the spring 2027.

Can anyone give me insight into if the program is worth it?

If they enjoyed the program, and whether or not they recommend?

Hi guys, I am an IB student who did not do the diploma bc it was in german and mine sucks.

My gpa is 3.4(85% over 10), last 2 gpas: 3.52.

1470 sat 770 math 700 RW.

Intended major: Industrial engineering

No class ranking, my counselor explained that the school is really rigorous

even as a certificate student all of my subjects are IB content, I have 10 subjects and my math curriculum although is SL is almost calculus 1.

I can pay 26k a year.

Ec:

-varsity rowing(multiple local awards)

-2 internships( 2026 at private investment fund, 2025 at a cable company)

-Cas volunteering x4 ( the most remarkable was leading a project where we collected 2k for a foundation that provides healthcare for underprivileged children with cancer.)

-30 hours of volunteering at local church

-varsity soccer at hs

Letters of recommendation:

from the Colombian Consul in Ecuador and the Consul of the United States

My math, biology and English for university teachers.

I will graduate in February 2027, and i was thinking about applying late 2027.

Currently, I want to apply to Tamu, Texas tech, Iowa state university, Ut Austin for out of state tuition waivers.

Thanks for reading, And have a nice day!

Hi! I'm a student of grade 9 wondering if it is still worth it going to the U.S and studying in one of the ivy league universities ......because I've seen many posts and people saying that it takes the whole life to get the green card in the U.S ........so I want to know that if someone comes to the U.S on study visa , is there still a good chance of settling in there????.......if yes then what are the ways!!??

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Hi everyone, first time posting here... it took me a lot of courage, so please be kind and apologize for any typos or grammar mistakes

My Situation

Age & Timeline: I’m a 21-year-old international student Planning to apply via Common App in Fall 2027 for Fall 2028 entry.

Financial Need: need 100% financial aid /a full ride

Background & Gap Years: Finished high school 2 years ago.

Year 1 : Helped the family who supported me through high school ( childcare, housework)

Year 2 (this year) : Spent mastering English ( where I'm from, English is our third language)

The Dilemma:

My family wants me to enroll in a public university in my home country right now. They are worried about my age and scared about what happens if I don't get into a US university or don't get a scholarship

However, universities where I live face heavy corruption, and finding work post-graduation usually requires bribes. I know the US isn't easy either ... but I want a real shot at a better education

My high school grades were low (except 10th grade and 12th where I was Top 5-10 ), so I’m relying on SAT scores, essays, and extracurriculars to build a holistic application ,,, which is why the US is my main focus compared to countries that look strictly at transcripts.

The Transfer Concern:

Someone advice me to enroll locally while preparing my US application.Yeaaah ,but my biggest fear is that taking university will classify me as a Transfer Applicant

From what I heard, international transfer students struggle much more to get aid than first-year applicants or requires significant family contribution, which is impossible for me.

MyQuestions is:

1. Should I refrain from enrolling at a local university and keep working/saving money so I can apply as a First-Year (to keep my full aid eligibility), even if it means taking another gap year ?

2. Or is enrolling locally worth the backup security, and accept that I'd apply as a transfer student later ?

3. Is 23 too old start as a freshman international student in the US ?

4. If I take the SAT in August or November 2027, will my scores arrive in time for Early Action deadlines ?

I really appreciate honest answer rather than just reassurance.

Thank you

Hey guys! I finished my masters in data science in May 2026 and My OPT got approved the next month itself ! I have been trying so hard but couldn't land a job I've never wanted to or will join a shady consultancy which only provides offer letters to stop clock! I don't know what to do I'm freaking out , one of my classmate suggested a Non profit Organization but they aren't responding ,should I just pack my bags given the present climate ?

When I was preparing to study in the US., I thought I had everything figured out financially. I was accepted to a university and received a generous full tuition scholarship, which I was incredibly grateful for. I carefully calculated my expenses and made a plan for how I would afford everything else.
Even with my tuition covered, my first year was still expensive. After housing, food, insurance, and other expenses, I was paying around $14,000 a year. I come from a country where many people don’t make that much money in a year, so this was a huge amount for me. But I told myself, Okay, I can afford the first year. The second year will be easier.

At my university, first-year students were required to have a meal plan, and it was expensive. My plan was simple: after my first year, I would drop the meal plan, cook for myself, and save a lot of money.
But that’s not what happened.

The international student health insurance increased by $200 and housing and meal plans increased by 6%. Then my university made the meal plan mandatory for all students living on campus, not just first-year students. Suddenly, the financial plan I had carefully made no longer worked the way I expected.
At the same time, I was trying to figure out internships and ways to make money. During my first year, I was pretty clueless about the internship process and wasn’t able to get one. I stayed over the summer and worked instead. Thankfully, I later got an RA position, which gave me free housing and provided a huge amount of financial relief.

With free housing, I was like, Okay, great. Next summer I’ll get an internship, make money, and use that to help pay for school myself with no parents help.

But again, things changed.

As many of you know, the new administration has paused CPT, which means international students are currently not allowed to do internships unless the internship is required by their academic program. My program does not require an internship, which means I can’t plan on doing an internship in the U.S. next summer the way I originally expected to.

The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that you cannot assume everything will stay the same. University policies can change. Costs can increase. Insurance can become more expensive. Your plans for work or internships might not work out. And, especially with the current political environment, things affecting international students can change suddenly.
I’m not saying, “Don’t come to the U.S.” In fact, despite all the stress and unexpected changes, I am having the time of my life and a lot of opportunities.

I’ve met some of the best people here. I’ve met my best friends. I’ve had the college experience I always wanted, I traveled and I am genuinely grateful for the opportunity to be here.

Be financially prepared. Be mentally prepared. And don’t assume that everything will remainn predictable.

Let's list the universities and colleges that have paused CPT:

• UC Berkeley
• UCLA
• Purdue
• Ohio State University
• UIUC
• UW Madison
• UMN-TC
• University of Washington
• Texas A&M
• St Olaf
• Oberlin
• Colorado College
• Boston Univ
• UPenn
• Northwestern
• Penn State
• USC
• Harvard
• UCSD

Let me know if you know of any universities and colleges that have paused CPT, and I will add them here.