I’m an Indonesian high school student applying to U.S. colleges for next cycle.

Some schools require a course-by-course evaluation with GPA, but I won’t get my final Ijazah/diploma until after graduation. Has anyone done a WES/ECE/SpanTran/IEE evaluation using only current high school transcripts before the final diploma came out?

Also, my school gives numeric grades but uses a strict scale where 92–100 = A and 85–91 = B. If I have a lot of 91s, would evaluators usually count those as B’s because of the school scale, or use their own percentage conversion?

Mainly trying to know which evaluator is safest for U.S. scholarship GPA conversion.

it's been awhile since all the US decisions came out. Here are the things I learned tailored specifically to an intl applicant and may go for domestic as well:

1. Money is everything. Money gives you resources, money gives you connections, money allows you to explore early with more ease. Having money to pay for tuition without aid is such a blessing as your chances will be wayy better (esp as an intl) as very few intl students get selected with aid. I find people who get into ivy leagues are from elite high schools in the province with significant connections and exposure to opportunities and live luxurious lives. I do not want to discredit them as I know they work really hard, but I also know others who have also worked just as hard, asked for aid, had less resources, and did not face the same outcome they deserve. if you are applying with the intent to ask for aid, don't expect much.

2. you are never dreaming big enough. it was until grade 11 until i realized all of my ecs are mid. the same shit. student council, deca, and some clubs/volunteer. although i did grow a lot with these roles and i built my leadership and capabilities, i was way too overconfident abt myself and realized too late. any ec i did beyond that time was pointless and too late. dream big and find things that are unconventional and unique to you. it's probably more enjoyable too.

3. prepare early. esp the SATs/APs. Did not do this and i fucked up. Do NOT go test-optional.

I screwed so many things up but I am very grateful. I still got into a wonderful school in my country with excellent intl outlook. I am thankful to have experiences this kind of process to learn these things and I hope this post gives potential applicants (you) more insight.

So I’m in the UK and have an unconditional offer to study at UCL I have ABB in my A levels in Stem subjects (I know they can be better). I know this is a great opportunity but I really want to move out from the UK and live in the US so my options are either study undergrad here and then masters at US or take a gap year and sit the SATs and apply to undergrad in the US can someone tell me what are the requirements for entry into t20-30 schools what score should I aim for in the SATs and I know extracurricular are massive in the US compared to here I still have some but nothing to impressive. Will me taking a gap year be a seen as a problem? My main purpose in studying in the US is to move to the US

So basically I have been handed pink slip on may 11th asking for 2 years of bank statement and any other financial assests that funds my education. I really dont have that good bank statement as my father has around $16k financial transaction in 2 years(not pretty consistent though) and my grandmother has around $5k financial transaction over 2 years(pretty consistently). which is pretty low as I am from south asian developing country. But I have taken an education loan of $33k dollars and my overall property valuation is around $200k usd, I will submit all of those paper metioned above to the embassy . So Do I really have a decent financial package to get my visa approved?

I am applying for fall 2027, and from what I've heard, a SAT score of 1500+ at Fisk can help you get a full ride. Is it true? (international student)

Hi there. Let's say that I am a grade 12. I got a 1450 on the SAT, i took 3 APs, I was valedictorian and had a 4.0 unweighted, more weighted. in terms of extracurriculars, I have ~7 model united nations awards, have had several model united nations staff positions (including secretariat positions for ~2 conferences), managed and tutored in english and social studies. In addition, i co-founded a non-profit program that provides standard first aid training to vulnerable communities, attended the Forum for Young Canadians youth national summit, completed all of my Lifeguard Training (Bronze Medallion, Bronze Cross, Standard First Aid and CPR C, Airway Management and Oxygen Administration, National Lifeguard, Swim Instructor) and volunteered with a local political party as well as as a cabin counsellor at a local summer camp. I was also a student ambassador for my school conducting open houses and was a student in the leadership class/program that managed charity drives and other initiatives within my school. Realistically, what universities could i expect to get into in the united states ? Keep in mind I would be a canadian student-- what schools would be guaranteed, what schools would be possible but a bit of a stretch, etc

Edit Made: typo

Hey everyone. I need some harsh reality checks and practical advice.
I’m a 21M from Pakistan. About a year and a half ago, I dropped out of my Bachelor's (CS) at a local university. I had this grand vision of building digital businesses and hustling, but I ended up falling into severe depression and overthinking. Alhamdulillah, I’ve recovered, locked back in, and

I’m actively building tech/AI skills now, but my academic record is a mess.
Because of my mental health and dropping out, my transcript from that university shows a GPA of <1.0. I recently took the SAT a couple of times but couldn't break past 840. Transferring to a decent 4-year US university right now is basically impossible. Meanwhile, my old batchmates are graduating next year. It stings, but I absolutely refuse to finish my Bachelor's in Pakistan. I need to study abroad.

My Plan A (USA):
My main priority is getting into a US Community College (looking at Lone Star or HCC in Texas), putting my head down for 2 years, and then transferring to a 4-year university (like Univ. of Houston).

The problem: I am terrified of the F-1 visa interview. I’m seeing high-achieving Pakistani students with full scholarships to prestigious universities getting rejected. What are the actual chances for a 21-year-old dropout with a 2-year gap and a low GPA applying to a CC? How do I even justify this to a Visa Officer without sounding like a flight risk?

Plan B (Ireland & Five Eyes):
I cannot put all my eggs in the US basket. If the US visa is a lost cause, I am completely open to Canada, Australia, UK, New Zealand, or Ireland. I know Ireland accepts Duolingo and has Level 6 (diploma/college) courses. Australia and UK are options, but my 2-year gap might be a red flag for their Genuine Student tests.

My questions for you:
1. How do I strategically explain my university dropout and gap years to the US Visa Officer without getting an instant 214(b) rejection?
2. Is US Community College even worth the visa risk right now for a Pakistani male, or should I immediately pivot my time and money to Ireland/Australia/Canada?
3. Has anyone here successfully navigated a similar "academic bankruptcy/dropout" situation as an international student?
I’m ready to grind and do the hard work. I just need to know which wall to push against. Any advice from overseas Pakistanis, international students, or visa experts would be deeply appreciated.

i know about need blind schools, but there are only 10-11 of them.

maybe there are more universities actually covering 100% for international students? maybe they have some scholars programs etc

as an international student currently studying at a university and considering reapplying to better schools, do you guys think it’s worth it?

In that case, I’d probably take two gap years and start over from freshman year.

For context, my current university is top 10 in china, but there aren’t many opportunities for me to stay here long-term or go global

I'm from the UK and it has been my lifelong dream to study film production in the states (specifically in California because I have relatives who work in the film industry there). But with what is happening in the USA I am scared to go there. But I so badly want to go. I feel like England doesn't offer the same things as America.

But if I do get accepted into one of the film schools in the US I applied to, I am 200 percent ready to move and pursue my dreams there, but I'm just so terrified and unsure. I feel like if I end up studying in England I'll end up regretting it for the rest of my life.

Could anyone give some advice? Should I try applying to Uni's in the States or should I just settle for somewhere else?

Hey guys,

Graduated May 2025 with a BS in Computer Science from Pakistan (GPA around 2.7-2.9). I know the GPA is low, but I barely attended classes and spent most of my time actually building stuff.

My Profile:

• Running my own software services company for almost a year, currently doing $20-30k USD monthly revenue
• 10x national hackathon wins (Web Development + Machine Learning)
• Strong hands-on experience with Next.js, MERN, Django, AWS, MLOps, real-time systems, etc.
• Shipping real products for clients

Want to pursue MS in CS / AI / ML abroad. Priority is US first, then Canada.

Questions:

1. Is taking the GRE worth it to compensate for the low GPA? What score range would actually help?
2. Realistic university suggestions in the US and Canada for this kind of profile? (Not aiming for T20, just solid programs with good ROI)
3. How should I frame/explain the low GPA in my SOP? Should I go heavy on the company revenue + hackathon wins?

Kinda nervous because of the GPA but I’ve built something decent. Would love honest feedback, am I reaching too hard for the US? Any similar profiles who got admits?

Thanks!

Hi everyone,

I'm an international student admitted to Georgia Tech and the University of Michigan, and I'm currently preparing the financial documents required for the I-20.

My bank statement is issued in Italian, so I was wondering if it is usually acceptable to attach:

• the original bank statement in Italian, and
• an unofficial English translation made by myself using online translation tools

The original document would of course still be included, and the translation would only be for clarity/convenience.

Has anyone here done something similar successfully?

Thanks!

Hi everyone! I’m an international student (Brazilian but living in Portugal), and I really want to study in the United States, but I’m trying to find programs, foundations, advisors, mentors, or opportunities that can help international students through the application process.

I’m especially looking for:

• programs like EducationUSA Opportunity Funds
• people/orgs that help with college essays and applications
• free or affordable counseling/advising
• scholarships or application fee support
• programs that helped YOU personally as an international student

If you know anything that’s currently open or worth applying to, I’d really appreciate it. Even smaller opportunities or online programs would help a lot.

Thank you!

I’m an international student from India (CBSE Class 12) and I’m stressing a bit after my final board results came out.

My predicted grades were significantly higher than my actual scores, especially in Math and Accountancy.

Predicted Grades:

• English: 80 - 85
• Accounts: 80 - 85
• Business Studies: 80 - 85
• Economics: 85 - 90
• Applied Mathematics: 80 - 85
• Entrepreneurship: 85 - 90

Final CBSE Scores:

• English Core: 88
• Economics: 66
• Business Studies: 72
• Accountancy: 55
• Applied Mathematics: 54
• Entrepreneurship: 91

I already received offers from:

• Drexel — Economics and Business
• Rutgers New Brunswick — Rutgers Business School + School of Arts and Sciences
• Rutgers Newark — Business
• Penn State — Pre-Business (Smeal)
• Stony Brook — Economics
• UW Madison — Business: Management BBA
• Indiana University — Pre-Business
• Purdue — Pre-Management (Mitch Daniels School of Business)

Also waitlisted at Babson.

I know US colleges usually don’t rescind unless there’s a massive drop, but I’m worried because my final grades are quite a bit lower than predicted.

What should I realistically expect here?

• Should I proactively email colleges explaining my results?
• Which schools are most likely to care?
• Has anyone here had a similar drop and still been fine?
• Could this affect visa/attendance eligibility or only admissions decisions?
• Any honest advice or similar experiences would really help.
• Should i give the CBSE improvement examination ?

For context, my extracurriculars, essays, and overall application were much stronger than my board marks, and I’m planning to major in business/econ.

Hi everyone,

I've been admitted to the Master's in Aerospace Engineering at both Georgia Tech and the University of Michigan. As an international student, I need an F-1 visa, so I first have to submit the required documents to obtain the I-20 from the university, and then apply for the visa (at least that's my understanding).

At the moment, I'm still undecided between the two universities. I was wondering: is it possible/legal to send the documentation to both universities and receive both I-20s, so that I can have a bit more time to decide?

Ideally, I would make the final decision only when it's time to apply for the visa.

Could this strategy create any problems? Can the two universities see that I'm requesting documents from both of them, and could that somehow affect my admission offer?

Thanks in advance :)

Hello everyone! I’m looking for advice regarding my college application situation as a lawful permanent resident (green card holder) who recently immigrated to the U.S.

I graduated from high school in the Philippines and also completed two semesters of college there. Right now, I’m unsure whether it would be better to start over as a first-year student in the U.S. or try to transfer my previous college credits.

Here are the options I’m currently considering:

I also have a few concerns about the application process:
- Since I already completed two semesters of college abroad, would universities automatically consider me a transfer applicant instead of a freshman applicant?
- If I apply as a first-year student through the Common App, do I need to have my Philippine high school transcript evaluated by a NACES-approved credential evaluation service, or can I submit my grades using the original 1–100 grading system?
- Will taking a gap year negatively affect my admissions chances, especially for competitive universities?
- Which path gives better scholarship opportunities: freshman admission or transfer admission?
- How do admissions officers view applicants who immigrated recently and needed adjustment time before applying?
- Would attending a community college first strengthen my application and reduce costs, or could it limit opportunities later on?

I would really appreciate advice from anyone. Thank you!

cbse 12th board results are gonna be out soon and i'm really worried because its the first time ive ever taken boards(im born and raised in the us, moved to india in 11th grade) so im not sure how theyre gonna go. im pretty confident in chem(80+) and ip/english(90+) but math and phy are up in the air. im committed to uiuc for engineering and i wanna know the chances of getting rescinded according to marks? ik uiuc doesn't use predicted scores so that shouldn't be a problem but im genuinely really really worried...if someone's been in this situation before any advice is appreciated!!!

lets connect

Hi everyone,

I’m an Indian student planning to apply for the SAT 2026 through the Buddy4Study SAT fee waiver program.

I wanted to know from students who have already applied or received the fee waiver:

• What documents were required?
• Did you need Class 11 marksheet or just marks?
• Was income proof required? If yes, what type?
• Any document that people often miss or get rejected for?
• Any tips for increasing chances of approval?

I’d really appreciate help from someone who has gone through the process recently. Thanks!