Ivy league universities?

I'm chinese, female and studying in singapore. Under the a lvls system, tons of pple get 4 As everyyear. What can i do to improve my chances of going to an ivy league university? what are the admission criteria? dont tell me that i would need to know someone who's been there because i obviously do not have such connections. also, scholarships in ivy league are decided on a need base. however these are only given to either usa citizens or pr. where can an international student(i'm not sure if i can be counted since i've studied in singapore all my life) get financial assitance?

Ivy league universities?
I'm honestly waiting for responses to the first part of your question myself! And I see just what you mean. Four A's is such a common thing here!





But for the scholarships bit, you don't have to get scholarships directly from them. What you have to do, however, is to apply to local scholarships. There was a website with a full ad in some section of the newspaper on Saturday. It's some special feature section- just google it.





A lot of scholarships are availble for overseas studying, but many involve bonds!
Reply:You have to ask yourself what makes you stand out. A lot of students want to get into ivy league schools. Why should they pick you and not someone else? Have you published a book? Survived hardship to help your family financially? Started your own business at 12 years old? Maybe you're a gymnastics champion? Or the Brooke Shields of Singapore? Think hard about how to make your application stand out. You are competing against some very special people.
Reply:grades are probably the most important part of an ivy league application, but they aren't the only part. test scores, essays, recommendations, and interviews also play a big part. the schools recognize that just getting A's doesn't make you a good candidate, just as you can get a few A-'s or B's and still have a shot.


make sure you write well, test well, and effectively convey what it is you would contribute to the university community. if you seem smart, charismatic, and interesting, you've got a good shot.


although it sometimes can help to be related to an alum, the vast majority of admits get in on their own.





i don't know much about financial aid for international students, but i'm sure you can work something out. if the school really wants you, they'll find some way to get you there.
Reply:first, your issue of financial assistance. Basically, you can't get any from the US which you already knew. Your only option would be to either pay for your full tuition in cash or take out a loan with the help of your parents at a bank from your country. Since you are not an American, it would be almost impossible to get a loan from an American bank because you do not have established credit here and there is a risk of you taking the money and going back to Asia. You should also look at the federal government of your country and see if they offer any aid programs or if there are any scholarship opportunities in your country that will help pay for your tuition in the US.





For admissions criteria, it will be hard to say because i do not know how your system grades. However, in the US system it would be preferable to have around a 3.8 gpa and a really high SAT score. You will have to take the SAT test and the TOEFL test also. The application fees to all of these schools can also be expensive. Many schools have fees of $50-$65. No, you do not have to know someone that has been to an ivy league school, although that helps. All schools usually ask on their application form if you are related to an alumn from that school, so you will get preferential status if you are.