Fordham University

• Location:
  • Fordham University has two main campuses in New York City.
    • Rose Hill campus is located in the Bronx, one of New York’s most diverse, multifaceted boroughs. It’s close to the New York Botanical Garden and Yankee Stadium. Rose Hill is home to Fordham College, the largest liberal arts school at the university, as well as the primary programs of the Gabelli School of Business.
    • Lincoln Center campus is located in Manhattan, the cultural heart of New York City. It benefits from its proximity to the Juilliard School, to the CBS and ABC television studios, and to Lincoln Center, Manhattan’s performing arts hub.
• Academics:
  • Rose Hill has great history, philosophy, psychology, and economics programs.
  • Lincoln Center is famous for its theater, English and Communication programs.
  • The most popular majors include business, social sciences, communication and media studies, psychology, and biological sciences.
• Special features:
  • Fordham’s public radio station, WFUV, offers hands-on experience for aspiring deejays and radio journalists, and there is a TV production studio in Rose Hill.
  • The global business program at Lincoln Center engages students in courses about the global dimensions of business and provides students with study abroad opportunities.
  • Fordham offers 3-2 engineering programs with Columbia and Case Western Reserve.
• Admissions Statistics (2019-2020)
  • Early Decision applicants: 370
  • Early Action applicants: 21,700
  • Admitted Students
    • Average GPA for Admitted ED Students: 3.46
    • Average GPA for Admitted EA Students: 3.78
    • Average High Score for Admitted ED Students: 1290
    • Average High Score for Admitted EA Students: 1411
  • Student Body
    • Asian: 10.88%
    • African-American: 4.01%
    • Caucasian: 56.26%
    • Hispanic: 14.46%
    • International: 8.74%
    • Unknown: 1.55%

Iowa State University (ISU)

Quick facts: Iowa State University (ISU) is a national level research university, where the world’s first digital computer was invented and the only U.S. university that houses a national level research lab on its campus.

Great programs: ISU ranks 56 among all public universities in the U.S. and has been well known for its Agriculture, Business, Computer science, Engineering, Design, and Architecture programs.

Affordable costs: The tuition is 25,000 USD a year, but the scholarship for international students is up to 10,000 USD a year.

Helping students grow and succeed: In addition to the assistance from professors, students can also get help from teacher assistants, tutoring centers, peers in different learning communities, and 800+ student organizations.

Safe:  ISU is in Ames, IA, which has been ranked No. 1 as the most livable college town in the U.S. by Niche.

Easy to apply: SAT or ACT scores can be used to waive TOEFL.

For more information, please visit: http://www.admissions.iastate.edu/intl/requirements.php

Rutgers: The State University of New Jersey

Introduction:

Rutgers has three campuses located throughout New Jersey: the original New Brunswick campus, the Newark campus, and the Camden campus. The New Brunswick campus is categorized as a Public Ivy in the book, The Public Ivies: America’s Flagship Public Universities (2001). Rutgers has about 4,000 full- and part-time faculty, more than 36,000 undergraduates, 19 libraries, 17 schools and colleges and more than 100 undergraduate majors. Rutgers is a big school with many different types of people, a diverse university which offers opportunities in all aspects. No matter what students seek from their educations, they are likely to find it at Rutgers, from engineering to business to pharmacy programs and more.

Special Features:

1. As a public research university, Rutgers is home to institutions such as the Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation and the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, where students take hands-on courses in the sciences and work on community projects.
2. Psychology, biology, biological sciences, kinesiology, and exercise sciences are some of the most popular majors at Rutgers.
3. Students can join more than 400 student clubs and organizations.
4. Rutgers grads are in demand. More than 750 employers and graduate schools come to Rutgers each year to recruit students.

Testing:

1. SAT or ACT:
   1. Students are required to submit SAT or ACT scores. Rutgers has no preference about which examination a student submits.
   2. Rutgers recommend students send all their SAT/ACT results to Rutgers.
   3. The SAT essay and ACT writing component are strongly recommended, though not required.
   4. Rutgers will consider scores from tests received prior to January 1 of the student’s senior year. Please submit test scores as soon as they are available.
2. TOEFL:
   1. Acceptable TOEFL scores for Rutgers schools are 79+ on the internet-based test.
   2. For applicants to the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy and the School of Nursing, the minimum acceptable scores are 100 on the internet-based test.

Words from Current Students:

• Rutgers is the type of place where you can be who you are and no one is going to get in your way of that. The reason for this is because of the easy-going, open and welcoming environment. It’s almost like everyone blends in and everyone stands out at the same time. If you are looking for a place to belong, Rutgers is a great university to look into. Rutgers holds the potential for overall satisfaction for everyone and anyone. –Jessica (Class: Senior)
• The ideal student would be someone who is determined, self-driven and has the will to succeed. If one possesses these traits, Rutgers would be a perfect match for him or her as Rutgers enables hard-working, ambitious young adults to gain successful jobs after college and live meaningful and fruitful lives.—Phillip (Class: Sophomore)
• Rutgers is for someone who won’t get lost in a sea of opportunities. There are so many ways students can get involved and so many amazing opportunities available. For example, Rutgers paid for me to study human rights in Cambodia! Because it is a big school, you need to actively explore the resources that are available to students. There are great things waiting for students who take the initiative to find them!—Ashley (Class: Junior)

Wellesley College

Introduction:

Wellesley College, located near Boston, is a liberal arts college for women. It is one of the most successful institutions in the world at educating women leaders. It aims to provide an excellent liberal arts education for women who will make a difference in the world. Wellesley has 2,350 undergraduates; 40 percent of them are people of color, and 13 percent are international students. Wellesley offers more than 1000 classes on campus and more than 5000 classes through cross-registration. Students may cross-register for courses at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Babson College, Brandeis University and Olin College of Engineering.

Special Features:

1. The Wellesley Alumnae Network is the world’s most powerful women’s network. Its alumnae include Hillary Clinton (Democratic Party Presidential Nominee 2016), May-ling Soong (former first lady of the Republic of China), Chinese writer Bing Xin, Korean diplomat In-ho Lee, NASA astronaut Pamela Melroy, and many others.
2. 93.5% of students completed at least one internship during their time at Wellesley and about 20% of these were abroad.
3. Wellesley has more than 150 student organizations, including 45 multicultural organizations.
4. Wellesley is committed to engaging every student in the thrill of scientific discovery. Science majors and non-majors alike share in scientific inquiry and discover the potential of cross-disciplinary connections in addressing real-world problems.

Testing:

1. Wellesley requires that students submit the ACT with Writing or the SAT (SAT essay is not required).
2. The TOEFL is strongly recommended for students whose native language is not English.
3. SAT Subject Tests are not required.

Prospective Students:

• Academic achievement, motivation, and creativity are all important attributes for Wellesley candidates.
• Besides academic potential, the Wellesley College Board of Admission also values evidence of unusual talent and a readiness to contribute to one’s community.

Stanford University

Introduction:

Stanford University, located in the heart of Silicon Valley, is known for its entrepreneurial character. Seven schools comprise the university. Three of them offer both undergraduate and graduate degrees: the School of Humanities and Sciences, the School of Earth, Energy & Environmental Sciences, and the School of Engineering. The School of Humanities and Sciences awards 63 percent of undergraduate degrees. Research and teaching at Stanford emphasize interdisciplinary approaches to problem-solving. Around 8 percent of the undergraduate student body is international.

Special Features:

1. Stanford wants to help students learn from failure. Its Resilience Project is aimed at motivating and supporting students who experience setbacks, which are a normal part of a rigorous education. Through holding the annual event, “Stanford, I Screwed Up!,” the Resilience Project hopes to change the perception of failure from something to be avoided at all costs, to something that has meaning, purpose, and value. Students can share their epic failures through storytelling, comedy, poetry, song, video, spoken word, and other creative means.
2. Stanford emphasizes close student and faculty interaction. It has an approximate 4-to-1 student-to-faculty ratio, and 70.3 percent of its classes has fewer than 20 students.
3. Entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial spirit pervade Stanford’s campus with opportunities to take courses, participate in programs and fellowships, and join student groups that promote entrepreneurship.

Testing:

1. ACT with Writing or the SAT with Essay. Test scores without writing/essay will not complete the testing requirement for the application.
2. SAT Subject Tests are optional.
3. TOEFL is strongly recommended for non-native speakers of English. (Stanford does not recognize the IELTS as a measure of English proficiency.)

Prospective Students:

1. Academic Excellence: Stanford expects students to challenge themselves throughout high school and to do very well.
2. Intellectual Vitality: Stanford wants to see students’ commitment, dedication and genuine interest in expanding their intellectual horizons. A strong candidate should be a curious, enthusiastic and energetic person who is going to spark a lively discussion at Stanford.  He or she will seek out opportunities that can expand his/her perspective and is eager to participate in creating new knowledge.
3. Personal Context: Stanford will look at students’ achievements within context. It will evaluate how students have excelled within their unique school environment and how they have taken advantage of what was available to them in their school and community.