Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

I am an Indian student in the 12th grade with an avid interest in Physics, and I want to go to college in America. Although it is a far-fetched dream, I have taken the first steps to maybe try and realise it. I got 1460 on my first attempt on the SAT, and am going to take the examination again in a few weeks. I also plan to take the SAT Subject Tests in Maths (II) and Physics. My extra-curriculars include a runners-up spot in the ECAM Lyon Young Innovators' Challenge, a few awards at MUNs and debates, and a couple of awards in karate and cricket.

I am not sure about what exactly American colleges look for in foreign STEM applicants? Of course, MIT and Caltech are not possibilities as they accept international students only if they have Olympiad wins or something (I have a few junior regional Olympiad medals, but they are far from enough). But what can I do in this one year that will brush up my application for Cornell, Yale and so forth?

It would truly be a dream come true if I were to be accepted into one of these colleges, but when factoring in these two issues (STEM application + international student), I really have no idea about what it takes.

Hi aahir,

This forum is more for general advice about STEM careers as opposed to specific advice about getting into certain colleges. I think there might be other forums online where you can get better information from current students at the respective schools for an "inside" scoop, and of course you can also look at each school's website for the official requirements.

For what it's worth, I do know that some American colleges are de-emphasizing (or even completely eliminating) standardized testing and even making it optional. There's a concern that in the US, heavy emphasis on standardized tests like the SAT was favoring wealthy students too much because they can afford things like private tutors or test prep classes. For example, it looks like MIT still requires the SAT, but you can also submit an optional "creative portfolio" along with your application:

https://mitadmissions.org/help/faq/sat- ... red-tests/

https://mitadmissions.org/apply/firstye ... -material/

Here's an article about how colleges are eliminating testing requirements:

https://www.newsweek.com/colleges-are-d ... es-1465062

That being said - if you're already planning on taking the tests anyway, I certainly don't think it can hurt. But extracurriculars will also be important. It may be worth looking into the other schools you mentioned to see if they also accept a portfolio like MIT does, and consider what you could include in that.

Best of luck,

Ben