Hello all!

My name is Ben Stern, and I started independent college admissions consulting in 2015. After getting my start helping people here through Reddit and Facebook during the 2015-2016 admissions cycle, I traveled to India to get to know families there and help understand their needs. Since then, I've worked with international students who have gotten into MIT, all Ivy League schools, Stanford, Caltech, Berkeley, UChicago, Notre Dame, and many liberal arts colleges. I've had more students from India than anywhere else, but just in the past few years I've helped families from a variety of places including Ukraine, Mongolia, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Peru, and Brazil. I also work with students (citizens and non-citizens) in the United States. I'm probably best known for my admissions and financial aid guide, which has data from hundreds of schools, including (I believe) every college that offers full tuition or full-ride scholarships. (I'm working on a new version! It's tempting to have AI do most of the work, but many Common Data Sets contain severe errors.)

I've wrapped up with most of my students' early applications this year (including one who was already accepted to UChicago through its summer program alumni early decision option), so I have some time to answer questions. I had a visa-specific AMA on a different subreddit a few days ago, but feel free to ask about visas as well here! Note that although I used to be a lawyer and I apply many of my skills when preparing students for interviews, I am not an immigration attorney, and I may advise that you consult an attorney for sensitive matters.

I'll be conducting my AMA today (Wednesday, October 28) from 5:30pm until 10:30pm China/SE Asia time (3pm-8pm India time, GMT 9:30am-2:30pm, Eastern US time 5:30pm-10:30am). I've started the AMA because of a scheduling bug in Reddit, so please forgive me if I don't answer questions immediately.

Looking forward to my first AMA here in several years!

I'm done my live AMA, but feel free to add questions, and I'll check in regularly!

Hi everyone,

I'm a student in India, currently in Class 11 under CBSE, studying Physics, Chemistry, and Biology (PCB). I've been struggling with my current educational environment, and I feel that it isn't the right fit for my academic interests or the way I want to learn. I'm particularly interested in computer science, mathematics, physics, and related technical fields, but my current subject combination doesn't include Mathematics.

I want to find a more suitable, structured, and academically rigorous educational arrangement for my next grade. I have roughly two months to investigate my options and make a decision, so I'm trying to understand what's genuinely feasible.

I've been considering alternatives such as Cambridge International A-Levels, Pearson Edexcel International A-Levels, and other recognized qualifications. I'm also trying to find out whether any legitimate accelerated pathway could allow me to complete the equivalent of my final school qualification within approximately six months to a year. My budget is limited, so expensive international schools aren't a realistic option unless substantial financial assistance is available.

My biggest concern is university eligibility. I hope to apply to highly selective US universities, including MIT, for undergraduate admission. I'm worried that leaving CBSE could jeopardize my eligibility or make my academic record harder to evaluate. At the same time, staying in my current environment may leave me with too little time and support to develop the academic foundations and technical skills I want to build.

I'm not trying to avoid academic rigor. I want a recognized qualification, proper preparation, and an educational arrangement that helps me become a stronger student.

I'd really appreciate advice from anyone familiar with international admissions, Cambridge/Edexcel qualifications in India, accelerated school-completion pathways, or students who have successfully changed educational systems.

A few specific questions:

• What realistic alternatives should I investigate, given my timeline and financial constraints?
• Is completing an internationally recognized final school qualification in around 6–12 months feasible in any legitimate circumstances?
• Would changing from CBSE to A-Levels or another recognized qualification affect eligibility for MIT or other selective US universities?
• Are there reputable schools, online providers, scholarships, or other arrangements I might be overlooking?

I'd appreciate practical advice, including potential drawbacks and things I should verify before making a decision. Thank you!

Should i apply w my 1300 SAT or test optional as a low income intel
*not applying for top schools

Hello everyone, I’d appreciate you opinion on my chances for ivies and other unis.

so for anyone who got into darmouth, could they help me with supplementals? like reviewing them, giving their opinion, what works what doesnt etc..

Hy everyone ,I have my F-1 student visa interview at the U.S. Consulate this Thursday, October 29, and I listed both Facebook and Instagram on my DS-160 form. I’m worried about what I should do if the consular officer checks my social media accounts and finds that they are suspended or unavailable.

On October 26, I received a notification on Facebook Messenger asking me to verify my identity before I could send messages. I completed the facial verification, but immediately afterward, my Facebook account was disabled.

I submitted a request for review through Facebook. Shortly afterward, my Instagram account was also suspended because it was linked to my disabled Facebook account.

I appealed the Instagram suspension and completed all the requested steps, including recording a video selfie and uploading my ID. I received a message saying, “We received your information. We’re reviewing it.”

I’m still waiting for the outcome of both reviews.

This situation is especially stressful because my visa interview is only a few days away, and I’m concerned about how to handle this if the consular officer asks about my social media accounts.

Has anyone experienced a similar situation, where Facebook was disabled after identity verification and the linked Instagram account was suspended afterward?

If so, how long did it take to recover your accounts? Has anyone experienced this before a visa interview? How did you handle it, and should I explain the situation to the consular officer if asked?

I’d really appreciate any advice or personal experiences. Thank you!

Hey guys, I have my visa interview on Thursday, and something really bad happened yesterday. My social media accounts, Instagram and Facebook, which I listed on my DS-160, were suspended. Now I don’t know what to do on the day of the interview. When they check my social media, they won’t be able to find my usernames. So, what should I do? What’s the best solution?

Hello and good morning/evening, I'm an international student aspiring to apply to some california colleges (Whittier college, California Lutheran Univerity, CBU) for their bachelor in music production, I'm almost done with the application on common app but on the website fo the colleges they are asking to send the certification of finances starting the application, not after being accepted, I will get a loan for paying the entire 4 years but it can only be approved if I get accepted first, and right now I cant make or fully cover the academic year on the certification. IS THERE ANY INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS THAT ARE ENROLLED OR ATTEND COLLEGES WITH THIS CERTIFICATION SYSTEM, please inform me what should I do, or what was your process, is there a posibility to upload the certification after being accepted? I'll be gladly to read your comments, thank you everyone :).

Hello everyone! I'm a 16-year-old junior in an American school in Egypt, Im taking my sat in less than 2 weeks and i wanted to know what are some other things to prepare.

schools - ivies/t20s.
rest the heading says it all.

(thinking in context of great academics 4.0 gpa 1560+ sat 5s on all related APs Class rank 1 )

I have a 1460 SAT (retaking in dec) and 3.91 GPA uw and I don’t know where to apply ed i thought of applying university of Richmond ED 1 but i don’t know is that is a good idea. I my dream school is Vanderbilt but my SAT isn’t enough and I don’t want to ruin my chances so I thought of applying ED 2 after I retake it. Which school would be a good option with my SAT and GPA. I am an international student and a good scholarship and aid is very important. Someone tell me what to do.

I have a question. I am an Indian student in the 11th grade, and it is currently November. I have a keen interest in computer science, mathematics, and physics, and I aspire to pursue studies in these fields (at t50 institutions in USA). The thing is, while I am constantly engaged in learning and exploring these subjects out of genuine passion, I don’t have anything tangible to show for it—no formal extracurricular profile ,Whether I'm doing things out of my interest but after all a proof or record is required to show them . If I start now, is it still possible to build a profile of the required caliber? I have a strong desire to learn more, but as it stands, I have zero evidence of my work to present. Given that I have about 8 to 10 months, is it feasible to build such a profile, or should I abandon this idea? (i have used AI to help me write this English text, mines not so good)

I need help with choosing Uni for ED1
Background:
Kazakh, first gen, low income (I need full ride)
Stats: ELTS 7.0, sat 1540
Major: Bio sciences, neuroscience
I was thinking about Bowdoin as ED1 but its 1.4% acceptance rate makes me question whether i can realistically get into this uni
Maybe that would be more reasonable to apply for other universities?

​

Hi everyone! I'm from Bangladesh, graduated HSC in 2025, and currently studying CSE at BRAC University.

My F4 immigrant visa interview was scheduled for October 20, 2026, but it was rescheduled after I completed my medical. The new date is uncertain, so I'm considering applying to US colleges through ED II as a backup.

My main question is for people who moved to the US on an immigrant visa (F4 or otherwise):

Was your college application process the same as that of international students applying from Bangladesh?

Did you need the same application essays, LORs, extracurriculars, SAT scores, and other requirements?

Did you apply before moving to the US or after arriving?

If I prepare for ED II now, would the application process or requirements differ depending on whether I apply from Bangladesh as an international student or later from the US as an immigrant?

I'm confused about whether I should start preparing for ED II while waiting for my uncertain F4 interview date.

I'd really appreciate advice from people who have experienced either pathway. Thank you!

Do they ask for an Affidavit of Support and a Letter of Sponsorship during the F-1 visa interview?”