I am currently an international student (junior, DP1) at UWC Changshu China and I want to transfer to a boarding school in the US as a repeat junior next fall. This is my first year here (most UWC’s are two-year only) and it hasn’t been a very pleasant experience so far. I found the school to be unsupportive, academically underwhelming, and just overall not the right fit for me. It has only been three months and I’ve witnessed quite a lot of instances of bullying and harassment. Since I did not have the opportunity to go on a school tour when applying I am only finding this out now. Moreover, I don’t think the IB is helping me fulfill my academic curiosity & goals. I am ahead of the curriculum, especially in my main subjects (math, chemistry, computer science) and I feel like I could use my time wiser at a school that would offer more advanced courses & research opportunities. I would want an academically challenging environment with a rigorous curriculum. My grades right now are not a problem. I already did DP1 (year 1 of IB) in my home country last year and both then and now my grades have been consistently high (40-42/42). I also took 5 AP courses last year as self-studies (Calc BC 5, Physics C mechanics 5, Comparative Government 4, Environmental Science 5, and Geography 5) and am now self studying another 3 (Chemistry, Computer Science, Physics C E&M) along with a dual enrollment course in multivariable calculus. I have multiple math awards including a perfect AMC 12 score, a silver medal at the Asian International Math Olympiad 2025 and a 1530 on the SAT which I am planning to retake in December to improve my R&W module (740 right now). In terms of sports, I am quiet active but I am not a varsity/recruited athlete. I’m in my school’s JV tennis team (first year, season starts in spring so I wouldn’t have any awards before the admissions deadline in January) and I do archery (not professionally). I don’t place heavy attention on the school’s athletics so I am okay with both very and not so sporty options. As for hobbies and ECs, I have been playing the piano for 12 years now, though I haven’t had any noticeable awards in the last few years and have mostly been playing for myself; did theater from grade 7 to 9 and was the founder of the theater club at my last school; did an internship in finance at my city’s (Astana) International Financial Center in grade 10; have been the head of the event organization committees of the student council from grade 8 to this day; am now in a chemistry teaching club where I volunteer at a local Chinese school as a chemistry teacher for grade 7 kids with 6 other students; was awarded the “Pride of the School” award twice in grades 7 and 9 at my last school (the National School of Physics and Math in Astana, Kazakhstan); have been volunteering at diplomatic events for a year and a half now (approximately 80 hours); have volunteered at a local children’s home from grade 9 to 10 (approximately 60 hours); started a couple of fundraising campaigns in grade 9; and did/am doing a few smaller hobbies I can’t really remember right now. I also know English, Kazakh, and Russian fluently, Chinese at a b1 level, and am learning French (can’t really speak yet). Lastly, the weakest part of my profile would probably be my recommendation letters since I’ve only known the teachers for a few months, some even only for a month and a half (e.g my English teacher, one of the recommenders). Plus there aren’t really any close student-teacher bonds at the school in general since the class is constantly changing every 2 years. I don’t think my English and Math teachers would write bad of me but they wouldn’t write spectacular LoR’s either; their recommendations would mostly just be vague and general. Should I take a chance and apply or just put up with my current school until next May and wait for college? I really don’t feel like I’m thriving here. If I do apply, would my recommendation letter affect my chances a lot? Are there any schools that value recommendation letters less? I know there are rarely any spots left by junior year and I know chances are I wouldn’t get accepted to the highest ranked schools so I would like both reach and safety recommendations. Thank you!
I want to add that I have a 50% scholarship at my current school (paying around 30k/year) so I would be applying for FA but my parents said they could try paying if I’m not awarded any aid, are prep schools usually need blind?
Exeter and Andover are need blind. Also very competitive in terms of admissions. There are other schools mentioned on other threads here that may have more flexibility with international students. Overall, the combination of being international, applying for 11th, and needing FA will be a headwind. Not to say you can’t try, but understand that even with your amazing profile, nothingis guaranteed. My sense is that if you can pay 50% +, needing FA may not be as much of an issue as needing more. You’d really have to ask on a school by school basis.
If you wanted to pursue the IB (which you say you don’t, but it can be helpful in collegeadmissions, especially if youare lookingbeyondthe US.), George School offers this (and in a much more flexible format.)
I’d counsel that regardless of your application strategy, you try to figure out how to make UWC work for you. (Can you change locations - idk if that’s possible?) It has a fabulous reputation and can open many doors, probably more thanmost US boarding schools given it global reach.) Sometimes, it’s a matter of connecting with different people or finding things outside the classroom that make you happy.
You sound like a very accomplished person, and I wish you luck.
Agree. If there is any way to make your current school work, I’d recommend pursuing that path. It’s very difficult to get into the best boarding schools in 11th grade, and its the most difficult year, so you risk an “out of the frying pan into the fire” situation.
You have an amazing background and if you’re fully committed to going to a US Boarding School, give it a try, but you’re doing well at your school despite your unhappiness there and you’ll be a senior next year. Develop relationships with people who will be recommending you for college in the next several months and I suspect you will have better outcomes. It’s hard enough to get into the top schools (which are the ones more likely to give aid to international students), but doing so without strong recommendations is a very very steep hill to climb, in my opinion.
Can you participate in the Kazakhstan international maths/chemistry/informatics Olympiad selection process?