I have lived my whole life in the US and will graduate from here but will probably not get my green card by then.
Since being considered international, especially for Ivys, makes it much harder to get in, I am confused if I would be.
I understand that for most colleges, they require permanent residence (green card) for domestic.
But for some, like Stanford and Harvard, I have read and they themselves have wrote on their websites that they consider “domestic” based on where you did high school.
Is this true? If so what other colleges also do this.
You’re international. Your application will be read by the team covering your state, and your academics and activities will be evaluated in that context. But you’re still subject to international quotas (even though they don’t use that word,).
It depends. First, at Harvard specifically, they don’t have “international quotas.” From Harvard’s website:
“We are often asked by prospective students, “Do you count me as an international applicant?” Because all applicants follow the same procedures and timetables and are eligible for the same financial aid, we do not need to categorize individual applicants as either international or domestic. We have foreign citizens applying from American high schools and American citizens applying from high schools around the world. When we refer to “international admissions,” we are generally referring to applicants who apply from schools outside the United States as the documentation submitted by those schools may differ substantially from that submitted by an American high school and may require specialized knowledge.
Please note that we do not have quotas or limits based on either citizenship or location of high school. Furthermore, admissions decisions are made without regard to whether an applicant has applied for financial aid, even if the applicant is a foreign citizen.”
But I think Harvard is unique in this regard. The more important question is whether OP is undocumented. If so, many, if not most schools, treat undocumented students as domestic students NOT as international students. This language from Stanford’s website is pretty typical:
“ Stanford treats undocumented students as U.S. domestic students in the undergraduate admission process, assessing their applications under the same need-blind admission policy it uses for citizens of the United States.”
This may be OP’s case since they’ve grown up in the U.S. but still don’t have residency. Being undocumented would be helpful for admissions in this case. But if OP is not undocumented, yes, at many schools they would be treated as an international student.
OP, you do NOT need to disclose on this forum if you are undocumented. But if you are, you will be treated as a domestic student at many colleges, certainly the ivys which you reference.
OP: Are you A DACA student? Or are you here “legally” on an I20 student visa. I believe how you are treated during admission between the two categories will be different.
edit to say we are not asking for you to disclose anything. But google your own situation and you will see how schools view applicants from different circumstances.
Just a note of clarification, you do not have to have DACA. You can be fully undocumented for most of the schools that treat undocumented/DACA students as domestic for admission purposes.
OP, you do NOT have to (and should not) answer questions about your personal immigration status here. If you are undocumented, I’m sure you already know this.
I’m assuming that you are the child of a worker who is legally here in the US, but who has not yet received green cards for himself and his family. It is a particularly difficult position to be in, since you will be considered international by all schools.
Are you very close to receiving a green card? If yes, then might it make sense to apply in the summer after 12th grade, with plans in place for a gap year? That way, you could apply as a green card holder.
Generally OP will be considered an international student for admissions as others noted. International students do not qualify for federal financial aid, and some colleges don’t give much, if any, financial aid to international students. OP should check FA policies on each school’s website as they are putting together their list.
I said as much, but whether one uses air quotes or not, the quota/cap/limit exists, IMO. One merely needs to look at the fairly consistent percentage of international students per year. So I stand by my answer.
Whether there are certain exceptions, like DACA, will vary by university. Penn, as an example, counts Canadians as domestic for admissions purposes. But the OP didn’t say they fell into a certain group.
Regardless, it is what it is. Admissions will categorize as they see fit and be less-than-transparent about it. For Harvard and Stanford , it may mean the difference between a 2% chance and a 4% chance, but it’s low either way
You will be considered an international student when you apply to college. Some colleges are need aware for admissions for international students, meaning the college can take your financial need into consideration when considering your application for admission. Some colleges are need blind for admissions meaning your financial need won’t be known by admissions when your application is reviewed.
In addition, as an international student, you should check school policies on awarding need based and/or merit aid to international students IF you will need aid to attend college here. Some colleges give the same aid to international students, some give limited financial aid to international students, and some give NO aid to international students. This info can be found on their website.
Except if they are undocumented/DACA in which case they are considered a domestic student with state residency where they live (at most colleges and in most states - not all).
I don’t think you’ll find any exceptions if you are here on a visa. You need to understand your situation based on the visa you currently have. For example, If you are here on an h-4 dependent visa you will age out at 21 and have to get your own student visa at that point.
Do you have any idea when the green card might come thru? Someone suggested a gap year if the timing makes sense.
ETA: some states offer in-state tuition for certain visa holders (e.g., H-4) who graduated from an in-state HS.
I am in Pennsylvania. Looking at the green card current dates, it’s pretty unlikely it would happen by my graduation. I don’t even care so much about tuition, just that I will be unable to go to any top colleges. Thanks you for the help
OP-- see if your parents would be willing to pay for/set up a meeting for you with the immigration attorney who helped with the green card application.
I think you’ll be in a much better position going in to college applications if a lawyer spells out for you the process, the timing, the pitfalls, etc. ahead of time.
Don’t rely on advice from the internet (even mine) without verifying it with the lawyer who has handled your family’s application.
I have seen some really messed up situations-- basically well meaning people who don’t know what they don’t know. It’s worth time and money to get a lawyer in the room to walk you through your situation and your options.
First of all, that’s not a given - you could still get in to these or other such schools.
But also: US citizens with amazing accomplishments routinely get rejected from Harvard and Stanford. So don’t assume your lack of US citizenship/PR status is the main thing holding you back.
I am painfully aware of the long drawn out employment based green card process, because I have several employees whose families are in this situation.
The best you can do is a) confirm with your parents what your budget is, and b) create a balanced list of affordable schools that includes these super-reach schools but also many other great schools you can thrive at. Then be the best applicant you can be at each of these schools.
OP can correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe when he says he checked “the green card current dates” online he is referring to the official DOS visa bulletin online page which shows “current” dates based on when you filed your application (your “priority date”). That is, his family would have already used an immigration attorney to file the application and were given their official “priority date” from USCIS. Now the family must simply wait and can check their priority date on the DOS visa bulletin website to keep track of their estimated approval date. It’s legit.
(Just as one completely random example, the current priority date for F3 visas for those from the Philippines is August 2002. That is, applications filed in August 2002 are now being adjudicated. A 22 year wait.)