How International Students Can Begin a U.S. College Search

Sally_Rubenstone
Sat, 29 Jul 2017 14:15:11 +0000

The strength of this article is that it encourages international students to consider a broad range of US colleges rather than just the “usual suspects” (Ivies and their ilk) which are always a huge draw for candidates from overseas.

But finances should be mentioned up front here, and they’re not. When I work with domestic applicants, I always say to leave money out of the very earliest stages of the college selection process, even if it must become a driving force later on. However, with international students who require aid, it’s a whole different story. The bar is set very high for internationals seeking $$$. Thus international students who plan to apply for aid … especially if they need A LOT of aid … must hone in first of all on colleges that do have funds for non-citizens and then on the schools on that long list where their own grades, test scores, and other accomplishments put them at the top of the applicant pool.

International students who expect financial assistance should not invest all the time and effort described in this article without first assessing how much they or their families can afford to spend each year and then targeting institutions where they will be among the strongest candidates.