Please help Intl student choose among St Stephen's Episcopal, Woodberry Forest, and St John's (MN)

[msc3173]

@“Cao Khang” I would double check about UT. Most of their students are from the state. I believe only 20% make up out state and international so the competition is tough. This would be a great question to ask the college counselor at Stephens. I would also ask them how many boarders stay all four years of upper school. It isn’t uncommon for international boarders to come for a year or two in my experience with the bs in Texas.

I have a girl but have heard/known several families from our area that send their boys to Woodberry and they have all expressed nothing but happiness with the school.

Both areas are beautiful but for me the edge would go to DC and all it has to offer. This is coming from a Texas girl too. ?

[Cao_Khang]

@ChoatieMom

Two main reasons we prefer Stephen’s are the weather and also academic matriculation, moreover after having passed 4 years there if my son goes to UoT at Austin, we can profit from in-state tuition policy, right?

Unless there is something unique about UTA’s residency rules, attending BS in any state does not qualify a student as a resident of that state. The family must have primary domicile in and pay taxes to a state to be considered a resident. You will want to verify UTA’s residency rules as I’m unaware of any college that equates BS attendance with the state of residency for tuition purposes. Perhaps a BS poster from Texas can confirm.

Thank you for your comment. I just have heard about that policy in public colleges in Texas. Just google that and here I found: https://admissions.utexas.edu/residency#fndtn-t143-requirements
It seems that international student who graduated from high schools in Texas can profit this policy.
We can wait for some one having experiences to confirm that.
Thanks

[Cao_Khang]

@Golfgr8

To the OP @“Cao Khang” - to answer your question above about why it is hard for many kids to adjust culturally to school in the US? I think there are people on CC who can answer that better than I can.

I do know that there is a very large Vietnamese community in Minnesota. When I lived there, our church was very much involved in supporting and helping recent immigrant from Vietnam in the 1970’s. You may have learned more about this community from the Benedictine faculty at St John’s? I can only speak for our small town in MN that people there are welcoming and very supportive. The school is well regarded. I do know that adjusting to the very cold climate is difficult for students - not only international students. I also believe it is an adjustment to be so far from home. Only you as a parent can know how well prepared your child is emotionally for leaving the family and attending school half a world a way. I do believe that at any of the schools you mentioned, you will find supportive and kind people who will become your child’s new “family” while studying overseas.

Thank you. I agree with you that the climate of the school and the local community is much more important than the local weather. Yes, I think we are preparing fairly well for my son to stay in US.

[Cao_Khang]

@msc3173

@“Cao Khang” I would double check about UT. Most of their students are from the state. I believe only 20% make up out state and international so the competition is tough. This would be a great question to ask the college counselor at Stephens. I would also ask them how many boarders stay all four years of upper school. It isn’t uncommon for international boarders to come for a year or two in my experience with the bs in Texas.

I have a girl but have heard/known several families from our area that send their boys to Woodberry and they have all expressed nothing but happiness with the school.

Both areas are beautiful but for me the edge would go to DC and all it has to offer. This is coming from a Texas girl too. ?

Thank you for your important information about UT, this time we can go with him for choosing the boarding school but I hope that after 4 years in US, my son will be the one who can know well and decide by himself which college is the best for him and his family’s condition. If you have any more details from the college counselor about Texas policy, please let us know. Enjoy your Sunday.

[stalecookies]

@Cao_Khang

@ChoatieMom

Two main reasons we prefer Stephen’s are the weather and also academic matriculation, moreover after having passed 4 years there if my son goes to UoT at Austin, we can profit from in-state tuition policy, right?

Unless there is something unique about UTA’s residency rules, attending BS in any state does not qualify a student as a resident of that state. The family must have primary domicile in and pay taxes to a state to be considered a resident. You will want to verify UTA’s residency rules as I’m unaware of any college that equates BS attendance with the state of residency for tuition purposes. Perhaps a BS poster from Texas can confirm.

Thank you for your comment. I just have heard about that policy in public colleges in Texas. Just google that and here I found: https://admissions.utexas.edu/residency#fndtn-t143-requirements
It seems that international student who graduated from high schools in Texas can profit this policy.
We can wait for some one having experiences to confirm that.
Thanks

@“Cao Khang” Your interpretation of the rules it not how those rules are applied.

From your source: “If you are an international student seeking residency through high school graduation, you must submit a Residency Affidavit (PDF) stating that you will apply for permanent residency when you are eligible to do so.”

Otherwise, your son will need an F-1 visa to study here. He will be a “foreign (international) student”.

During boarding school, “home” will continue to be where you live. That is where he will “Maintain a domicile” - not Texas.

Source: Texas Administrative Code.
https://texreg.sos.state.tx.us/public/readtac$ext.TacPage?sl=R&app=9&p_dir=&p_rloc=&p_tloc=&p_ploc=&pg=1&p_tac=&ti=19&pt=1&ch=21&rl=24

[buuzn03]

As long as a non-US citizen has attended a Texas high school a minimum of three years prior to and including graduating from Texas high school, AND they apply for permanent residency, they will be considered a Texas resident for college tuition purposes per Texas Education Code TEC 54.052(a)(3).

So, OP is correct that attending and graduating from St Stephens may allow him to qualify.
Of course, he then has to be accepted to UT which no one can predict.

[Cao_Khang]

@buuzn03

As long as a non-US citizen has attended a Texas high school a minimum of three years prior to and including graduating from Texas high school, AND they apply for permanent residency, they will be considered a Texas resident for college tuition purposes per Texas Education Code TEC 54.052(a)(3).

So, OP is correct that attending and graduating from St Stephens may allow him to qualify.
Of course, he then has to be accepted to UT which no one can predict.

Thank you for helpful comment

[stalecookies]

@buuzn03

As long as a non-US citizen has attended a Texas high school a minimum of three years prior to and including graduating from Texas high school, AND they apply for permanent residency, they will be considered a Texas resident for college tuition purposes per Texas Education Code TEC 54.052(a)(3).

So, OP is correct that attending and graduating from St Stephens may allow him to qualify.
Of course, he then has to be accepted to UT which no one can predict.

And of course, he might decide that he doesn’t even want to go to UT. Or TA&M. Or any of the other public Texan schools of higher learning.

[danisawesome]

100% boarding is a big plus. It really helps build brotherhood