I’m a U.S. citizen who’s lived abroad most of my life (4 countries in 3 continents), but would like to head back to the U.S. for college. I’ve been skimming through some admissions results threads on CC, and think I’ve a pretty good shot at some top schools that aren’t HYPSM, and/or snagging merit scholarships at one of the more generous schools. However, I understand that these threads are mostly based on the experiences of U.S. citizens who’ve studied in the U.S., while my application will most likely be read by admissions officers who’re familiar with the (highly competitive and very over-represented) country in which I currently reside.
That changes many things - I’ve watched schoolmates who’ve since graduated go through the process, and for them to get into the top U.S. colleges (HYPSM, but also UPenn, Duke etc.), they would’ve had to have a prestigious national championship title or international recognition etc. I do have two national-level awards from lesser-known competitions that’re reasonably competitive, but which definitely can’t compare with the international olympiads or Intel ISEF or World Schools Debating Championship etc. that some of my schoolmates have medalled in.
I scored a 2360, 1600 CR/M, on the SAT. In 9th-10th grade, I had a 3.9 unweighted GPA that put me in the 90th percentile at the gifted/talented academy I attended. I’ve just begun 11th grade in a top sixth form college in the country, and am offering the full A Levels. Even by CC standards, I’d say that I’ve got pretty good extracurriculars (just not HYPSM level).
Any comments on where you think I stand in terms of admissions? Will I really be compared to the top students applying from my country, and held to the same standards (that I think are higher than those for domestic students)? Are schools like Brown, Duke, Chicago etc. still realistic reaches for me?
Financial aid is not a consideration, as my family earns too much to qualify.
You are enormously fortunate to be considered in the pool of US applicants, not internationals. It is no doubt that internationals are a more competitive pool aiming for a smaller portion of slots, about 10 pct of the admits. However I can’t comment on how your application will be read, sorry. Unless your GC has insight you will like your chances like everyone else.
OP’s application will be compared with other applicants from that country, therefore will be compared with others international students, YET be considered as a citizen applicant(therefore the selectivity doesn’t change). Your application will be most likely be read by regional officer who’s familiar with your school system, and that makes sense!
You will also be categorized as a citizen for financial aid purpose.
However, each college has different policies regarding US citizens applying from outside the US, so
DO NOT USE THE INTERNATIONAL CUT-OFF DATES! Contact each of your colleges/universities, and ASK THEM when you should apply because you are a US student abroad. Then use the dates you have been specifically instructed to use.
Short answer is yes, medium answer is yes- but those are all very competitive colleges these days, so your stats are fine & your ECs are probably fine, but they are still generically reaches of some stripe. Longer is that it is how you sell who you are that will count.
You may be surprised (we were) by how unimpressed the colleges are by your background- our Ds have a similarly peripatetic background (with multiple nationalities and languages thrown in), and there was no indication that it was seen as good, bad, indifferent- or even particularly different. So (imo, ymmv) I suggest focusing your essays on where you think that you are headed in your life- and include any relevant pieces of your background as back up for that narrative, rather than the other way around.
Of course, your mileage may vary, but some schools will be more impressed the diversity that you bring to campus than others. Of course, a lot depends on what that diversity means. For example, there is at least one US military base in the country in which I live. Occasionally I see students apply from there, who, while they have lived in many different countries, have always lived on military bases, and in some cases, rarely left them. Those applicants do not bring the experience of living around the world. They have lived in an American monoculture delivered in multiple nations.
Absolutely true, Mikalye- and it’s a phenomenon not linked just to military kids. The bigger the company / organization that is the reason for the relocations, and the stronger the home culture of the family the more likely that is to happen.
If you try hard, then nothing is impossible for you. Good luck
Thank you for all the replies!
I think I’ve been pretty well-immersed in the local cultures of the various countries I’ve called home. We aren’t a military family, and I’ve always gone to local public schools.
I don’t think I’d bring much diversity though - none of the countries I’ve lived in are particularly exotic. The one I’m living in right now, in particular, is extremely high-achieving and over-represented in U.S. colleges.
I made this post because I felt really insecure after a classmate said she doesn’t think it’s realistic for me to seriously consider schools like Brown, Duke and Chicago - and it is quite true that for most applicants from my country, you don’t get into an Ivy or Ivy-equivalent unless you’ve medalled at an international olympiad or done similarly amazing things.
From what I’ve gathered here, however, that won’t really apply to me? I definitely understand that these are still reaches, and that I’ve to work hard to have a chance, but I’d just hoped that they weren’t as impossible as my friend made them out to be.
Also, could schools like Case Western, U Rochester, Tulane and U Pitt be considered low matches or even safeties for me?
Those schools are reaches for everyone.
How a college views your application will vary by college. Some will put you in the domestic pile; others in the US living abroad pile. If you are interested, you can ask each college. However, since it is what it is, and the answer you receive will change nothing, I’m not sure I would even waste my time asking the question.
I understand that they’re reaches for even the best students, but if they’re practically impossible for me (i.e. unrealistic even as reaches) then I’d probably have to rework my entire college list (i.e. the original matches become my new reaches, safeties - posted above - become matches, and I’ll have to find new schools that are actually safe for me).
I thought I’d a pretty good idea of what a reach/match/safety was for me, but now I’m not so sure.
If many students at your current school apply to colleges and universities in the US every year, then your own guidance counselor should be able to tell you which places are likely to admit you. Go meet with that person. Unless the friends who have been telling you where you can and can’t be admitted are former students with profiles just like yours who also applied to all of the places you have been thinking about, they really aren’t in any position to advise you.
Don’t sell yourself short. Your scores are definitely HYPMS material. However, that is only part of the equation. Don’t let self-doubt (particularly if it was cause by this site) prevent you from applying to certain schools.
As for safeties:
The only real safeties are places where you are flat-out guaranteed admissions for your stats, and that you know your family can pay for. Two threads on that topic:
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/1562918-updated-list-of-schools-with-auto-admit-guaranteed-admission-criteria.html#latest
http://automaticfulltuition.yolasite.com/
Your grades and test scores mean that a lot of other colleges and universities where human beings make the admit/deny decisions are reasonably or quite safe for you. Run any of the college-matching search engines using your your stats and any criteria that are important to you (location, price, major, etc.) and see what comes up.