<p>days ago when I read a story about how **school’s admission office make their dicision.,.
one sentence was like" she pick up an application, after first glance, she said:international, deferable", then someone posted under and said " I am an American parent, I think that the commitee is unfair to give international student such privilege."
born and grew in a china, I really want to tell such parents, you have no idea what an interational student has to go through when applying to Amerian colleges!
well, what every your opinioin is,
please share your stories here…
PS. please do list your country or at least continent at the top of your post!</p>
<p>Well i don’t know what you expect me to write. I guess it is harder than it is for US students. but it varies doesn’t it? How can a few instances of hardship encapsulate the strength it takes to work for something that you have never seen, which could as easily be a figment of ur imagination. Most international students don’t get to visit the places they are working so hard for.And Pakistani students- thats where i am from- hardly ever get an interview. Those who do are expected to show up some place in India. Fat Chance.</p>
<p>well, just write any thing relate to applying, as me , a chinese student, I have to work on crazy Chinese high school education while applying to USA. Some students give up GaoKao(senior final exam), the only thing that can get you in to a college in China and apply to USA, for them, applying might be easier…but for me, I go to school in the day time, and apply in the night…kind of making me grow old much faster…but my dream is to be an international politician…and yes, I am chasing it…</p>
<p>My dream is to double major in English literature and physics. It is simply not possible in my country (Bangladesh). In fact in Bangladesh most private universities do not even offer major in physics, and those that offer do not have good departments. Only one public university in each city offers natural sciences. But the entry exams are based on the national curriculum, which is quite different from what I have studied (edexcel ‘A’ levels). Therefore, we (those who are not from Bengali medium) need a fair bit of preparation and coaching before the exams. Even then, they are difficult to get into. So I had to decide between applying abroad or applying to a public university over here. I chose to apply abroad. If I do not get accepted, I am, literally, doomed. Then I might have to end up pursuing something I do not even like. I will have no other option. </p>
<p>But I have to say I have learned many things from the application process itself. I have understood how important it is for me to study a subject of my liking, and that has made me more determined and motivated. I have learned to be introspective. And I have learned that this world can be unfair sometimes (especially for those who are poor). But those who recognize that fact and learn to deal with it are seldom heartbroken. I have tried my best. I am ready to accept whatever comes my way now.</p>
<p>I believe what I feel most depressing is the loneliness. When everybody else is having fun, I have to get down to prepare for TOEFL, or anything else. When everybody has fallen asleep, I am still studying in order to keep balance between my college gpa and application. When nobody understands and some may even despises, I just live in a world of my own. Sometimes my parents do not even understand. What it is like to catch 2 papers and 3 essays in one day. Nobody understands and stays by my side. This, to me, is the hardest pard.</p>
<p>Oh don’t be depressed. You’re not alone. I know what it is like to study for a whole day until ten pm to prepare for SATs, to handle school exams and tests and application at the same time, to return home from extracurricular activities at 4 every afternoon and to do volunteer work on a Friday when everyone else is chilling. There’s no one to help me, not even a counselor. The thing that I’m most afraid of is that my teachers, even English teachers, do not know how to write a winning letter of recommendation. I think no one has gone to a top university in the US from my school before. At least Chinese students have paid advisors to help them. I have none. By the way, I’m a Chinese South African.</p>
<p>
Help your teachers. Read up on how to write a letter of recommendation and sit down with them to explain that. Give them a good sample letter from a book or from online, and make a few suggestions for what they can write about you.</p>
<p>Yes, I certainly will. Thanks. But I’m thinking of writing a draft myself since I really can’t mess this up. I won’t give up. Hope you guys won’t either. Just pursue your dreams.</p>
<p>how long have u been here in the USA?</p>
<p>oh god it has been as hard as hell 
im the only one applying to the states amongst my friends so i didnt get much help at all!! i was figuring everything out on my own and only 2 months before the january deadline here in my country we apply to college in the summer after graduation so i was shocked at how different applying to th usa is… :S
it was exaughsting and my sat scores are Litterally TERRIBLE! my teachers did their best with the recomandation forms but i dont think that the admissions office will understand that thats the best they can do! :S till this day, TODAY im still working on my application, and im hoping i get accepted at any college there since im starting to wonder whither ill be stuck here forever 
…anyways it will all turn out just fine in the end and whats done is done, im just hoping and praying and offcourse constantly day-dreaming 
Will it be or will it not be, that is the question!
*Living in Saudi Arabia</p>
<p>Yet the worst part of it all is that i really dont want to let my dad down, hes got his hopes high and expects me to succeed!! :|</p>
<p>i am a chinese ,no offense but i dont know what you stated as ‘Chinese South African’ means? what is it? </p>
<p>and i should tell that my school is not better than yours anyway at least i dont get any chances to have such time to do any vulunteer works (well,i am in school between 7am - 10 pm everyday just practice paper works including weekends and it isnt the worst scenerio among all high schools) and the teachers here dont approve you on any extra studying of English because it obviously will affect your China’s College Entrance Exam stated GaoKao as @qiuskywalker says .
And consolar or advisor? well you really should be in China and see if it as you think. We call them Agent Company but unless you give it a try that you wouldnt think i am telling your the truth. because recently i hired one.</p>
<p>BTW, There is not any SAT test center in mainland of China,if i want to take one i must either get to HK or foreign countries like Singapore just for talking the damn test once because the government doesnt allow ETS to set SAT test centers. and there is also no financial support for the US colleges by our government unlike India.</p>
<p>just in case you do see your circumstances are bad enough.</p>
<p>I find that after over 2 years of dedication, 2 years of stress, 2 years of academic and extra-curricular pursuits, I have not actually formed any attachments to anything or anyone in my home city. I have nothing keeping me behind and therefore my only choice is to go to the US.</p>
<p>Sure I got accepted into my city’s flagship university, but I seriously cannot contemplate on going. I have been living in my own little bubble (my international school), and I know that I will not fit in if I stay.</p>
<p>It makes me sad to see all my past friends enjoying themselves, and actually replacing their ambition with happiness. While all I have is my application, with my laundry list of activities and the possibility of gaining a free 4 year education in the US.</p>
<p>Was it worth it? I really can’t say.</p>
<p>Sooo true!! Agree especially wid Ladylike and Exter09…most people dont get how important and hard it is for me…</p>
<p>So good to meet someone from my country! I’m a Chinese South African, which means that I am a Chinese who immigrated to South Africa. I’ve lived in China for most of my life and I know what it’s like there. You work your head off to pass your GaoKao, and have to do college application at the same time. I have a friend who’s stressing so much about his SATs and I’m sure he’s not the only one like that in China. Those admission officers really ought to understand what we international students have to go through. I might have a slight advantage because I’m taught in English at school, but I’m troubled by the choice of colleges since I desperately need financial aid, and that will limit my chances of getting accepted.
I’ve never lived in the US on a long term basis before.</p>
<p>Just to put up with the tedious US application process shows that the student is motivated and dedicated. I can bet that the application process in their own coutry is 100000 times easier. I’ve applied to USA, UK, and HK and I have seen the applications of Canada, China, AUstralia and New Zealand. The US application is the hardest and most tedious.</p>
<p>Um excuse me, the US application is only the hardest because the education system isnt standardised there…Australian students actually probabally work harder.</p>
<p>I did Australian and US apps and exams.</p>
<p>But I guess they are right. Its not about how much you have worked, but rather simply that the system is the US system, set up by US tax payers (mostly, and bennifcers) to educate US kids.</p>
<p>Being australian i get annoyed when I have to pay taxes to put asian kids through school that barley speak english. (not a slur at all, but do you know how many asian kids i have met that come here for university and dont speak fluent english…its ridiculous; and they do pay, but that does not cover all the cost of their education they recieve here)</p>
<p>^ They spend money in the Australian economy, promoting economic growth at this time of recession. Without international students the Australian economy would lose a lot.</p>
<p>Not really. Its not like the Australian Economy is run by international students. What they pay only covers a percentage of what they recieve in terms of education-- then they leave the australian system with one of the best degrees in the world and go home to their own country.
(Part of that money, which, has to be used to help them more because the system has to impliment extra programs to help them)</p>
<p>would it not be better for the australian goverment to put more australian kids through school? (for long term economic prospect).</p>
<p>International kids are just at the mercy of the australian education department as some quick cash…other than that they dont really care about you.</p>
<p>And I can say, as a australian at one of the universities with a high proportion of intel students…your not going to get the intergrated experience you always hoped for. the intels just stick to themselves, and the australians, who feel they cannot relate, are more than happy just to leave you alone.</p>
<p>^ australian education and best university in the world is an oxymoron…you are talking of asian students here…most who go to top schools like Harvard, Yale, Oxford and Cambridge in droves…any Asian who attends some ****ed up University of Sydney is not attending the best school he is taking what he can get because he couldn’t get into top schools…australian system hard…tsk tsk seriously?</p>
<p>yeah, I agree with sefago
No offense, but in a sense it’s much more easier for international students to get into Australian Universities than to the States, partly because of the policy favoured intenational students.
Maybe frankechanel’s right–surely that a lotta Asians can’t speak fluent English when they get into the School. But what does that say? Just Think if you can master a foreign language as a native speaker does, and you’ll find it’s sorta stupid taking Asian kids’ poor English skills as an excuse for feeling reluctant to pay the taxes. And plus, their English is not as bad as you think, cause you only see a small portion of them, and after a few years, they might be able to speak English as fluently as you do–after all,it takes a certain circumstances to learn a language.
Certainly some Asian kids shouldn’t be financed cause they suck, but there r a great many of them good enough to get into Unibersities like Sydney, Melbourne, etc.
In China, we simply have to take IELTS and follow the standard process of applying if we wanna go to Australia. Of couse there r these people taking IB, AP and some other courses, but whatsoever, Asian kids all work hard, and will probably excel in Universities. At least Asian Americans are one of the best portion in US colleges.
No doubt that Australian Economy isn’t run by inters, but without them Austrlia’ll lose a strong support in technology, designing, etc–they do not simply take A GOOD DEGREE & GO BACK their country. There r a lot of them making contributions to your own country!</p>
<p>I do not mean offensing, but don’t be so cocky. We don’t want to pay taxes too, so if you can, why don’t you just make a call to your president and tell him that you want to cancel this part of your bill? Remember, as sefago said, most excellent Asian kids flood into US.</p>