Tackling the US Application Process as an International Student
If you’ve ever wanted to study in the ‘land of the free’ as Americans themselves love to proclaim, then this article is for you. I would like to point out that this article is based on the opinion of an IB student that comes from a country with a large applicant pool.
If you come from an overrepresented country like SIngapore, then you may ultimately find this helpful compared to our international viewers hailing from IB schools across the globe.
Whether Ivy League, the UCs, or a T-50 US college which you are intending to apply to, the US application process is rather daunting if you come from a school which doesn’t guide you through the college application process. I myself found a fair bit of struggle as I had to do plenty of research on my own. This was even despite the helpful guidance of our school's kind career counselor.
Just a side note which I thought of while writing this: I just want you to be aware that studying abroad, or even in the USA, does not guarantee a pathway to success or a ‘liberal’ American college system which many of the colleges love to proclaim. Though it may seem academically fulfilling, the rigour and satisfaction can be equally gained likewise in other countries like the UK, Singapore, and foreign countries obscure to Anglo-Saxon speakers such as China or Germany. Instead of asking yourself ‘Should I study in the States?’, the question being asked should be ‘What can you, as an individual, benefit from your desired college?’
The US four-year college program is sometimes rather questionable because they market it in a way where you can “explore everything and anything”, but if you are in there knowing your end goal in mind, then consider it as an option for university.
If you’re reading this article, I’d assume certain assumptions:
You’ve done some research on applying to the States
You understand what Common App/Coalition App is
You understand the types of US Colleges “Private VS Public VS Liberal Arts Colleges (LACs) VS Community College”
You are aware of standardized test requirements like the SAT, ACT and SAT Subject Tests
You are aware the US college admission system looks at you holistically, bearing in mind your context of where you come from, background, race, socio-economic class, gender identity, academic performance, extracurriculars, your essay(s)..... And a whole other bunch of factors.
Without further ado, let’s get in to some tips from my personal experiences
Tip 1: Be Aware of the Country You Are Coming From
Yes, Ivy League colleges like Harvard, Princeton or Yale are EXTREMELY competitive, and coming from an overrepresented country can put you at a disadvantage. Even though certain colleges claim that they do not have ‘quotas’ kept on international students, statistics seem to prove otherwise. For instance, if you come from an overrepresented country such as India or China, the odds are stacked against you due to the sheer amount of applicants each year. (Think 50 out of 10,000 applicants which translates to a 0.5% chance).
Conversely, if you come from a less represented country such as the Bahamas or Malaysia etc. it may work in your favour because the admissions have to choose 10 out of 100 applicants, translating to a 10% chance.
Frankly speaking, it’s not anyone’s or the colleges’ fault as it makes logical sense statistics wise. The aim of colleges is to build a diverse international student body, and if they were to admit a majority of applicants who come from India or China, it doesn’t really make sense to have 70% of the international population being made up of Indian and Chinese students.
Even though colleges do not display their quotas, or the rough amount of students they accept this year from each country, you can do the self-digging yourself that will maybe give you a better idea.
Each year, colleges release their statistics on international students through their International Office websites. I’ve attached the statistics from Harvard, Yale, and UC Berkeley in this article for convenience (Simply click on the hyperlinks).
However, to find the actual statistics from these schools. Just Google “[NAME OF COLLEGE] International Student Statistics” and most likely you’ll find a pdf document on their census conducted for the international student body.
Then, scroll down to the country you come from, and viola! You should roughly know your chances of admissions by looking at the number of applicants from your country, and the number of people that enrolled in the college as an undergraduate student.
Sometimes, schools like to combine all four years of undergraduate students together, disregarding the level of college these students are at. You can simply divide the number by four, which can provide you with a rough gauge on how much you need to stand out among the entire applicant pool.
However, do bear in mind that this is just a piece of statistics and it shouldn’t necessarily detract you from applying to the school of your choice. Remember the entire process is a crapshoot. However, I just wanted to say, tailor your expectations and hope for the best because applying as an international student seems to be much much much harder!
Tip 2: Your Essays Should Have An Overall Theme or a “WOW” Factor
As mentioned earlier, colleges want to build a diverse student body. This means they accept students with all kinds of interests like social issues, avid players of sports, and those who are passionate about the sciences or mathematics.
Even though schools love to emphasise on a holistic form of education during their formative years, they ultimately want to see where you stand out compared to others. This means if you are a baseball player or an aspiring businessman, it may be wise to participate in activities or relate your extracurriculars (ECs) to these during high school.
That means you need to find your SPIKE (something that makes you stand out/different). And your essays need to demonstrate that SPIKE.
Your spike does not have to be something that collects accolades or come in tangible forms, but it can be a ‘spike’ that demonstrates emotional maturity, the capacity to be empathetic, or even a ‘silent’ leader that isn't always within the spotlight. Sometimes, the best spikes are things which do not really help one’s portfolio or CV, but things that undeniably make us human.
For instance, if Applicant A is a student body president, captain of his or her soccer team, sings in choir, does regular volunteering, one can definitely acknowledge he or she has a variety of ECs. However, the question is, “Where does he fit in within the college’s student body?” Compared to Applicant B, who is the President of his or her Debate Club, won multiple Debate competitions, became a Debate Coach, it is clear that he or she is THE Debater of the school.However, if you’ve participated in a diverse range of activities like Applicant A, fret not, you just need to repackage these activities and demonstrate to your overall “Spike” in your essay. For instance, I shared how being the co-president of the school helped me to analyse business ventures from the perspective of leadership. I then proceeded to share how being part of the dragon boating team helped me to understand the elements of teamwork involved in the world of business.
Ultimately, package yourself as the “XXX” of the school, and find that niche of yours. Use your essays to then share that voice, and no your essay doesn't need to show off an experience as if you’ve climbed Mt. Everest, but it can be simply finding new perspectives, or a simple journey of your self-discovery.
Tip 3: Start Early
Applying to universities can be a toiling process. This means tons of research needs to be done, such as:
Setting your school list (Safety, Target, Reach)
Studying and sitting for standardised testing
Writing your essays (THE MOST TEDIOUS PROCESS; TRUST ME)
Getting your teacher recommendations
Filling up your application
Ask any senior who is currently in college, they’ll probably say start applying early even though you do not know what to do.
The good thing about studying in the US is for those who are unaware of what they want to do.
The entire college essay writing process is going to be tons of redrafting, rescripting, proofreading, and really trying to find out how you can really deliver “YOU’ on a piece of paper.
So, to keep this point short, start early... Start thinking, before it becomes a rushed process.
Tip 4: Read a Few Common App/”Why this University” Essays
In this day and age, Google “writing college essays” and they’ll be a ton of resources out there. The key is to be contrarian, find resources that’ll probably suit you, and tailor them to become a resource compilation of your own.
That’s why I recommend reading a few common app essays which strike you the most, those with the ability to empower you and provide you with inspiration to write. Because the first step is always the hardest -- to even sit down and and start writing.
Don’t copy or steal ideas from these essays which speak volumes to you, but think about how they’ve uplifted you. Use this as a fuel during the entire college process, because it’ll be the most fulfilling one as you uncover your inertia.
Throughout the entire college process, take it as an investment in yourself and it’ll ideally do you well.
Sometimes, ideas begets ideas, and something that resonates with you will eventually become another original creative or idea that comes from your heart.
Tip 5: Understand the College Application Process…. Is Sometimes a Lottery
The entire college admission system can be viewed as an analogy to a lottery, especially for extremely competitive schools. With an overwhelming number of more than capable applicants, who should colleges ultimately admit? Understand that sometimes it’s a question about privilege too, because certain applicants are put at an advantage due to legacy (past family members who’ve attended the same college), donations made(?), the ability to pay international fees, or even feeder schools (schools that have special ties with these coveted colleges).
I think the question here is not to debate whether this process is fair or unfair, good or bad, but sometimes, it’s better to accept that it may not be. Furthermore, as an international applicant, the stakes are much harder as spots are reserved for locals first.
Despite all these disclaimers and warnings, the point I am trying to bring across is that despite all these uncertainties and disparities in the college admission system, one should not base their worth off their admission results on decision day.
Instead, challenge your own perspectives on the college admission process; how it has helped you discover what you are good at, the time it has allowed you for reflection, and the discovery of what you can provide in an academic environment.
I think it’s better not to be disheartened by your rejections if they do come, but rather, go into this process with a “hope for the best but be prepared for the worst” mentality.
Final Words
College admissions are sometimes extremely questionable. Because there’s no fixed way of getting in. Some people with low test scores get in, but they make up for it through stunning ECs or essays. Some people don't even have test scores to get them in, but they perhaps pay their way in. Hence, there really isn’t any point comparing your application among successful ones. You can use them as inspiration, but there’s no point nitpicking the details that made them gain admissions.
However, to shed some glimmer of hope, it is entirely possible to gain admissions even though the odds may be stacked in your favour. I’d just say start early, begin thinking, and embrace the discomfort that comes from it instead of actively avoiding it.
And to those who’ve read till the end, I as a tutor at IB Lounge wish you all the best!
