International Students

Most American colleges have already decided on the number of international students they will enroll in each class. The key to getting admitted is to prepare as far ahead as possible. It is best to start planning before the first year of high school. If that is not possible, plan to make sure you have completed all the necessary steps to qualify for American admissions.

• Take the SAT/ACT tests seriously. You will need to score higher than other students.

• Focus on the TOEFL and the verbal section of the SAT/ACT if you are from a non-English speaking country. Not all students are required to take the test. If you are an American citizen graduating from an all-English speaking high school in another country you may be exempt. Seoul International School is one such example.

• Most top American colleges require or recommend a personal interview with an alumnus. The interview is frequently held in the home country of the applicant. Where a face-to-face interview is not possible, the interview is conducted by telephone. Expect to be rated in a number of areas, including academic, extracurricular/athletic, personal qualities and an overall rating. The personal interview is a written evaluation and will be submitted to the admissions committee.

• Apply early.

International Student Statistics

Total international student enrollment both public and private 2011-12: 764,495

Top 10 sending places of origin and percentage of total international student enrollment. More foreign students are studying in the US today than ever before. Enrollments have been on the upswing.

	Place of Origin	Number of Students	Percent of Total
1	China	194,029	25.4%
2	India	100,270	13.1%
3	South Korea	72,295	9.5%
4	Saudi Arabia	34,139	4.5%
5	Canada	26,821	3.5%
6	Taiwan	23,250	3.0%
7	Japan	19,966	2.6%
8	Vietnam	15,572	2.0%
9	Mexico	13,893	1.8%
10	Turkey	11,973	1.6%
	All Others	252,287	33.0%

 

Advising International Students
Applying To U.S. Colleges
219-781-2372
  gerald_bradshaw@post.harvard.edu

 

Be prepared to compete with top students from around the world. This is particularly true if you are applying to a top American school. These include schools in the Ivy League or the University of California system which are highly competitive, along with Harvard, Yale and Princeton, MIT, Caltech and Stanford. Less than 10% of the applicants who apply to these schools are admitted.

That being said, students do get accepted. As an international college admissions consultant, we have several clients each year that are admitted to top American colleges and universities. They include students representing The United Kingdom, Korea, China, India, The Philippines, South Africa, Kenya, The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia.

If you would like a pre-qualifying telephone interview with an international college counselor, contact us by email to set up an appointment.  gerald_bradshaw@post.harvard.edu

We will schedule a time that is reasonable for both of us. We also have webcam capability for video calling using Windows Live Messenger. Please note the differences in time zones between your country and Chicago.
 

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