Applying to Top U.S. Colleges as an International Student

Webinar Transcription

2026-9-29-Applying to Top U.S. Colleges as an International Student

Brian: Good afternoon or good evening, everybody. Regardless of where you’re joining from around the world, we are so excited to have you here today for our webinar, “Applying to Top U.S. Colleges As an International Student.” I am joined by my esteemed colleague, Anja Abney, who’s one of our international college admissions experts.

Brian: Anja joins us with a wide range of experience, having come to the US as an international student herself from Germany, and fallen in love with international education, and helping students with their college admissions pathways. She has, um, multiple degrees, including, um, [00:01:00] her BA in Foreign Languages from LSU, as well as her MBA at Xavier University, and her doctorate in Globalization and Education from University of Southern California.

Brian: Anja has worked in international education for over 20 years as an admissions director, director for international student services, and many other roles, including her role as a senior assistant director for international admission at Fordham University. Um, Anja has helped many students here at CollegeAdvisor, uh, with their college admissions path, and has had students get into a variety of top-ranked schools.

Brian: Um, I will let Anja continue, uh, from here. Anja, thank you.

Anja: Thank you so much for that very nice introduction. I appreciate it. Um, hello, everyone, and welcome. Um, quickly talking today about what it is like to apply, um, to US universities as an international student. Um, I believe that we have a quick poll that we’re going to start with.

Brian: [00:02:00] Great. So I’m gonna open the poll, and we just wanna get a sense of where folks are, are at in terms of, uh, their, their grade. Starting the poll now.

Anja: Perfect Thank you so much. Okay, you guys can play with that and fill that out so we have a better idea of what, um, what range of applicants we’re looking at and where you are in the process right now.

Anja: So let me start by just sort of clarifying what does it mean when you’re applying to a United States college, what does it mean to be an international student? Because there are many different layers when we’re looking at that from the college admissions side. So typically an international student is someone that is in the US or coming to the US on a non-immigrant visa.

Anja: That means you’re not a US citizen, that means you’re not a permanent resident on a green card, it means you’re not currently on an asylum or refugee visa. It means that you are on a visa that has an end date. So if you are in the United States, that could be an [00:03:00] H4, an O2, an L2, a TN. There are many, many different options.

Anja: So you might be a dependent of someone, like a parent that has a job in the United States, or a parent that is also studying. You could be an F2. Or you are coming from abroad and have never been in the United States or, um, have… do, do not have a United States passport, and you’re coming in as an F1 or J1 student, meaning you’re receiving your visa in your own country, um, before you enter the United States.

Anja: Um, if you are from Canada, you are still considered, um, a international student, but your process is a little bit different. So w- on a couple of slides, um, when we get there on how the process works, we will talk about that. But it is very important to keep in mind when you fill out the Common App, it asks you specific questions on your current visa or citizenship status, and I know that that could be confusing, so it’s important to pay attention to those questions and answer them correctly on how you are in the United States if you [00:04:00] are, or how are you entering the United States if you’re coming from abroad.

Anja: The definition by itself means that you are on a non-immigrant visa not seeking immigration to the United States at this time. If you are in the US on a current visa and filing for a green card, so you’re in a pending status waiting for your green card, you are still considered an international student, um, because the green card has not yet been approved, so you are still pending and waiting in that status.

Anja: So again, um, very important to, to sort of distinguish, um, between those things. If you have questions about this, as it can be confusing, always feel free to reach out to the university you’re applying to. They do have international, um, admissions officers like myself that will help you find the correct status, but it is important to make sure you answer that correctly on the Common App.

Anja: How is it different when you’re applying as an international student coming from abroad? What do you need? If you have [00:05:00] done, um, maybe certain amount of years of high school abroad and then came to the US, what does all that look like, um, when you are applying? So some of the things that are different rather than somebody who applies domestically, as we say in the United States, is that your transcripts might be coming from abroad.

Anja: So there might be international transcripts in another language, there might be a different curriculum. You might have been to many international schools around the world if your parents are working in the foreign service or in an international school, um, or you might have been one year abroad and then came back to the United States.

Anja: All those things are very common. Um, we are very aware of how that works. Traditionally, we do not require translation of international transcripts for high school because we usually have staff members across the board that we can, um, use to either translate them or we have a system that we all use on the college application side where we can feed them into the system and it will give us an e- equivalent to a US GPA.

Anja: So you don’t have to be [00:06:00] concerned about that. You should have your high school submit all of your transcripts, nine through 11th grade, when you apply to college, no matter where in the world you went to school. Um, they don’t usually need to be certified unless it is a very specific school that is asking for this.

Anja: Usually they don’t. If that comes up on the application or on the Common App or on their website, then you have to get a translation from, you know, an official translator. Your high school might be able to help you. But traditionally we might not need those unless somebody specifically asks for them. So just watch out for that and make sure you do your research depending on the school you’re applying to.

Anja: If you have not had English in your high school for four years, meaning if you are not in an international school setting, if your classes are not taught in English, you need an English proficiency test. If you are doing IB or you are in an international school, then you do not need an English proficiency test.

Anja: So again, depending on the college you’re applying to, there are different versions of this test. [00:07:00] There’s the TOEFL, the IELTS, the Duolingo. Some take everything. Some schools only take the, the IELTS. So you just again need to research on the college’s website which test do they accept before you start just taking the Duolingo.

Anja: Make sure that they take it. I know that is the easiest and quickest test to take, but they might not accept it, so make sure you are aware of which test qualifies, um, so that you don’t have to pay for it again and take it again. Um, you can ask for test waivers from the universities. Sometimes they are, um, available, um, if you have financial hardship, but again, that is something that you have to reach out to the university for if you have to take, um, a language test.

Anja: If you are seeking need-based financial aid, you also have to submit the CSS Profile if you are an international student. Um, if you are not on an asylum or refugee visa and have a Social Security number, you cannot submit FAFSA, so therefore you have to submit the CSS Profile [00:08:00] if you are applying for need-based aid.

Anja: It is the same idea as, um, FAFSA. It’s asking your parents to submit their income, their tax information, so that the school can see where they might be able to help you with financial aid when it comes to need-based aid. Um, the CSS Profile does require a fee for every school that you’re submitting it to.

Anja: Again, you can ask the school for fee waivers. Some schools provide them, some schools do not, but it doesn’t hurt to ask. Um, but the CSS Profile is something that is needed. It goes through College Board. Um, it has to be completed by your family, um, so that the school can see if you qualify for need-based aid.

Anja: Merit-based aid traditional is given by the applications by reviewing your application by the admissions office. Often there are no, um, additional applications needed for merit-based aid, but need-based aid is a little bit different. Um, when the time comes, uh, for you to be accepted, you might also have to provide your proof of finances.

Anja: Um, this is definitely [00:09:00] required in order to get an I-20. If you’re coming from Canada, if you’re coming on an F-1 visa from outside of the United States, you will need a form I-20 to apply for your visa, and for that you will need a bank statement providing proof that you can afford up to one year of the finances required for the tuition and fees at the university you’re going to, minus any financial aid that you’re receiving.

Anja: If you are coming from Canada, you also will have to do this and receive the form I-20, but you do not need to apply for an F-1 visa. You can cross the border with just the I-20. That is the one difference between Canada and everybody else. If you are in the United States on an H4, on an L2, and an O2, you do not need an I-20, so you don’t have to worry about this, right?

Anja: You’re already in the country. You still have to provide all the other information, a CSS Profile or, um, if your parents are on a work visa, FAFSA, um, if they have a Social Security number, but not, um, financial statements as you do not need a form [00:10:00] I-20, um, because you’re already in the country, unless you want to change your status to an F1, which again I would recommend to getting in touch with the international admissions officer at that university to explain the process to you.

Anja: But you can absolutely switch from any non-immigrant visa in the United States to an F1. You just have to do it in your home country, so you cannot do that locally in the United States. Again, little bit confusing, but it can be done. Um, so you just need to ask the universities for help. That is what we’re there for.

Anja: So again, what are the specific, um, requirements? If you are considered an, an international student outside of the United States or not in an English-speaking school, an English language test, proof of finances in order to get the visa process started, and then your transcripts in English with a calculated GPA if the school requires it.

Anja: Make sure the school requires it that you’re applying to because most of us do no longer need this. Um, some do, but most of us are able to, um, to translate this on our own. So again, something you should [00:11:00] research on the website. Also, if you come from a school abroad and you’re now in the United States, often the US schools will have taken your ninth and tenth grade from abroad and added it to their local transcript.

Anja: So it might already be on your transcript, um, as a transferred credit, so then you don’t have to worry about that, um, worry about those transcripts at all because your high school might have already done that, and your high school counselor will be able to, um, assist you with that information. So reach out to those that can help you if you have questions.

Anja: Uh, whether it’s university or high school counselors, we’re all educated enough to be able to, um, assist you with these documents. So what is the application timeline for international students? Um, the dates are the same, right? The applications are due whether you’re doing early action, early decision, regular decision, whether they have rolling admission.

Anja: I know there are so many options in the US. Um, it’s a variety of dates, um, that are listed on the Common App and on the schools’ websites for you. Um, all of those apply to you, just as they apply to [00:12:00] everybody else around the world. So the deadlines remain the same, the supplemental essays remain the same, the information remains the same.

Anja: Um, you complete the Common App and apply in that way. Um, there are specific deadlines often for the CSS Profile. Usually it is within 14 days of the application round deadline. So for November 1, early action, early decision, this will be due by November 15th. Regular decision, January 3rd, it will be due 14 to 15 days after that, so that they can review the finances that you might need and give you a decision with the correct amount of aid on your acceptance letter, so that you can make an educated decision on, on the finances.

Anja: Um, your I-20 documents, um, are usually required after you commit to a university. So you have to make your deposit usually by May 1, or before if it’s ED, right? Or if you’re sure you’re going there, then you make your deposit, and then the process for the I-20 starts. It does not start when you are accepted.

Anja: You [00:13:00] have to make the deposit to one school. At that one school will give you your I-20 documents. So often I get emails from international students that are accepted EA, and in January they’re saying, “Okay, now I need my visa.” I understand that, but you have to commit to my school first, because otherwise you’re asking five different people for the same document, right?

Anja: You can’t – you only can commit to one school. You can only get an I-20 from one school. So it is important that you remember you have to commit to the school before you do that. If you are from a country where visa appointments are limited, I always say make, make the decision as soon as you’re comfortable.

Anja: I know waiting until May 1 is where we usually are happy, but sometimes students like to make their deposit by February or March because they’re good with the acceptances that they have, they’re committed, and they move forward, um, to get the visa process started. So you have to figure out that own timeline in your own country to see what visa appointments look like.

Anja: But, um, don’t wait until the late of the summer, uh, [00:14:00] because it’ll be very hard to get an appointment for a visa in July or August. So those documents we cannot issue until you commit to a school and make that deposit. So just make sure you keep that in mind.

Anja: So what can you do? What is the usual question? How can I make myself stand out? How can I ma- make myself look, you know, different from others? Um What I will always say is the grades are the grades. They’re not negotiable, right? They, they are what they are, and we get them from your high school, and so be it.

Anja: You did your best, and that is where we stand. Okay? Um, SAT, ACT, same thing. If it is required or if you’re comfortable with your score for a test optional school, submit it, right? So let’s just see where we are with those numbers. That’s fine. Um, then what’s the next step? I always say the essay. Right? The essay tells us something about you that we don’t see anywhere else on your application.

Anja: So when you are an international student, it’s a really great opportunity for us to sort of learn about you, and you don’t have to share what you don’t wanna share, right? [00:15:00] This isn’t to put you on the spot and make you uncomfortable. Um, share a story about yourself that makes you feel like you’re sharing something with us that teaches us something about you, that makes us w- you know, want to bring you to our campus.

Anja: Um, it could be really anything, a passion you have, a challenge you’ve had, um, something you love, a mentor that you felt like you were really close to. The point of the story is why are you telling me this? What was the outcome in the end? What was the growth or the experience that you had, and why was that meaningful to you?

Anja: Um, if you’re into engineering and you write about robotics, know that that’s very common, right? We see that you wanna do engineering. We see your activities, but there has to be something else to you besides engineering. I know there is. You’re young, and there is something else that you can share with me outside of what you want to study.

Anja: So, you know, tell me about maybe why do you wanna come to the US, or that could also be a supplemental question for some schools. Or tell me about your background and your culture. [00:16:00] Um, don’t worry that it’s been used too many times. Sometimes students say, “This must be a topic you read about 1,000 times.”

Anja: That’s irrelevant. We don’t judge the topic. We don’t judge the story. We just wanna learn about the outcome because how was that meaningful to you versus somebody else? So don’t overthink it. I know it’s stressful. Nobody likes to write about themselves, but just be honest in your story. That could have a really, really impactful, um, part of your application to, for us that don’t, the, the, the, this- the people that read this and that don’t know you.

Anja: Um, the curriculums around the world are often very different than they are in the United States, and again, we’re well trained, um, on the international recruitment side of what that looks like. Often they’re much more demanding. Um, IB is very popular around the world. It is the most rigorous of all curriculums.

Anja: If you’re in 11th grade and you’re in it right now, keep your head above water. I know it’s tough, but you can do it. Um, so we are aware of what your recur- your curriculum entails. We also know that not every [00:17:00] school is able to offer AP courses until sometimes 11th grade, and then you’re stressing yourself out because on TikTok you see that in America people take them in ninth grade.

Anja: Do not worry about that. We understand how each country, each school works independently And that is not up on you to let us know or worry about. We understand those challenges and those differences. Um, so you don’t have to worry about what that looks like on our end. We, we have done this for many years.

Anja: We get it. Um, you’re just fine. Just make sure you focus on your GPA You know, it’s, it’s okay to work with us on this type of level. Like seek support from, from sort of outside organizations, um, that help you with your college applications. Your high school counselor, people like me, people like, you know, CollegeAdvisor.

Anja: Um, that’s what we do. That’s… We need to guide you. I know the application is confusing. The UK is completely different. Europe is completely different, and it just is kind of mind-blowing how these applications are all piling up your senior year, and while you’re [00:18:00] also doing classes and trying to enjoy your senior year.

Anja: It’s a lot of work. So it’s okay to reach out to others to help you, to guide you. Like that’s what we do best because we have experience, and we wanna make sure that you are not overwhelmed, that you are not waiting until the last minute to get this done, and that you have a realistic picture in your head of what is available and what makes sense.

Anja: So always feel comfortable reaching out and using other resources. Also, demonstrated interest is so important right now in the United States. Um, schools wanna know that they’re on your list, so reach out to admissions officers, uh, reach out to schools, attend their virtual events like this one. Um, we all- the colleges are doing information sessions this fall.

Anja: Um, you know, sign up for one of them on the admission site. Use your email, not your mom’s. Um, use your email because it’s important that this is connected to you and the Common App, because we can see on our end that you have sort of joined something that we offered, that you have opened our emails, that you are engaging [00:19:00] with us as a university.

Anja: That is really important, so don’t let that slide. It’s hard to come from abroad and do a school visit, right? It’s expensive, it’s time-consuming, so just do these online sessions. That came out of COVID, and that is absolutely something you should participate in, but also so that you learn something about these universities.

Anja: It’s not just about the name of the school, it’s about what they can offer you, and is that a place where you can see yourself be not just successful, but also happy. So watch those videos, watch their Instagram feeds, I know you do, um, and just kind of engage with them in that process. And then in your essays, you know, focus on being adaptable and flexible.

Anja: Talk about all of the activities that you have done, not geared towards what you want to study, but things that are meaningful and passion- like things that you are passionate about. People… Like things that you have done, people that you have engaged with, communities that you have engaged with. Like when we bring you to campus, right, it’s a whole new world.

Anja: Are you gonna be able to adapt to this environment? Are you gonna be flexible to make [00:20:00] maybe some adjustments for your new roommate? Maybe that’s not your first choice, but, you know, are you gonna be able to work through these type of things, um, that are coming your way? New academic system, new environment, new country, uh, potentially.

Anja: Um, is that gonna be something that you’re comfortable with? That’s something we like to see in the essays. And again, you can always reach out, um, to, to a college admissions officer or somebody like us, um, at CollegeAdvisor to help you with those things, because the essays can be very overwhelming, and I know that.

Anja: So what are some of the mistakes that international students make, um, during the application process? We all make mistakes. I still make them every day. Um, domestic students make them as well. But let’s talk about it and how can we avoid those ques- those, those, um, those, those issues, um, and mistakes that we make To proofread your essay, right?

Anja: There are so many softwares or websites now that will help you with, um, with your grammar, with making sure that everything looks good. It- we’re not necessarily used to typing essays in most countries. They’re [00:21:00] not part of our education system. Um, and if English isn’t your first language, take advantage of something like Grammarly, right?

Anja: I know ChatGPT is out there. I know those things are, you know, available for you to, to write your essay. But remember, we know how teenagers speak, and we know how that should look. So using a website or AI to do it for you, sometimes, um, maybe somebody will notice it, um, that that is maybe not the language that you’re using, you know, on a day-to-day, or maybe in your supplemental essays your writing is very different.

Anja: And it’s not a rejection point by a university, but it might be something that, where they’re like, you know, giving you a little minus on the side if they’re feeling like you used too much AI. But use those services that do the grammar checks. Make sure you check your spelling. Make sure if you’re, if you’re mentioning a s- a college name in an essay, you’re putting it with the correct college question.

Anja: I always get something that might have a, a Harvard or a Drexel in it, but it comes to me at Fordham, then I know you [00:22:00] didn’t actually put that extra little bit of effort in. Have a parent look it over, get a second set of eyes on it, um, just to make sure everything aligns, um, so that, so it, so it looks correctly.

Anja: Um, again, Google Translating your essays also doesn’t come out the right way. Um, much easier, I understand. I used to do it for German to English. Um, but Google Translating things, uh, isn’t the correct grammar, is not the correct verbiage. So, um, you can use it for inspiration, but you still should try to write it in your own words, um, and not rely on, on the internet for that.

Anja: If you’re filling out, or when your parents are filling out the CSS Profile, um, there is a section where you sort of has to, you have to say how much money you are willing to contribute on your end. And, um, you have to keep something in mind. Right now, a full ride, as we call it, or free scholarships, those are very limited for most of the schools in the United States for many different reasons.

Anja: Um, they are very small in numbers, [00:23:00] and they are extremely competitive. Everybody wants one, and I understand that. But on the CSS Profile, you have to be honest, and you have to be realistic on how much you can contribute to your college education. Also looking at how much a specific school costs, right? Is that realistic for you?

Anja: Do not apply to a school and think that you’re going to get a full ride, even if the school advertises it, because they are highly, highly competitive. So I always say don’t put your heart into one school, especially financially, for coming from abroad w- with the exchange rates and how things change.

Anja: Wiring money can be very expensive from specific countries in fees and taxes. You know, be realistic with yourself what makes sense for you and for your family, but be honest on the CSS Profile, right? So you can’t put a zero because you’re gonna have to contribute something even if you’re hoping, uh, for a full scholarship.

Anja: Just make sure you start the conversation from an honest perspective with the university so that they can try to meet you somewhere in the middle, um, to [00:24:00] make this happen for you. Um, you can waive the English language proficiency, um, but you have to provide the Common App waiver. So not filling that out and not supplying the test will leave a- an X on your application portal if you are applying from abroad, or if you’re listing on the Common App that you are not a native English speaker.

Anja: So you can’t just waiving it by thinking it’s automatically waived. If you wanna waive the test, there is a waiver on the Common App. Fill that out. It will be up to the school to decide if based on your information they will waive it. But if you don’t fill out the waiver and you don’t submit a test, your application will be incomplete.

Anja: And so it’s important to complete it on time, and to make sure you check your email for the things that we’re saying to you that you’re missing. But don’t assume we waive it automatically because you’re thinking that you’re in a space where, where you don’t need it. So always make sure you, you check the Common App, um, on what you’re missing, and check your application portal once you submit the application for each school.

Anja: And again, when the [00:25:00] time comes if you need an F1 visa, not providing the immigration documents that we need to issue the I-20 in a timely manner, there’s nothing we can do about that if you don’t give us what we need to issue the I-20. And there’s gonna be a point in time when it’s just gonna be too late for you to get that visa appointment, and then the school’s gonna ask you to defer.

Anja: So just make sure you always– and you’re not the email generation, and I know that. You have to check your emails moving forward once you submit the Common App. They’re not gonna DM you, they’re not gonna text you. Everything will go to the email that you provided on the Common App. So another thing to think about, if you’re using your school email, and that will be canceled after you graduate, we don’t know that.

Anja: Everything we say over the summer might still go to that email. So make sure you use an email and that you check it frequently, because that is where the communication will go once you submit the application, okay? They’re not going to, um, send you something on Instagram All right, so money is of course [00:26:00] important.

Anja: Um, we know that the US can be very expensive, so what kind of aid is there? There’s of course institutional aid specific for international students at most schools. Some schools will straight up tell you, “We do not have financial aid for international students.” Not merit, not need. So that’s whatever’s on their website for tuition and fees, that is what the cost will be.

Anja: Other schools will have merit-based aid, again, given automatically based on your application, and some schools will have both merit and, and need-based aid. So on the Common App, when you fill it out for each school specifically, it will ask you that question: Do you wanna apply for need-based aid? And you can say yes or no, or not answer it.

Anja: Merit-based aid is usually given automatic, but there are some schools that don’t give any aid, just so you know. It should be on their website. Um, you can research loans in your own country. If you are coming from abroad, you’re not eligible for student loans, um, in the US because you would need some sort of asset, um, to put up for that, but you could try to research loans in your own country if that is something you’re willing to take out.

Anja: Um, you could [00:27:00] also look at scholarships in the US, um, specific to a cultural background or a major you wanna study. Um, companies like CollegeAdvisor can help you build those lists, but I’m gonna be very honest, they are very limited in size right now. Um, again, they’re very limited. Um, you know, there is not much money to be given, um, but there are some out there that are based on b- where you’re coming from.

Anja: Some of your countries might have sponsorship within their own education ministries that you can go through. Those are all accepted by US universities as well. Um, and major specific scholarships, especially for STEM. Right now for women in STEM, I’m gonna be honest, there is some money to be had, um, as, as that is sort of minority at the moment, um, on the US side.

Anja: Um, but you have to research. You have to, you know… That’s where you use ChatGPT, uh, to see what’s out there. There is some money to be had, but I would say not ever in the full amount of, um, of cost and tuition, but there could be some additional money that can help you. If you are a qualified [00:28:00] athlete and you wanna be recruited at a D1 school, that’s totally fine.

Anja: Uh, there are many schools that give scholarships to international students, but you have to work through the coach. The admissions officer does not do I do not know anything about athletic recruiting and how good of a soccer player you are, but if you work with the coach, the coach will get in touch with you after you reach out to them, and then the coach will work with me if they want to bring you to, to my school, um, for athletic recruitment.

Anja: So reach out to the coaches. You can find their emails on each school’s website. Going back to the I-20 process, again, like I’ve already, um, talked about this a little bit, there are specific documents you need to, to provide. The process is very simple. Once you give us those documents, a copy of your passport, your financial, um, statement, and usually an affidavit of support from the person that is sponsoring, like your parent, um, your, uh, your school, then we will issue the I-20.

Anja: You will then have to pay the I-901 fee online, fill [00:29:00] out the application form with the, uh, US Embassy in your country, and start the, to make the appointment for the interview. Um, again, this is a, is a multi-step process, which is why I always say, again, don’t wait too long after May 1, uh, to make this commitment so that you can get that process started.

Anja: So that’s very different for somebody that’s in the US on an H4 or an L2 or a TN. You don’t need to do this. If you’re coming from abroad, you have to keep that timeline in mind and get started early. So what other resources, um, do we have for international students when you’re applying? Um, again, directly work with someone like me in the international, um, office of the school that you’re applying to.

Anja: We get emails every day with questions. We’re happy to answer them. Um, work with a company like CollegeAdvisor, um, that can assist you in the process if you feel overwhelmed, if it’s just too hard to figure out. Again, you also… You’re a teenager. You have things to do. You wanna have a life. Let others help you.

Anja: Um, you can also speak with international students that are currently at the colleges, um, that are [00:30:00] interesting to you, right? Again, look on their website in admissions. They have chats, um, where you can get involved. They’re on Instagram. They have live Ram Sessions, we call them, like talks, where you can connect with international students for an hour and just ask them questions about their experience at the school.

Anja: Those are your peers. They can give you really good feedback on what their experience was like. Um, but you know, if you can attend a, a college tour in person, great. If not, then just do the virtual events, like I said, but you have to ask questions, right? Make sure you ask questions so that you can get the answers that you need before you start filling out 20 college applications to the US to schools you don’t even know if you would like them.

Anja: So make sure you, you prepare yourself for your college list. So any last tips, um, on how to stand out? Again, use the essays. A- and I tell this also to domestic students, you know, how do you make yourself stand out? Really, again, the biggest part of that will be your essays. That’s the [00:31:00] only part where I can learn something about you.

Anja: Your activities you’ve already done for multiple years, right? Don’t add things last minute because you wanna impress me. That’s not necessary. But focus on your essays. Highlight any cultural activities or activities that you are, you know, passionate about. Internships, if you had the opportunity, great.

Anja: Not a must, not a make or break on the application. Have you been traveling, right? That would be great, like tell me about something like that, or list it on your application because then, again, openness, willingness to meet others, flexibility. That’s what that shows. Research projects are great. You will list them in your activities.

Anja: There isn’t a place anywhere on the Common App to submit a completed project, because it’s not a requirement, right? So you can’t attach like a paper or a link to something on the Common App as a supplement, but there isn’t a box that you’re checking that you did this. So it’s not a must, unless it was something that you really wanted to get involved in.

Anja: Um, and if you write an essay and you have some type of global perspective on current issues, great. [00:32:00] Stay away from politics. Stay away from current issues though, like anything religious, because you don’t know who’s reading your essay. So you don’t want to force your opinion on someone. Keep it general, because you just don’t know who is reading your essay and how they feel about certain things, so you know, keep it, keep it general in that sense Okay

Brian: Great.

Brian: Um, well, Anya, uh, truly a very comprehensive overview here for the many international students and families that are in the audience. Um, I just wanted to take a second and acknowledge, um, that we do have our Q&A open. Um, so you can go and leave a question for Anya. We will go through your questions, um, in depth here.

Brian: Uh, and we’ll also have a few questions that were asked ahead of the webinar. Um, Anya, thank you again, and it is so clear why so many of your students, um, leave positive Trustpilot reviews for you. Um, and you are [00:33:00] such a, a, a highly regarded advisor in this area. Um, Anya, in looking at who was in attendance, we have families joining from Europe, including Spain, France, United Kingdom.

Brian: Uh, we have families joining from Canada. Um, and then we also have families joining from, uh, Hong Kong and South Korea tonight. Um, as you think a little bit about the mix of countries represented, are there any, um, tips or specific pieces of advice that come to mind, um, that you could leave the audience with?

Anja: Sure. Um, you know, going back to Canada, uh, you know, easiest process of them all. Um, you don’t have to get a visa, so as much as something is… You know, I, I love to highlight that you don’t have to worry about that fact, and that is a blessing. Um, you know, that is a much easier process. But I’m in Korea right now.

Anja: I’m actually in Seoul. So, um, I recruit in Southeast Asia, so I was just in Hong Kong. [00:34:00] Um, so if you are joining us from there, and I am from Europe, so I love it. Um, make sure you ke- again, keep the visa appointments in the back of your mind, um, to make sure you don’t fall behind in that process. This year, on my end for Fordham specifically, we were very blessed.

Anja: We did not have any concerns, but it is also very much me up WhatsApping everybody all the time. Um, you might not get that kind of one-on-one attention from a larger school. It will be very much up on to you to get this done and to keep timelines in mind, right? When you come to college, we treat you as an adult, so it is important that you kind of think of it that way when you complete the process.

Anja: And again, check your emails, um, regularly. Ask for help if you need it, but you have to be specific in your timeline for that visa application. The sooner you can get it, the better. It is very competitive right now. But, um, Europe is still a little bit easier. South Korea, Asia, great. India, a little bit [00:35:00] harder right now.

Anja: Um, China, a little bit harder right now. Um, those appointments are limited. But, but please, please, please always reach out to your admissions officer for support if you need it. But don’t let that slide after you graduate. Enjoy your summer after graduation. Go on vacation. I many, many times have students from Europe chat me and say, “Oh, it’s July.

Anja: I was gone for, you know, 60 days, I forgot.” Try, try to make that a priority in the process. And again, Canada, you just, you just have to take that one step to get the I-20 and then you’re home free.

Brian: That’s great. Thank you for those more specific pieces of advice, uh, directed to some of the, the countries, uh, that folks are joining from.

Brian: Um, so we have a few other questions that were asked ahead of the webinar that we can get to. Um, one of the questions that a family asked is, do international students have to do more to get in, uh, to a particular school? For example, do they need more impressive extracurriculars or better grades? Um, are there [00:36:00] any, uh, factors, um, that you think maybe, uh, admissions officers are weighing more for international students than domestic students?

Anja: Absolutely not. There’s literally no difference in the application process whatsoever. So that would be highly unethical. Um, so I can only speak from my perspective and the schools that I have worked at and the way that we do things. Um, we’re very much equal in our approach to domestic and international.

Anja: I think on the international side, we just have a little bit more understanding on the limits that come with some of these activities, as we call them. There are many countries in the world that don’t really allow time for extracurricular activities. Um, in Germany, I went to school six days a week. It would’ve been impossible for me to also squeeze in, um, a, a research project.

Anja: Um, so understanding how certain countries are different and what is available to students, um, also very limited to high school students to do things in certain countries as those opportunities go to college students. Um, university students [00:37:00] usually have, um, a upper hand in some of these activities. Um, which is why I always say it should be activities, for example, if we’re talking about that specifically, that you are passionate about, that you have been able to get engaged.

Anja: Not about what you might want to study someday. You’re too young to know that in ninth grade, and then, you know, gear all of your activities towards that potential one-day major. 65% of all freshmen change their major. So let us see on the application what it is that you love doing, what have you done in your high school career that was meaningful to you.

Anja: Um, again, the essays are, are a great part of that application, but overall, I will say no. There is nothing you need to do. There’s nothing that we’re looking at that’s different. Um, understanding again, that the rigor is usually higher already, um, in high school. So if anything, sometimes we’re a little bit more lenient on the grades than I would say for the…

Anja: than we are for the domestic side, because we understand what that rigor for the IB especially actually looks like, as well as the German [00:38:00] Abitur. Very, very challenging. Um, A levels, very, very challenging, so we understand that that involves a lot of your time, and that’s completely perfectly acceptable.

Anja: There’s nothing else you need to do to try to impress somebody, uh, because you also don’t know what those colleges are looking for, so it’s kind of not a one-shoe-fits-all type thing, right? I can’t say that all of us would be impressed by X. Um, so there’s no need for you to stress yourself out to that level

Brian: That’s great.

Brian: Um, such a helpful reply, and I know we do get a lot of questions from international students about extracurriculars and how their curriculum will be viewed in the context of their admission, uh, or their application to US schools. Um, next question, Anya, uh, is can you… You know, you mentioned the Common App earlier.

Brian: Can you talk a little bit about the Common Application? What are some of the components, uh, of the Common App, uh, and how should international students be thinking about that in their, in their process of applying?

Anja: So again, knowing [00:39:00] that every country or part of the world is so different, so the Common Application is what most of us in the US like to use, um, because it allows you to fill out one application and then list on there up to 20 universities.

Anja: Also knowing that the UC system is outside of that, and then some other schools have their own application. So again, we’re all trying to get to the Common App, but there are still others, um, kind of lingering on the side. But the Common Application itself is very much standard. What you need to remember is that it goes to every school you apply to.

Anja: The one personal statement goes to all, which is why I always say don’t, don’t gear towards a specific major. Don’t write it about a specific university, because we all see it. That’s why it should be what is called a personal statement. It’s about you. The activities go to all. The grades go to all. Um, it’s a lot of basic information, right?

Anja: Background, address, parents, so like the normal, um, information you have to fill out, and then you have the supplemental essays. So every [00:40:00] school has the ability on the Common App to upload extra little essays, um, that they might want to have specifically answered for them. Those could be anywhere from one essay to seven essays, depending on the school, and some have none.

Anja: Um, many, many more schools this, this year have actually gotten rid of their supplemental essays, and I’m hoping that that is a thing that will continue, because it is again quite overwhelming. So when you’re looking at the Common App itself, there’s a lot of information about you. We call it a holistic review, where we mean that we look at everything.

Anja: Um, the first step will always be the grades. I’m not going to sugarcoat that. Everybody will go to your grades first, right? Because that is the… There’s a minimum expectation on what the grades should be. If the grades aren’t where a school needs them to be, then even a really strong essay would not necessarily make up for that, right?

Anja: So the essays are… I mean, the, the grades are the grades, and then SAT, if it is required, again, that’s probably the next thing they would look at, and then they will look at the rest. So your grades can be a little bit lower [00:41:00] than what the website will say about their average grades, right? The other stuff might filter in, but if your GPA is much below that, then, you know, I would, I would revisit my school list.

Anja: But the Common App is meant to make things easier and streamline things on your end. Um- Unlike the UK or Europe where your application is 100% merit-based, right? It’s all about your grades. There’s one essay that’s basically asking you how are you prepared to attend these universities rather than who are you?

Anja: Um, because those countries are more interested in can you be successful academically, because they’re very hands-off in their approach to students. You go to university, you’re an adult. In, in, in the US I call it Disney World. We give you everything. We give you academic support, we give you clubs, we give you sports, we give you food, we give you dorms

Anja: Um, you know, it’s everything you see on TV, and for that we like to know who you are, um, because we wanna make sure that we have on our campus what it is that you’re looking for. It’s a two-way street. Um, so the Common App is very helpful to [00:42:00] us in the US, but going somewhere else you will find the application to be very different, um, and less, much less involved.

Anja: But all the aspects of the Common App are meaningful to us when we review your application. It’s not just one thing

Brian: That’s great. Um, thank you, Anya. Uh, we just got a question from one of our families in Hong Kong, and- Okay … uh, I will publish that, uh, question here for the audience. Uh, they ask, “What are considered strong grades?

Brian: 3.8 and above, or does it depend on the school?”

Anja: It depends on the school. So it’s again, not as, you know, I could just have a blanket number. Um, statis- In general we would say, um, a 3.0 B average is, is a good score. If you’re IB five and above, um, those are acceptable scores. If you are looking at Ivys, which many students are, that has to be a little bit higher.

Anja: I would almost say 3.8 or above is probably something that they would be willing, um, to deal with. But for some of these [00:43:00] schools that are what we call the reach schools, right? The, the, everybody applies to them and they have a 4% acceptance rate, even for them it is not necessary to have a 4.0, 1600 SAT, four internships, three research papers.

Anja: If all their students were that way, there would be literally no diversity, right? They’re also looking for other things. The one thing though, you and I will never know, what are they looking for every given year? So I couldn’t tell you what are acceptable grades, um, you know, to, to each school individually.

Anja: Obviously, I think a, a B average for, for most schools is something that we would consider looking at, depending what you wanna study, how competitive is the school, and I think that’s where this kind of service and experience comes in, maybe being helpful to sort of sort out what schools based on your GPA might make sense, to set the expectation.

Anja: Um, right? Because if we are at a 2.8 GPA and we’re only applying to Ivys, if I was your advisor, I would look at you and say, “Honey, we’ve [00:44:00] gotta come up with something else.” And that’s just being realistic, right? That’s just being honest in my approach and making sure that we have a, a basic understanding of what schools are looking at, but, but down to the nitty-gritty, we will never know for sure what every school is looking at every given year.

Anja: Because they might look at Hong Kong and say, “We would love some students from Hong Kong,” right? And then they might try to figure out what makes sense for them and what doesn’t, so we, we don’t really have a straight-up answer for that.

Brian: That’s great. Well, we’re gonna continue with our Q&A here in just a couple minutes, but we do wanna make sure that everyone on the call knows, as Anya has said throughout the webinar, uh, that CollegeAdvisor is here to support you on your admissions process to US schools.

Brian: Um, as you can see on the screen, we’ve worked with many students, uh, over the last seven years from all across the world and the US, including over 11,000 total families, and hundreds and hundreds of families from across, um, Asia and the Middle East, [00:45:00] India, uh, Latin America, Canada, Europe, um, and i- in fact, we’ve worked with students from over 75 unique countries over the last seven years.

Brian: Um, we have many talented counselors on our staff that are experts in the international admissions process, Anya, uh, being an example of one of them, and our staff includes former admissions officers as well as senior advisors from over 100 top-ranked colleges. We are the only college admissions consulting firm that is owned by US News and World Report, and so we have a ton of different data on the colleges that we put at your fingertips and empower our counselors with.

Brian: Um, we have a great technology platform that can help keep you on track, help you see all the different essay requirements, track the different steps of the process. There’s obviously so many steps in the process of applying to s- uh, schools in the US, as you’ve heard [00:46:00] tonight, and we also have experts that can look at your financial strategy, um, as well as helping work with you on some of the different visa related components, as have been discussed tonight.

Brian: So what I’d love you to do is take a second, you can pull out your phone and scan the QR code on your screen. Um, this will allow you to schedule a 60-minute free one-on-one advising consultation with our team. So unlike tonight, uh, you will have this be personalized to you. Um, we’ll go through your family’s specific academic history, um, what your goals are for this process.

Brian: We can talk about some of the financial elements in a more specific way, and really tailor the call to you and your goals as a family. From there, we can also show you different advisors or former admissions officers like Anya, who might be a great fit for working with you on your process, and build a game plan, uh, for how your next one [00:47:00] year or two years should go.

Brian: Um, we saw earlier in our poll that many of you are joining in ninth grade or tenth grade, or 11th grade, and so there is still time for us to be able to work with you on building a really strong strategy for your applications to US schools, and we also have experts that can work with you on some of your applications to schools outside of the US, whether that’s in the UK, um, or elsewhere.

Brian: Um, so again, please take a second to pull out your phone and schedule a consultation with us by scanning the QR code on the screen. After our webinar, you will also be automatically redirected to that same ability to schedule that consultation, so if your phone isn’t handy right now, don’t worry, you’ll be able to schedule this, uh, from your computer shortly.

Brian: Now let’s get back to the Q&A All right. Anya, one of the other questions, uh, that came in, um, are SAT or ACT requirements, so those standardized testing requirements, are those [00:48:00] different for international applicants? And how have those morphed over the last several years?

Anja: They’re not different. Um, SAT, um, ACT, something you have to take abroad if, or could take abroad if you wanted to, um, online, or sometimes it’s even given at some of the international schools in person.

Anja: Um, if a school requires an SAT or ACT, then you have to submit a score. Um, so most of the time right now those are the Ivys and some of the more, um, again, reach level universities that are asking for the scores. This is something that sort of was taken away after COVID and we all went test optional.

Anja: Many schools remain test optional. And when I say they are test optional, it means that we cannot consider the score for the admission purposes, because I might submit it, Susie over here might not submit it, right? But we have the same grades, the same everything else, so I would not not admit Susie because she didn’t [00:49:00] submit it, right?

Anja: It’s optional. But what it might do if you have a score that is above the, um, sort of average on their website, depending on the school, it could give you a little bit more merit-based aid for some schools. Um, but if you submit a score s- significantly lower, it could also take away. Because once we see it, we cannot unsee it.

Anja: Um, but it really does not affect the admissions decision. It cannot, because we are clearly saying we are test optional. Um, so then you do not have to submit it. It would not be a make or break on the admissions decision. Um, but again, if it’s higher than what their average is, or if you are comfortable with your score, then submit it.

Anja: But there are certainly schools like the Ivys that would look for a 1530, 1550 or above. That is unusually their average. Um, but again, if you have a 1480 or something like that, they… You know, I’ve also had people, uh, students admitted into Ivys with that score. We don’t know what they’re looking for, right?

Anja: Um, so if you are comfortable with your score, then you should [00:50:00] submit the score. If you feel like it doesn’t represent who you are, then don’t submit it. That’s usually kind of like a gut instinct you should go with. But the test is the same in the United States and abroad. Um, you can take it online in both places

Brian: Great.

Brian: Thank you for that. Uh, w- we hear a lot about different ways of applying to schools now, like early action or- Mm … a- as it’s referred to EA, uh, early decision, ED. Um, does applying early as an international student increase my chances of getting into that school?

Anja: Mm-hmm. So early decision is something if you have n- if anybody’s noticed this year, it’s almost everybody’s doing it.

Anja: It’s really being pushed, um, coming, coming up now and moving forward because, yes, c- it’s a commitment, right? The idea of early decision is that that is your first choice. If you get in, you’re going. Now I always say you’re a teenager. You will maybe change your mind. It’s not like the police is gonna come and get you, right?

Anja: But it is a [00:51:00] big deal to the high school and the college, so you have to be really sure about ED. Is it a higher chance of getting in for most schools? Yes. Is it a 50% higher chance? No. Uh, maybe I would say, depending on the school, 5 to 10%, 15% for some, um, higher chance for early decision, but you have to be 100% committed to that school because it is not- Okay to just then, you know, try to get out of it.

Anja: The, the really the only reason they would let you out of an ED agreement is for financial reasons. Um, if you are applying early decision somewhere and you’re committing, you should be prepared to pay full cost. You should be comfortable with paying full cost, because you are applying to a school not knowing if they give you any aid.

Anja: If aid matters, go early action. It’s just as well, but it gives you a chance to negotiate with the school down the line to see if other aid is available. It gives you more time to think about it. If you go [00:52:00] early decision and you get in, you are supposed to withdraw from everything else you apply to. I know people don’t, but that is the, the ethical idea of it, that you do not wait for other decisions to come out.

Anja: You have made a commitment. It is, it is a very serious idea, because there are schools like, you know… I know some schools that have put, um, sort of a red flag on some of the high schools where students are withdrawing from the ED agreement, and now no students are allowed to do it for the next two years.

Anja: So you’re kind of breaking a bond with your high school counselor and a certain university. It’s not a good look for them. Um, and you shouldn’t do it if you’re not 100% committed to the school just because you think you might get in. But if it’s a school you realistically can’t afford financially, don’t do it.

Anja: It’s, it’s, it’s gonna break your heart, and it’s going to really create some drama on the high school counseling side. So be committed, yes. Yeah, that’s your dream. That’s where you wanna be, but also understand potentially you [00:53:00] have to pay full cost. Now, some schools now are giving you an early window into, um, financial aid if you are applying early decision.

Anja: So it’s kind of an incentive that we’re doing where we’re saying, “If you apply early decision, we will try to give you an estimate on financial aid based on your application before, um, you know, you submit your application.” So you kind of have your shown interest, but it’s really hard to do on the international side, because we need the CSS Profile.

Anja: That takes some time to figure out. So again, yes, ED, EA is a, is a bit of a higher chance, but make sure you understand the commitment of ED. EA, I say go, as many as you can, um, because you don’t have to commit. It still shows higher interest. But the, the situation now is that you find many schools only have ED or RD, right?

Anja: Regular decision. They got rid of early action, which really means that they want you to commit or they want you to wait. Um, I would say you rather wait if financially it is something that you need help with, to be honest.

Brian: [00:54:00] Those are great insights. And just to build on, um, Anya’s comments there, you know, we track a lot of data on our thousands of past clients that are applying to these schools.

Brian: You know, what, uh, what type are, are, uh, of application are they submitting, be it early action, early decision, regular? How does that affect admissions rates? And to Anya’s point, while we do notice, um, you know, potentially small to medium increases on, uh, acceptance rates for students applying early, the size or the, sorry, the magnitude, you know, of that increase can differ per school, it can differ per year.

Brian: And so there is no, um, you know, one easy answer to give you there on how much that might magnify your chances of admission. Um, Anya, I think we have time for two more questions here. Um, so one is, can you talk a little bit about what it means when schools say that they’re need blind versus need aware for international students?

Anja: [00:55:00] Mm-hmm. So need blind just means, um, they’re not gonna ask you for anything, right? They will give you a certain amount of money, um, based on your application, and then if you need more money, you kind of have to negotiate with them. But need aware means they’re looking at the CSS Profile, and they usually on their website have a minimum amount that they’re expecting you to provide on the CSS Profile.

Anja: So let’s say a school will say on their website, “Yes, we do provide need-based aid, but the minimum, what we call estimated family contribution on the CSS Profile, has to be $35,000 a year. We will not go above that when we talk about need-based aid. That, you know, anything above the $35,000 is the maximum that we will give you, so we’re need aware.”

Anja: So if the CSS Profile says that you can provide $500, they could deny you for financial reasons because you’re not meeting the minimum requirement. So need aware means that they do have some sort of cap of [00:56:00] what they want you to provide on your end. Need blind just means we’re all going it, into it thinking, you know, let’s see what we can get, and they will give you what they can.

Anja: And then if it’s not enough, then you have to go back to them and sort of appeal for more. It’s more of a negotiation favor. But they will not deny you if your CSS Profile says you can only, or you have $500, or you can’t afford anything, they will not deny you. They will still admit you if they want you, but they will have, they will tell you to figure it out.

Anja: Um, I don’t know what’s right or wrong, um, in that regard. I think if they are need aware, it gives you a better idea of what’s possible, um, right from the beginning, right? If it says on the website you have to at least provide X, then you can understand that, that there will not be, um, anything above that, uh, or below that.

Anja: You have to, you have to at least provide that every year. Um, and it gives you kind of an idea of, um- Can you do that? Are you willing to do that? D- do you wanna do that? Right? Because even if you maybe w- are willing or able to do that, is that something that’s necessary, depending on the cost [00:57:00] of the school, right, for college.

Anja: I think those are conversations you should have as a family. Um, but that’s sort of sometimes how that works out. If they are need-aware, they could deny you for not meeting their, um, their expectation.

Brian: Great. Um, and last question here before we wrap up, uh, this afternoon or tonight’s webinar, depending on where you’re joining from.

Brian: Um, I know you gave some great tips earlier on everyone’s favorite part of the process, just kidding, the essay writing. Um, are there any final essay writing tips for international students that you wanna leave the audience with, whether it’s that personal statement or those pesky supplemental essays you mentioned earlier?

Anja: Yeah. Listen, stay off the internet. I know that TikTok will give you all types of ideas of what you should and should not write about, and I got into Harvard writing this, and I was at NYU because of this. That is not a make or break on the application. Nobody got into Harvard because of their essay, okay?

Anja: I can tell you that from 25 years of doing that. That is a fact. So I want [00:58:00] you to be honest in your essay. I want you to write it. I don’t want a parent to write it, I don’t want a high school counselor to write it, I don’t want a cousin who got into a high-end school to write it. It has to be your story.

Anja: You should not have any regrets when you submit those essays, supplement or personal statement. You should be comfortable with what you’re submitting, and know that that is not the one thing that will get you rejected from a school, okay? Because sometimes I get emails saying, “I didn’t get into X, it must have been the essay.”

Anja: That’s not the case, okay? D- don’t overthink the essay. Tell me something about yourself in the personal statement, something of importance to you with an outcome that shows me why this was important to you. And for the supplemental question, just answer the question. Just answer the question. If it’s not asking you to highlight yourself, if it’s asking you why do you wanna come to this school, do some research on the university.

Anja: Include something specific of why you want… Don’t tell me Duke is a great sports school. Duke already knows that. Tell me [00:59:00] something specifically to why do you wanna go to Duke, and that could be from a visit, it could be from an info session, it could be something from the website, a class you like, something you read about their research.

Anja: Make it specific to you and what you wanna study when you see that why this college, why this major question. Don’t be general. But don’t try to highlight yourself in those questions. Um, it’s very common that we wanna even write more about ourselves. Just answer the question. And we like to be below the word count.

Anja: The 250 is a maximum. We have to read tons of them, it’s okay if you’re below that, right? You don’t have to fill it, um, with fluff. Just, just answer the question. That’s all you have to do

Brian: Such tremendous insights here, uh, this, uh, during this webinar, Anya. We tr– we really appreciate, um, all, all of your great tips and advice for s- students and parents joining from across the globe.

Brian: Um, so thank you again, uh, for joining, uh, today, and please know that we do run webinars regularly. Um, [01:00:00] typically, we’ll offer multiple per month. Um, if we’re running a webinar on a topic that’s interesting to you, but it’s at a bad time for you, you have something going on, or because of the time zone differences, attending the live webinar is not possible, we do record these webinars and then put them onto our CollegeAdvisor platform.

Brian: So you all have an account on the CollegeAdvisor web app. You can watch those on-demand recordings, um, at your convenience to help you on various aspects of the admissions process. And again, remember that we are here to help you at CollegeAdvisor. Please take us up on our offer to schedule that free consultation, and we can go through, um, you know, your application a little bit more in depth, and show you great advisors like Anya and others that can help you with this process.

Brian: So again, um, thank you so much for joining, um, and please have a great rest of your day.

Anja: Bye, everybody.