<p>So I just found out that I won't be getting my green card until after I've applied to all of my colleges, and have to apply as an international student despite living in the U.S for about 6 years. I was wondering if all international applicants are all lumped together in the admission process or if some countries will have a higher admittance rate than others. Btw, I'm applying as a Canadian citizen so would that diminish my chances at some of the top universities?</p>
<p>Top universities have different policies for admissions and financial aid for someone living in US who is an International student. So you may be competing for admission in the US pool but the financial aid requests won’t be treated as coming from US unless the school considers North America as a whole for aid.</p>
<p>I have been following up with someone whose kid has the same problem but from Asia. So the kid was told by several schools that FA is limited or non-existent for a student from Asia but as far as admissions go, the application is considered to be from US.</p>
<p>If you have been attending high school in the US, the admissions officer in charge of your region will probably be responsible for reading your application. That you are not a domestic applicant will mean that the international student office will read your financial aid file. Some institutions treat Canadians like US applicants for admissions and institutional aid, you need to read the information very carefully at each website. Since your green card is in process, do let each place know what is going on with that. You won’t be eligible for federally determined (FAFSA) aid until you have your green card in your hot little fist, but some of the colleges/universities may be able to give you a preliminary estimate about that.</p>
<p>One possibility would be to plan now for a gap year, and apply in 2012 for enrollment in 2013. That way your green card situation should be resolved before you would apply, and you would be a domestic applicant for financial aid.</p>
<p>@texaspg thanks, it makes me feel a bit better that I’m part of the US pool because the international one is notoriously hard. As for financial aid, I’m probably not going to ask for much because I know how hard it is to get, and if I decide to go to a UC, I think my family can handle the full in-state tuition.
@happymom Thanks for the response. I’ve searched the websites of some of the colleges I want to got to (Chicago, UC’s,USC,Cornell etc…) but couldn’t find anything information on how Canadian citizens are treated in the application process. I’m probably not going to take a year off, but do you know if I can apply/adjust my financial aid after I’ve been accepted and enrolled?</p>
<p>Some universities treat Americans, Mexicans, and Canadians as the same for financial aid.</p>
<p>^do you know which Ivies/top schools do that?</p>
<p>Harvard, Princeton and MIT for certain because they consider all countries same. I think Stanford may be looking at North America separately for need blind.</p>
<p>Penn is need-blind for citizens of the US, Canada and Mexico but not other international applicants.</p>
<p>UPenn and University of Rochester for sure treat Americans, Mexicans, and Canadians the same. I don’t think Stanford is need-blind for Mexicans, don’t know about Canadians.</p>
<p>Well, as I understand, there are only six colleges -Harvard, MIT, Dartmouth, Princeton, Yale and Amherst- that treat all countries the same. But, I believe that all these universities, certainly MIT,have a quota for international students.</p>
<p>Do apply for aid when you apply for admission, then the second you get your green card, ask the financial aid office to reconsider your application based on the change in your status. You can even go ahead and start your FAFSA, and then complete it and submit it when you have your green card.</p>