International Disadvantage?

I was born in South Korea, but moved here a couple months after and have lived here since then. I am beginning my college application process, and I am worried that being born in an over-competitive country will hurt me. I have applied for a green card, but it’s not 100% confirmed that I will get it in time for my early applications. I am not applying for financial aid. Will I be disadvantaged in the application process for being an immigrant from South Korea without a green card or citizenship, or will they understand that I am effectively as American as most other students due to my education and upbringing?

In contrast to most other schools, UChicago’s website reads, “Your application will be read in the context of where you attended high school, whatever your citizenship.” Would this be signaling that I will not be at a disadvantage for my country of birth (I will be due to my ethnicity, but that’s another story)?

You are an international applicant because of your status. In many cases that will automatically put you in a separate applicant pool from US applicants.

Because you have been educated entirely in the US, you will be expected to have the same courses, grades, test scores, ECs, etc. as a US applicant from your school would have had.

Since you don’t need aid (and that is truly a wonderful thing), your chances of admission will be much more like the chances of a US applicant, but still not as good. Being Korean is not the issue. Being international is.

If your green card is in process, and its eventual arrival is certain, you may be best off to plan a gap year, and apply to college once you have your green card. Things will be much easier then.

However, what state are you in? Some states/publics treat you as an in-state resident if you graduated from a HS in that state.

I think you will not be disadvantaged in terms of the college admissions process. They will look at you as a resident and just your record and assess your potential. The uncertainty is the Trump Administration and what policies, if any, they will finally implement.

@alcibiade I don’t know about UChicago, but at the top schools international students are ALWAYS at disadvantage in both admission and financial aids. that’s just how it is in order to prioritize citizens first.

BTW, a decent number of colleges consider you in the context of your HS, not legal citizenship/status.

Yeah, I think Pomona considered US high school graduates as citizens for admission purpose

@paul2752 , you are conflating 3 things: the admissions process at individual schools, financial aid criteria/eligibility, and immigration policies that come from the Federal Government.

First, every school has different criteria and customs for admissions. At some, being non-American will get you noticed. I have French friends who applied to SLACs and got in (with full-ride financial aid) without being truly outstanding students. You have to research each school. Many want a good, diverse student body that includes foreign students.

Second, there are many schools that have needs-based financial aid. A friend of mine’s daughter got into Haverford and graduated without debt. Again, you have to research each one. International students are ineligible for certain programs reserved for Americans, but the schools have their own endowments, etc.

Third, there are US immigration policies that are now in flux. These are usually separate from what colleges consider and do not tend to influence their admissions processes.

^

“There are many schools that have needs-based financial aid.”

For International students who need full need met, “many” is more like the low double digits, and they tend to be as hard to get in to as Haverford (and mostly LACs). And you’d typically have to be a “desirable” International (from a less well-represented country) or stand out in some way.

Unfortunately, because there are fewer spots for international students at most schools, you are indeed at a disadvantage. Being from a country where many, many international students come from is another disadvantage.



However, the great news here is that you do not need aid. If you do not apply for financial aid, your chances are greatly increased, and for most schools, your chances shouldn’t be significantly lower than that of an American student.



The exception to this is prestigious need-blind institutions, because for these schools, your financial situation will not give you an advantage. But most schools are need aware for internationals and you will be fine.



You also have an advantage because many students applying from Korea have stellar test scores but subpar extracurriculars, and since you went to high school in the US, you will have more to show the admissions officers.



Good luck!