<p>I am applying as a domestic student who is currently living in Japan. I go to a regular Japanese high school, and the system is a bit different here. We only have three years of high school here, so the equivalent to 9th grade would be the third year of middle school. Mandatory education is only up to middle school. When I fill out my classes and activties on the apps, should I just include a year from middle school? </p>
<p>It looks pretty weird because it looks like I was the student council prez in my freshman year and junior year.</p>
<p>lilspring,</p>
<p>There are a lot of domestic students who graduate from international high schools, so you certainly aren’t alone. R3d3mpti0n who is in China, has several threads in College Admissions, Financial Aid, and elsewhere.</p>
<p>In the US, some school systems include 9th grade in their HS, and others include 9th grade in their Junior High School or Middle School. This means that there are plenty of US students who face this same question. It is fine for you to go ahead and include your 9th grade activities when you write about what you have done in school.</p>
<p>One good source of information for you is [EducationUSA</a> | Study Abroad, Student Visa, University Fairs, College Applications and Study in the U.S. / America](<a href=“http://www.educationusa.state.gov/]EducationUSA”>http://www.educationusa.state.gov/) Reading through that website will give you some ideas. If your parents didn’t graduate from HS in the US or go to undergraduate college in the US, they will find it informative as well. After you take a look at it, make an appointment with the counselors at the advising center closest to you. There are several in Japan [EducationUSA</a> - Find an Advising Center](<a href=“http://www.educationusa.info/Japan]EducationUSA”>http://www.educationusa.info/Japan) These counselors are expert at helping students educated in the Japanese system navigate the US college application process. If the counselors haven’t worked with a US citizen lately, they will have colleagues in another office who have.</p>
<p>Don’t forget to talk with your parents about how you will pay for your education. Since you are a US citizen, you can apply for federally determined financial aid using the FAFSA [FAFSA</a> - Free Application for Federal Student Aid](<a href=“http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/]FAFSA”>http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/) Your parents can use the EFC calculators at [FinAid</a>! Financial Aid, College Scholarships and Student Loans](<a href=“http://www.finaid.org%5DFinAid”>http://www.finaid.org) and at [College</a> Calculators - savings calculators - college costs, loans](<a href=“College Board - SAT, AP, College Search and Admission Tools”>Calculate Your Cost – BigFuture | College Board) to get a good estimate of your Expected Family Contribution. If they have any questions about what that means, have them visit the Financial Aid and Parents Forums. They will get good help there.</p>
<p>Wishing you all the best!</p>
<p>Thank you so much for the really informative response!
I will look into Education USA.</p>