Hello! If you’re reading this, first off, please let me thank you for reading 
and now to the real thing.
I am currently a freshman in high school and have started thinking about what I’m going to do with college. Here’s the reason: I’m a Japanese female who was born in Japan and in america under my father’s work visa. I will be cut from the visa once I turn 20 and will be forced to go to Japan even if I feel like United States is my home. College/University life will be spent in Japan, and my parents often question me on what I would like to be. I question myself as well but finally, it came to me.I want a future job that has something to do with children and those who need help (counseling, tutoring, etc) but I’m having a hard time with looking for colleges.
I realize this is a platform for students that plan to go to college in America but if anything could help me, I’d be grateful for any help. xx Aila
If you apply to study in the US, you can convert to an F1 student visa when you age out of your current status. So dont worry just yet about where you will go to college.
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Talk with your parents about how much they can afford to pay for your education. Can they cover all or part of costs if you study here?
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Find out what the policies are in the state where you live now. If you graduate from high school there, will you be considered in-state for tuition and fees at that state’s public colleges and universities?
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Check in with the Japanese consulate responsible for the state where you live, and get current information about admission to universities in Japan for students who graduate from high school here. Will you need a certain ACT/SAT score, or do you need to pass certain AP exams? Will you need to give proof of reading, writing, and speaking fluency in the Japanese language? Will you need to demonstrate a certain level of academic skill in any particular subject(s)?
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Keep your grades up so that you have the best opportunities no matter where it is you decide to go to college.
Wishing you all the best!
^^^ very good advice. I’d just add that of course it’s important to do your best, but even more important is to get to know yourself. That’s really the biggest thing one can accomplish, or least make progress on, in high school. What motivates you? What do you enjoy? What kind of people make you want to be a better person, and help you get there? Focus on positive things, beautiful things, to you. Explore the things you love, learn who you are. Knowing that will, in the end, be the biggest help in succeeding in college, and in life. From your post, it sounds like you are off to a great start with that. Good luck!
I am literally crying, thank you so much. <3