Before coming back to the USA for high school I was a student at an international school for almost 5 years. Should put that in my essay and will this help? Thanks!
Colleges generally aren’t interested in your life before high school.
Colleges aren’t interested in lame-O middle school achievements, but living abroad is significant. AdComms view it as an opportunity for you to bring a different cultural perspective to the community.
Mention it.
Don’t force it into your essay if it’s not natural to do so. In and of itself, it has only minimal utility;. If it’s a strong part of your identity and fits into your essay, fine. But don’t unnaturally slide it in if the focus of your essay is unrelated.
I think it would be worth weaving into the application somehow. Living in a country for 5 years will certainly have an impact on your worldview and should be mentioned.