.. it is probably easier to gain English proficiency if one's first language is a modern European language than, say, from an Asian language.
Very good point; that's something I didn't consider. I guess that'll teach me not to make sweeping generalizations! ;) </p>
<p>At the same time, I suspect that anyone who spent as much time as I did reading style manuals and other books about writing (in addition to literature, science nonfiction, and whatever else I read) in middle school would become a pretty good writer, regardless of his or her first language. (My first English progress report in seventh grade read "Elisabeth writes some lovely stories, but she needs to work on her grammar." I may have taken that last part a little too seriously.)</p>
<p>As for predictions, the fact that I'm an international applying for aid makes this process infinitely more competitive, so I'll just refrain from making any pronouncements about that right now. I hope you're right, though!</p>
<p>Well, if you need financial aid, you may get admitted to colleges but not get the aid you need -- most colleges do not promise to meet the full need of internationals. </p>
<p>I agree with you that it helps to study grammar -- but it can be very hard for an individual to learn a foreign grammar that has no parallel in their own language. So one example you see frequently would be Asian immigrants who may be very highly educated and have extensive and sophisticated vocabularies, but are still having difficulty with the use of articles in English and matching subject/verb tense. The problem isn't that they haven't studied - it is that their own language does not have any grammatical equivalent, and some of the nuances of grammar are kind of hard wired into the brain at a very early age. So its quite difficult to develop the kind of inner grammatical sense of a language which comes with a very different structure. </p>
<p>Anyway, my point is simply that I do think you should be complimented on your fluency... and at the same time, I don't think we should draw adverse conclusions about students who have a harder time making the transition. There are probably a lot of different factors that go into the mix.</p>
<p>I didn't post here to be complimented, and I do basically regret everything I've said since #10. I'm thinking I should've just shut up after "thank you".</p>
<p>camelia you're swedish? awesome! and you take french as a first language? coooll, you're very talented with languages. your essay was no exception. i liked it. </p>
<p>mine is similar (my parents are both diplomats, too) but less well written. grammar isn't my forte. :P</p>
<p>yeah, i'm also an int'l applying for aid. :P we're in the same boat!</p>
<p>lennni: Thanks for the compliments. :) I'm surprised to see someone else with two diplomat parents; it doesn't seem to be all that usual. Applying as an international is tough, especially when you're applying for aid -- I'm sure you'll get in somewhere amazing, though. :)</p>