Top schools in other countries vs OK schools in US?

College Search & Selection
1

I might be rejected from both my top choices, because the competition for internationals is so intense and they are quite a long reach for me IMO.

In that case I’m okay to go to my insurance/match schools, because I like those schools and I know I can still get a quality education and meet awesome people there. Sure, they have lower rankings than my top choices but it’s just my first degree (planning to do PhD) and I doubt it matters much.

Unfortunately my parents think otherwise. They think it will be a waste of my effort if I go to lower ranking schools in the US when I can get into better ones in other countries (they’re looking at UK and Japan), since I’ve worked really hard throughout my high school and have always been a top student. Another concern of them is that it will be harder to get into good grad schools if I go to lower ranking schools.

To make sure that my information is accurate before I make a choice:

  1. Is it that much harder to get into good grad schools if you don’t go to the top notch schools for undergrad?
  2. A lower ranking school in US vs a higher ranking one in UK/Japan? —is there a significant advantage (grad school admissions, quality of education, research opportunities etc) if I go to higher ranking schools in other countries?
  3. Ease of admission to US grad schools if I did my undergrad in other countries?

Thank you!

2
  1. You can get into good grad schools in the US from not-top schools in the US.
  2. You can get into good grad schools in the US from both top international schools and not-top international schools.

Grad school admissions depends on your undergrad academic record, your letters of recommendation, your GRE/GMAT/other field-specific exam scores, your personal statement (grad school application essay), and your work/research/publications/volunteer/other experience specifically related to your potential grad program.

In many, many cases, it makes more sense for international students to complete their undergrad work in their home country (or another country that is affordable), and then to apply to grad school in the US (if that still is a goal after completing the undergrad degree) later.

If your parents will be paying for your education, they have a right to send you to the place that offers the best combination of price and quality. The UK and Japan may offer you better opportunities, do do think them through carefully.

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@happymomof1 thank you for your reply, I’ll think about it carefully.