<p>I am a US citizen (and a French citizen). I was born in the US, and have lived here my entire life. In the fall, I am going to be a Senior in High School. However, we might have to move to Paris within the weeks to come.</p>
<p>I was planning to go to University in the US, like Brown or Columbia. Will I have problems applying from France?</p>
<p>For example, I depend on financial aid. Household income is about $20,000 / year, so I was expecting full rides to any Ivy Leagues if I was accepted... would this still happen?</p>
<p>Also, will it be harder to be accepted into those top schools? (Are there lower acceptance rates?)</p>
<p>You’re not International due to your citizenship, and yes you’d get a full ride if you were accepted (assuming they don’t change the policy). If anything I think you have a greater chance of getting in now (if grades etc. stay constant) as you’ve adjusted quickly to a new life in such a short time period (between August and when you’re applying). Try and talk to your US high school teachers before you leave though, so you’ve left on a good note and can go back for recs.</p>
<p>wow really? that sounds great. now, I also notice that schools ask if you are a “permanent resident” in the US, separate from citizenship. that would not affect my admission either, right? thanks!</p>
<p>so basically it makes no difference… it’s like I’m switching high schools within the US?</p>
<p>No. PR is the ‘green card’ for those who are not yet US citizens but still file FAFSA etc. Doesn’t matter.</p>
<p>It doesn’t hurt you - just gives you (or your French teachers) a chance to say how “FL has distinguished him/herself as an outstanding student who is determined to achieve success” etc. Have fun in Paris and good luck (:</p>
<p>You will be a US citizen for admissions and financial aid purposes. The main drawback you may face, if you do not gain acceptance to the more competitive private schools, is that you will probably lose instate residency for your state Is for tuition purposes (you would need to check your State’s rules.</p>
<p>Permanent resident is for green card holders (I am a permanent resident - not a citizen).</p>
<p>I’m jealous - I would love to spend a few months in Paris.</p>
<p>Wow, taking on the French baccalaureate system as an American high school senior will be tough. Can you attend an American school? Top US schools get lots of applications from Paris so I think it won’t be much different than applying from the US, but most Americans find the French grading system shockingly tough.</p>
<p>I have also heard that French grading is tough. Apparently, there is an American High School just west of downtown Paris, near where we might settle, so I’ll contact them ASAP.</p>
<p>Another issue you will have is with letters of recommendation and the like. If you are going to a normal French HS, then they will likely be unfamiliar with the admissions requirements on the school for a US application. For example some universities ask for a guidance counselors LoR. A French HS may well not have guidance counselors on the US model, and if they do, the counselor is unlikely to know you well enough to write anything meaningful. Obviously, if you are attending an American School in France, this does not apply.</p>
<p>^^I think you must contact a math/history/english teacher at your US school and make arrangements with them in terms of getting college recs, and the same with your guidance counselor. Even if you wind up getting scholarship to the American School in Paris at this late stage of the game, the teachers wont know who you are by the time they have to send letters.</p>
<p>I was in French school from age three to age fourteen…very very difficult…it is easier to go from French into American than the opposite. It will not be that different, if you go to the American school.</p>
<p>The idea of international is counted as a citizenship so, you are fine! But for FAFSA I believe you have to be paying taxes in the US not sure how FAFSA works internationally.</p>
<p>a bit off-topic, what’s about us citizen not living in us. i was born in US but had no chance of growing up there. so, I have no idea of US high school. would it make a difference?</p>
<p>To what precisely? It makes a wide variety of differences.</p>
<p>For most American universities, you would be counted as a domestic applicant. This can be a significant advantage for admissions at the most competitive universities. For example at MIT the domestic admit rate is 12.9% versus the international admit rate of 3.38%. </p>
<p>You would also be eligible for a wider variety of financial aid packages at US universities. </p>
<p>However, admission to a US university probably requires taking the SAT or ACT as well as possibly some of the SAT Subject tests. This is a common trap for international applicants as the US syllabus is likely different from whatever you have taken. For example, in my country, secondary school physics students learn a great deal more about circuits and systems than their US counterparts, but they do not usually cover special relativity. Then they get a big shock when they try to sit the SAT Physics subject test and have questions where they are approaching the speed of light. It is important to get a copy of the syllabus covered by the SAT Subject tests and ensure that you patch any holes in what you have covered.</p>