Hi Everyone,
I’m currently a senior studying in Canada. I was originally born in California so I do hold dual citizenship. I have been in Canada for almost all my life. So, I was wondering if my American citizenship will place me in a different pool and give me an advantage or not?
Thanks!
It does change the FA as you can apply for federal aid. You will not be considered an international student for application, although your scores and gpa may be compared to those from your region.
You will be a domestic applicant to US universities, but not have residency in any state for state universities (such residency can affect admission, cost, and financial aid – state universities typically favor their own state’s residents in all three), and your high school academic record will need to be evaluated or converted by whoever in the university admissions office handles non-US academic records.
OK, not to be pedantic, but your passport plays not role. The fact that you are a U.S. citizen is what’s relevant.
It does play a role from experience. Eldest American and my second is not. At penn state for example US applicants acceptance is around 56% while international 20%. It’s not linked to grades it’s just the volume of applicants to the amount of seats they have for international students.
But it’s the citizenship, not the passport, that matters.
You’ll be considered in the domestic pool, but you’ll pay OOS rates at most public state colleges because your family doesn’t live in any of them.
Hi thanks for the response,
Say I’m applying to UCLA , would it give me an advantage in terms of admission compared to my classmates that do not hold American citizenship?
Being international would be a DISadvantage. Being an American citizen places you in the “domestic applicant, OOS” pool for UCs.
Okay so it does give me an advantage compared to my peers at my school who do not hold American citizenship?
I don’t think you’ll be competing with your classmates. I think you’ll be competing with the pool of American kids who want to go to school in CA. There seem to be quite a lot of them.
You asked this question less than a month ago. The answer hasn’t changed. It’s your citizenship, not the fact that you have a passport, that matters. You’ll be considered a domestic applicant. Your classmates are internationals. There are fewer seats for internationals, so admissions is competitive for them. But you have to be competitive compared to the other US citizens who are applying, so it could be difficult for you to gain admission too. Are your stats in the mid to upper range of what the college wants?
As @austinmshauri pointed out, this is your second post looking to see if you have an advantage over your “peers”, which makes me wonder what that is about? is it that you have classmates applying to the same universities who have better marks than you? are being given a hard time by them b/c it will be ‘easier’ for you than for them? are people telling you not to worry b/c you have this advantage?
Bottom line is that both your citizenship and your performance relative to your classmates will play a part in evaluating your application to competitive universities.
Your citizenship removes an obstacle that your non-citizen classmates face, because it puts you in the ‘domestic’ pot. BUT, for a school like NYU Stern you have to be as competitive as other domestic applicants, which includes being a star where you are - that is, relative to your classmates, whatever their citizenship, and wherever the location. Stern is looking for the cream from whatever crop 
You’ll be in the American pool of candidates, not the international pool.
NYU is private, however if you do apply to public universities, you’ll be in the out-of-state pools for all of them. The OOS pools can mean different things at different colleges. For example, some will give you in-state tuition with certain test scores, others will charge you a higher rate of tuition. You’ll have to do your research for the specific colleges of interest.
As is the case with any American citizen there is the question of affordability. Canadian universities would most likely be cheaper.
Hi everyone,
I am really interested in business and hope to be able to study at NYU Stern school of business. I am currently studying in Canada and have been at the same school for almost 12 years and am a senior
I was originally born in California so I do hold dual citizenship. I have been in Canada for almost all my life. So, I was wondering if my American citizenship will place me in a different pool and give me an advantage or not in terms of admissions compared to my peers.
Thanks!
Stern had a 7% admit rate last year. It’s a reach for everyone, including domestic applicants.
No fin aid for OOS at UC.
And there will be some colleges that review you differently based on international schooling.
You have advantages over intl, but they won’t tip you in without the right strengths in your app/supp.