<p>Hey there everyone,
I am a 8th-grader from a third world country who is aspiring to study abroad in the States. My dream school is Harvard-Westlake in LA (I know there are tons of exceptional boarding schools in New England but I prefer to live in LA because many of my relatives live there). I don't know if it takes foreign students or not.</p>
<p>According to its website: HarvardWestlake does not issue the I-20 form for foreign student study and only enrolls students who intend to complete their secondary education at HarvardWestlake through the 12th grade. We do not offer a program in English as a Second Language (ESL), so all students need to be completely fluent in English for reading, speaking, and composition.</p>
<p>But it is also stated on their website that: This past year, we offered places to students from nearly 110 different schools, including public, religious, independent, and FOREIGN schools.</p>
<p>I am so confused. I think my English proficiency is good enough for an academic environment. AND I intend to complete my secondary education at HW through the 12th grade. I emailed the staff but they didn't answer.
Thanks in advance. Any comment is appreciated.</p>
<p>My understanding is that means they do not take foreign citizens (unless they are already in the U.S. under permanent resident status). The I-20 is a form required to get a student visa to study in the United States. </p>
<p>They probably mentioned admitting students from foreign schools because they have American expatriates that return to the U.S. for high school. </p>
<p>I’m sorry.</p>
<p>On a brighter note, there are two excellent boarding schools commonly mentioned on this board that are not far from LA (albeit much farther than H-W) - Cate School and Thacher School. I believe they issue I-20s. You may wish to PM the creatively named “CateParent” and “ThacherParent” to find out more information.</p>
<p>You may also be on a different type of visa (you can’t be on the student visa because the school is not issueing I-20) if you are not a permanent resident, e.g. the dependent of a foreign student or worker.</p>
<p>Years ago when I was a student worker in a college Dean of Students’ Office I dealt with many of our international students. I don’t remember all the details but one rule was drilled into our heads - non-resident/immigrant aliens that were full-time students had to be on a student or exchange program visa to be legally enrolled. In fact, some who were here on other types of visas still had to apply for a student visa in order to matriculate. </p>
<p>Perhaps things have changed but I’ll bet the school will not be of much help. If they don’t issue I-20s they have made the decision not to register and put in place processes to help international students enroll.</p>
<p>You can call now. All of the private schools have people in the offices year-round. However, the first half of August is also a very popular vacation period for those in the education field. If the correct person is not in the office get a name and when he/she will be returning. Leaving a message is fine, but offer to call again at the appropriate time.</p>
<p>Just call now so you have more time to figure out what you’re going to do if you can’t go there.
Harvard Westlake is incredibly hard to get into anyway, so look around for some less competitive schools.</p>
<p>I’m gonna wait til the latter half of August to call. Anyway, I have thought of other mid-tier schools that accept foreign students. H-W is still my dream school - I will be sad if I apply as a regular applicant and rejected, but I will be devastated if they don’t at least give me a shot.
Is H-W as competitive as the HADES?</p>
<p>I know someone who did not live in America when he applied to HW and moved to Harvard Westlake for his freshman year. However, he had something similar to a legacy hook and enrolled because his family decided to move and live there permanently. I’m quite sure he is a US citizen though, and did not require a visa. But I hope this answers your question on the foreign school part; in fact, I think that student was the reason why HW could state that on their website.</p>
<p>HW is definitely as competitive and well-reputed at the hades. It’s also part of the G20? scools which also includes Hotchkiss, Deerfield, Andover?, and Lawerenceville if you don’t believe it’s up to part with the hades :P</p>
<p>I believe if you are a dependent of someone with a valid visa (student or worker), you can go to school in the US but you can’t work, but it doesn’t sound like you are in that category.</p>
<p>Harvard Westlake is just as hard to get in as the top BS’s. It’s an excellent day school. The teachers are fantastic. Stduents are super competitive. The whole experience will probablybe different from the experience in a boarding schools though.</p>
<p>I know a girl from Japan who attends H-W through an exchange program. I don’t want to be an exchange student anyway.
I don’t understand why some schools don’t take foreign students. I think there’s nothing complicated to the process of issuing the I-20 form. The school just simply need to fill in the form and then it’s up to the student to obtain the visa.</p>
<p>According to its website: Harvard–Westlake does not issue the I-20 form for foreign student study and only enrolls students who intend to complete their secondary education at Harvard–Westlake through the 12th grade. We do not offer a program in English as a Second Language (ESL), so all students need to be completely fluent in English for reading, speaking, and composition.</p>
<p>— I dont know the school, but the above language says to me that they are talking about students coming in for a year or so, or had many inquiries about summer programs, etc. Sounds to me that, while you need to confirm with the office once the school year starts, you can go ahead and apply. Also look at the other great schools nearby</p>
<p>Harvard Westlake is a day school, so they do not have boarding facilities. Aside from boarding schools, it is very difficult for international students to come to the US and live with relatives. At public schools, the policy is that the PARENT must move to the US, and register the child. the only way an aunt or uncle can register a child is if they have legal custody of their niece/nephew.</p>
<p>Many private schools go along with that view—they don’t issue an I20, and they don’t take international kids who are living with relatives. There are a few under enrolled private schools that accept large groups of international kids and arrange homestays for them. But in most cases, that is under enrolled schools, and not schools like harvard westlake. </p>
<p>I don’t knwo HW’s exact view on this, but what I described above is a prevailing view of this situation. I also recommend cate or thatcher. good luck</p>
<p>Mmm…I may not live with relatives. My relatives live down in Orange County a.k.a “The O.C”. They may help me find a host family.
I asked Polytechnic school in Pasadena a while back ago and they said they could not enroll international students under any circumstances.
I believe the Pasadena Polytechnic school is a very prestigious day school in the country. It ranked #18 on the 2003 Worth prep school rankings. It is also listed among prepreview.com’s top day schools. Another ranking conducted in 2007 by the Wall Street Journal placed Polytechnic #4.
How about Chadwick school in Palos Verdes Peninsula and Marlborough school in Hancock Park (these ones were all ranked on the 2003 Worth prep school rankings).
There’s another thing that I am confused about. Brentwood school in LA is a member school of ASSIST - American Secondary Schools for International Students and Teachers. But they told me that it is the school’s policy not to admit international students (?).</p>
<p>I think you missed my point. These schools won’t allow you to enroll unless your parents move to California with you. No host familes, no living with relatives. That is the rule for private schools that don’t issue visas. I think you could waste a lot of time pursuing this. Why not just apply to a boarding school that has dormitories and the ability to issue you a visa so that you can stay and graduate?</p>
<p>I am requesting application packages from some boarding schools, including Cate and Thacher. But there’s still one thing I don’t understand about some day schools: Why do they take exchange students but do not admit self-applying foreign students?</p>
<p>I have requested application packages from Cate and Thacher and Webb schools, no more dreaming about H-W. Yesterday I randomly went through a list of of SEVP approved schools (only SEVP approved schools are authorized to issue the I-20 form). The list includes H-W and several other LA day schools (and tons of other institution). Which means H-W IS able to issue the I-20 form, and they will if they want to. Should I convince them to let me apply?</p>