College Admissions Q & A

As a college admissions advisor, Larry works with students from all over our country as well as the world. He understands the different requirements for students who live or study outside of the U.S. and helps them navigate these complexities. This week he responds to a question from an American citizen who attends a high school abroad.

Q: If I'm American but go to high school abroad (in my case Egypt), does that make me an international student when applying to colleges in the US? Also note that I'm an IGCSE student.

A: As a US citizen, you are treated as a domestic student for purposes of financial aid.

Because your transcript comes from an Egyptian high school, admissions will probably have an international officer who reads your file first and manages its progress.

Since you studied for at least three years in an English language curriculum, TOEFL might not be required.

Make sure to check with each college, but keep these three items separate when you inquire.

If your family needs college admissions assistance or you would like to learn more about our services, please contact larry@learningassoc.com.

College Guidance Q & A

Larry receives numerous questions about college admissions from applicants and their families. This week he responds to a timely question about an admissions deferral.

Q: I got deferred from an Ivy League, and I sent a letter of continued interest. Then, my admissions officer responded warmly. Is this normal? Does this happen to everyone who sends a letter of continued interest after deferral?

A: That response means the admissions officer had the time and inclination to be nice. Nobody gets an obnoxious response to a letter of continuing interest.

Your application is now part of a much larger pool of candidates awaiting consideration, from which a percentage at least 1/3 less than were admitted in the early round will be chosen. So, think of that deferred application more as a lottery ticket than an investment with a likely return awaiting you. Put it aside and look for a fine new path into your future. If the ticket pays off, well then you are lucky indeed.

If you have questions about college admissions or would like to learn more about our services, please contact larry@learningassoc.com.

College Guidance Q & A

As students work on their college applications, they must consider the different admission plans (including Early Decision, Early Action, and Regular Decision, among others) and the implications of each selection. This week's question to Larry pertains to an Early Decision application.

Q: Can I back out of my ED agreement with Claremont McKenna if I get into a better school? I applied to Harvard/Stanford/Columbia RD and am worried I will get into one of them but have to attend CMC.

A: Your high school counselor, one of your parents, and you, all signed the Early Decision agreement when you applied to CMC. In that agreement you agreed to withdraw all other applications if accepted but you reneged on that promise, taking a seat that could have been offered to a student obviously more deserving than you are. You might get caught, and if you do you will lose your seat at CMC, plus you will be rejected by the others. If that happens, it will be a direct consequence of your own bad behavior.

Furthermore, your counselor is duty bound not to send your mid-year report to any of your Regular Decision schools. If that best practice is honored, you will be spared the consequences of your bad intentions.

If you have questions about college admissions or would like to learn more about our services, please contact us at larry@learningassoc.com.