35 Things That Will Put You Ahead of 90% of International Applicants In Ten Minutes

These 35 Things Will Put You Ahead of 90% of International Applicants"  So if you only have 5 minutes don’t watch anything else but this.  This could change your admissions results.

If you’re applying to U.S. colleges as an international student, this article will save you hours of confusion — and possibly months of mistakes.  I’ve put together 35 of the most important things that top applicants understand — but most people overlook.  These aren’t random tips. They’re what actually matter based on the hours I have spent helping students get admitted to their dream college.

Understanding the U.S. College Application Timeline

1. Start on the 1^st day of 9^th grade.  Everything counts from the day you enter 9^th grade. Any award, certificate, grade etc you won prior to 9^th won’t appear on your transcript. 

2. Understand university application timelines which are around 1 year before you begin.  Remember, your first application is due around October of your 12th year and therefore, much of what you achieve in 12^th will not be showcased on your application.  9th you will be testing the water. Therefore it’s 10-11^th where the bulk of your achievements will reside.

3. Understand the common steps

   1. Search for colleges and courses

   2. Narrow down your list of colleges

   3. Take the SAT or ACT

   4. Take the english language proficiency tests: TOEFL or IELTS – if your current courses are not taught primarily in English.

   5. Participate in Extracurriculars

   6. Write your statement of purpose

   7. Write supplementary essays

   8. Ask for Letter of Recommendations for teachers.

   9. Appear for interviews of colleges that require it

   10. Apply for scholarships if needed

   11. Apply for a student visa if needed

How to Build a Smart College Shortlist (Not a Ranking-Based One)

1. The top 100 universities offer tremendous opportunities and facilities for children.  It is possible to get similar outcomes in terms of careers and salaries after graduating from a wide variety of universities. 

2. Every college should be considered as unique (including each of the 8 Ivy Leagues).  Each college is different.  Understand the college entirely before deciding to apply including its location, facilities, professors, extracurriculars, research budget, academic opportunities etc.

3. Understand that college rank (by USNews/Forbes) is an indicator of where approximately a college fits in the USA educational landscape.  Different ranking systems use different criteria to create a rank.  A rank should not be the deciding factor of which colleges you shortlist. 

4. Understand that acceptance rates are not representative of a major, an international student, or early decision programs.  To really understand the college, break down how that acceptance rate applies to you.

5. Most colleges reserve only 10-15% of their incoming class for international students.

6. Your college shortlist will largely be determined by your SAT or ACT score.  Thus you should have it completed before 11^th grade ends so you have enough time to consider which colleges you are best suited for.

7. SAT and ACT scores are crossing unprecedented levels.  You need incredibly high scores for colleges which are even in the ranking range of 25-35.  Make sure you know what SAT/ACT score you need for your dream colleges before you start preparing.

8. All elite colleges are “Dream” colleges.  Basically, anything under 10% is a dream college so making sure you have more on your list than only dream colleges.

9. You have to have enough safety colleges on your college shortlist.

10. I know far too many students who don’t apply to enough safety colleges! Make sure you have some academic safety colleges that you know you can get into (no, a 20% acceptance rate does not make it a safety) as well as some financial safety colleges that you know you and your family can afford. Also, make sure you genuinely love your safety colleges and can see yourself being happy there! 

    
    

Academic Direction and Major Clarity Matter More Than You Think

College is an academic exercise and thus you must know your major well in advance of applying.  Waiting too long to decide your major is a great way to get rejected.  Past is a great indicator of future and in case you don’t have any evidence in your past (research paper, internships, courses, clubs) that show your intentions, it is difficult to get accepted.

You academic interest is therefore central to your application.  You need your courses plus some extracurricular which demonstrates your dedication to the major you plan on studying in college.

The bare minimums, meaning even if you want to get into a college ranked number 75, after doing the best you can in your standardized tests and grades - try to get at least 1 activity in community service, 1 activity as a leader, 1 activity in your academic interest (e.g. what you plan on majoring in), 1 honor/award.  These can be overlapping.  It is not necessarily they are distinct activities.

Taking easy courses but expecting to get into a very good college is a red flag.  If you truly care about a great education – if you care about growth and challenging yourself - , then you should have taken advantage of the tougher courses which were available to you in high school.

Choosing Early Decision Can Increase Admit Rate

Colleges have various application programs are like Restricted Early Action, Early Action & Early Decision etc.  Understand the different programs at each college.  There are different acceptance rates for early programs and in most cases, applying early increases your chances of acceptance.

Some colleges fill 50% of their incoming class with applicants from early decisions batches.  Thus you have a far better shot at such a college is you’re a strong contender.  

Your early decisions college is a strategic choice.  Consider thoroughly before using your ED for a college whose requirements are above your achievements.  ED doesn’t make you a better candidate but in case you are a qualified candidate, it surely helps you.

Extracurriculars & Awards are Key for Ivy Leagues

1. Not all extracurriculars are equal. If you don’t understand how extracurriculars are evaluated, you won’t be able to understand which colleges you are a fit for.  Extracurriculars can be evaluated on elements of difficulty, self-initiative, impact, honors & awards, selectivity using an Activity Evaluation Framework we have developed.

2. It is not enough to have a list of extracurriculars.  It matters what you achieve at those extracurriculars also known as impact. Thing about the numbers – how many people do you impact, how much did you affect them.

3. Yes, Awards & Honors are a thing.  And for the top 5, a huge thing.  There is place for at least 5 Awards & Honors on your common app and even more space on the University of California app.  You should be intentional about searching for awards.  While less selective colleges value awards like “academic excellence”; for the top colleges, this offers no value.  

4. If you want to get accepted into the top 5 colleges, you should shoot for either an international award or a published research paper as your major application contributor.

   
   

So before we hit number 3 - "Just a quick note — if all this is making your head spin – and you’re looking for more personalized guidance or need a roadmap to navigate the admissions process, I’ve got you covered. My courses will break everything down, and you’ll get exclusive downloads. 

Okay on with the show.

Without Community, Your Application is In Trouble

College is about a community.  Everyone on campus has a single goal to further the power of education.  If you have not cared about community (especially community service) in your past, then they don’t believe you will contribute to their college community in the future.

Letters of Recommendation: The Silent Filter

1. Teachers play a critical role in your admissions when they write your letter of recommendation.   They have seen hundreds of students and are assumed to be a great judge of character across the students they have seen. If you took advantage of your high school resources, only then is the college confident you will take advantage of the college’s resources.

2. Receiving generic letter of recommendation from a teacher is fatal. Many students make the mistake of waiting until senior year of high school to start thinking about letters of recommendation. It can take years to cultivate a meaningful relationship with a teacher that will result in an outstanding letter of recommendation. We recommend that students start trying to identify 2-3 teachers as soon as sophomore year of high school.

Branding, Storytelling, and Memorability

1. USA College Admissions are influenced dramatically by the story behind your application.  Your story can easily become disjointed if you don’t first create a personal brand and an application strategy.  Your application strategy needs to appear in every aspect of your application – from the Common App Activities to the LORs.

2. It is possible to write your essays completely wrong. US Colleges want to know who you are because they believe that academics are not enough to predict your success. Thus they use your essays to understand what your purpose, passion, core qualities, and future interests.  If you do not have a strong story, you are a likely candidate for rejection.

3. Every part of the USA admission process is strategic in nature.  Whether you are creating your common app activities or writing your essay, your branding must be loud & clear.  If you tell a lot of different stories that don’t form the single identity of who you are, it weakens your application.  Focus on one single brand.

Financial Aid Realities for International Students

1. For 99% of colleges, in case you ask for financial aid, your chances of acceptance decrease.  Consider two candidates who are the equal in all aspects and one needs financial aid and one doesn’t – the university will always prefer the one who does not need aid.

2. Most universities do give aid to international students however the competition is very tough because first, the acceptance rate for international students is always less than the acceptance rate of the overall college.  Second, most aid universities have available is reserved for domestic students.  That being said, every year deserving students do receive aid.

3. Aid should be considered a strategy.  Applying to college’s whose average students are below your academic performance and your extracurriculars accomplishment significantly improves your chances of receiving aid as the college tries to lure you in so you can increase the overall profile of students.

If you are shooting for the best, then the next part matters.

What the Top 5 Colleges Look for Specifically

1. Top 5 colleges prefer someone who is deeply passionate about a single topic as opposed to someone who is well-rounded.  Someone who puts all their eggs generally achieves more and also colleges feel that someone who pursues something with everything they got is more likely to show success in the future.

2. Colleges care about consecutive growth.  If you achieve a particular goal in 9^th grade but don’t improve upon that achievement, colleges consider you to be complacent.  They want you to continuous push to achieve more and out-do your previous accomplishments.

3. The top 5 colleges have requirements which are significantly different than their peers because they have the luxury of choice.  They will look for individuals who have won international awards or have had researched published.  If you don’t have either of these hooks, you may want to think again before applying.

You can check out my video for a clear understanding of the real admissions baseline.

Final Takeaway: Knowledge Is the First Competitive Advantage

My final advice – know what colleges want at a very deep level.  It is not enough to say they want great extracurriculars.   Why? Because 99% of my students believe a great extracurricular is being on the leadership team of a common club.  However, unfortunately that is not true.  If you have been watching my videos or reading my blogs, you know there is no single right way to Harvard or any great college.  The most important thing is that you have the knowledge to understand what makes a great applicant and what makes an average applicants.  

All above points are just the beginning — but now, at least, you’re ahead of most applicants in terms of knowledge.

I’ve linked a free guide below that explains how U.S. admissions officers evaluate applications beyond grades and test scores.What USA Admissions Want Guide

Still have questions? Book a call here.

Or better yet, sign up for our newsletter so you are always in the know!

Common Questions International Students Ask About U.S. Admissions