What International Families Need to Know About US (and elsewhere too!) College Admissions

As admissions decisions come in, I sometimes see families surprised—and frustrated—when academically outstanding students are rejected from top US universities and colleges. “But they’re a valedictorian!” parents will say, or, “their SAT score is nearly perfect!”, or “They went to a very prestigious summer school program” – the list goes on.

A key point for students and parents to understand is that these kinds of rejections happen at top destinations globally (think LSE, Cambridge, McGill, U of T, HKUST, Seoul National…..and elsewhere!), and that it’s critical for families to be fully aware of the rising levels of competition going into the process.

Straight A’s Are the Floor not the Ceiling

Very selective schools are flooded with applicants who have perfect GPAs and test scores. These stats get your foot in the door, but they don’t carry the application and in many cases are just a baseline assumption. As an example, the last two students I worked with who are now at Brown were initially waitlisted with a perfect score of 45 on the IB DP.

Essays Matter

Application essay writing in the US is quite different from other countries in that students can literally write about anything. Despite this freedom, colleges want to understand who the student is. Essays are where your child can show personality, values, and lived experiences. A polished but impersonal essay won’t move the needle, whereas an honest, specific, and personal one will.

Activities Should Show Depth, Not Just Range

Many students stack up extracurriculars to look impressive, but that approach often doesn’t work. Admissions officers look for consistency, initiative, and impact. They want to see real interest, not just resume-building. Students often fall into this quantity over quality trap with their school activities. It’s clear they are not interested in a club or sport but feel compelled to be involved because they’ve heard it will ‘look good on their applications’.

Cultural Gaps Can Be a Blind Spot

In many countries, modesty is a virtue. But US applications require a level of self-promotion that can feel uncomfortable or even inappropriate. It’s essential to strike a balance—students need to be authentic and express pride in what they’ve done while also being careful to not boast or exaggerate. I recall a student who, despite being warned not to, included comments in his essay about “saving these poor people” when discussing community health and safety initiatives that he was involved with. His tone did not go over well with admissions staff.

Too Much Coaching Can Backfire

When an application feels over-managed, it loses its voice. Admissions officers can spot essays written ‘for’ a student instead of ‘by’ them. Authenticity always beats perfection. As I’ve heard from admissions reps, ”If it looks and sounds like a parent wrote the essay, chances are they did!”

The Competition Is Global—and Fierce

Top schools aren’t just comparing your child to their local classmates—they’re comparing them to the best students from around the world. That’s the real applicant pool, and the reality is that international students may face increased scrutiny.

Holistic Approach

Support your child’s academic goals and encourage them to explore their interests, reflect on their experiences, and find their voice in the application process. The US system rewards individuality, self-awareness, and originality as well as grades.

College admissions today aren’t just about checking boxes—they’re about standing out. Don’t underestimate how selective these schools really are.