U.S. College Counseling for Families Abroad
Applying to U.S. universities from abroad adds several layers: translating a different school system into terms American readers understand, language proficiency requirements, visa timelines, and aid policies that often differ for international applicants. Dana works with families based in the U.S. and abroad, meeting virtually across time zones.
Making a different school system legible
American readers are calibrated to American transcripts. A student from a national curriculum, an international school or a system with different grading needs the record presented so its rigor is visible. That is a translation problem as much as an admissions one, and it is where a lot of otherwise strong applications lose ground.
The practical layers
- Language proficiency. Requirements and exemptions vary by institution.
- Testing access. Availability and dates differ by country and need planning further ahead than U.S. families are used to.
- Money. Aid for international applicants is often more limited and sometimes affects admission, which is a materially different situation from domestic applicants.
- Visas. A timeline that runs after admission and can be slow.
How the work runs
Virtually, scheduled around the family's time zone and school calendar rather than the U.S. one.