很多家长为了让孩子更早地适应美国的教育，同时也想为孩子争取到申请优势，从初高中开始就把孩子送到美国读书。这是因为在申请中，尤其是TOP30的名校申请中，国际生和美国高中学生是被区别对待的：

1、拥有比国际生多得多的录取名额，享受优先录取待遇，根据往年录取数据，在美国顶尖学校本科录取中，国际生所占比例大概在5%—15%。也就是说，美高和美国本土学生竞争75—95%的录取名额，而所有国际生竞争剩下的名额。

2、申请要求更低：比如部分学校免掉美高申请者的语言考试要求，或者比国际生更低的GPA、标化考试要求等。

但是，美国高中学生在申请美国本科时算不算国际生？真的会比国内中学的学生更有申请录取上的优势吗？带着这样的疑问，老师套磁了美国TOP100的大U，目前收到73所高校的明确回复，经过总结后发现美国高校判定国际生的标准大致可以分为四类：

第一类：非美国公民或绿卡持有者都算国际生

借用Stanford的套磁回复：

International students are those applicants who are not US citizens or permanent residents (Green Card recipients) of the US. 
Even though one may have lived in the US for a number of years, that person is still considered an international applicant.

简单干脆，凡是非美国公民或持有绿卡的永久居民在申请中都算作国际生。

特殊的，部分学校将难民、政治避难者等也视作本土学生，比如Ohio State University, Boston University, University of Minnesota. 

这几所学校持有的观点可以参照OSU的套磁回复：

If you are a citizen, permanent resident, refugee or asylee in or to the U.S., then you will apply as a domestic applicant. 
However, if you are not any of these, you will apply as an international student.

总结来讲，“非美国公民或绿卡持有者都算国际生”是TOP100院校的主流观点，在明确回复的73所高校中，有多达57所，占比78%。

57所学校名单

不过要提醒大家，作为国际生处理并不代表申请中同美国国内高中生审核流程或标准一致，我们在套磁中发现，不少学校，尤其是名校，虽然将美高归类为国际生，但在审核过程中按照学生所就读的高中作为划分标准，详见下面第二类标准。

第二类：美高是国际生，但审核根据高中区分

众多名校持有这一标准，这说明相比国内学生，美高学生在申请中依旧占据先天的身份优势。只不过在奖学金评定中，将作为国际生判断。
1. Princeton University

We evaluate all students within the context of their school setting. When we read your application, we will read it along with any other students from your school who have applied. This allows for us to have a better understanding of each school context. You will be asked to self-report your citizenship on the Common Application, which will not affect how your application is read.
2. U of Chicago

Thank you for reaching out. While you would be considered an international applicant if you are not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, that has no impact on the application review process unless you are applying for financial aid. We always review students in the context of the high school they attend, not where they are from.

3. Columbia U

Columbia’s admissions application process is largely the same for all students regardless of their citizenship or country of residence. But If you are applying for financial aid, different financial aid applications are required for international students.

4. Duke University

We read applications by where a student attends high school. However below is some information that will be helpful as you will also be considered an international student.

WHY IS MY APPLICATION CONSIDERED INTERNATIONAL?

·We categorize all applications from students attending schools outside the United States as international, even those from students who are US citizens.

·We categorize all applications from students who are not US citizens or US Lawful Permanent Residents as international, even those from students who are attending schools in the US.

5. Cornell University

Thank you for your interest in Cornell. If you are not a US citizen or hold a green card, you are considered an international student. The application and requirements are the same for all students. 
We read applications based on where you currently attend school, rather than by your citizenship status. Your application will be read with others from the school you attend and those from the same state (U.S.) or country.

6. College of William & Mary

Thank you for taking the time to write; it is great to hear of your interest in William & Mary! All Chinese citizens attending high school in the United States are considered international students, but will be read in the context of their United States high school. 
I hope this helps. If you have any additional questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.

7. Vanderbilt University

Thanks for reaching out. So it's not like we have two piles of applications, domestic and international. Because of this, my answer may seem a bit confusing, so please feel free to ask questions if it doesn't make sense. 

Your file will be evaluated by the admission counselor responsible for the area of the high school you will graduate from. So let's say you do four years of high school at the Lawrenceville School in NJ and plan to graduate from there [example], I would be the one evaluating your application since I have all schools in NJ. 

However, lets say, you attend Lawrenceville for three years, and go to Shanghai World Foreign Language School to graduate, Julie Chapman would evaluate you application since that is one of her schools. In both situations the context of your school environment(s) will be taken into consideration.

8. New York University

Thank you for your email. While you would be considered an international student, we review applications by high schools, so your application would be reviewed in the context of the school you currently attend.

第三类：美高学生在申请中不算国际生

这自然是美高学生及家长最想看到的答案，套磁中明确持有这一观点的学校如下：

1. Yale

Thank you for your email and your interest in Yale. Since applications are read by region, international versus domestic status is determined by where you went to secondary school, rather than by residency or citizenship status.

2. UCLA

You would not be categorized as an international applicant because your high school was taken in the United States.

3. Georgia Tech

Thanks for your email and interest in Georgia Tech. Applications are read within the context from which you are applying. For example, if you are from Panama but living in Illinois, your application will be read with those from Illinois.
Likewise, if you are from Illinois but living in France, your application will be read with those from France.

4. USC (特殊情况，分in-state和out-of-state)

An applicant is considered a bona fide California resident – for admissions purposes – if he or she has attended a California high school for at least three years and graduated from a California high school or if the applicant's parent or legal guardian is a permanent resident of California (if the applicant is under 18).

5. Northeastern University

If you are currently attending high school in the US, you will be recognized as a domestic student. Please note that we will still consider your Chinese citizenship.

6. Southern Methodist University

Thank you for your message. SMU defines an International Student as any student who graduates high school abroad.

第四类：不关心你是否是国际生，一视同仁

也就是说，无论申请者是国际生还是美国本土学生，在申请过程中没有任何区别。那么美本学生算不算国际生也就不用太在意了。

在套磁回复中明确持有这一霸气观点的学校目前有两所：

1. Harvard （身份完全不影响）

We have no quotas of any kind for admission, all applications are evaluated by the same criteria, and financial aid is equally available to all students regardless of citizenship.

2. Georgetown University （身份只影响奖学金评定）

Thank you for your email. We have a holistic review of all applications and will evaluate your entire application. 

Please note, we do not have a question on our application that asks if you are a domestic or international applicant, that question is only applicable to financial aid. Our application will ask you to specify the location of your residency.

给大家的建议：

对于在美国读高中的中国学生：恭喜你，你已经在比赛中领先了一个身位，但能否赢得最后的冲刺，还要看你是不是把握住了机会。

对于国内高中就读的申请者：大势所趋，去担忧去愤青毫无意义，我们能做的就是将自己能够把控的部分做到极致，争取在更激烈的竞争中取胜。

当然，在选校中，同等级的名校可以优先考虑选择一视同仁的或者将美高学生看做普通国际生对待的学校，也不失为一种小策略。