This blog post reads like a thinly veiled anti-immigration rant to me.

The reason why most American kids won't be attending Ivy League schools (which the author focuses on) despite having the appropriate grades is because their parents don't have the financial means to pay for the high tuition fees. Not because some foreign student beat them to a place.

The post reads as if the "American dream" is being denied to these kids because of 'internationalism' when really its because of good ol' American capitalism.

written by a foreigner living in US who never went to university anyway

Wow, really? - I am sorry if that's how you interpreted my post. That's unbelievably far and away from anything I meant. I am the child and grandchild of immigrants. I am simply pointing out how much harder it is to getting to get into college, and drawing out one of the reasons.

I read your comment here. I read your entire post again. I read your comment for a second time.

I'm sorry, I still have the same conclusion.

If international students competing for places is a factor, it certainly isn't the major one. I would still assert ability to pay is a much bigger factor.

But then in my second glance at your post I also notice it is a puff-piece to cross-promote your tutor search business.

Well, isn't that self-serving?

Whip up some FUD around competition from foreign students to make guilty-ridden parents pick up the phone and open their wallets for private tuition for Junior. Overly highlight a need and then jump right in with the solution, how helpful of you.

And of course, you are not going to comment on the fact that the exorbitant fees for Ivy Leagues are keeping smart kids out because your whole business is built around serving the affluent privileged few who can afford to provide tutoring for their children (and thus probably those fees too). Most of America can't.

If it wasn't for the fact I don't have kids and I'm an example of why a university education isn't vital, I'd be upset I'd just given your company undue attention from this thread.

Are the two parts of this post really connected? Yes, there are more international students applying to U.S. universities, and admissions rates are going down at Ivy Leagues, but is that primarily due to the international students? An alternate hypothesis is that it's mainly due to more domestic students applying--- a much larger percentage of American high school grads now apply to college than did in, say, 1970.

Also note that high schoolers who apply to college are applying to more colleges. Ever since the Common App made it convenient there's an arms race to apply to more schools every year.

You're probably about that, should have included it. They are both feeding into it. But the international piece is a definite trend - just look at the makeup of the classes.

Depending on what your kids want to do, it may not really matter. It is especially likely that they can find a path to a good career without going to any of these ivy league schools. Regardless, if there is a demand for more schools, and likely more specialized schools, they will pop up.