Margo Anderson, University of St. Andrews

When applying to college in the fall, Margo Anderson had the opportunity to visit Scotland–a trip where she fell in love with the University of St. Andrews.

“I was lucky enough to visit the UK and Ireland in the fall. So right in the middle of college applications, I got to visit that school,” says Anderson. “And the environment was just amazing– I could tell that it was academically rigorous, but also really focused on individuals, which was super cool to me.”

Majoring in Spanish, Anderson values the challenges and experiences offered during her time at ETHS.

“My experiences at ETHS have shown me that challenging yourself is a good thing, and it’s good to seek that out. Having confidence that you can weather those challenges is half the battle,” she says.

Annabel Rush, McGill University

When searching for schools, Annabel Rush knew she wanted to go somewhere with a diverse population. Coming from an international family, while also having experience as a transfer student, Rush recognizes the importance of diversity in education. Many American schools have populations that are 70-80% white–something that Rush was not comfortable with when visiting American state schools her junior and senior year. 

With a large international student population and elite academic programs, McGill quickly became Rush’s top choice school. 

“The more I looked into [McGill], the more it had everything I wanted,” she says. 

Majoring in Education in Global Contexts, Rush will be studying social policy in education.

“I went into the major because I want to see education [become] more inclusive. I want everyone to have the opportunity to get educated,” Rush says. 

Amelie Tran, Parsons Paris

Now an incoming fashion student at Parsons Paris—the European branch of New York City’s elite fashion and design school– Amelie Tran first learned to sew in one of Ms. Houston’s fashion classes during her years as an underclassman at ETHS. 

“I took two fashion classes here with Ms. Houston and she taught me how to sew. And that really led to me being able to make my portfolio and get in [to Parsons Paris],” Tran says.

After carefully considering the costs of different fashion programs in the US, Tran found that Parsons Paris was the most affordable option–while also offering the incredible opportunity to live in Paris. 

“I have family that lives in Paris. I’ve visited a few times and I’ve always kind of wanted to live there eventually, but I didn’t know it was possible until I figured out Parsons had an opportunity to go to their college in Paris,” she says. 

Next year, she is looking forward to growing her portfolio while also exploring Paris–a city well known for its arts and culture. 

Natalie Svolos, University of Toronto

When she began her college search, Natalie Svolos had one major requirement–the school had to be big. Planning on majoring in Chemistry, Svolos began searching for schools that were elite in her field on a global level, which eventually led her to the University of Toronto. With a total undergraduate population of over 70,000 students, University of Toronto fulfills Svolos’ size requirement, without the Greek Life and athletics aspect of large American schools. University of Toronto proved to be the perfect match for Slovlos, and she credits much of her college readiness to the bulk of resources and opportunities available to students here at ETHS.

“Going out of the country is definitely intimidating, but I feel like it’s  something I can do and I’m excited about,” Slovlos says.

Patrick Cleary, University College Dublin

With family in Ireland, Patrick Cleary knew that University College Dublin would definitely be on his list of schools to apply to. Not only does half of Cleary’s family live in Ireland, the school offers an affordable alternative to many American universities, without compromising the quality of education. As an incoming history and politics major, Cleary credits his interests today to his experiences as an ETHS student. 

“Freshman [and] sophomore year, I had absolutely no idea where I [wanted to] go. But by [my] junior year, [ETHS] was shaping me and I knew what I wanted to do and where I wanted to go with it,” he says. 

Beyond his major, Cleary is looking forward to the diverse group of students that he will meet during his time in Dublin. 

“40% of the students there are international, so I’m open to meeting more people and experiencing different cultures,” Clearly says.

Frances Eccleston, McGill University

Affordability was a large factor during Frances Eccleston’s college search–something that many American schools were not offering along with their strong academics. McGill University, located in Montreal, the largest city in Canada’s province in Quebec, soon interested Eccleston as it offered elite academic programs without the large price tag. 

Eccleston credits much of her college readiness to the advanced opportunities offered at ETHS.

“Through taking AP classes, I was in an environment where I was encouraged to go to a school with good academics. So I think that’s what made me lean towards McGill. I put myself in the environment of kids who study hard,” she says. 

Beyond just academics, studying internationally provides Eccleston with a new beginning and sense of independence, something she is looking forward to when beginning at McGill in the fall. 

“I’m just looking forward to being independent, and to starting my own life that I have complete control over. I think that’s super cool.”