The Foreign Service Journal, June 2015

86 JUNE 2015 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL EDUCATION SUPPLEMENT degree from an Ivy League institution or its equivalent (i.e., Stanford, MIT, etc.) still matters in some circles. That cachet may well be valid if the level of coursework and the intelligence of one’s peers live up to the school’s reputation. Still, some may find this a mixed message. FS Kids, in Particular How does all this affect Foreign Service kids? Well, they often have an edge in the college admissions process, Continued from page 76 especially if applying from overseas. Say all you want about highly-touted D.C.- area high schools like Walt Whitman and Thomas Jefferson, but you can’t ignore the fact that the competition among their students—and parents—is fierce. That competition is toned down in most international high schools, because many of the school’s students aren’t applying to U.S. universities at all. And the disadvantages of not having a pleth- ora of AP or IB courses, or a standard U.S. government course, for example, are generally outweighed by the appeal of a global nomad who has made his or her way in different foreign cities. Unlike most of their stateside counter- parts, Foreign Service kids have experi- enced culture shock, frequent moves and cross-cultural adaptation. Despite these advantages, however, FS families would do well to listen to Bruni’s advice and not let college acceptance become a measure of self-worth. One hopes that Foreign Service children are way past playing that game. Still, it’s so very easy to get sucked into the fray, and for that reason and others, Where You Go Is Not Who You Will Be provides a reassuring and crucial remedy for college admissions fever. n Foreign Service kids have experienced culture shock, frequent moves and cross-cultural adaptation.