International students and Comp. Lit. programs?

[aGiRlCalLeDApPlE]

Hi, do you guys know if international students are more likely to apply to comp. lit. programs? And if so, are they more likely to be admitted? you know, just to make sure that the program be diverse enough? I know that I'm trying to compensate myself, but I have to !!!

 

[waparys]

I'm applying to English but also hoping the internationalness will appeal to adcomms. Good luck!

[DontHate]

In my experience, international students have a natural advantage with comp lit programs if their native language is a language that they want to study and/or they've received their undergrad education in a country that speaks one of the languages they study. But if you're just an international student whose home country/country where you studied has no relation to what you study then it probably doesn't make much of a difference (barring the recruitment of "diversity," whatever that means).

 

Also I think adcoms probably prefer known quantities, so if your undergrad was from a very obscure program in a country whose educational system they aren't familiar with, it might be a disadvantage. If you're from Canada or England or somewhere else known for great schools, then they have probably accepted people from your school before, so it's almost the same as being American.