Having spent time living in both the US and Scotland, Kristina leveraged the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme and International School Aberdeen’s (ISA) international environment to chart a clear path across the Atlantic – securing her place at the prestigious University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles.
Kristina explains more about her journey to the US here:
“ISA’s vibrant international community prepared me brilliantly for attending a global university like USC. The school does a great job of nurturing different cultures and nationalities, which is essential for students looking to study abroad.
My time at ISA academically was really defined by some of the more personal components of the IB, like the Extended Essay (EE). For my EE, I got to explore the history and anthropology of the Basque people in Spain, which makes up half of my ethnicity. It taught me so much about academic writing, showed me how much I enjoy research-oriented work, and gave me a wonderful way to connect with my own heritage.
Going to university in the US felt like the right move for my career goals, as I plan to attend law school post-grad and pursue a career in law or political journalism. Applying to US universities is very different from the UK process – it involves a lot of supplemental essays for each school on top of personal statements, all happening right alongside IB internal assessments and EE deadlines. While it could feel like a lot to balance, I couldn’t have done it without our University Counsellor, Ms Barker. Between constant meetings to review supplemental essays and organize my extracurricular portfolio, I attribute so much of my success to her guidance. Teachers like Mr Ordonez, who truly understood the US admissions landscape, were also incredible when troubleshooting essay ideas during high-stress periods.
Extracurriculars are vital for US applications, and ISA helped me build a strong portfolio. For my CAS project, I started a club teaching 3rd–5th graders Bal-A-Vis-X (coordination, agility, and balance exercises), which showcased initiative and collaboration. CAS also led me to volunteer in the Local Heritage Department at Aberdeen’s Central Library, digitizing and researching historical photographs and documents – a research experience US admissions teams loved to see.
Out of the 10 US universities I applied to, visiting USC over spring break completely sold me. Beyond its incredible academic reputation and extensive alumni network, I fell in love with the campus. I’m so excited to get back into writing and academic journalism as well as campus life like American football games, school spirit, and a bunch of not-so-academic clubs USC has to offer to meet new people. I would say I’m definitely no stranger to a big change, and am very excited for any opportunity USC has to offer.
My advice to any ISA student considering the US is to focus on doing well academically, pursue what you genuinely love, and make meaningful contributions rather than trying to build a ‘perfect’ application.”
