Trinity College is a liberal arts college in the heart of the city of Hartford, Connecticut. The college has an old school vibe, a liberal arts foundation, and a close-knit community. There are other Trinity Colleges in the world, but here we’re talking about a super special one founded in 1823 that about 2,000 students call home. Proportional to the student body, Trinity has a very large international student population of just under 300 students representing over 80 countries. These students benefit from everything Trinity has to offer, but Trinity also fully embraces how much the international students also have to contribute to the community. The Office of International Students and Scholars supports international students in both the quantitative and qualitative aspects of going to college in the United States, from how you manage your visa to finding comradery and friendship on campus.
Trinity has become increasingly selective year-over-year as the school gains prominence and popularity for both domestic and international students. Hartford is an approachable small city with easy access to an international airport, which makes it accessible without being overwhelming. Plus, the community offers internship, employment, and research opportunities that can be hard to find in areas that are either more rural or much more condensed. All this adds up to Trinity being a selective college that is a strong option for top students. Most recently, the school acceptance rate clocked in at 28%.
In this post, we’ll break down what you need to know as a prospective international applicant to Trinity so that you can approach admissions with confidence and clarity.
If you find that you still have questions, or simply would like a helping hand, send us an email. Making the college admissions process smooth sailing is sort of our specialty.
What is Trinity looking for in International Students?
Trinity is looking for the same core things in International Students as they are in any applicant. They want to see academic credentials, curiosity, and a craving to contribute to a community that learns and grows together. But, as you’ll see, successfully applying to college in the United States from outside of the country requires planning long before the Common App opens up.
Courses + Grades
When you apply to Trinity, your grades are the most important piece of your application. This shouldn’t come as a surprise. You’re applying to college to go to class, so how you’ve done in school up to this point is really important. Trinity requires that applicants take a fully distributed course load during secondary school, which means you need to plan well in advance of starting your application to ensure you’ll even be a qualified candidate.
The college requires students, including international students, take the following subjects to be considered for admission:
English/Literature: 4 units (1 unit = 1 year)
Mathematics: 3 units
Science: 2 units (both must include labs)
Foreign Language: 3 units
History: 2 units
It’s worth noting that not all colleges have course distribution requirements for applicants, but many liberal arts colleges do. This aligns with the liberal arts philosophy of studying across subjects, gaining expertise and insight through the ability to think in a multi-disciplinary way.
Once you have your transcript sorted out, all documents will need to be in English. If your school does not do this automatically, Trinity has guidance on how to have the documents translated.
Extracurriculars
After your grades, the next most important thing to Trinity is who you are as a person. Obviously one layer of this is wanting to filter out jerks, but they are most interested in what drives you as a person, what your passions are, and how you pursue them. The best way to show this to the college is through how you spend your time, and the recommendations you receive to support your application.
Ideally, we advise that students have a recommendation written by a teacher who knows you both from the classroom and through an activity such as a club or a sport. They may be your coach, a faculty advisor, or a mentor. Building this type of relationship that spans inside and outside of the classroom is invaluable when it comes time for them to write a recommendation, because they can speak about you with specificity — which is exactly what Trinity wants to see. The college doesn’t want a generic “yeah, she’s a good student.” That’s the equivalent of a shrug. They want to see a passionate argument for how awesome you are, but getting that type of recommendation requires creating relationships with adults such that they want to say nice things about you.
Many international schools, and school systems outside of the US, have different opportunities for students outside of school hours than what is often considered common within the United States. Your school may not offer clubs, for example. But Trinity expects students in this position to create opportunities where they don’t already exist. This may mean starting a club or community group, finding an internship, seeking a research or independent study opportunity with a teacher you admire, or even seeking employment in a field of interest. If you’re considering majoring in political science, for example, contact the offices of local politicians and ask about volunteering opportunities.
Aim to ultimately have 2-3 activities outside of class that you care a lot about and have been doing for at least 6 months to spotlight on your application.
Standardized Tests
Trinity is staunchly SAT and ACT optional, and most accepted and enrolled students actually do not submit a standardized test score. This is compared to many other colleges that are test optional in name, but where most accepted students submit scores. At Trinity, only 19% of first-years accepted and enrolled for Fall 2022 submitted scores.
So, it’s easy to say they don’t really matter, but for international students standardized test scores can play an important role in communicating your college readiness. If you can score above a 1460 on the SAT or above a 32 on the ACT, we highly recommend submitting your scores as that will put you in the top 25% of applicants.
As an international applicant to Trinity, you will also be required to submit the results of an English Proficiency test, but there are a few you can choose from. Some students can have this test requirement waived if they meet certain criteria, such as studying in a country where English is the primary language of the educational system, or receiving a final IB grade of 5 or higher in at least one SL (or HL) English course.
Interviews
Trinity does interviews, so you really must do one! An interview can feel like a daunting proposition, but a simple 30-minute conversation over a video call can be a powerful tool in showing how awesome you are, reinforcing your language skills, and demonstrating your interest in Trinity.
Trinity is a college that takes ‘demonstrated interest,’ into account when reviewing an application. This means that they consider whether it seems like they are one of your top choices, and it works against your application if you don’t make them feel like a priority. They want students who want them, so students who interview and attend info sessions get big proverbial gold stars in their files. Trinity also heavily prioritizes Early Decision applicants, as applying ED is the strongest way of showing demonstrated interest. ED applicants account for about a quarter of the first-year class. If you know you love Trinity, use this fact to your favor by applying ED.
Trinity is an amazing small liberal arts college that is a strong option for top students seeking a small school community in a big city setting. It’s the best of both worlds!
If you’re considering applying to college in the US, we can help.