Entry to target as an intl student

The general path to get into any good uni is to just to have great grades, take APs, and do a shit ton of (good) extracurriculars. This is all and well but how can international students like myself compete with US students when they are open to much better opportunities. Like NHS and leadership programs that are all US-only. How can I use the (comparatively limited) opportunities without looking like I’m incompetent relative to the other dudes who have won like everything?

(I notice now that this sounds more like a big rant than a genuine question but I’m not crying here I’m just wondering how can I get admissions officers at a good target to not laugh at me because I didn’t win ISEF and didn’t do research at MIT)

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ok, so first of all... international students aren't necessarily competing with US based applicants. There are limited seats, but:

Any decent college that plays on an international scale is interested in admitting a diverse group of students (note: diverse here doesn't always mean race).
Students not only learn from professors and lectures, but also about life from their peers.

Your personal life story and knowledge you bring from another country might be unbelievably valuable to the people around you. But it's also up to you to explain your personal achievements and why they should allow you to attend this school. 

You don't have to be your high schools quarterback or valedictorian if these parts of American culture don't exist in your country.

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