SEVEN EASY STEPS TO APPLYING TO UNIVERSITIES IN THE UNITED STATES

 

SEVEN EASY STEPS TO APPLYING TO UNIVERSITIES IN THE UNITED STATES

IF YOU WANT TO GO TO UNIVERSITY IN THE UNITED STATES, IT IS NEVER TOO EARLY TO START THINKING ABOUT WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO DO TO GET IN.

YOU MAY HAVE A CLEAR CONCEPT OF WHICH AMERICAN INSTITUTION YOU WANT TO ATTEND AND WHAT YOU WANT TO STUDY, OR YOU MAY HAVE NO CLUE WHERE YOU WILL END UP OR WHAT SUBJECTS YOU WANT TO PURSUE. THE METHODS OF APPLYING TO STUDY ABROAD AT ONE OF THE COUNTRY'S PRESTIGIOUS UNIVERSITIES ARE OUTLINED HERE.

 

 

STEP 1: EVALUATE YOUR OBJECTIVES

THE FIRST THING YOU SHOULD DO IS DECIDE WHERE YOU WANT TO ATTEND COLLEGE. START WITH WHAT YOU ALREADY KNOW ABOUT YOURSELF WHEN CONDUCTING YOUR INVESTIGATION. THIS CAN HELP YOU FOCUS YOUR SEARCH AND NARROW DOWN YOUR SELECTION OF POTENTIAL INSTITUTIONS.

CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:

 

• WHAT ARE MY CAREER OBJECTIVES? 
• WHAT DO I WANT TO LEARN ABOUT?
• DO I NEED TO LEARN OR ENHANCE MY ENGLISH BEFORE STARTING MY COURSE?
• WHERE WOULD I LIKE TO RESIDE?
• WHAT TYPE OF EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE DO I DESIRE?
• HOW SIGNIFICANT ARE SOCIAL AND CULTURAL EXPERIENCES?
• DO I PERFORM BETTER IN A CLASSROOM WITH FEWER STUDENTS?
• DO YOU HAVE A BUDGET CONSTRAINT?
• DO I HAVE A RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION THAT SHOULD BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT?

 

AS AN INTERNATIONAL STUDENT, YOU MUST ALSO EXAMINE THE FOLLOWING: – ARE THE DEGREE PROGRAMS OFFERED BY AMERICAN INSTITUTIONS OR COLLEGES RECOGNIZED BY MY COUNTRY'S GOVERNMENT? 

IS THERE ANY LEGISLATION IN MY NATIVE COUNTRY THAT PROHIBITS ME FROM STUDYING IN THE UNITED STATES?

YOU WILL BE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT WHICH TOWNS, UNIVERSITIES, AND COURSES ARE BEST FOR YOU ONCE YOU HAVE ANSWERED MOST OF THESE QUESTIONS. IF YOU NEED TO LEARN ENGLISH, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU MAY CHECK INTO A COLLEGE THAT OFFERS AN EXCELLENT ENGLISH LANGUAGE COURSE, OR IF YOU HAVE A CERTAIN STATE OR LOCATION IN MIND, YOU MIGHT LOOK INTO THE INSTITUTIONS AND DEGREE PROGRAMS THAT ARE AVAILABLE.

STEP 2: CONDUCT RESEARCH AND SELECT SCHOOLS

YOU SHOULD BE AWARE OF YOUR POSSIBILITIES IN ORDER TO BE REALISTIC AND FLEXIBLE. IN THE UNITED STATES, THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF INSTITUTIONS AND COLLEGES. FROM COMMUNITY COLLEGES TO PRIVATE LIBERAL ARTS COLLEGES TO HUGE PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES, THERE ARE VIABLE OPTIONS FOR ALMOST EVERYONE. THE IVY LEAGUES AREN'T THE ONLY SCHOOLS WITH OUTSTANDING ACADEMIC PROGRAMS. ALSO, DON'T OVERLOOK ENGLISH LANGUAGE COURSES. THIS MAY BE THE BEST PLACE FOR YOU TO BEGIN YOUR HIGHER EDUCATION JOURNEY.

• TO GET YOU STARTED, HERE ARE SOME WONDERFUL RESOURCES:
• THE EDUCATIONUSA ADVISING OFFICE IN YOUR AREA 
• ATTEND LOCAL HIGHER EDUCATION FAIRS OR REGISTER FOR VIRTUAL FAIRS ONLINE 
• STUDYUSA.COM – UNIVERSITY AND COLLEGE WEBSITES 
• YOUR HIGH SCHOOL CAREER COUNSELOR

CHOOSE FIVE TO TEN SCHOOLS TO APPLY TO. BEFORE APPLYING, BE SURE TO READ THEIR ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS.

 

STEP 3: REGISTER FOR ADMISSIONS TESTS AND TAKE THEM.

MOST UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES WILL NEED YOU TO TAKE ADMISSIONS TESTS, SUCH AS THE SAT OR ACT, OR ENGLISH LANGUAGE TESTS LIKE IELTS OR TOEFL, AS PART OF YOUR APPLICATION. YOUR GPA WILL PLAY A SIGNIFICANT FACTOR IN WHETHER OR NOT YOU GET ACCEPTED INTO A US UNIVERSITY. KEEP IN NOTE THAT THE SCORE CRITERIA FOR EACH COLLEGE, AS WELL AS INDIVIDUAL PROGRAMS WITHIN THOSE INSTITUTIONS, WILL VARY.

FOR SEVERAL COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND LANGUAGE PROGRAMS, ADMISSION TEST SCORES ARE NOT REQUIRED. IF YOUR RESULTS ARE LOW, YOU MAY NEED TO ENROLL IN AN INTENSIVE ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROGRAM OR TRANSFER FROM A COMMUNITY COLLEGE TO A UNIVERSITY. KEEP AN OPEN MIND! 

STEP 4: SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION!

FILLING OUT APPLICATIONS IS A LOT OF EFFORT, BUT IT'S A LOT EASIER AND FASTER IF YOU GATHER ALL OF THE INFORMATION YOU'LL NEED BEFORE YOU START. IN MOST CASES, THE FOLLOWING IS REQUIRED:

 

• OFFICIAL ENGLISH TRANSCRIPTS FROM HIGH SCHOOL (SECONDARY SCHOOL)
• MID-YEAR GRADE REPORT
• TEST SCORES (I.E. SAT, ACT, TOEFL, IELTS, ETC.)
• APPLICATION FEE – RECOMMENDATION LETTERS
• FINANCIAL STATEMENT
• PERSONAL ESSAY
• STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
• LETTER OF RECOMANDATIONS

BEFORE YOU APPLY, MANY UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES WILL TELL YOU WHAT INFORMATION YOU'LL NEED. ONCE YOU'VE GATHERED EVERYTHING, SIT DOWN IN A QUIET AREA WITH A CUP OF COFFEE OR TEA AND BEGIN APPLYING.

  

STEP 5: EVALUATE YOUR FINANCIAL SITUATION

UNFORTUNATELY, ATTENDING A UNIVERSITY IN THE UNITED STATES CAN BE RATHER COSTLY. DO NOT APPLY TO UNIVERSITIES THAT DO NOT PROVIDE FINANCIAL AID OR SCHOLARSHIPS TO INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS IF YOU BELIEVE YOU WILL REQUIRE IT. INSTRUCTIONS FOR APPLYING FOR SCHOLARSHIPS OR FINANCIAL HELP WILL BE PROVIDED BY EACH SCHOOL.

YOU MUST PAY YOUR DEPOSIT FOR THE FORTHCOMING TERM ONCE YOU HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF YOUR CHOICE. 

 STEP 6: SUBMIT AN APPLICATION FOR A STUDENT VISA

A SEVP (STUDENT AND EXCHANGE VISITOR PROGRAM) SCHOOL OR PROGRAM WILL SEND YOU AN I-20 FORM TO FILL OUT ONCE YOU'VE BEEN APPROVED. YOU CAN APPLY FOR YOUR STUDENT VISA ONLINE USING THAT FORM. AFTER THAT, YOU MUST PAY THE SEVIS FEE AND ARRANGE FOR YOUR VISA INTERVIEW.

 

STEP 7: GET READY TO DEPART

YOU'VE ALMOST MADE IT! BEFORE YOU START YOUR STUDIES IN THE UNITED STATES, YOU'LL NEED TO MAKE TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS, FIND AND BOOK A STUDENT HOME, GET HEALTH INSURANCE, SET UP YOUR MONEY TO COVER TUITION AND EXPENSES, AND, OF COURSE, PREPARE YOUR BAGGAGE! 

WITH ALL OF THIS GUIDANCE, ONE OF THE MOST CRUCIAL ASPECTS IS TO SPEAK WITH THE UNIVERSITY AND INTERNATIONAL STUDENT COUNSELORS AT YOUR PREFERRED UNIVERSITY THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS. THEY WANT TO ASSIST YOU, THEY WANT YOU TO ATTEND THEIR PROGRAMS, AND THEY WANT YOUR MOVE TO BE AS EASY AS POSSIBLE. BEST OF LUCK!