THE INTERNATIONAL STUDENT 

Choosing The Right School 

 And The Application Process.

There are many more colleges and universities in the United States than you can or want to apply to. To find colleges that offer what you need, decide what college characteristics are important to you. 

Characteristics to look out for include: cost, degree level, major field of study, availability of financial aid to international students and how many receive aid, availability of foreign student advisers, enrollment size, location, what field or fields of study you are interested in are offered in the school.

Degree programs are offered at many different types of colleges in the United States. Some of these colleges are public and some are private. 

There are two-year community colleges, two-year junior colleges, four-year colleges and universities. Public colleges and universities are usually more affordable because they are mainly financed by the government and consequently have lower tuition costs.

Two-year colleges award an associate degree after two years of study after which the student can transfer to a four-year college for a bachelor's degree. Students at two-year colleges earn practical degrees, often suited to specialized jobs. They prepare students for vocational careers or for transfer to four-year colleges. The tuition in a community college is relatively inexpensive. 

Students considering a two-year college as a stepping stone to a four-year college should be aware that some associate degree course work may not transfer to four-year colleges. Vocational Schools prepare students for vocational careers and occupations, such as auto mechanic, dental hygienist, medical technologist, etc.

When you have selected the institutions that offer the programs and characteristics that interest you, request application forms and admission information by writing to the admissions office of the schools. You can telephone or fax the request, or send it by airmail. It is important that you begin the application process far in advance of the semester you wish to attend.

When you receive the application packet, read the application completely before filling it out. Make a photocopy of the application, and fill the copy first. That way, if you make a mistake, you can always start over.

You should begin the application process as soon as you have selected the colleges that meet your requirements and goals. 

Schools may give a deadline for the receipt of your  application. A school may have two deadlines; early and regular. You chances are somewhat better if you apply under the early decision application deadline if it is available to foreign students. The school may stop reviewing applications much earlier than their deadline if it fills its class. 

There also may be no financial aid and housing if you wait until the deadline to apply. Send all required documents and forms as soon as possible to the address on the form by airmail. 

Schools usually review applications only when all the required documents have been received. Review the application carefully to make sure that it is written in clear correct grammatical English. 

Always provide all the information requested in the application form. You must be organized from the start so that you can take all necessary tests and collect all documents by the time you send in your application.

If you come to the United States before applying to schools, there are two significant advantages of starting the admissions process. 

First, you're are more likely to be accepted. Some schools prefer students who are already in the U.S. over students living abroad. If you originally came to the U.S. as a tourist, you will need to change your status from tourist to student. This is an advantage for those students already in the U.S. who are from countries with high visa rejection rates*. 

The second advantage is that some colleges and universities will accept applicants who have completed an ESL (English as a Second Language) program in the United States without requiring them to take the TOEFL exam. (*However, the Immigration and Naturalization Service might question your intent in coming to the U.S. without seeking a student visa first. See the visa section for more information on this).

A large percentage of international students who apply for admission for undergraduate or graduate study are disqualified for not meeting admission requirements required by the schools. 

The most frequent reasons for rejection include:  

(1)  Lack of prerequisite degree required for graduate study.  

(2) Quality of prior academic performance.  

(3)  Lack of prior academic transcripts or official transcripts.  

(4)  For non-native English speakers, lack of TOEFL score or low TOEFL scores.   

(5)  Proof of financial sponsorship.  

(6) Submitting a completed application with no application fee when one is required.

(7) Improperly filled application or poorly completed application. You must spend some time to fully complete your application.

Before submitting an application form, you should be certain that your application is complete.

Major components of the application form: 

Essay, record of academic background, tests, recommendations, statement of financial support, financial aid forms, application fee, health certificate.

Essay: A personal essay is required by some schools. The school may request an autobiographical statement or an essay on a specific topic. Complete and detailed preparation is required in drafting and writing a good essay. A good essay should be brief, interesting, written clearly, and in correct English. You may need several weeks for the essay alone, researching, writing, rewriting, until you get it right.

Record of academic background: Transcripts of study you have completed must be sent directly by the schools or universities you have attended to the U.S. institutions. Your educational level will, to a great extent, determine which schools will accept you. To assess your level, schools look at your past grades, which schools you attended, what you studied, and your extracurricular activities.

Tests: Almost all institutions will require that you take one or more tests as part of the application process. These tests are used for admissions decisions or for deciding if you qualify for merit based financial aid.

Recommendations: Some schools require that you provide letters of recommendation from one or more people who know you well. Recommendations usually come from teachers, guidance counselors, professors, and employers. The recommendation forms are usually included in the application bulletin. Good recommendations may make the difference between acceptance and rejection, especially for graduate students.

Statement of financial support: This shows the amount and source of income available to you for study in the United States. Most schools will include a form and instructions. If no form is included, you must explain in detail you or your sponsor's financial situation. Your sponsor could be a family member, your employer, your country, scholarship or grant-awarding organization or yourself.

Financial aid forms: Many schools that offer financial aid to foreign students will require applicants to complete a detailed financial aid application form. This form is separate from the college application form. It usually asks questions of the following category:  Your annual income, your parents' total income, your annual living expenses, how many family members are in college, the value of any property that you or your parents own, your plans for locating financial aid from sources other than the school.

Some universities offer merit scholarships that pay for tuition, but U.S. residents receive them more often than foreign students. Foreign graduate students have slightly better chances of getting a scholarship than undergraduates.

Request a financial aid application form when you request an application for admission and submit the financial aid application when you apply for admission. Always answer the questions as completely as possible. Gather and save all documentation on the information you provide on the financial aid application form.

Application fee: Most schools charge an application fee. The average is $50 and is non-refundable even if your application is rejected. A few schools may waive the fee for applicants who cannot afford to pay it, but if you cannot afford to pay for the application fee how can you afford to pay the tuition. Some schools may reject your request for application or your application for admission if you request a fee waiver or financial aid. 

So you should request fee waivers or financial aid only from those schools that offer financial assistance to international students.

Once you've submitted your application, you will receive a notice of acceptance, conditional acceptance, or denial within a few months. If accepted, shortly thereafter  you will receive an I-20 Certificate of Eligibility, your I-20 enables you to apply for a student visa. 

To receive your visa, you must interview at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate, present your I-20, and show documents proving you have been accepted for study in the U.S. and can pay for your education and that you will return to your country at the conclusion of your studies.

If your TOEFL score is not high enough, or you do not have enough money to pay for all the expenses of your education, there are schools that can accommodate you. You just need to find them. Your getting ahead in life largely depends on how much you are willing to work hard to get to your goal.