Learn some great tips to help with your university applications to study in the USA!
If you’re short on time, here are the main tips from this article:
Read on for all the details!
The university admissions process is tough, even for those of us who grew up and were educated in the USA. After years of working with international students, this article is a great read for any student or parent considering going through admissions for university in the USA.
One of the most daunting parts is often just the complexities of making it happen.
Questions like…
- “Where do I find a school?
- What paperwork will they ask for?
- Can I send everything via email or does it have to be physically mailed?”
It’s a lot of information. Websites are overwhelming, there are a ton of paid resources online so it’s hard to know what information is true or just being advertised, and every school will vary in their process on this. Here’s the reality – there are well over 4,000 universities in the USA, and every.single.one. has their own way of doing things.
Sounds complex, right? It is, but despite all of this, the USA offers exceptional educational opportunities, and the “college experience” is a huge draw for students from around the world.
Liberal arts education is great! You can try different classes, different majors, different professors, and still stay on track to graduate in four years. In addition, universities in the USA teach students not just about tests and exams and classes, but about life – citizenship, social development, and personal growth are key parts of the experience in university.
Whether it’s banging your head against the wall because your roommate sucks and you can’t get along, or trying to balance a healthy diet with the all you can eat ice cream bar in the cafeteria, or adjusting to juggling a full class schedule with an on campus job with four different clubs and organizations, all of it is part of the experience that ultimately shapes who you will become.
–>The terms college and university are interchangeable in the USA, while in many other countries around the world, college is a separate step that often happens before you go to university.
–>Secondary school is the same as high school.
–>Post-secondary school could be college or university. I’ll use both when talking about the process.
10 Tips for University Admissions in the USA:
Narrow down your search before you start applying – I’ve seen students applying to anywhere from only one university all the way to a student who applied to a whopping 33 universities in the USA. Many counselors or recruiters will recommend anywhere from 6-8 schools that are dispersed between safety schools, target schools, and reach schools.
Research the school – it is glaringly obvious if students have not researched the schools they are applying to. Make sure you know some general information about the programs offered, size of the school, or reputable or noteworthy facts if you are writing an essay or doing a personal interview.
Find out which applications the school will accept – While most schools have their own admissions application, some schools work with a third-party application system to help streamline the process. Two big ones are the Common Application and Coalition Application.
Learn if the school requires essay or interviews for admissions– universities may require one or the other or both. Be prepared to submit both when you start the application process.