STEPS: Stepping Through the U.S. College Application Process

7/29/2019 STEPS: Stepping Through the U.S. College Application Process

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Welcome to STEPS


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You are considering the idea of pursuingundergraduate studies in the U.S. because you knowthat the experience of studying in the USA will openup whole new horizons for you far beyond theacademics.

STEPPING THROUGH THE APPLICATION PROCESS

There are over 4,000 universities in the USA, andthere will be, at the very least, one place for you inone of them. What you need to do is never losesight of your goal, focus, and continue on yourpath. Let us now walk through the steps together.


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Valid High School Diploma

Make sure your senior year goes without a hitch, and you graduate as planned! A well-rounded academic record will give

you a competitive edge.

Grade Point Average (GPA)

Your GPA measures how well you did in your classes at high school. A comparatively lower GPA might

decrease your chances with the more selective schools and a higher GPA may increase them.

Most schools in the U.S. are equally interested in seeing that you achieved your GPA by taking the most challenging classes

in high school. This is defined as pursuing a rigorous curriculum.

Transcripts

The schools will ask for your official high school transcripts which are documents that show which classes you took and

what grades you received in them. If they arent in English, you need to have them translated officially.

Academic Requirements


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All applicants into the undergraduate programs are required to take a mix of these tests which will helpyou make the best possible choices for your future by showing you your potential. Please check theofficial website of each test to find out how, where, and when you can take the test. You can also find outabout free and/or purchasable study aids on these official websites.

TOEFL-iBT: This internet-based test measures your proficiency in the English language by testing yourskills in 4 areas Reading Comprehension, Listening Comprehension, Speaking, and Writing. Thehighest possible score is 120.

IELTS: This is another international standardized test of English language proficiency. If you have takenthe TOEFL-iBT, you dont have to take this paper and pencil test. Your skills are tested in 4 areas Reading Comprehension, Listening Comprehension, Speaking, and Writing. The highest possible score is9.

Standardized Tests 1


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SAT: This is the most commonly used college entrance exam in the United States that tests your comprehensionskills in English and Math. There are 3 sections Reading, Writing, and Math. The highest possible score is2,400.

SAT Subjects: This is a series of subject tests that measure the depth of your knowledge in certain disciplinesthat you study in high school. The subjects are MATH-I, MATH-II, Physics, Biology, Chemistry, Literature,U.S. History, World History as well as the following languages: Modern Hebrew, Italian, Latin, French,German, Spanish, Chinese with Listening, Japanese with Listening, Korean with Listening. The highest possiblescore on each test is 800.

ACT: This college entrance exam is in most cases a substitute for SAT. The sections are English, Math, Reading,Science, and Optional Writing. The highest possible score on each section is 36.

Standardized Tests 2


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You are interested and involved in the world around you.

You share a passion with others about certain issues.

You may not necessarily be gifted in your chosen activity, but you are definitely enthusiastic about it.

You do what you are doing with love, be it playing the cello or saving the polar bears from extinction.

Those you help or share a hobby with benefit from your efforts.

In turn, you benefit in a multitude of ways from this activity.

As a well-rounded young adult, you will be an asset to the community of this school.

Extracurricular Activities

You are expected to show not only your academic strength, but also present yourselfas a well-rounded human being. To do that, it is best to focus on a few well-chosenself-improvement and selfless activities that will show certain attributes:


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There is a process called the common application through which you can apply to the colleges that are itsmembers collectively. Check it out on the official website of the common application.

Whether you apply through this common application, or to each college separately, these are the types of essays

you will need to write in most cases: A Personal Statement and Shorter Essays

Supplemental Essays for Each School

A poorly written essay can hurt your chances at admission while a well-written one can give you a hugecompetitive edge.

For art students In addition to these essays, you will be asked to submit examples of your work to the schools(portfolio for visual arts; audition for performing arts). For specific requirements, please check the websites ofthe schools on your list.

Application Essays


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You need to fill out an application form for applying into an undergraduate program at each school.Some schools have their own specific application forms, and some use the common application formwhich can be found online at the common application website.

Schools in the U.S. want proof of funds as well to be submitted upon application. This means thatyou have to prove you have sufficient funds to cover at least one year of college. To do that, you willpresent a bank statement showing you have sufficient funds, and fill in the certification of financesform supplied by the school. If youre applying through the common application, they have a formthat is submitted to all the schools on their list.

Application Forms and Proof of Funds


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Schools in the U.S. require you to provide letters of recommendation which should come from teachers whohave witnessed your academic progress. In addition, the schools will also ask for a college counselor/schoolofficial letter written by the college counselor in your school if you have one, and if not, by the schoolprincipal. The schools ask for these letters because they want to get to know you better, and to assess if you willfit into their community as an incoming freshman into their undergraduate program.

It is important to submit the exact number of letters each school asks for.

Recommendation Letters


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Optional Steps

Student Admissions Interview

While a college interview may be useful, it is not a requirement. Schedule one if you can. Deadlines forscheduling student interviews vary from school to school, so please check with each school on theirwebsite or by calling them. If you are considering the interview option, you should do your research inadvance in order to appear interested and well informed.

College Counseling

A college counselor can support your application process by helpingand guidingyou. In order tohave a productive relationship, you need to do the work yourself, and do it on time, then go over itwith your college counselor.


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In the U.S., there are 5 main types of higher learning institutions:

Public & State Universities

Private Universities

Liberal Arts Colleges

Community Colleges

Art Schools

Types of U.S. Universities

No matter what type of university you choose to attend in the U.S. as an undergraduatestudent, your education will be global, and it will be supported with a diversity of

approaches and interpretations, thanks to the concept ofliberal education

that the U.S. systemof higher learning is based on.


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Academic Factors

To find the school that best serves your interests in the academic sense, youshould pick your major, check out the schools that offer the best programs in thatmajor, research the schools, and make sure you will be able to fulfill the academicrequirements of the schools on your final list.

Extracurricular Factors

To make sure you will feel as comfortable as possible in order to be successful in yourstudies as an undergraduate in the U.S., you should check out each schools location(urban or rural), size, and climate as well as the specifics of the student body, details of lifeon campus, and the living arrangements that are available to you.


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Summer School, Internship, College Visits

Summer School

Consider attending summer school to improve your English, and at thesame time, to practice with other international students. You can also takeclasses in your specific interests, and explore in advance the major youreconsidering to study in college.

Internship

You can decide to do an internship in your own country,abroad, or both, to gain a deeper perspective into whatyou want out of life, and to define your goals better.There are two types of internship: Community Serviceand Workplace Experience.

College Visits

A valuable method of learning more aboutcollege and what life will be like as anundergraduate student in the U.S. is goingon a college tour. For a productive tour, doresearch beforehand on each school and askinformed questions during the visits. Make sureyou gather enough information for a post-tourevaluation.


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When you study in the States as an international undergraduate student, your major sources of expense are

Tuition and fees

Room and board

Books and supplies

Transportation

Personal living expenses

Financial Factors


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Financial aid is generally offered on the basis of need and is determined by each school.

First, make sure that the schools on your short list are ones that best meet your academic and social needs. The idealsituation is to include a school that is a financial safety option, that is to say, a school that is both a fine academic matchand also affordable.

Public and state universities are generally less expensive in tuition and fees than private ones, but private collegesusually offer more scholarships and grants!

Public and state universities usually do not give any funding to undergraduate students, but may offer meritscholarships.

In some cases, applying for financial aid may hurt your chances of admission. However, most colleges have a need-blindadmissions policy, and will not pay heed to the fact that you need financial aid when they make their final admissionsdecision.

If you truly believe that you need financial aid, go ahead and apply for it, seeing as you wont be able to attend that

college without that aid in any case!

You should be aware that highly selective schools expect financial aid applicants to be at the top of their class withoutstanding standardized test results.

Financial Aid


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Have a consistently high GPA throughout high school

Achieve high results on the standardized tests (TOEFL-iBT or IELTS, SAT or ACT, SAT Subject Tests)

Present well-written application essays

Produce credible letters of recommendations that do justice to your work and progress

Give tangible evidence of your extracurricular activities

Most importantly, you must show the school your need for financial aid!

Eligibility for Aid

If you are planning to apply for financial aid, you will need to plan ahead. In

order to be eligible for any type of aid, there are certain requirements you mustfulfill:


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Basic Types of Aid

Need-Based

This is the more common type of aid given in case yourfamily is unable to meet the full cost of attending schoolin the U.S. Your family income and assets will beanalyzed by the school and then used to calculate yourfinancial need as well as your EFC, Expected FamilyContribution. The amount of need-based aid isdetermined after you fill out the required financial aidforms for each school. It is very important not tomisrepresent the factson these forms!

Merit-based

The first type of merit-based aid comes in the form ofmerit scholarships. You do not apply for a meritscholarship; they are given freely on the basis of highachievement in the areas of academics, art, sports, andmusic/dance/drama. These are usually subject torenewal each year.

Self-help

This type of aid usually come in the form of student loans which can be regarded as grants that haveto be eventually paid back to the school by the recipient after graduation. Another possibility is thefinancial aid package, which is usually a mixed bag of grants and/or loans. Employment in the form

of work/study is also an option, but under current U.S. immigrations laws as an internationalstudent you are allowed to work only part-time (up to 20 hours per week) and only on campusduring your first year of study. Also, note that this source of income cannot be cited on any officialfinancial forms you fill out for the schools or for U.S. immigration.


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FAFSA, Free Application for Federal Student Aid, is available on the federal governments official website. Itis also available in paper format. You can request a paper FAFSA by getting in touch with the Federal StudentAid Information Center. This form is only for U.S. citizens and green card holders.

Please be aware that international students on student visas are not eligible for federal aid; you have to be a U.S.citizen or a permanent resident to be eligible, and you need to have a Social Security Number.

CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE, or PROFILEas it is commonly referred to, is the College Boards online form. It isavailable for a fee on their official website.

PROFILE can be used for applying to multiple schools. It has been adapted to fit the needs of internationalstudents. On the College Board website, there is a list of the schools that require this form.

Some schools have also their own forms, usually available online, for financial aid. Please check carefully abouteach schools requirements and deadlines before you apply!

Financial Aid Application Forms


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In this process, sending out 8 to 10 applications to U.S. colleges 12 if youre applying for financial aid providesyou with:

Reach: a couple of highly selective schools.

Safety: a couple of schools where you feel pretty confident you will be accepted.

Target: several schools where you think your chances are at least above 50%.

Application Process

You carefully consider your own academic and personal needs.

You review your options. You make a short list of schools that best fit your needs. You put together all the required documents.

You send the documents to the schools via the common application website and/or eachschools own website.

Please check the requirements of every school before making the application. Also makesure you keep track of all deadlines!


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Please note that college deadlines are fixed dates and vary from school to school for both regular and earlyapplication.

There are 3 types of early application plan: Early Decision, Early Action, and Single-choice Early Action.

Research each option before making a final decision.

For regular application: you need to start getting ready 18 to 20 months before beginning your studies in USA.The regular application deadline is in most cases between January 1 February 1.

For early application: you need to start getting ready 24 to 30 months before beginning your studies in USA.The early application deadline is in most cases between October 15 November 15.

Regular and Early Application


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Types of Acceptance

- Accepted (Regular & Early)

This is the straightforward kind ofacceptance without any conditionsattached.

- Denied (Regular & Early)

You will seek your chanceselsewhere!

- Wait-listed (Regular)

You are placed on a wait list, andyou are notified in May about yourfinal state.

- Conditional (Regular)

Your acceptance is being kept on hold because you havebeen found wanting in one of the requirements, and youare given a chance to improve yourself in that area beforeyou are given the final all-clear.

- Deferred (Early)

You are not been granted an early application, and yet, you are notdenied, either your application will be treated in the generalapplication pool.


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PG (Post Graduate) and Gap Year Options

You should consider these options if for some reason you need to delaygoing to college for one year after you receive your high schooldiploma. In the PG option, you prolong high school by one year by

attending a special school in the States. In the Gap Year option, you takea year off after high school; however, if you already have an acceptance,make sure you understand the rules about deferring that acceptance oryou may lose your place at that university!


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U.S. Student Visa

International students who wish to study at a college oruniversity in the U.S. are sent an I-20 form by the universityupon admission, and they are given F-1 visas under thecondition that they maintain the minimum course load forfull-time student status. You will submit a bank statement

and fill in a certification of finances form issued by the schoolas proof of finances along with your I-20 form before you canreceive your visa. These visas are issued by the U.S. embassiesor consulates in your country of residence. Please consult yourlocal consular office or embassy and/or their websites for allvisa application

instructions.


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WELCOME TO COLLEGE!

After all that hard work and preparation, you have been accepted into the college of

your choice. You are now a freshman at college! Here are some useful tips for yourfist year in college, and beyond

- Pack lightly and smartly.- Join all the freshman orientation tours.- Get a phone.- Be responsible in your academic and personal life.

- Stay healthy and eat well.- Dont hesitate to ask for help from health & counselingservices.- Watch your budget.- Be organized.- Go to class.- Yes, you do have to STUDY!

- Go to scheduled office hours.- Use the library and other resources.- Meet your dorm mates.- Join in the extracurricular life on campus.

- Stay in touch with family & old friends.- Maintain a balance between work and play!

The following actions will get you intoserious trouble underage drinking;drinking and driving; driving without alicense; using or dealing drugs;

academic procrastination; plagiarizing;cheating.


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Have a Great Next Four Years in College!


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Thank you for listening

Now its time for ourQ&A Session

STEPS: Stepping Through the U.S. College Application Process

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Transcript of STEPS: Stepping Through the U.S. College Application Process