he United States has some of the best colleges and universities in the world, and it’s not surprising that many international students want to apply to them. If you’re one of those students, however, you may be feeling a little intimidated.
What’s the process of applying to colleges and universities in America?
First, make sure not to put off your applications until the last minute. This is important for anyone applying to college, but it’s especially important for international applicants. Do your research early, and don’t be afraid to call or email the admissions office if there are questions you have about applying that aren’t answered on the college website. There are many wonderful colleges in the U.S. you may not have heard of, and it’s worth consulting US News and World Report, or the Fiske Guide. If you’re from another country, even something as straightforward as a high school transcript is more likely to be in a format–or language–unfamiliar to college admissions officers in the United States. Give yourself plenty of time to adjust for any confusion.
Speaking of foreign languages, if English is your second or third language, you’ll need to put in extra time to compensate and prepare yourself to take the TOEFL exam. If possible, find a native English speaker to read your admissions essays in order to make sure you sound completely fluent. Additionally, these college admissions essays need to be authentic, forthcoming, and reveal a side of you that isn’t represented anywhere else in the application.
Learning SAT vocabulary is a challenge even for students who grew up speaking English, so you’ll definitely want to put in extra time to study vocabulary. Even the new SAT, which did away with a dedicated vocabulary section, tests vocabulary knowledge through its reading passages, so this is a skill you can’t neglect. Make sure to look into the format of the SAT essay as well. What the College Board considers a first-rate essay may be different from what your teachers consider a first-rate essay.
Even the Math section may present unexpected challenges. Math is taught differently in different countries, and you may not have learned all the material covered on the SAT, or may have learned certain techniques that aren’t optimal for the SAT. SAT math questions are asked in a particular way, and you’ll want to make sure to familiarize yourself with both the content and format of the Math section of the SAT (as well as the other sections).
All in all, you’ll learn as your U.S. admissions journey continues that the international application process is more complicated than the domestic one and includes extra steps like financial screening. The bottom line is this: start early, do your research, prepare thoroughly. That’s good advice for any student applying to college, and it’s especially important for international students applying to colleges in the United States.
