Applying to enter a US college is a process that can be difficult. Prepare in time so as not to stress yourself out.
This article refers to enrollment in an undergraduate faculty, which lasts four years and whose title corresponds to our degree. If you are not a US citizen, after acceptance you will need an F-1 visa and a transcript of the grades obtained in your school. Additionally, you will need to prove your proficiency in the English language by taking an exam such as the TOEFL.
Steps
Step 1. With around 4,000 institutions, there is no shortage of educational opportunities in the United States
Almost all colleges accept the majority of applicants, while elite colleges accept less than half of applicants.
- The most prestigious universities receive thousands of applications. You should have a realistic awareness of your skills and those required by schools. Try to match your grades and special skills with the standards of the institution of your choice.
- Take the lessons needed to apply to a certain university from the first year of high school, from mathematics to the humanities. Know the requirements of each college.
Step 2. Finish high school or an academic equivalent successfully
People who enroll in university have different educational backgrounds. Of the community college students in the United States, 43% are 21 or older, 42% are between the ages of 22 and 39, and 16% are over 40. Your age shouldn't be a negative factor when applying.
Step 3. Take the SAT and ACT tests because approximately 85% of colleges require them from first year students
Most schools provide for both, only some accept one of the two, so be informed.
Step 4. Use college and scholarship websites to your advantage
Check all the features of your interest, such as classroom size, location, etc. The internet pages also have all the useful information for the application.
- Read college-focused books. This way you will learn about entry difficulties, the SAT / ACT score you will need, campus life and career prospects following graduation.
- Contact the institutions through the websites to obtain information materials, both paper and electronic. Do this while you're still in high school, since some colleges have unusual application dates as well as a list of certain courses to take while you're still in high school. In addition, they will send you reminders before deadlines and warnings.
Step 5. Narrow the list of schools
If you can, visit them and then decide which ones you want to apply to based on information received from both the college and other people and your knowledge.
- In October of your final school year, you should know which college you want to enroll in and its requirements in terms of test scores and preparation. Do not leave this decision to the last, when there will be little time to complete the documents. In fact, it will be necessary to prepare a lot of things.
- You will need to be sure of your choice and not ask "why yes" or why your friends will study at a certain college. Think about what you want to become and what it does for you.
Step 6. Visit some colleges
Each school is different: some are huge and welcome more than 30,000 students, while others have a few hundred. Do you want to go to a city campus or a country campus? In the north or in the south? Do you belong to a particular religious group? If you know a student from a certain university, ask him to be your guide.
- Try to talk to students from different years to get the full picture. But don't get too swayed.
- Attend a lesson: Could you be a happy and productive student at this university?
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College will have to be perfect for you. This choice will have a huge impact on the years to come and, if you feel like a square trying to fit into a circle, you should consider going to a less prestigious but accessible place that offers you exactly what you want.
- Middle and high-level schools will require you to have flawless, thoughtful and creative essays. Make sure you express yourself in a unique way but avoid being eccentric. Online you will find numerous tools for learning to write and texts written by other students.
- Get letters of recommendation. Give these people enough time to write them. You can ask your professors. Cultivate your relationship with those who think highly of you. Then thank them: their contribution will have been invaluable in getting into college.
- It also evaluates issues related to residency, expenses, scholarships, etc.
Step 7. Decide if you should apply through early admission, which is a way of telling the school that you absolutely want to attend
If they accept you, you have a better chance of entering (this is why you can only make this type of request at one school).
- Early admissions have pros and cons. If you apply for one, you will have a better chance of entering the school of your interest. Universities provide this system to evaluate those who really want to enroll in the institution.
- The downside to early admission is that if you get caught, you don't have flexibility, so you won't be able to accept a scholarship from another institution or go to college with your best friend. In short, think carefully before applying.
Step 8. Complete most applications in January of the final school year
Around the 1st of April they will tell you if you have been accepted and, around the 1st of May, you will have to confirm your decision.
- At many middle and lower level schools you can apply whenever you want and, after a few weeks, they will let you know if they have taken you.
- There are also (not famous) schools that still have room for new students in September. As a result, if you were not accepted in April, you can still submit applications to certain universities.
Step 9. Once you have been accepted, apply for the scholarship (optional)
You can do this at the college itself or postulate at the FAFSA. Many high-level schools exempt families whose income is less than a certain amount from tax. Talk to the academic advisor if you believe this is the case for you.
Advice
- Find out about the financial aid regulations. Many colleges will completely suit you if you need them. Most universities require Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to determine your financial needs.
- Start working on your applications right away. Several less selective schools and state universities have a system whereby the earlier you apply, the more likely you are to be accepted. Either way, by starting on time, you can get the best out of your essays and letters of recommendation.
- If you have good grades and lots of extracurricular activities, it's admirable that you want to apply to an Ivy League university, but remember that mid-level schools are more likely to provide generous financial packages. Nowadays it is unusual to receive a scholarship that covers all costs: very few are available. However, there are others that allow 40-60% coverage. Talk to your parents. Will it really be worth going to a certain college and getting into debt instead of going to a state university where you could study the same subjects but without financial mark-ups?
- Think about your needs when choosing college, not the dreams of your friends / parents / grandparents. Don't let the pressures of others make you make the wrong choice. Focus on your wishes, your skills and your needs.
- If you are going to go to a certain college just to be close to someone, think carefully about your priorities in life and how you want it to be in five to ten years. Sometimes you have to sacrifice the momentary benefit for a greater one, to be received in the future. Of course it is always possible to reach a compromise.
Warnings
- Meet deadlines: no one will wait for you. You don't want to take a forced sabbatical.
- Don't let yourself be paralyzed by indecision. If the risks terrify you, you will not go anywhere.
- Think about the future and any debts. The less you pay, the more flexible your lifestyle will be and, consequently, the happier you will be.
