Pharmacy student Mohamed Mostafa asked us on Facebook about how to get started once you decide you want to study in the U.S.
Deciding you want to study in the U.S. is a big decision, but making it is the easy part - it's what comes next that's hard. Our blogger Nareg says he definitely sympathizes with Mohamed's need for guidance:
Luckily, some very nice folks at saw me talking about this on, and shared with me the step-by-step guide that they use. And now I'm going to share it with you! The stuff in bold comes straight from their guide - everything else is my (hopefully useful) commentary.
Maybe it's important to you that you end up in a particular city, like it was for Tara, or maybe, like Nick, you want to find the best academic department for the subject you want to study. There are many and find the schools you want to apply to.
If money is a big concern, you can also look into to international students.
EducationUSA has a list of and decide where to apply.
Nareg suggests that once you have a list of schools you might be interested in applying to, you should look at each of their websites for more information.
While you're researching, also that might support your studies and could determine where you end up.
That?s what Sadia did ? , run through the Fulbright Commission:
to my scenario, as State department itself chosen the school for me based on my majors so literally I had never gone into experience of searching on websites.
- Step 1b: Schedule and Take Standardized Tests
EducationUSA lists this as part of step 1, but I know for lots of students, figuring out the right standardized tests to take and the scores you need to achieve is its own separate challenge.
For undergraduate studies, many schools require you to take the (although this is ). For graduate school, you might be required , or a specialized exam (LSAT for law school, GMAT for business school, MCAT for medical school).
You?ll need to find out from each individual school what tests are required. Luckily, most schools have this information on their admissions website. EducationUSA offers some to take.
You will probably also have to take a test to prove your English proficiency. This is typically the . I know, it's all a lot of letters and acronyms, but you'll get used to them eventually.
On to EducationUSA?s second step!
EducationUSA has a bunch of information on you should be following.
If you?re not sure how your academic credentials translate to the U.S. university system, there?s a useful .
There are a lot of different places you can look for financial aid, and our bloggers are proof of that, so . Some of our bloggers are getting aid from their universities, some from their home governments, some from the U.S. government, and some from private sources.
They also made decisions like spending their first two years at a community college or their first year at home in order to cut costs.
EducationUSA has a list of financial aid options, .
So there you go. That?s how you should get started once you decide to study in the U.S.
EducationUSA?s step-by-step guide contains two additional steps, by the way. They are: (4) Get a Visa; and (5) Get Ready to Go (prepare for departure). But you?ve got to get into a school before you have to worry about those steps!
can help guide you through this process, and Nareg also suggests: