Applying to College in the USA
Expat international students applying to American four year colleges for bachelor degrees should be aware that the application process differs quite markedly from admission practices elsewhere in the world. Additionally, it will be necessary to shoulder the added logistical burden of obtaining documents from your home country and, in some cases, applying for a student visa.
American colleges vary dramatically in how selective they are, and by extension, what kind of minimum academic qualifications they require. The vast majority will accept more than half the students that apply, but on the more selective side of the spectrum, like Ivy League schools, acceptance rates may drop into single digits. As a result, few American high school seniors will apply to only one college – the average is more like three to five schools.
Colleges will also vary a great deal in the forms they want students to submit. About 390 of the somewhat more selective four year degree institutions will use the Common Application (CA), a uniform set of forms to be completed. The CA will ask prospective students to submit school reports, which will include all high school grades, letters of recommendation from at least one high school teacher, a list of extracurricular activities, and a personal essay. In addition, many schools will require a supplement to the CA as well.
State schools, however, do not use the Common Application at all. These universities can be found in every state in the country and are funded by state governments. They tend to be quite big, have a different sense of their mission, and vary a great deal in how selective they are (the University of California at Berkeley, for example, is a state school that is amongst the most selective colleges in the US). State schools favour their own residents and establish quotas to accept a minimum number of students from the sponsoring state; sometimes percentages of state acceptance can reach 90 or even 95 percent of the student body . State residents also attend at a lower rate of tuition. Thus, it is well worth exploring the quality of a state school prior to considering the more expensive and not necessarily higher standard private schools.
The US does not have a single national school-leaving examination. Instead, many colleges will require prospective students to submit at least some standardised testing conducted by either the College Board (called SATs – standardised achievement tests) or by the ACT (American College Testing Program). The SAT is more widely accepted, but the ACT is gaining popularity; some schools even require students to take both and submit results. These tests can be used interchangeably, though they do favour slightly different testing priorities.
Students may also take tests within their high school curriculum that will allow them to gain college credits. High scores on International Baccalaureate tests and Advanced Placement tests will often allow rising first year college students to "place out" of preliminary level classes in core subject areas.
For more selective American colleges, the application process begins months in advance. State school applications may have a deadline some 10 months before a student will begin his or her first year at that university. Many schools will offer an early decision program, where students can apply before the regular decision – the deadlines for these tend to begin around November 1 for admission to college the next September. Regular decision deadlines stretch between January and March.
Most colleges will want to see proof of English proficiency from students whose high school instruction was in a language other than English, or whose first language is not English. The best way to show proof of such competency is by completing the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language).
Finally, while most students applying to American colleges have just completed high school, there are also many others that may be slightly older. Some, though by no means all, colleges will accept transfer applications from students who have completed some of their degree requirements at another institution (either foreign or domestic). A few colleges – like Brown University and Smith College – also have programs specifically geared towards “non-traditional” students; that is older students following a different pathway to college.
Selectivity in US colleges
American colleges vary dramatically in how selective they are, and by extension, what kind of minimum academic qualifications they require. The vast majority will accept more than half the students that apply, but on the more selective side of the spectrum, like Ivy League schools, acceptance rates may drop into single digits. As a result, few American high school seniors will apply to only one college – the average is more like three to five schools.
Application forms for American college
Colleges will also vary a great deal in the forms they want students to submit. About 390 of the somewhat more selective four year degree institutions will use the Common Application (CA), a uniform set of forms to be completed. The CA will ask prospective students to submit school reports, which will include all high school grades, letters of recommendation from at least one high school teacher, a list of extracurricular activities, and a personal essay. In addition, many schools will require a supplement to the CA as well.
State schools in the US
State schools, however, do not use the Common Application at all. These universities can be found in every state in the country and are funded by state governments. They tend to be quite big, have a different sense of their mission, and vary a great deal in how selective they are (the University of California at Berkeley, for example, is a state school that is amongst the most selective colleges in the US). State schools favour their own residents and establish quotas to accept a minimum number of students from the sponsoring state; sometimes percentages of state acceptance can reach 90 or even 95 percent of the student body . State residents also attend at a lower rate of tuition. Thus, it is well worth exploring the quality of a state school prior to considering the more expensive and not necessarily higher standard private schools.
Standardised testing in the US
The US does not have a single national school-leaving examination. Instead, many colleges will require prospective students to submit at least some standardised testing conducted by either the College Board (called SATs – standardised achievement tests) or by the ACT (American College Testing Program). The SAT is more widely accepted, but the ACT is gaining popularity; some schools even require students to take both and submit results. These tests can be used interchangeably, though they do favour slightly different testing priorities.
Students may also take tests within their high school curriculum that will allow them to gain college credits. High scores on International Baccalaureate tests and Advanced Placement tests will often allow rising first year college students to "place out" of preliminary level classes in core subject areas.
Time to apply to US college
For more selective American colleges, the application process begins months in advance. State school applications may have a deadline some 10 months before a student will begin his or her first year at that university. Many schools will offer an early decision program, where students can apply before the regular decision – the deadlines for these tend to begin around November 1 for admission to college the next September. Regular decision deadlines stretch between January and March.English language skills at US colleges
Most colleges will want to see proof of English proficiency from students whose high school instruction was in a language other than English, or whose first language is not English. The best way to show proof of such competency is by completing the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language).
Transfer students considering US colleges
Finally, while most students applying to American colleges have just completed high school, there are also many others that may be slightly older. Some, though by no means all, colleges will accept transfer applications from students who have completed some of their degree requirements at another institution (either foreign or domestic). A few colleges – like Brown University and Smith College – also have programs specifically geared towards “non-traditional” students; that is older students following a different pathway to college.
