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College Success
(Admitted to Washington University) |
"After using EssayEdge for both my freshmen college process and also now to help my transfer application, I cannot recommend any other essay service that is better. I was admitted to one of my top choices, Washington University in St. Louis. When I met the admissions officer after my acceptance, he clearly remembered details that I had written in my essay in our conversation! Thank you!"
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US
Educational System
In
the United States, students begin higher education after completing 12 years
of primary and secondary school. Institutions of higher education include
two-year colleges (known as community or junior colleges), four-year colleges,
universities, institutes of technology, vocational and technical schools, and
professional schools such as law and medical schools. Higher education is
available in public (government support) and private (no government support)
institutions, institutions affiliated with religious groups, and profit-making
institutions - a wide variety. Size varies too. Some excellent colleges
enroll fewer than a thousand students; some large universities enroll 50,000
or more students.
The underlying purpose of institutions varies:
some provide a basic "liberal arts" education; others concentrate on
technical education; still others focus on music or art or the professions.
Experts at U.S. educational advising centers around the world can help you
sort through these categories.
The United States government does not recognize
or approve colleges and universities as does the ministry of education in many
countries. Instead the U.S. Department of Education reviews and recognizes
"accrediting agencies" that in turn assure the quality of
educational institutions and programs. Be sure that the universities in which
you are interested are accredited by an agency recognized by the Department of
Education. Most colleges and universities have what is called "regional
accreditation" from an agency that has jurisdiction over the region of
the country in which they are located. Accreditation assures you that the
institution has met certain academic, administrative, and fiscal standards.
Accreditation also assures you that your degree will be recognized by other
educational institutions and by employers.
Certain fields of study will also have
"program accreditation" in addition to regional accreditation. For
example, the Accrediting Board for Engineering and Technology accredits
engineering programs. Your overseas educational adviser can help you find out
if program accreditation exists for your field of study.
U.S. Students.
Nearly 15 million U.S. students are enrolled in
higher education in the United States. They come from all economic brackets
and from all social backgrounds. Education is mandatory in the United States
to age 16 and the majority of students do finish high school. More than half
of the students who complete high school in the United States enter higher
education in one from or another. About 37 percent of young people between the
ages of 19 and 24 in the United States are enrolled in higher education, but
not all U.S. students enter college or university immediately after high
school; some delay their entrance in order to earn money to pay for their
education. Once enrolled, many American students work full or part time to
finance their university studies.
International Students
During 1996-1997, 458,000 international
students were enrolled in U.S. colleges and universities, making up 3.2
percent of the total enrollment in U.S. higher education. The most popular
fields of study among international students are business and management (20
percent) and engineering(16 percent). Large research universities enrolled 42
percent of all international students. International students are enrolled in
greater proportions at the higher academic levels; thus they comprise only 2.5
percent of all bachelor's degree students, about 10 percent of graduate
students, and 33 percent of all doctoral students. Approximately one-half of
the doctoral degrees awarded by U.S. institutions in engineering, mathematics,
and the physical and biological sciences are earned by international students.
More than 81 percent of undergraduate international students finance their
education primarily from personal and family resources; the same is true for
48 percent of international graduate students.
Undergraduate Education
The undergraduate bachelor's degree typically
takes four years to complete. At most institutions those years are known as
the freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior years of undergraduate study. Many
students compete their first two years at a junior or community college,
earning an associate degree, and then transfer to a four year college or
university to complete two more years for a bachelor's degree.
The curriculum of many undergraduate program is
based on "liberal arts philosophy" that requires students to take
courses from a range of subjects to form a broad educational foundation.
During the first two years, students have the opportunity to explore various
fields of study such as social sciences, humanities, and natural or physical
sciences. These courses are often called a "core curriculum" or
"distributions requirements." By the end of the second year,
students at many institutions are asked to choose a specific field of study,
known as the major, on which they will focus for the remainder of the
undergraduate program. Students then spend the next two years taking more
courses directly related to their major.
Students who major in certain fields such as
business, engineering, or science find that the curriculum is more tightly
structured than it is in the humanities or social sciences. Business, science,
and engineering majors may have to take more courses related to their major
field of study and have fewer "elective," or optional, courses.
Graduate Education
Graduate education can result in a variety of
degrees. The most common include the master's of arts (MA), sciences (MS),
business administration (MBA), fine arts (MFA), law (LLM), social work (MSW), and
specialist in education (EdS). The most common final, or "terminal,"
degrees are doctorates in a variety of fields (PhD), education (EdD), law (JD),
science (DSc), medicine (MD), and religion or divinity (DD).
Master's degrees are the most frequently
awarded graduate degrees. Nearly 400,000 master's degrees were awarded by
U.S. institutions in 1995. It is possible to earn a master's degree in one
year, but more often it will take two to three years. In general, master's
degrees require that you complete six to eight courses, in addition to a
project or thesis (a long research paper).
A doctorate usually requires five to seven
years of study following receipt of the bachelor's degree. It may take less
time to obtain a doctorate if you enter the doctoral program with a competed
master's degree. Unlike undergraduates, graduate students begin specialized
study on the first day of classes. You will probably be required to take
certain courses and may be allowed as few as two or three electives. A
doctoral program includes the writing of a dissertation involving original
research. The dissertation may involve a year or more of research and at least
a year or writing. U.S. institutions awarded more than 44,000 doctorates in
1995
Research is a central feature of most graduate
programs at U.S. colleges and universities. U.S. faculty are expected to
engage in original research in their academic field, in addition to teaching
and helping to run the university. Most of the research in the United States
is supported by various agencies of the U.S. federal government. Faculty
members apply to those agencies for funding to support their research. Part of
the research money is used to pay salaries of researchers, some of whom are
graduate students.
Other Options
Other types of programs are offered in many
settings, some outside the traditional university setting. Possibilities
include short-term technical training opportunities, certificate programs, and
other vocational opportunities. For example, a two-month museum studies
program would not result in a degree but would offer the student valuable
practical experience and a certificate or completion. For more information, go
to Non-Degree Option section.
For
More
Information
InternationalStudent.com
contains a wealth of information and is a necessary resources for any one
considering applying to school in the US
IEFA.org
maintains the most comprehensive listing of grants, scholarships, loan
programs, and other information to assist students in their pursuit to study
abroad.
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©2000 by InternationalStudent.com, All Rights Reserved.
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