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Resources
to Find a Program
Even
if you do not have the opportunity to visit U.S. universities before you
enroll, resources are available to help you learn more about education in
the United States and to select an appropriate program. These resources
include books, videos, computer-search programs, and Internet sites.
Nearly five hundred U.S. educational advising
centers around the world specialize in providing information and guidance on
U.S. education. The American embassy, consulate, or United States Information
Service (USIS) office in your country or region can refer you to the nearest
such center.
Advising centers are often found in USIS
offices, American libraries, bi-national centers, Fulbright commission
offices, and, in some countries, at the offices of private organizations such
as AMIDEAST, IREX, World Learning Inc., the Council on International
Educational Exchange (CIEE), the American Council of Teachers of Russia (ACTR),
and the Institute of International Education (IIE). An educational advising
center can carry many names: for example the terms "advisory
service" and "information service" are used interchangeably.
Regardless of the name, the purpose of the center is to offer comprehensive
and unbiased information and advice on study in the United States. Typically
the centers have a library containing a variety of resources that can help you
in your search. The types of resources you may find include the following.
Table of Contents
General
University Guides
General university guides provide information
on available programs, admission criteria, application deadlines, and aspects
of academic life. Most list either undergraduate or graduate programs, with
graduate guides placing particular emphasis on fields of study and academic
specializations. Some guides written especially for international students
include information on international student enrollment, financial assistance,
and housing.
Comparative
Guides
Unlike general university guides that provide
objective information on universities in the United States, other publications
offer an informal "insider's" perspective on universities and
university life; some include student perspectives.
Terms such as "the top ten" and
"the most prestigious" are often used to distinguish a few
universities from the rest. Many books, newspapers, and magazines publish
these assessments or "rankings" of universities in the United
States. With the vast array of universities to choose from, it may be tempting
to rely on such rankings when selecting an institution. Beware! There is no
official ranking of colleges and universities in the United States. The
criteria on which published rankings are based vary from publication to
publication. Some are based on the grades and standardized test scores of
students who have gained admission; others on the opinion of professionals in
the field. Some are based purely on the personal opinion or the author. The
best college or university for you is the one that meets your own personal
requirements and preferences.
University
Catalogs
Every U.S. university publishes an annual
catalog containing information on academic programs and facilities. The
catalog includes information about degree requirements, costs, and student
life. Many catalogs are now published on the World Wide Web.
Preparation
for Standardized Tests
International students are sometimes quite
anxious about taking standardized tests such as the TOEFL (Test of English as a
Foreign Language), SAT (Scholastic Assessment Tests), or GRE (Graduate Record
Examinations). You may be considering taking a test preparation class or
purchasing a test preparation book in order to improve your scores. These
classes and books contain sample tests and test-taking strategies which you
may find useful, particularly if you have not had much experience taking these
types of tests. However, be cautious about investing a great deal of money in
such classes or books, since such preparation will probably increase your
scores only marginally. The tests are designed to measure your aptitude and
potential for success in a university setting. Solid academic preparation over
the years should yield good scores, whereas test-taking strategies can only
help marginally or help you feel more comfortable in taking the tests. Inquire
at the advising office for more information on varieties of test preparation
products. U.S. educational advisers have seen a wide variety of students who
have tried all kinds of preparation tactics. They are in the best position to
give you sound and practical advice.
Financial
Aid Sourcebooks
Students are always interested in investigating
possible sources of financial aid information. We have noted in other sections
that you should look closely at sources of funding from your own country.
There are guides for funding for study in the United States, as well as
companies which will search for funding for you for a fee. One well known
funding guide is
Funding for United States Study, A Guide for
International Students and Professionals. Marie O'Sullivan, Editor and Sara J.
Steen, Supervising Editor, Institute of International Education, New York, New
York, 1996
Funding guides are organized in a variety of
ways, sorting sources by region, field of study, level of study, and
administering or sponsoring agency. These sources give contact information to
a wide variety of funding sources, but the following generalizations apply:
- Most
of the aid is available for graduate (master's and Ph.D.) study; little is
available for undergraduate (bachelor's) study.
- Many
of the offerings are narrowly targeted. An example explains this the best.
The Central and Eastern European Fellowships administered by the J. Paul
Getty Trust and the Getty Grant Program are available for postdoctoral and
professional training. The recipient must be a citizen of Eastern or
Central Europe with preferences given to scholars in the early stages of
their careers who have had little opportunity for travel and research
abroad. As you can see, this narrows the field. That's good news if you
match the criteria, because it decreases the competition, but it may not
be easy to find a grant that matches your circumstances.
- Timelines
for application vary. If you plan to use an award of this type to help you
finance your studies in the United States, you will need to plan well in
advance to secure the funding in time for admission to the university.
The
Internet and the World Wide Web
You can search the World Wide Web to locate
general information on study in the United States as well as information on
specific universities. Internet search programs such as Yahoo!,
Lycos,
and Excite allow you to specify key words to guide your search. Try key words
such as "education," "college entrance," and
"admission office."
Other Search Engines: Infoseek,
Webcrawler,
...etc.
Numerous Websites have been designed especially
for the purpose of advising on study in the United States or preparing for
admission to U.S. institutions. Some provide interactive programs that help
you in selecting institutions. Try these:
Study
in the USA
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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