Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Studying in the U.S. University-Admissions


Studying in the U.S. for the undergraduate studies is a unique experience. This experience starts way before you land in the U.S. Most of the universities have two semester system: Fall and Spring semesters. Fall semester starts in mid-August and Spring semester begins in January. Most of the universities offer admissions in Fall semester. However, some universities do offer admissions for Spring semester as well.
Next thing is a student should prepare and take TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) in advance to complete the application. Some universities also require SAT results (Scholastic Aptitude Test) as well. A well prepared student can do quite well on the SAT and TOEFL exams. Therefore, preparation is the key for these exams.

A completed university application is required for the admission. These admission applications are generally available on the university admissions’ websites. Therefore, the application should be downloaded and completed. Generally, all the information regarding the student, his/her family, educational background, and some other pertinent information is required on this application. One important thing to note is that all the information which is entered in that application should be true and factual. Nothing should be fabricated to enhance the application. It does not matter which school you studied or who you are related and if you participated in any extracurricular activities. If you are a good student and scored well in the TOEFL and SAT exams, the universities will consider you for admission. 

There is also an application fee which is to be paid in the U.S. dollar along with the application. Your application will not be processed until this fee is paid. This fee ranges anywhere from $30 - $100, depending on the university. 

These things are quite easy and this application can be submitted online. Also, the application fee can also be paid with a debit or credit card. The scores can also be sent online by declaring the university and the department to which you are interested. 

For international admissions, there is another important piece of application which is a financial certification that your sponsor can pay for your education including tuition fee, room and board, etc. during your stay in the U.S. This certification is also an important component for the U.S. visa requirement. 

Once you have submitted your completed application, the university will inform you about receiving your documents. They will probably get in touch with you if they require any more important information from you. 

Make sure that you keep track of the admission deadlines. For Fall semester, the application deadline is normally in December. And for international students, these deadlines are a bit earlier than the domestic students.