The admissions process for universities and colleges in the US is very competitive and confusing. But by following a basic set of instructions, you can have an edge in the admissions process. This guide will help you prepare yourself for a world-class American education.

KUNZ MAINALI
Many international students have dreamt of pursuing their education in the US at least once in their lifetime. This is due to the exceptional quality of education and career options available there. These prestigious institutions consistently rank very high in the international college ranking lists and offer world-class education in diverse environments.

The admissions process for universities and colleges in the US is very competitive and confusing. But by following a basic set of instructions, you can have an edge in the admissions process. This guide will help you prepare yourself for a world-class American education.

SAT/ACT
Test scores are the most important part of your college application. This is due to the fact that not all schools teach the same curriculum and have varying levels of difficulty. Since there is no way for a college admissions office to know about the difficulty in various schools, these tests give them a way to standardize all the admissions and compare the students on the same level.

In American colleges, they will either accept SAT or ACT. More prestigious colleges and universities, such as Harvard and Stanford, will also require two SAT subject tests if you took the SAT or an ACT writing test to demonstrate your achievement in your classes. SAT and ACT are completely different tests designed to appeal to different types of test takers. The SAT is a reasoning test composed of ten sections that cover Reading, Writing and Mathematics, while the ACT is a very straightforward, four-section test that covers English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science.

TOEFL/IELTS
Your scores on the TOEFL and IELTS give the college an idea of how well you communicate in English. The test is designed to see how well you read, listen, speak, and write. The only way to prepare for this test is by using English on a regular basis or taking some sort of practice course. If you cannot afford to take any preparation courses, there’s a plethora of free informational videos online that can assist in preparing for the test.

Grade Point Average (GPA)
It’s one of the most confusing topics for students because it’s calculated differently among various schools. Many high schools have implemented different systems and give extra GPA weightings, or points, to students who take an honors, AP, or IB level class. When applying, colleges will typically accept an unweighted GPA on a 4.0 scale or a percentile GPA. However, Nepali schools have a different way of calculating GPAs.

These days, many students can average a B and it has become standard for many colleges to set 3.0 as a baseline for admissions. However, you should have at least a 3.5+ GPA to be even considered by American universities as an international student. Your GPA depends on your performance in your classes as well as the grading policies of your school. American colleges love to see that you’ve taken a rigorous load of classes and have performed well in them. Don’t take easy classes just to have a high GPA because colleges would rather have someone with a 3.8 that took Calculus and Physics than someone with a 4.0 but took general level sciences.

However, colleges typically choose international students to fill requirement quotas and have to distribute the international students in their campus. Since they can’t accurately compare the GPA of two different students from two different countries, they rely mostly on your test scores to compare you to the other students. Just remember to take challenging classes and perform well in them while doing productive things outside the classroom.

Extracurricular activities
Extracurricular activities are under-looked by many applicants. These days, it is very common for applicants to have a high GPA and test scores. Colleges and universities want to see well-rounded students who will not just get good grades but also make an impact on their campus and the world around them.
Some extracurricular activities that can enhance your resume include volunteering, research projects, internships, or clubs that you were a member of at your school. Strong extracurricular activities can be a deciding factor between two well-qualified applicants; so never underestimate them.

Financial aid
Studying in the US is quite expensive for international students because they aren’t eligible for federal financial aid programs and have additional fees at certain schools. Approximately 350 colleges in the US offer financial aid to international students. But the financial aid is delivered in small sums and is very competitive to get.

The Institute for International Education reported that 80.9 per cent of all international students paid for their tuition through their personal sources or working. Even if a student receives a small sum of financial aid, they’ll still have to get money from abroad or have a paying job because the sum will barely cover a portion of the tuition.
Financial aids for foreign students are typically merit-based or need-based. To be eligible for a merit-based scholarship, you have to display outstanding achievement in a skill or talent or achieve excellent grades or test scores. Some exceptional talents or skills that can get you scholarships are writing a groundbreaking research thesis, exceptional athletic achievement (award-winning member of the national team), or even completing a prestigious internship. You will have to check and see with the school and what their requirement is to be eligible for a need-based scholarship because it varies from school to school.

Whenever you’re filling out your applications, you should keep in mind that there is a separate financial aid form which needs to be filled in. The application that you must fill out is published by the College Board and is entitled ‘International Student Certification of Finance Guidelines.’You should definitely try for scholarships, but always have a backup plan ready if things don’t work out.

Student visa process
Once you get accepted into an American university, you can begin procedure to obtain an F-1 visa. Although the process is quite lengthy and complicated, it’s the only way to legally enter the States as a student.

Check the American Embassy website and see the process for obtaining a student visa. In Nepal, you need to fill out a DS-160 form online and print out the confirmation page. Then, you take the page and pay the processing fee of US$200 at Nabil Bank to schedule an interview. You should be scheduled for a non-immigrant visa interview at the United States Consular Section.

Before you go to your interview, make sure that you have all the necessary documents – your college admission letter, passport, transcripts, test scores, and the receipt of the processing fee. Your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond your initial admission period.

Next, you’ll be required to demonstrate that you can afford to study and live in the US. If you have any scholarship letters or financial aid award letters, submit them. You will also need to provide proof that you or your family can afford the rest of the costs that are not covered by your scholarships or financial aid. You can display your proof of income by submitting tax returns, official statements of salary from your employer and your employer’s bank stationary or even a bank statement. You should submit your bank statement in terms of dollars and it should list the average deposits and balances.

Later, you’ll receive your SEVIS Form I-20 from the college that you have chosen. By receiving this form, it shows the Consulate representative that you’re in the US immigration system. An interview is necessary for all first-time F-1 visa candidates. Also keep in mind that it’s legally required of the Consulate to assume that you’ll stay in America only for studies and will eventually return to Nepal upon your graduation.

source: AINALI,KUNZ (2013),""Guidelines to American college admissions", republica,27 August 2013
The writer is a junior at North Hills Preparatory in Irving, Texas.