The process of entering into an American university

In today’s world, more and more attention is paid to education and, of course, if the fiscal situation permits, many choose to study abroad. Just here and there a lot of questions — what you need to pass the exams, the availability of public documents is essential, and so on.. In this article focuses on education in the United States. The American school system, of course, is very similar to ours and does not constitute such problems as opposed to higher education. Let’s start in order …

American schooling consists of 12 classes (12 grades, and not 1 2 classes, by the way, is a very common mistake).

The entire school system is divided into 4 levels:

1. Elementary School — Elementary School, also includes pre-school education c 4 to 5 years (preschool), kindergarten from 5 to 6 years of age (kindergarten) and grade 1-5 (1st through 5th grades) children 6-11 years old.
2. Middle School — the so-called «intermediate school» or secondary school, from 6 to 8 classes (6th through 8th grades).
3. High School — the same middle school, or «high school», but from the 9th to 12th grades (9th through 12th grades).
   • The student grade 9 is called — freshman / frosh — freshman, novice.
   • 10th grade student — sophomore (grade 10) — a sophomore, in this case, the student at the second stage of «high school.»
   • 11th grade student — junior (grade 11) — student penultimate course, the student on the third (penultimate) stage «high school.»
   • Student Grade 12 — senior (grade 12) — a graduate student, a student of the graduating class.

   In the US, students are called by students (students not pupils).

At the end of 12th grade students take exams and receive a certificate (High School Diploma). After high school, they have a choice: either to continue their education and go to college / university, or go to work. But in this article we will focus on the first.

4. Higher education / Post-secondary education — higher education.

But with this place and will start more. Before entering the entrant must decide to what «category of students» (s) he belongs. They are divided into:

• New Freshmen Student (beginner, an applicant immediately after school).
• Transfer Student (applicant / student, translated the university after college preparatory program for entering universities or student, who translated from one institution to another in connection with the change of place of residence and so on. N.).
• Graduate Student (applicant / student has a bachelor’s degree, but to graduate no relation wishing to continue their education).
• Adult & returning (an adult who, for whatever reason, stopped training in the past and decided to renew it, or a student who decided after high school to go to work, and now, some time later, he decided to continue his education).
• International Student (foreign student / applicant).
• Re-Entry Student (applicant / students enrolled in higher education, which for some reason interrupted training course and now wants to re-enter and continue their education).
• Non-Degree Student (students who are not confident in the choice of profession and institution registering at any general subjects).
• Second Degree Student (student receives a second degree (eg Bachelor) in any other sphere (major)).

Thus, it is important to know which group is the applicant / student, since the order of admission can vary considerably.

Consider the process of receipt of the most common categories of applicants New Freshmen Students.

1. When a selection is made ​​and a degree of the University, the applicant will submit an application and supporting documents (Application Process). But these days, thanks to the Internet, the whole application process has been simplified, t. E. Do not need to go anywhere — all the documents can be sent via the Internet (Apply Online). Of course, everyone has their university application deadline (Deadlines), and need to have time to apply, or have to wait for the next set.
2. As mentioned above, fill out the application can be online (submit your application online) and immediately pay for the submission of the application (application fee), or there is a second option: you can send a personal check (personal check) or postal money order (money order) by mail .
3. In addition to the application should be sent to academic transcript or a certificate (Official Transcripts / High School Diploma), but the student does not send it, it is engaged in school.
4. You also need to send the test results (Test Scores), required for admission.
   This can be a standardized test for college in the United States (ACT — American College Testing) or School Assessment Test (SAT — Scholastic Assessment Test). Various educational institutions require different tests, but they give pupils at the school.
5. Once all the documents are sent to wait decisions on admission (Admission Decision). Once the selection committee will receive your documents by mail entrant comes confirmation of receipt, and information about how to check their status online, for each student created his own page on the site through which he can check at any time the status.

Here’s a simple process of admission to colleges / universities are American entrants. In fact, everything is very easy and understandable.

I would also like to talk about the process of enrollment of foreign students / applicants to colleges / universities in the US, it is very similar to the previous one, but with some changes and additions.

1. The first step is the same, go to the page of the college or university and fill out an application online (Apply Online).
2. Similarly, the need to pay filing an application (Application fee).
3. Also, the entrant must send a certificate (High School Diploma) or academic certificate (Academic Records) or Diploma (Diploma), depending on what stage of training, he is at the university. All the successes of the studies must be official copies, translated into English and notarized (officially-certified copies of original academic records). And also need to be sent on behalf of the school or university, where he studied (learning) student.

   Basically all schools require re-evaluation (evaluation) certificate, transcript or diploma on the American education system. That is, if the education system in the Russian learning assessment (grades) from 2 to 5, in the US from 1 to 100, an important role is played by the number of hours taken for each subject (for the academic transcript / diploma). Some educational institutions themselves make such a reassessment, but then correspondingly fee for filing an application increases, t. To. To include payment for the re-evaluation (evaluation fee).

4. Applicants for whom English is not their first language (native language is not English), must provide proof of the ability of language (Proof of English Language Proficiency) — Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL — Test of English as a Foreign Language or IELTS — International English Language Testing System (the international system of testing on English)).
5. Then you need to wait for the decision on admission (Admission Decision).
6. After enrollment, applicants must obtain an F-1 visa (student visa) through the embassy, ​​as well as with it to provide adequate source of funding for accommodation and tuition (proof of adequate funds to live and study full-time).

Of course, all of these steps may vary slightly depending on the institution to which the applicant receives. Also, changes may depend on the state, ie. A. In each state its own rules and laws. In the next article, I will also tell you in detail about the formation of the university, forms of training, pay, and, of course, about the student life of American students!

 

  5770

Learners