College Applications

Any student willing and able to study abroad will find a suitable place at one of more than 3000 American colleges and universities

First, you must have a clear idea of what you wish to study and where in the US you would like to be located. There are also financial considerations to take into account, as studying in the US can be expensive and varies enormously from institution to institution. Field of study, geography and cost will help you narrow your selection.

Use the Internet

To find out about American Colleges, your best shot today is the Internet.

There are different ranking websites that can help you decide. One of the best ones is The Princeton Review (http://www.princetonreview.com/college-rankings.aspx). There are different ranking categories such as Academics, Social/Town Life, Demographics, Politics, Quality of life, etc. and each one has more categories once you click on it. The website also offers a full description of most Universities and Colleges and summarizes everything you need to know about Colleges (everything about the different exams, financial aid, graduate, business, law, etc.)

Also, most institutions have web pages that contain a wealth of information and instructions. Alternatively, you can find information on American higher education by visiting the nearest US embassy or consulate. They will direct you to a US Information Service Office, or the local agency that offers information on study in the United States.

Timeline 

Students must be aware of the processing time because they often underestimate the amount of time required to apply to a College or University in the United States.

Set a schedule for yourself and always remember that doing things early is the best way forward. You must meet the application deadlines of the universities to which you apply, which may be as much as 10 months before the beginning of the school term.

Ideally, you should start about 18 months in advance to research colleges and universities programs. You should also start registering and preparing for the different tests you will have to take.

At least 12 months before, you should have decided which universities or colleges you want to apply to and get all the necessary information and forms. You should start taking the different exams as well not to be rushed later on (TOEFL, TOEIC, SAT, etc). For instance, you should definitely take the SAT (Scholastic Aptitude/Assessment Test) at least 11 months in advance, if no more. You could also take the PSAT in 1ère if you’d like to know how you stand, even though it is not required for College applications.

You should then obtain all the necessary documents (transcripts, application essay, references, etc) and you should complete your application 10 months before.

Once everything is set, you can apply for your student visa 3 months in advance and start researching health insurance options.

 Classes

American Colleges require that students take a wide variety of courses in the Arts and Sciences before concentrating on one academic
area so that they gain a well-rounded education. The American Bachelor degree consists of:

•   A major, which is a concentrated field of study

•   General education courses in a wide range of subjects

•   Supporting courses for the major

•   Electives, which are a student's free choice

A degree is designed to be completed in four years, although there is no fixed timescale because a degree is awarded after a student has completed a required amount of coursework, expressed in credits or semester hours. Usually a student will need to accumulate approximately 110 to 130 credits in order to graduate, with each course on average earning 3-4 credits. Each class is graded out of 100 and then converted into a numeric equivalent called a Grade Point Average on a scale of 0 - 4.0 which indicates how well a student is performing.

Taking the decision to study abroad isn't necessarily as easy as one would think. If anything, it is a lot of work and determination...but it will also be the best decision you will have ever made!