International Students
The number of international students studying in the U.S. is over 600,000. Approximately half that number are undergraduates. Almost 60 percent come from Asia. India accounts for the majority of students (15%), with China (12%) and South Korea (9%) increasing their presence at a rapid rate.
Most American colleges have already decided on the number of international students they will enroll in each class. The key to getting admitted is to prepare as far ahead as possible. It is best to start planning before the first year of high school. If that is not possible, plan to make sure you have completed all the necessary steps to qualify for American admissions.
- Take the SAT/ACT tests seriously. You will need to score higher than other students.
- Focus on the TOEFL and the verbal section of the SAT/ACT if you are from a non-English speaking country. Not all students are required to take the test. If you are an American citizen graduating from an all-English speaking high school in another country you may be exempt. Seoul International School is one such example.
- Most top American colleges require or recommend a personal interview with an alumnus. The interview is frequently held in the home country of the applicant. Where a face-to-face interview is not possible, the interview is conducted by telephone. Expect to be rated in a number of areas, including academic, extracurricular/athletic, personal qualities and an overall rating. The personal interview is a written evaluation and will be submitted to the admissions committee.
- Apply early.
Be prepared to compete with top students from around the world. This is particularly true if you are applying to a top American school. These include schools in the Ivy League or the University of California system which are highly competitive, along with MIT, Caltech and Stanford. Less than 10% of the applicants who apply to these schools are admitted.
That being said, students do get accepted. As an international college admissions consultant, we have several clients each year that are admitted to top American colleges and universities. They include students representing The United Kingdom, Korea, China, India, The Philippines, South Africa, Kenya, The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia.
If you would like a pre-qualifying telephone interview with Bradshaw College Consulting, please contact us by email to set up an appointment. We will schedule a time that is reasonable for both of us. We also have webcam capability for video calling using Windows Live Messenger. Please note the differences in time zones between your country and Chicago.
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