8 steps for the standard application for American university

Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Khuong, an independent consultant in Minneapolis, Minnesota, guides 8 mandatory steps when preparing a US student visa application.

Common App

This is the website you use to apply to colleges. Nearly all of the top 100 schools in the US use this site. In addition to the Common App, some schools also use the Coalition App, ApplyTexas, or have their own application system.

On the Common App, you will fill in personal information including name, date of birth, school attending, information about parents and siblings... When you click on a certain field, you receive specific questions. like what major do you want to study; do you have any family members who studied here; Do you want to apply for financial assistance?

This is also where you submit your main essay, minor thesis, letters of recommendation, and high school transcripts. The Common App is like a hub for all the information college needs to know about you.

Transcript

Students will submit transcripts from grade 9 to grade 12 because high schools in the US start from grade 9. Those who are in grade 12 should submit transcripts from grade 9 to grade 11, and then gradually add them in the process. file. If the school does not issue transcripts in English, students need to have them translated and notarized.

Make a list of schools

Usually students apply to 10-12 schools. But last year, many schools dropped the SAT score requirement, so many people submitted 20 schools. However, you should target 10-15 schools, if you have time, apply more, do not focus on the quantity that ignores the quality of the application.

In these 10-15 schools, divide the schools into three groups: Dream, Reach, and Safety. The Dream group are super difficult schools to get into, you just apply to try your luck. Every school in the Ivy League, or in the top 20, is Dream. The Reach group are schools that are slightly beyond your reach, beyond your academic ability. The Safety team is almost certain you will pass.

It's not easy to categorize each group, but you can find the GPA (academic grade point average) and the average SAT score of each school's students to compare with your ability. If your academic performance is just as good or better than your grade point average, it's probably a Safety school. On the contrary, it is Reach or Dream.

In addition, usually the pass rate of a school at 60% or higher is Safety, lower will be in the Dream and Reach group. However, everyone is different so these are just some suggestions.

Main essay

The main essay can be called Personal Statement or Common App essay. This is a single, 650-word essay to send to the schools you apply to. The main essay asks you to share a story or stories about yourself. The purpose is for the admissions committee to see what your personality, personality, ambitions, and life are like.

You can choose from a wide range of ideas about yourself to present. For example, a student tells about daily activities such as waking up, taking care of his younger brother, going with his mother to work to tinker with experimental machines. Through these simple activities, the reader understands what is important to this student, what he or she wants to learn, what to do later, and why. In another example, a student wrote about how past events inspired her to pursue a career in Electrical Engineering.

If you're still confused, just type "US college essay" and you'll see examples, from essays written for Harvard to schools you've never heard of. Usually the main essay process takes 1-2 months and goes through at least 5 drafts.

Extra essay

Some schools, especially those in the top 70, will ask you to write an extra essay. The higher the school ranks, the more writing is required.

For example, Princeton University wants applicants to write six different sub-essays, while Depauw University requires none. Each sub-essay is usually 100-300 words long, with a variety of topics. The most popular topics include "Why do you want to go to school X?", "Why do you want to study Medicine?", "Studying at this school, you will contribute to the development of the local community, national, or global?".

Some schools even give applicants a quote, and then ask to write a review.

The side essay is just as important as the main essay because it shows the admissions committee how much effort you put into the school's application. Therefore, if you wait until the last minute to write a sub-thesis, the essay is not good, the admissions committee will easily recognize it.

Introducing letter

Recommendation letters are usually written by the candidate's teacher. In this letter, teachers share about students' academic performance, activities, personality, and ambitions. Letters can be 1-2 pages long.

You will need letters of recommendation from at least two teachers. If you are applying to schools in the top 20, you can get letters from three teachers.

Certificate of English (TOEFL/ IELTS/ DET)

IELTS, TOEFL are accepted at all US universities. In addition, the Duolingo English Test (DET) is emerging in 2020 due to Covid-19 because it allows test takers to do the test at home, which is shorter and cheaper. Quite a few schools have accepted DET, including prestigious schools like Cornell University.

However, you should still check on the school's website if they accept DET. Some schools only temporarily accepted DET in the last year's application period, the following years may cancel because it is too easy and too short compared to TOEFL/IELTS, or not difficult enough to test the applicant's English level .

When taking the certification exam, you only need to get a score. For example, if the IELTS is already at 7.0 or 7.5, you don't need to retake the exam because at that level you can already apply to master's and doctoral programs in the US. The admissions committee cares that you have enough English to study in the lecture hall, talk to professors, and argue with other students, no matter how superior you are.

Financial papers

In the US, there are two types of schools: financial aid for international students based on family financial ability (need-based financial aid) and non-financial aid.

In the first category, schools will give you money based on your ability to close. For example, a school with a total cost of 65,000 USD / year but your house can only pay 20,000 USD, which means you need the school to support 45,000 USD / year to be able to attend. To know if the family really can only pay $20,000 per year, the school will have to analyze the financial situation of the parents such as personal income, assets, and annual expenses.

Candidates will declare these details themselves on their CSS Profile or the International Student Financial Aid Application (ISFAA), along with supporting documents such as tax documents, payroll, bank statements of the last three months.

You just need to do and submit one of the above two procedures. When submitting CSS Profile, you have to pay 16-25 USD (380,000-590,000 VND) for each school. ISFAA is free, so students from disadvantaged families can choose this procedure if the school allows.

If you do not submit this document, you will not receive financial assistance. Instead, you may only receive a merit-based scholarship.

The second is scholarship-only schools, usually public schools like Indiana University - Bloomington, University of Massachussetts - Amherst, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. When applying to these schools, you can skip the CSS/ISFAA filling process. You will still receive money but not as much as schools that offer financial aid.

Behind billions of dong scholarships
For many American universities, granting scholarships is a policy to "stimulate demand", the amount of a few billion dong is actually insignificant in the study abroad journey.  ten

The tough admissions round of the American medical school
Medical schools in the US present a series of challenges to applicants when applying to ensure they can pursue a difficult and challenging path later on.  54

Three barriers to getting a job for Vietnamese students in the US
For many international students in the US, it is not uncommon to apply to 300-400 companies but still not receive a job offer.  13