General info on Steps in admission process to US colleges

Steps: The common steps to apply for admission are as follows:

  • Search for colleges and courses
  • Contact schools and visit websites for information
  • Narrow down your list of schools
  • Take the entrance exams like SAT, GMAT, GRE, TOEFL, IELTS
  • Write SOPs and ask for LORs
  • Apply to the colleges which fit your interests
  • Appear for video interviews of the colleges that shortlisted you
  • If accepted, apply for a student visa

General exams

SAT - The Scholastic Assessment Test measures literacy and writing skills that are needed for academic success in college. This test assesses how well the test takers analyze and solve problems-skills they learned in school that they will need in college. The SAT is typically taken by high school students to get into UG courses.

GMAT - The Graduate Management Admission Test is used to measure the abilities of the potential MBA aspirant to undertake higher education in the field of business or management. It measures mathematical, English, and reasoning skills of the student.

GRE - The Graduate Record Examination is another test required to be taken by students applying to graduate schools to pursue MA or MS. Increasingly many business schools are also accepting GRE scores for the purpose of granting admission for MBA.

LSAT - The Law School Admission Test is a standardized test and is an integral part of the law school admission process. It provides a measure of reading and verbal reasoning skills that law schools can use in assessing applicants.

The university you will be applying to will mention which exam results will be applicable to the course of your choice. But if they give a choice to go for either of these, then the choice depends on you.

Scholarships to Study in the US

Fee waivers are awarded to international students on the criteria of merit and need of it. Candidate with strong academics, good performance in standardized exams and extracurricular achievements would be eligible for scholarship awards and financial assistance. To benefit from these opportunities, one has to make sure to send all the required documents by particular deadlines. In addition to this, the presentation of the application is also important because one is judged by the image one projects.

Documents required : The documents usually needed for a scholarship application are as follows, although the requirements may differ:

  • Academic records and photocopies
  • A recent CV
  • A letter of intent, which acts as a cover page
  • Certificate of Language Proficiency (TOEFL or IELTS scores)
  • Letters of Reference (LOR)

Colleges vary in their individual policies and requirements, but for the most part, they all ask for the same materials. Most colleges ask for the following:

  • Application
  • High school transcript
  • SAT or ACT scores
  • TOEFL scores
  • Personal essay (and any supplemental essays)
  • Letters of recommendation

Many of these components take months or even years to prepare, so college planning should start early in high school.

Applications will ask for your personal information, like your name, address, schools attended, and any extracurricular activities. If your school requires an essay, then you'll usually paste your essay into your application You may also invite recommenders via email to upload their reference letters.

While creating an account and filling out your application is free, submitting it requires a fee. Some schools have no application fee while others cost as much as $80 or $90. The average application fee is around $35 to $40.

High school transcript

To determine admission, colleges look closely at high school grades. To show schools this important information, you'll send an official transcript. Usually, your school must send your transcript in a sealed envelope

For some schools, you can send your transcript directly. Others will ask you to get it translated and certified by an official credential service. If your school uses a different grading system than the 4.0 scale used in the U.S., then you may have to send off your transcript for evaluation.

This transcript service may cost around $100. The company should be a member of NACES, the , like National Association of Credential Evaluation Services World , like World Education Services, Inc.

SAT or ACT Scores

For most four-year U.S. colleges, your SAT or ACT scores are an important part of your candidacy. Colleges consider both tests equally, so it's up to you to decide which one you'd rather take. Some colleges additionally require SAT Subject Tests, though they usually waive this requirement if you send ACT scores.

While you can self-report your scores on your application, you'll need to send official score reports via your College Board (for the SAT) or ACT, Inc (for the ACT) accounts. If you send multiple score reports, many colleges will take your highest scores by section and recombine them into the highest possible composite score.

The SAT and ACT require lots of prep and planning, and we have tons of resources to help you achieve your target scores. For now, let's go over a few of the most important tips for planning for these important tests.

TOEFL scores

If your native language is something other than English, then you may have to take the TOEFL (or its counterpart, the IELTS) to demonstrate your English language proficiency. Unlike the SAT or ACT, the TOEFL is computer-based in most countries. It is scoring scale ranges from 0 to 120, and it tests your Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing skills.

Many schools require a minimum TOEFL score. If you don't have the requisite TOEFL scores, then the rest of your application doesn't matter! The TOEFL is definitely a test to be taken seriously if you want to study at a U.S. college. Like the SAT or ACT, you could take the TOEFL more than once to achieve your target scores.

Here are just a few examples of colleges with a TOEFL requirement. The TOEFL iBT is the internet-based test; the less common TOEFL PBT is the paper-based test, and its scoring scale ranges from 310 to 677.

Personal essay

In your personal essay, you'll typically be asked to reflect on a meaningful experience in your life and how it shaped your identity What you choose to write about should reveal something significant about your values, and your essay as a whole will show your writing style and thought process

Letter of recommendation

The final important piece of your college applications is your letters ofm recommendation. Requirements for reference letters vary; some colleges don't ask for any, while others ask for one, two, or even three.

Usually, colleges want to see one or two recommendations from teachers and one from your school counselor. If you don't have a counselor, then you might get one from a principal or other administrator

You'll choose your recommenders and ask them if they'd be willing to provide you with a recommendation. Then you'll invite them to submit their letters through your online application.

Your recommendation letters should speak to both your academic and personal qualities. Like your essays and the rest of your application, they should give admissions officers insight into your strengths and skills as a student, as well as your personality and character. In addition to our in-depth guides on recommendation letters for college, you'll find a few tips below.