international student

How your US College Application is Evaluated

March 21, 2017 by Chiranth Nataraj

Students from around the globe seek out colleges and universities in the United States to continue their own personal educational opportunities. Why? One reason is that the U.S. has a wide array of schools that specialize in a variety of different educational topics. While most institutions offer the same core areas of study, there are some schools that are known as among the very best in the world in relation to studying medicine, others that are tops among law schools, still others that emphasize journalism, and so on. So by attending one of these schools you can earn a great foundation in all educational topics, but if there is one particular area in which you wish to emphasize so as to further your career prospects, you can do that as well.

For students who wish to build a long term life for themselves in the United States, attending school there is a great way to get that started. Attending university in the U.S. will allow a student to get firsthand experience with the language, culture, and customs to see if it is a good fit for them and to speed up the acclimation process. It can also be a great way to get a head start on becoming a permanent citizen and finding an employer.
All U.S. colleges and universities love to bring in international students from across the globe. It is in a school’s best interest to be able to show that they have a widely diverse pool of attendees, and that they attract the top academic available both in terms of students and professors.

In fact, in 2015 it was reported by NPR that there were 975,000 international students attending schools in the United States. That’s not only a big number, but a fast-rising one as well, as it’s up 10%. If you would like to add yourself to the list, one of the first questions you will need to investigate is how your application to a school in the U.S. will be evaluated.

One important caveat that must be discussed when diving into this topic is that because of the new Presidential regime in the United States, there is much concern about the future of immigration in the country. Because of this, standards around how immigrants are evaluated, even for something temporary as schooling, may change at any point.
Aside from how visitors to the country are evaluated in general, one important consideration for your U.S. college application will be what entrance exams you have taken and how you performed on them. There are two main entrance exams required by universities – the SAT and the ACT. These tests are designed to assess your readiness for university based on a variety of educational competencies. Each school has its own minimum score needed to earn acceptance, so you will need to contact the specific schools you are interested in attending or look on their web sites, as this information is easily found there. Knowing which to take could be confusing, so you can consult this helpful guide from The Princeton Review.

Another consideration that will be important is what type of school you are applying to. Are you applying to an undergraduate program or a graduate program? Graduate programs will be more stringent in their acceptance as they take in fewer students per year since the teaching is focused on a very specific course of study that requires more intensive and intimate teaching.

You may also need letters of recommendation from existing educators, employers, or other trustworthy figures who can vouch for your intellect, work ethic, and character. How many letters of recommendation and from whom will vary by school, as will most other admission requirements.

One final area to think of in reviewing college applications to the United States is your Visa status or the status of your passport. Schools will want to make sure you are eligible to legally attend and there will be no chance of you being deported. For more information on obtaining a Visa or passport as a student, you can read here

Again, each school will differ somewhat in their exact requirements, but the basics of having your application evaluated include taking and scoring well on an entrance exam, obtaining letter of recommendation, knowing which type of school you want to attend, and having your travel documents in order. Aligning those components with the requirements of your desired United States-based college or university is the critical first step to gaining admission.

10 Things International Students Will Need When Studying in the US

June 22, 2016 by Chiranth Nataraj

The United States has the largest population of international students in the world. More than 800,000 students choose the states to educate themselves every year. It’s a life experience they cannot get in their home country. While only 4% of students enrolled in universities and colleges are international, this percentage is growing quickly.

J1-Students

If you’re planning on joining the thousands of international students in the United States, it’s important to prepare yourself with everything you’ll need when you’re away from home. The following are 10 things every international student needs when studying in the states.

#1: Student Visa
The student visa is the most important thing you’ll need when studying in the United States. There are three student visas:

F1 Visa for Academic Studies
J1 Visa for Practical Training
M1 Visa for Non-Academic/Vocational Studies

#2: Prove You Are Academically Eligible
When you apply for one of these visas, you will need to prove you are academically eligible. This means you are enrolled in an educational program in the United States.

#3: Prove You Are Financially Stable
You will also need to prove you are financially stable because you will not be able to work with these visas while in the U.S.

#4: Show You Have Health Insurance
You must also have health insurance in case you need any medical assistance while in the states.
Bring your medical records with you when you come to the United States. If you’re studying at a university or college, visit the medical center first. You will be able to learn more about the health care options they offer international students and know where you should take your medical record for safe keeping.

#5: Find Out How to Get Health Insurance If You Don’t Have It
The program you are in for studying abroad probably also has health care options you can take advantage for while in the United States. It’s important to know you must have health insurance when living/studying in the states. It is the law.

#6: Identify How You’ll Connect with Loved Ones
It’s important to stay connected with loved ones while in the United States. It can be stressful being in a different country by yourself, and your family can make the adjustment much easier. Many international students use Skype, Google Hangouts, Viber, WhatsApp, and Snapchat to stay in touch with people across the world, but you can also use a mobile phone. It’s wise to look into international rates for calls, so you don’t end up with a large bill to pay.

Don’t forget about regular mail. It may take longer for people to get your messages, but it’s still a great way to stay connected on a deeper level. When you sit down and write a letter, you’ll be able to get into more detail about your time in the states.

#7: Consider Taking a Trip
Many people will explore the United States before settling into their program. Think about if you would like to do that, so you can start to make arrangements.

#8: Schedule the Travel Arrangements
It’s important to get all of your travel arrangement ahead of time, so you can ensure you get to your destination in plenty of time. This is especially true if you want to take some trips before you start the program.
Be sure to research and book:

Airfare
Trains
Buses
Vehicles
Hotels

If you simply want to go from your home country to the university, college, or training center, speak to the school. They often have resources to help you get to your final destination easily and sometimes, for much less money. Many academic institutions are used to helping international students, so this is something they are ready to assist with whenever you need the assistance.

#9: Bring the Essentials
Besides all of the paperwork you need for entering the United States, you will want to bring the following items, so you can make your adjustment as easy as possible:

Clothing for the climate
Special trinkets that will help you feel closer to home
Laptop/computer/electronics
Books or magazines in your native language
Special bedding
Medications

Anything you usually bring with you when you go on vacation will help you get acclimated to the United States. Just know that if you ever need anything, you can go to the store to purchase it. You can also always have a loved one ship you anything that you may forget.

#10: Make a List and Use It
A great way to remember everything you want to bring is to start a list early. That way you can add to the list as you remember things and go off the list when you’re packing.

Now you know what to bring when studying in the United States. Get ready to have the best life experience you’ve ever had and may ever have!

Culture Shock and How International Exchange Students can Cope With It

November 18, 2015 by Chiranth Nataraj

Every country has its own unique culture. The traditions and cultural behavior you observe in your country comes natural to you. You even begin to expect other people across borders to follow the same ideals as you and the people you have back home. This is exactly why most people experience a sudden shock when exposed to cultures across the boundaries of their home.

What is Culture Shock?

The feeling or reaction you have to a new culture that is extremely different from what you are used to can be described as culture shock. You may be well versed with the culture that surrounds you and your home, like continuous water supply, steady electricity, the way people speak, what are the various gestures that could offend in your home country and so on. When you go to a different country you will be surprised to learn that all the things you know and practice are very different there.

Culture-Shock

Simple concepts may be alien to you like the way people dress, what they consider fashionable, how they behave, live and interact. There are tons of unique cultural aspects in a different country that can contradict what you believe and how you behave. In fact, you have already experienced cultural shock in tiny doses. Remember that first day at school? Or the first day of college? How about all the differences between your routine back home and those followed by the school kids that surround you? Being forced to wake up early for class, having to answer tests and do homework.

Remember how you felt then. Now amplify those feelings. That’s what you get when you travel to a country that has its own unique culture. You feel like an outsider, insecure and at a disadvantage. If you prepare yourself and learn how to react and interact with the new environment, you won’t have a hard time coping with things.

Cultural Adjustment Stages for Every Foreign Exchange Student

1. Initial Euphoria
It all starts off like a vacation. You’re going abroad, yay! Oh the things you’ll see, the friends you’ll make. It all sounds so dreamy and marvelous. You will even see certain similarities between the new country and back home. But after a week or even a month, reality will sink in and you will realize this was no holiday; you are here to stay much longer

2. Irritation or Hostility
Slowly you will begin to focus on the differences and even the slightest little thing may annoy you. It might be the small things that are blown out of proportion, forcing you to feel irritated. This is the hardest stage and the one commonly known as culture shock.

3. Gradual Adjustment
Once you’ve settled down, you will start to get accustomed to the new surroundings, the people and the way they work and behave. You begin to understand the various cultural clues and feel like you’ll survive.

4. Adaptation or Biculturalism
Finally, when you give it just enough time, you will begin to feel like you belong and this is actually almost the same as home. Once you adapt to the new culture, you will be able to function normally without feeling different.

Symptoms of Culture Shock

Everyone experiences, culture shock to different extents. For some it may be intense, other less so. Some common effects of culture shock include:
– Intense homesickness
– Avoiding people
– Trouble sleeping
– Looking at the host country as the cause of your feeling miserable
– Compulsive eating or lack of appetite
– Turing into a pessimist

How can International Exchange Students Cope with Culture Shock

Culture shock is a result of numerous things. Not everyone will see the same events as a trigger. The cause of culture shock may stem from lack of knowledge, feeling inadequate or having to question the culture and values you’ve been following your entire life. To help you cope, you can follow some of these tips:
– Do a little research. The more you know, the better you will understand the way things are. Once you get to the host country ask your professors and (native) classmates about the things that confuse you.
– Believe in yourself. You can totally do this. With a positive attitude you will find it much easier to get an enjoyable experience out of it all.
– Be logical when you try to make sense of things. Some cultural practices may not have meaning anymore, but they did long ago.
– Don’t be afraid to be yourself. You should not feel forced to do things differently just because everyone else is, as long as you don’t hurt someone else’s sentiments.
– Be considerate! Not only is it wrong to go around bashing the culture of your host country, it won’t help you feel better.

The best thing to do when you’re out of your element is to give in a little and change to become compatible with the new surroundings.

Immigration Enforcement: Why & How Foreign Students Are Tracked

March 2, 2015 by Chiranth Nataraj

SEVIS is a system through which the US tracks international and exchange students. Every international student applying for a US visa should get enrolled under SEVIS
Each year more and more international and exchange students enter the United States. In fact, 1.2 million foreign students entered the US in 2012 for the expressed purpose of studying and attending classes. All of this has put some extra pressure on the existing systems in order to track and monitor these students. But exactly how and why are these actions deemed necessary?

exchange students

Types of US Student Visas:
Before you can come to the United States to study, you will need to obtain a student visa. The three most common types are the F-1, the M-1, and the J-1 exchange visa
• The M-1 Student Visa: This is for students enrolled in non-academic or vocational training. Normally valid for one year, there are possible extensions for up to three years.
• The J-1 Exchange Visitor Visa: This will allow you to participate in work and study based exchange visitor programs. It will also usually involve sponsorship by either an exchange program or a government scholarship.

Tracking Via the SEVIS System:
Before applying for the visa, you will also need to be enrolled in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). This is the program and information system used by the US government to track international students. It is essentially an electronic network of colleges, universities, US immigration services, and US overseas consular posts.

To enroll in this system, there is an added fee (currently $200, although different programs might vary somewhat). Remember that this is a mandatory enrollment and you should retain proof of payment in order to present to the officer during your visa interview at the US embassy.

Generally speaking, it is the school officials who will have the most access to the SEVIS system. At each institution there should be a single Primary Designated School Official (DSO) who is authorized to access and update the system with changes in your status. Possible changes may include your legal name, US address, major or field of study, education degree level, funding, and authorization for off-campus employment. The DSO is also required to report changes which would constitute violations of your visitor visa status, such as academic suspension, criminal conviction, failure to enroll, and unauthorized off-campus employment.

Why The Need For International Student Tracking?
Sadly, there is a need for this level of tracking. After the World Trade Center terrorist attack back in 1993 it was discovered the driver of the Ryder van used in this bombing had entered the country on a student visa and then dropped out, remaining in the country. He was not heard from again until the bombing. This brought attention to the problems and abuses which were prevalent in the system at the time, such as falsifying documents to obtain such visas and an antiquated INS paper processing system which meant it could take up to two years to detect instances of fraud.

The SEVIS system was formed after it was again discovered that at least one of the terrorists involved in the 9-11 attacks had entered the country through abuse of the student visa system. The person involved never even bothered to show up on campus and no timely notifications were made. SEVIS continues to develop and improve, undergoing six major revisions to resolve technical problems and accommodate new reporting requirements.

Continued Issues With Student Visa System:
Despite tracking through the digital SEVIS system, there are still some issues. In fact, the Department of Homeland Security has lost track of more than 6,000 foreign nationals who have overstayed their student and visitor visas and then essentially vanished. According to recent figures, more than 58,000 students have overstayed their visas in just the past year, although it is those 6,000 that are most worrisome because they had been referred to agents due to heightened concern.

In the future, look for legislators to work on closing these security gaps. That might mean additional reporting and perhaps extra ways and methods used by US and school officials to track foreign students. At the very least, international students who don’t make it onto campus or show up for class will be investigated much more quickly than before.

High School Exchange Programs for International Students

May 22, 2014 by Chiranth Nataraj

High school exchange programs for international students helps students improve their English Skills

For international students, a high school exchange program in the U.S. can be an extremely rewarding and exciting experience. For most students, studying abroad is their first experience of visiting a foreign country and living away from home. An exchange program offers a great opportunity for international students to experience the American way of life. As an exchange student, it is interesting to go and live with a new family in another country and get exposed to the American language and culture. A great plus with a U.S. high school exchange program is that international students can greatly improve their English language skills as they are always immersed in an English speaking environment.

High school exchange student programs in the U.S.For exchange students, starting to study at any school in the U.S. is a major step in life, more so for students who speak English as a second language. Whether it is choosing their subjects in school, interacting with their teachers or making friends, these are challenges that many international students face.

school teacher

For this reason, high schools in the U.S. are putting greater emphasis on English communication. Many exchange programs are designed so that international students can improve their English proficiency for academic and professional purposes. Through such programs, students develop their English skills while experiencing life in the U.S. It gives them a great opportunity to learn firsthand about the culture of the country and to improve their communication skills. The English skills of students may vary and may depend upon a number of factors such as the length of time the language has been studied, the student’s native language and so on. In the U.S., there are many academic programs whose objective is to enable foreign students to attain a level of English fluency that allows them to function in an American high school soon after arrival. It is often observed that a student may have poor English skills on arrival; learning a second language takes time but a semester or a year exchange program gives students enough time to refine their English skills; in fact, there is a noted improvement in the language skills of students just after a few days of adapting to their new environment.

How host families can help exchange students with their English skills

As a part of their exchange program, international students are required to live with a host family for the period of their stay in the U.S. Host families have a major role to play in helping the exchange students improve their English that will help them throughout their lives. The main goal of visiting exchange students is to practice and improve their English skills. This happens naturally by living with their host families. Since foreign students are encouraged to express themselves in English as much as possible, they pick up the language faster in a very practical way. During their months together, the student’s English proficiency will improve remarkably, something that the host family will find extremely gratifying.

How students can improve their language skills

It is often seen that though most international students are quite comfortable reading and writing in English, they are not as comfortable speaking in the language. Once students arrive in the U.S., they realize that their level of English is not enough to get by in a U.S. school environment.

On their part, international students need to realize that the fundamental purpose of an exchange is to learn a new language and experience a different culture. This will pretty much decide how well they will succeed as exchange students. The big fundamental is that students should prioritize learning English. It is good to make English speaking friends, as there is no substitute for talking with a native speaker; it also helps one pick up cultural and social cues. It is a good idea to read books and listen to CD’s to improve one’s language skills. Watching TV shows and movies is also a good way to get familiar with the language. Reading news and entertainment in English can help with some common conversational topics; there is a better chance of understanding and expressing oneself thereby overcoming both language and cultural barriers. As English language has a huge vocabulary, it helps to note new words and look up their definitions and meanings before using them in a conversation. As always, practice makes perfect; students can start practising their English skills even before they arrive on campus.

All in all, high school exchange programs give international students a wonderful opportunity to go to another country, learn a new language, improve their communication skills and come back home with a better perspective of the world.