Frequently Asked Questions About Conditional Admission To American Universities

Through our communications with overseas advisors and students seeking admission to American colleges and universities, we have found that there are some misconceptions and misunderstandings about the concept of "conditional admission" to American colleges and universities. In this week's entry, we provide a straightforward explanation of what conditional admission is and answer several of the most frequently asked questions about it.

What is "Conditional Admission"?

Conditional admission is an early admission for academically and financially-qualified students who do not have the minimum English skills required for a regular college or university academic program at the time they apply.

Conditional admission is helpful to show international students that they have a guaranteed space in a college or university program after they have reached the necessary English level. It is also helpful to show U.S. visa officers that they have a clear plan for their education program in the United States.

Frequently Asked Questions About Conditional Admission:

1) Do all colleges and universities offer conditional admission? - No. Colleges and universities offer conditional admission for two main reasons: A) To attract more students to their English language program and B) To fill the extra space they expect to have in their programs. Colleges and universities that are highly-ranked and have low acceptance rates will almost never offer conditional admission to their programs.
 

2) Do all college and university-based ESL programs offer conditional admission to bachelors and masters degree programs? - No. Each college and university-based ESL program decides with the school's regular admissions office whether to offer conditional admission or not and what requirements the students will have to meet in order to change from conditional to regular admission status.
Because university graduate departments each have their own admission requirements, conditional admission may not always be available to each graduate program at the university.
 

3) Do all college and university-based ESL programs allow students to skip the TOEFL or IELTS exam if they complete the highest ESL level? No. Members of the school's regular admissions office and faculty decide how well the English skills students learn in the ESL program prepare them for academic study in the college/ university and whether a standardized test like TOEFL or IELTS is needed to confirm their English ability. Before choosing a college or university-based ESL program, it is important to find out whether the students will be required to take the TOEFL or IELTS exam before they can be fully accepted to the degree program.    
 

4) What kind of application documents are needed to get conditional admission? - Students applying for conditional admission must complete and submit all of the regular application documents needed for the degree program EXCEPT the TOEFL or IELTS exam score reports (for graduate students, the GRE or GMAT exam score may also be submitted later in most cases). 
  

5) Are students required to attend the college or university's ESL program in order to be given conditional admission? - In some cases, yes, in other cases, no. Each program has its own policy about this so it is important to check before choosing an English language program. If it's not required and another nearby English program has more convenient starting dates, lower prices, or other benefits,

 your students may want to consider these alternatives. 

6) Are students required to enroll in the college or university they received conditional admission to?

- No. Conditional admission means that the students have a space at the college or university when they finish their English studies, if they want it. There is no legal requirement, however, that students can only attend that college or university. Students can choose to apply to any other college or university that they want, but this will require completing a new application, paying additional application fees and getting a new set of original academic and financial documents from their home country. 

7) If a student does not have high enough grades can he/ she still get conditional admission? - No. Conditional admission is only given to students who have provided documentation that they meet the college or university program's academic and financial requirements or have some kind of correctable deficiency at the time they apply. Having grades that are below the school's admissions standards and is something that is not easily or immediately correctable except by taking more classes and getting higher grades.

About American Education Partners:

American Education Partners (AEP) is a U.S.-based service that helps international students find, apply, and get accepted to hundreds of carefully-selected, high-quality education programs throughout the USA. More information about AEP programs and services can be found on our website at: www.americanedpartners.com

  

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The Importance of Test Scores When Applying to American Universities - PART 1

The "Entrance Test Mentality", which many international students and parents seem to have, is a strongly-held belief that strong entrance test scores are the absolute most important factor in gaining acceptance to top-ranked universities.

In order to clearly understand the requirements of gaining acceptance to American universities and become a top candidate, this way of thinking, and the narrow focus and efforts that accompany it, must be set aside in order to be the type of well-rounded applicant that is most attractive to the top universities. Getting students, and particularly their parents, to change their approach, however, is no easy endeavor. It usually consists of nothing less than undoing, or at least loosening, beliefs that their academic institutions have deeply-embedded into them their whole lives.

When preparing to apply to an American university, it is important for international students to learn early how tests scores are weighed alongside many other factors by admissions officers.  First, it's important for students and parents to understand that English proficiency tests like IELTS and TOEFL are merely indications of how well a student can understand English as may be used in an academic environment. Second, it's important for students to know that a good IELTS or TOEFL test score does not determine which classes they can register for in their first term at university. All American colleges and universities give new students, American and inernational alike, an English placement test after their arrival at school. The results of this test, NOT the IELTS or TOEFL test score, determines which classes students can/ cannot take in their first term.  Also, students need to be aware that the TOEFL and IELTS tests are limited in their assessment of their ability to communicate in everyday situations and function well in an American college or university classroom environment. Among the many important skills these tests cannot evaluate are the students' ability to take notes, do oral presentations, have classroom debates, and do research for projects and reports. Students can develop these and other academic skills by enrolling in a college or university-based Intensive English Program. These programs put students in English-only environments on American campuses and help them quickly develop their general English proficiency skills in a variety of situations in and outside of the classroom. Additionally, many of these programs allow the students to gain conditional admission to bachelors and masters degree programs without taking the IELTS or TOEFL tests if they complete the necessary course in their program.

In Part 2 of this topic, we will discuss other undergraduate entrance test scores (SAT/ ACT), which students need to take them, and how they are weighed against other admission criteria.

To learn more about college and university-based Intensive English Programs and getting conditional admission to bachelors and masters degree programs, contact American Education Partners' School Placement Team at: info@americanedpartners.com

High School Location and Acceptance to Top-Ranked Universities - Is There Any Connection?

When helping overseas students decide on the best American high schools to apply to, we find that many are strongly attracted to schools in the Northeast. When asked "why?", most reply that it is because most of the Ivy League universities they eventually hope to attend are located in that region. Some students have actually opted to sit out a year of school rather than apply to one that's not in the Northeast.

Does location REALLY have an influence on a students' chance of getting accepted to Ivy League or other top-ranked universities? Do Ivy League schools emit "smartness" that students who are within close proximity are able to absorb?
While students at Northeastern schools are able to visit top Northeastern universities more easily and frequently than students who attend schools farther away, they do not have all of the advantages that many students believe they do. The main reason for this is summed up in one word, "diversity".

One of the common strengths of America's top universities is a diverse, well-rounded group of students who provide diverse and positive contributions to the school. Because of this, students accepted to top-ranked universities come from a wide variety of public and private high schools throughout the USA and the world. Because maintaining student diversity is an important, on-going effort of the universities' admissions efforts, students from elite Northeastern boarding schools with high grades and test scores, may not necessarily have an advantage in getting accepted to an Ivy League school over a student from a rural Southwestern high school with lower grades and test scores, but a different set of experiences, knowledge and skills.

The following Harvard University Gazette article provides further information about the commitment that America's top universities place on maintaining student diversity in their admissions processes (scroll down to the bottom of the article to see the list of universities): http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/1997/05.01/UniversityLeade.html

The main things that university-minded international students should look for when selecting an American high school are:

1) Safety of the campus and local area
2) Quality of the teaching curriculum and instructors
3) Unique extracurriculuar opportunities and experiences offered
4) What kind of college counseling is provided
5) The list of universities its students have recently been accepted to

American Education Partners works with a wide variety of public and private high schools throughout the USA that have helped many students get accepted to top-ranked universities. Contact our School Placement Advisors at: info@americanedpartners.com for a free assessment of educational opportunities available for Fall 2011.

MBA Applicants - Here's 7 Mistakes to Avoid

Thinking of applying for an MBA program? Before you start (or before you finish), read this insightful article recently written by Kaneisha Grayson, a recent graduate of Harvard Business School and Harvard Kennedy School:
http://www.vault.com/wps/portal/usa/vcm/detail/Career-Advice/Education-Advice/7-Deadly-Sins-of-MBA-Applicants?id=64939

U.S. Public High Schools Welcome International Students

Many public high schools throughout the USA have welcomed international students on the J-1 High School Exchange Program sponsored by the US Department of State for the purpose of introducing students to American culture and allowing them to share their culture with the schools and host families they spend the year with.
Over the past several years, a growing number of public high schools have started welcoming international students of the F-1 student visa program. There are some similarities between attending a public high school on the J-1 and F-1 visas, but there are also many differences. Depending on the student's purpose and goals, one program may be more suitable than the other.

Here are the main similiarities:

1. Participation is limited to one school year
2. Students can join school clubs and sports
3. Students live with local homestay families


Here are the main differences:

1. Students on the J-1 program must return to their home country at the end of the school year and are usually excluded from returning to the USA on any kind of student visa for at least 2 years. Conversely, students with F-1 visas may continue their education for additional years at a private high school or begin their university education without having to change their visa status or return to their country.
2. Students on the J-1 program can only apply through a specially-licensed U.S. organization that can only place a limited number of students each year. Because of the limited number of students that can apply, getting accepted to this program is a very competitive process that must be started almost one year in advance.
3. Fees for the J-1 program are low compared to the F-1 program. The reason for this is that the J-1 program is sponsored by the US government - students do not pay for school tuition fees and they live with volunteer homestay families. The main costs are airfare and placement and monitoring fees that students will pay to the J-1 placement organization. F-1 programs are not sponsored by the US government so students must pay school tuition and room and boarding fees with their own family funds.
4. Students on the J-1 program usually do not have a choice on which location or school they will attend. Students on the F-1 program, however, can choose which state, city and school they would like to attend depending on their qualifications and space availability.
5. The J-1 program application process is long and complicated and the rules are very strict. F-1 visa programs, on the other hand, require a much simpler application and fewer supporting documents. This allows students to begin the application process earlier, and get accepted to the school of their choice much sooner.
6. Students on the F-1 visa program may be able to graduate and receive a diploma from the high school they attend (if they are accepted to Grade 12 and have enough credits to graduate within one school year). Students on the J-1 visa cannot graduate or receive a high school diploma, regardless of the number of credits they have earned.
7. Students with an F-1 visa may continue their education for additional years to complete their high school and university education.

For details about the visa regulations for F-1 students who wish to spend a year in an American public high school, click on this link from the U.S. Department of State website: http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/types/types_1269.html

American Education Partners (AEP) helps students applying for the F-1 visa to select and get accepted to public high schools throughout the USA. Other AEP services include airport pick-up, housing placement and student service support. For advice and assistance in applying to a public high school for the F-1 visa program for Fall 2011, contact AEP's School Placement Team at: info@americanedpartners.com   

Best Strategies For Gaining Admission to a Top-Tier MBA Program

A helpful bit of advice for students planning to apply to top-tier MBA programs this year:

http://www.quora.com/What-are-the-best-strategies-for-gaining-admission-to-a-top-tier-MBA-school/answer/Dan-Bauer?srid=PJg

Reasons To Work With Overseas Agents

For many years, there has been a large ideological divide within the American academic and academic counseling communities about the use of overseas advisors or "agents" in recruiting overseas students for American schools. Although these ideological differences will likely persist, schools that have partnered with overseas agents for assistance in recruiting students have had very positive experiences and have found them to be important, reliable and cost-effective resources for developing overseas awareness for their programs, pre-screening potential applicants, providing visa application support and pre-departure orientations.

Schools considering working with overseas recruiting agents can find reliable partners by following some specific screening steps (see last week's blog post on this topic), becoming active in international education advocacy groups like NAFSA (http://www.nafsa.org/) and AIRC (http://www.airc-education.org/), and talking with other schools who have been using overseas recruiting agents.

American Education Partners (http://www.americanedpartners.com/) is an independent, U.S.-based student placement service for international students seeking to enroll in high-quality American education programs. We specialize in helping connect American schools with a wide variety of pre-qualified international students referred by licensed and carefully-screened overseas agents throughout Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East. If your program is considering using or expanding the use of overseas recruiting agents, contact AEP at: info@americanedpartners.com to learn how we can help be your connection to the world.

Screening Potential Overseas Agents For U.S. High School/ College/ University Programs

If you are considering working with any overseas agents to help you recruit international students for your program, it is advisable to develop a screening process that will help ensure that your program is represented by reliable, ethical, and qualified organizations and that your partnership has the best chances for yielding the results you are seeking.
As with any partnership, it's important to learn as much about your potential partner beforehand. At the very least, an agent screening process should include obtaining the following:

1) Website address - This should be the easiest piece of information to request from the prospective agency. The quality of design and information provided on the agent's website should provide a good indication of the quality of their services and the level of investment they have made to make the overseas study process a straightforward and transparent one to the students. Since the quality of the agent's website will also be a reflection on your institution, you have to like their website in order to feel confident in associating with them.


2) Copy of the agent's business license - Most countries require overseas study advisors/ agents to obtain a business license for conducting such business. Find out what the licensing requirements are in the countries in which you are seeking agency partnerships and ask potential agents to send you a current copy of theirs. The licensed agents should be happy and proud to do so and offer no excuses why they can't.


3) Company profile - Every established, well-organized agency has a company profile in English that they are eager to share with potential overseas partner schools. At minimum, the company profile should state their history, business scope and values, membership in professional associations, financial and human capital, school placement successes, and goals. If not indicated in the company profile, request information on the breakdown of their successful school placements by country and program type to get a sense of their recruiting potential for the program(s) offered by your school.

4) School references - Don't offer any agreement or sign any other alliance documents until you have received and confirmed positive references from at least three (3) institutions similar to yours that they have successfully recruited students for within the last 12 months. Agencies that are unable or hesitant to provide at least three positive references may indicate several things, including a lack of history or experience in recruiting students for your type of program, a lack of institutions who have positive things to say about them or the students they have recruited.

This the MINIMUM information that you should obtain and review before offering any agreement to any overseas agency you hope to represent your institution. Depending on your program, you may wish to include other criteria to screen potential overseas agents. If your agreement will include any kind of upfront financial investment, an in-person visit to the agency's main offices or recruiting centers is STRONGLY recommended in order to get a first-hand view of their operations and recruiting activities and also meet the people who will be directly involved in promoting and recruiting students for your institution.

American Education Partners (AEP), a U.S.-owned and operated school placement service for international students, entails a rigorous agent screening process that includes these steps and others. Our U.S. staff provide an additional layer of advising support and applicant screening before submittting completed application packets to partner schools. This provides partner schools with the benefits of working with a wide diversity of carefully-screened overseas agents without the time and work required to screen and manage all of them. If your institution is considering working with overseas advisors/ agents, consider working with AEP first. For information on AEP programs and services, go to: http://www.americanedpartners.com/ and click on "Information for Schools". To find out more about becoming an AEP Partner School, email us at: info@americanedpartners.com 

Admissions Books To Get You Into Top American Universities

Every year sees the publication of new books aimed at high school students looking to increase their chances of getting accepted to top American universities. Many of these books attempt to provide clarity and understanding of the university admissions process. Others reveal a "secret code" used by admissions committees that promise to provide students with the advantage they need to get the acceptance letter from their first choice university.

The truth, as any university admissions director will tell you, is that there is no "secret code" and no single strategy that will guarantee acceptance to a competitive university. With acceptance rates of 15% or less at America's top universities, admissions committees at these schools necessarily have to devise and regularly re-formulate a unique set of acceptance criteria each year to accommodate the new set of applicants and the university's changing student profile goals.

After studying hard throughout high school to get outstanding grades and SAT scores, taking challenging AP and Honors courses, participating in the right sports and club activities, and doing everything else they've been told is necessary to get accepted to the best universities in the USA, it is natural that students and parents should feel that is their deserved reward. Students' chances of getting accepted to a great university and having a rewarding educational experience are optimized when they have a clear understanding of how well their goals and preferences are matched with the universities they are applying to.

American Education Partners' Placement Advisors have 20 years' experience in helping students find and get accepted to highly-ranked universities that are well-matched to their diverse goals, interests, and qualifications. If you are still trying to decide which university to apply to this Fall or need assistance in getting through the difficult application process, contact an AEP Placement Advisor today for a free, preliminary review of your academic qualifications and school preferences at: info@americanedpartners.com

Learn How Graduate School Admissions Committees Interpret Your Undergraduate Grades

If you are planning to apply to graduate school in the USA, early planning during your undergraduate program and knowing what graduate admissions committees consider most important when reviewing applications, can significantly increase your chances of getting accepted to a great program.

Daniel Chatham, Dean of Admissions at a top graduate school in California, sheds light on the graduate admissions process from the perspective of the admissions committee in his blog: insidetheadcom.com.
Click on the link below to read one of his recent posts about how graduate admissions committees interpret students' undergraduate grades:

http://www.insidetheadcom.com/applications/how-to-admissions-committees-interpret-undergraduate-grades/

To learn about different graduate school options still available for Fall 2011 and receive personalized education planning and application support, contact American Education Partners' experienced school placement advisors at: info@americanedpartners.com

Does Applying to Grad School Early Improve Your Chances For Acceptance?

If you are hoping to enroll at a competitive graduate school in the USA this year, do your chances for acceptance depend on when you submit your application? What does applying to graduate school early say about you to the graduate admissions committee?

Daniel Chatham, Dean of Admissions at a graduate school in California, sheds light on the graduate admissions process from the perspective of the admissions committee in his blog: insidetheadcom.com.
Click on the link below to read a recent blog post about applying early to graduate school:

http://www.insidetheadcom.com/applications/does-it-pay-to-apply-to-grad-school-early/

To learn about different graduate school options still available for Fall 2011 and receive personalized education planning and application support, contact American Education Partners' experienced school placement advisors at: info@americanedpartners.com

Budget Cuts at State Universities in Fall 2011

Students planning to attend state colleges and universities this Fall will likely be affected by additional cuts to their state's education budgets. These cuts will affect students in the form of fewer classes, more crowded classes, and higher tuition fees.
California, which has the largest public college and university system in the United States and is one of the most popular study destinations for international students, is expected to be the most severely affected by these education budget cuts.

To learn more about this issue, click on the following story published by InsideHigherEd.com:
http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2011/01/11/brown_budget_proposal_in_california_slashes_higher_education_spending

Students who are planning to apply or have already applied to a state college or university, may want to consider applying to one or two private colleges or universities that offer a similar program. Most private schools offer a similar or higher level of academic study, smaller class sizes, a more personalized education experience, and scholarship opportunities for qualified international students.
For assistance in ffinding and getting accepted to the right college or university for your American education program, contact American Education Partners at: info@americanedpartners.com
We look forward to helping you reach your education goals at the school that is best for you.

Financial Planning For An American University Education

The College Board (http://www.collegeboard.com/) has created a financial planning tool that allows students to compare the costs of attending over 3300 private and public colleges and universities throughout the USA.
This tool helps you plan your American education program in two important ways:

1) Comparing the cost of schools you are interested in to find the best value.
2) Seeing each school's costs over the past several years to estimate how their prices may increase during your program.

Click on this link to view the College Board's financial planning tool:
http://chronicle.com/article/Interactive-Tool-Tuition-Over/125043/

You should only use this financial planning tool as a first step in determining which schools are the most affordable and offer the "best value". Each school provides different amounts of financial aid for international students so it's important to research what kind may be available to you before making your final school decision. American Education Partners' school placement advisors can help you search for scholarship opportunities as well as provide other services that simplify the college or university application process. Contact an AEP placement advisor at: info@americanedpartners.com to learn how we can assist you.

Taking Short Cuts In Your Education May Cut Your Education Short

As the cost of an American university education continues to increase each year, it becomes more of a challenge for current and potential international students to find the money needed to complete their education from good, reputable schools. With this increased challenge, comes an increased need to seek maximum value at minimum cost. If you are an international student trying to start or complete your university program in the USA, be careful to avoid taking risky short cuts that might jeopardize both your investment and your future goals. Here are some things to watch out for:

1) Schools with VERY low tuition fees - Low-tuition schools do not always equal low-quality, but always compare the prices of schools you are considering with 2-3 other similar schools/ programs (same school type, degree program, accreditation type, number of program hours, etc.). If everything except price is equal, find out what current and former students say about the school.

2) Schools that do not provide important information on their websites -  Schools that do not show basic information like fees, admissions requirements, course descriptions, campus photos, etc. that you need to make an informed decision may be trying to hide something. If you are required to call or give your email address to get this information, it is a sign that the school is very heavily sales-driven and want to get as many students as quickly as possible.

3) Schools that guarantee job placement or future immigration status to international students - Paid work opportunities for international students are possible through certain U.S. government-approved programs, but any school that promotes job placement or a pathway to immigration status as one of its main selling points is probably less concerned about the quality of its academic program and support services and may actually be in violation of U.S. government regulations. 

4) Education short-cut advice from your friends - It may be difficult to ignore trusted friends, but we've seen far too many disastrous results when international students to try take short cuts or "work the system" in order to finish their education program to faster or more easily. Such short-cuts may be difficult or impossible to reverse and could result in losing your student visa status and ability to remain in the United States.  
Here is a link to a video clip that shows a private university that was recently shut down by the U.S. government over allegations that it violated several laws and was a "sham" school: 
http://www.mercurynews.com/top-stories/ci_17151508?nclick_check=1

An investment in an American education is one of the most important investments you can make in your future. When done the right way, students are rewarded with valuable knowledge, skills, and cultural experiences that will open doors to many great opportunities in the future.
If you are planning an American education program or the next step in your American education, American Education Partners (AEP) can provide reliable information and support from our U.S.-based staff or one of our many overseas representatives. Contact AEP by email: info@americanedpartners.com to find out how we can help.

Even Great Students Should Have a "Plan B" When Applying to University

Students applying to top-ranked universities this Fall face tougher competition than ever before. Schools like Harvard, Stanford, and Columbia have reported receiving record numbers of applications for Fall 2011, yet the number of spaces they are offering has not increased. Click on this link to read a recent article about this:
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-01-14/harvard-receives-35-000-applications-for-undergraduate-admission.html

With many top-ranked universities having to send rejection letters to 90% or more of their applicants, it is important for students to have a "Plan B" in case they are not one of the fortunate very few to get accepted to their first choice schools.
With more than 4000 accredited colleges and universities in the United States, the choices for "Plan B" schools are vast. Plan B schools need not be the school where you will complete your program, they can be just a stepping stone to your dream university. You can improve your chances of getting accepted to your dream school by applying as a transfer student after completing at least 1-2 years of general education courses at another college or university.

Many nationally- and regionally-ranked colleges and universities are still accepting applications for Fall 2011 so it is not too late to apply to some very good schools. American Education Partners has experienced school placement advisors who can develop a solid long-term education plan and help you apply to many great schools for Fall. To find out how AEP can help you, send an email to: info@americanedpartners.com

Acceptance Guarantees to America's Top-Ranked Universities

Because the goal of so many students from around the world is to enroll in a top-ranked American university, there never seems to be a shortage of so-called "experts" claiming to have sure-fire strategies that all but guarantee acceptance to these prestigious schools. By all means, listen to good advice from experienced aand reputable education professionals, but never let yourself be fooled into believing there is any such thing as a guaranteed way to get into a top-ranked university. No matter how well-developed and systematic these "guaranteed" strategies may be, they are usually based on past admissions data and fail to acknowledge the fact that admissions criteria for each school changes every year and is known only to a small group of people on the admissions committee. Students who would be considered a "perfect fit" for the university last year, may not be rejected this year because of the different set of students applying and the changes in the type of students the school is now looking for.
Because top-ranked universities only have space to accept about 10% - 20% of the qualified applicants each year,  students can improve their chances for acceptance by not only working very hard to get excellent grades, but also starting their university preparation as early as possible in their high school years. Top-ranked universities seek students with a long and consistent history of getting excellent test scores and grades in challenging courses, being involved in school clubs and sports, and demonstrating leadership qualities in a number of academic and personal endeavors. 
Here are some basic tips to follow as you begin your planning and preparations for applying to top-ranked American universities:

1) Interview yourself - Before you decide which schools you are going to apply to, ask yourself several questions about your interests and goals - why do you want to study in the USA? What do want to get out of your experience? What do you want to do after you finish your education in the USA? Also, consider the type of environment you would like to live in and what kind of cultural, recreational, and social activities you like or would like to be involved in. You will spend a lot of your time with schoolwork in university, but it will be important to live in a place you like and are able to do things you enjoy during your free time.

2) Research - Find out which universities offer the things you feel are most important to you and your goals. The best place to do this is the university's own website. There are other websites that offer school ranking information and even comments from actual students who are enrolled there.
3) Interview others - Most American universities have international student associations that you can contact before you decide which school you are going to apply to. Contact these associations to find other international students who are enrolled in the program you are planning to apply to. Ask the students about their experiences at that school. What do they like or not like about it? What kind of support systems do the university offer? What kind of special career/ cultural/ recreational/ social opportunities are available? Do they recommend that you apply to their school?

4) Make your best impression with your personal statement - Top-ranked schools receive tens of thousands of applications from great students throughout the world each year, many of whom appear very similar on the application form - great class and test scores, involvement in clubs and sports throughout high school, etc. The personal statement is your opportunity to distinguish yourself from the other great students, to show the admissions committee exactly who you are, what motivates and excites you, what you know about the university and how it will help you reach your goals, and what contributions you can make to it as a student. How well you can express yourself in writing will further demonstrate your ability to communicate thoughtfully - an essential skill needed to successfully participate in a rigorous academic environment.
By all means, ask for help and suggestions before you submit your personal statement, but do NOT make the mistake of getting somebody else to write it for you or use a software program that has fill-in-the-blanks personal statements. Admissions staff can quickly tell a real personal statement from one that is not and if yours is suspected of not being authentic, it will quickly result in your application ending up in the "REJECTED" pile.

American Education Partners (AEP) has experienced university placement advisors who help international students understand and successfully navigate the American university admissions process. AEP also helps students enroll in a variety of helpful academic and test preparation programs that provide them with the best chances for acceptance to top-ranked universities in the USA. To learn more about AEP programs and services, visit our website at: http://www.americanedpartners.com/ or send email to: info@americanedpartners.com

What Determines the Cost of an American University Education?

If you are seeking an affordable education in the United States, understanding the individual factors that influence each expense will help you select a high-quality program with the kind of living situation and opportunities you are most interested in.
Here are the main expenses you will have while attending an American college or university:

1) Tuition and Fees
2) Housing/ Meals
3) Books
4) Medical Insurance
5) Personal Spending

Tuition and fees are the largest expense of attending school in the USA, but they vary significantly from school to school. Private school tuition and fees are generally much higher than public schools, but many offer academically-qualified international students with more financial aid opportunities. Tuition and fees may also differ slightly depending on which state or region of the USA your school is located in. For example, public university tuition fees in Midwestern and Southern states are often far lower than the same types of public universities in the Western and Eastern states.
The second highest expense while studying in the USA will be your housing and meal expenses. Living on campus is the most convenient option, especially for first-year students, but is not usually the cheapest option. Most college and university campuses have plentiful apartment housing near the school that can be rented by several students together. This arrangement helps reduce the cost of monthly rent and utilities that each student pays. Before deciding on whether to live on campus or off, learn the pros and cons of each choice to decide which is the best choice for you.
Book expenses can be significantly reduced by buying used books, instead of new ones or buying them online through sites like Amazon, eCampus.com, etc.
Medical insurance costs may be reduced if purchased overseas. Before buying any outside insurance plan, be sure that the coverage you purchase meets or exceeds your school's minimum requirements and that there are nearby doctors and hospitals that will acccept your insurance plan.   
The last major expense factor is your personal spending. This expense varies greatly with each student, but is also influenced by the location of the school. Schools that are located in smaller cities generally have lower costs of living and fewer places where you may be tempted to spend money unnecessarily. Depending on the type of living accommodations, your social lifestyle, and the kind of transportation you use, your personal spending may be anywhere between $200 and $2000 each month. 

If you are seeking a good college or university program in the USA, and would like expert help in selecting the best school and education plan within your budget, American Education Partners (http://www.americanedpartners.com/) is available to provide you with free pre-application advising and school recommendations. Contact AEP's placement advisors by email at: info@americanedpartners.com