Post by The Admin on Oct 5, 2014 19:45:54 GMT 8
An alumnus recently sent a message to one of us class of 2015 seniors, and since it really is a helpful message, I got permission to re-post it here.
To current seniors: A while back my friend asked for advice about counseling students who are applying to US colleges from abroad, I hope my response to her is helpful to you as you guys go about the process. Even having a college counselor (I think his name was Mr. V-something) was not helpful aside from weekly reminders to make sure to mail things in time. I have confidence you guys will be the best class ever since it'll truly be about self-motivation.
Hi J,
I applied sight unseen from Taiwan, but I did apply as a US citizen and with English being a native language for me, so I had some advantages there. My biggest concern was trying to get a feel for what being on campus would be like without being able to visit, especially things like food, housing, academic and social attitude of students, diversity (potential racism was a concern, how will be people treat those who look like me or foreigners in general?), neighborhood (such as how's the public transportation, do I need a car, crime rates, etc.), even things like weather, since I had never lived in a cold climate with snow.
Here's a few things I did/suggest:
1. Read and print online college guides like Fiske's, Princeton Review, and US News and World Rankings to narrow the list down.
2. Get multiple perspectives from current students - I read Campusdirt.com to try and know what students really thought about their experiences once they were on campus. It's no longer in existence, but there are similar sites such as College Confidential and CollegeBlender.
3. Get into contact with alumni - You can ask the alumni office to connect you with another international or hopefully someone from your country! My college had the International Student Association contact prospective international students every year - each person would write to 2-3 people and answer their questions.
4. Check out the college website - You'd be surprised by how much information most college websites will give you, especially if you also take the time to check out parts for alumni and current students. See if you can find an online version of their school newspaper, virtual/video tour, student handbook, and other treasure troves of information. I would also Google Map the school and use streetview.
5. Talk to other prospective students - If they have visited the campus they might have pictures and impressions to share, and they may be looking at other similar colleges.
6. Social Media - Now I would also use social media to check out their official pages, and also stalk (in a non-creeper way) current students.
Last thing I would tell them is, remember that every place has their good and bad parts, and for every student the experience will be unique. You alone decide whether your experience will be great or horrible, depending on if you make the most of the opportunities offered, or if you sit on the sidelines! Prioritize what is personally important for you to get out of your college experience, and don't agonize over the subtle differences. Chances are they will not make or break your college experience.
Eileen
Hi J,
I applied sight unseen from Taiwan, but I did apply as a US citizen and with English being a native language for me, so I had some advantages there. My biggest concern was trying to get a feel for what being on campus would be like without being able to visit, especially things like food, housing, academic and social attitude of students, diversity (potential racism was a concern, how will be people treat those who look like me or foreigners in general?), neighborhood (such as how's the public transportation, do I need a car, crime rates, etc.), even things like weather, since I had never lived in a cold climate with snow.
Here's a few things I did/suggest:
1. Read and print online college guides like Fiske's, Princeton Review, and US News and World Rankings to narrow the list down.
2. Get multiple perspectives from current students - I read Campusdirt.com to try and know what students really thought about their experiences once they were on campus. It's no longer in existence, but there are similar sites such as College Confidential and CollegeBlender.
3. Get into contact with alumni - You can ask the alumni office to connect you with another international or hopefully someone from your country! My college had the International Student Association contact prospective international students every year - each person would write to 2-3 people and answer their questions.
4. Check out the college website - You'd be surprised by how much information most college websites will give you, especially if you also take the time to check out parts for alumni and current students. See if you can find an online version of their school newspaper, virtual/video tour, student handbook, and other treasure troves of information. I would also Google Map the school and use streetview.
5. Talk to other prospective students - If they have visited the campus they might have pictures and impressions to share, and they may be looking at other similar colleges.
6. Social Media - Now I would also use social media to check out their official pages, and also stalk (in a non-creeper way) current students.
Last thing I would tell them is, remember that every place has their good and bad parts, and for every student the experience will be unique. You alone decide whether your experience will be great or horrible, depending on if you make the most of the opportunities offered, or if you sit on the sidelines! Prioritize what is personally important for you to get out of your college experience, and don't agonize over the subtle differences. Chances are they will not make or break your college experience.
Eileen