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  13 May 2021  How Students from India Should Apply for US Colleges in 2021?

How Students from India Should Apply for US Colleges in 2021?

SPOTLIGHT
Published : May 13, 2021, 9:51 pm IST
Updated : May 14, 2021, 10:34 pm IST

Once you’ve narrowed down the list of colleges you want to study in, reach out to them and request an application

The majority of colleges in the USA will enroll students from India based on their academic records and how they’ve performed on ACT, SAT, and TOEFL tests. —  By arrangement
 The majority of colleges in the USA will enroll students from India based on their academic records and how they’ve performed on ACT, SAT, and TOEFL tests. — By arrangement

Every college in the United States of America has an academic standard that must be met before a student can be accepted for a course. It doesn’t matter whether they are local or overseas, if they don’t meet the standards, their application will be rejected. Students from India choose to further their education in the United States because a degree from a high-ranking college makes it easy for them to get a job in their chosen field anywhere once they graduate.

One mustn’t put all their eggs in one basket and apply to as many colleges as possible even if they have their mindset on one. This is because your first choice might not accept you, and you need to have backups. Below are a few tips on how students from India should apply for US colleges in 2021.

Contact as many colleges as possible early

Once you’ve narrowed down the list of colleges you want to study in, reach out to them and request an application. On top of that, also request any other important information foreign students like the ones from India need to know about the college. By speaking with a college early, it lets them know how serious and eager you are for a spot.

If you have a list of 20 colleges, contract 7 of them about their application process via email or phone call if you can. Don’t pin your hopes on just one college because you’ll end up heartbroken if they don’t pick you. All the contact information you need should be available on their websites.                                                 

Draft your Statement of Purpose (SOP)

This is a long essay or statement sent to the administration team of a college explaining reasons why they should enroll you. Writing this statement or essay right before you are about to submit your application form is a big mistake. This should be written well in advance so that you give yourself time to correct it if you make any mistakes. The things you should talk about in this statement include your previous experiences, why you are perfect for their college, and any past successes. Remember to keep it simple and straight to the point.

If you feel that you are not good at this complicated kind of academic writing, turn to a professional writing service like Custom Writings for instant essay help.

Submit application forms

The majority of colleges in the USA will enroll students from India based on their academic records and how they’ve performed on ACT, SAT, and TOEFL tests. Application forms are either found online on the college website or will be sent to you by the college you want to apply for.

Always remember that colleges charge an application processing fee that is non-refundable even if you’re not picked. The price varies from college to college with many charging between $35 - $100. If you decide you want to email your application form once you’ve filled it, contact the college and make sure they’ve received it.

Send anything that strengthens your case to be enrolled like past certificates and transcripts. Make sure you send everything before the deadline because it will help get your application processed quicker plus you give yourself enough time to prepare properly without feeling stressed.

Take the tests

As pointed out above to be accepted, you must perform well on your  ACT, SAT, and TOEFL exams. Students from India are required to take these tests at an examination center so that the college can know how good they are at the English language.

Any computer-based test will be done with the help of an agency. Once completed, your scores will be sent to the college you’ve applied for, and you might be required to pay a fee to sit for these tests.

Acceptance letters and deposit payment

As soon as the college you’ve applied for is happy with your application, they will send you acceptance letters. The time you have to wait for these letters varies from college to college as others will wait months to inform foreign students about their application while others might take days.

After that, a deadline will be set for you to pay a deposit which can be the full year tuition or a semester fee. You have to make the payment as soon as you can so that you reserve your place and the college helps you with accommodation on campus if they have them.

You will also need to show the college financial statements which will show them that you’ll be to support yourself during your years of study. If you work for a company that is sponsoring your studies, a scholarship or the government is funding you, you need to provide documentation of all this to the college.

Apply for your student visa

You should only begin your visa application process when you’ve been accepted by a college. Don’t begin any application process without the right documents because there is a high chance it will fail. The college you applied for will send you what is known as a Form I-20 which is what students in India need to apply for an F-1 student visa.

The next step is for you to arrange an appointment with the US embassy via phone or an online portal. Take your application form as well as any relevant documents with you to the interview. You will be asked a series of questions and usually successful students will have their application processed between 5 - 7 days.

During this time, you are advised not to make any travel arrangements or flights until you know that you’ll be granted the visa. When everything is set and your visa has been granted, you can go ahead and make travel arrangements and prepare for your new adventure abroad.

The United States of America has thousands of top-quality colleges for Indian students to choose from. Before picking one, you have to make sure they offer the course you want to study otherwise there’s no point. You need to know what you’ll get out of your adventure in American because it is a massive commitment that requires plenty of funds. If you don’t take your studies seriously, it’s like pouring money down the drain. Apply to as many colleges as possible until you get selected because space is limited due to the coronavirus.

 

Disclaimer: No Asian Age journalist was involved in creating this content. The group also takes no responsibility for this content.

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