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Requesting Application
Materials
When to Send Your Inquiry | Where
to Send Your Inquiry | What to Include
Because of the work, and the costs, involved in putting together
a good application, most students limit their applications
to between four and seven colleges. However, you can request
information from as many universities as you like, keeping
in mind any postage costs you may have to pay. You may have
a clear idea of exactly which schools you will be applying
to and request information only from those. Or you may prefer
to request information from between 10 and 20 schools that
you believe meet your needs, and then narrow down your list
once you have read through the catalogs, application forms,
and other information you receive.
If you have access to the Internet, you will find that many
U.S. universities also put their college catalogs onto their
Web sites, and some have even stopped printing paper copies.
Many also have on-line application forms that can be completed
on the computer and sent back to the university electronically,
or the forms can be downloaded and printed. If there is an
on-line application, you should use it. This is the quickest
method for submitting your application. If you can download
the application, appropriate parts of the catalog, and other
information from a college's Web site, you will not need to
contact the school directly. Also, college Web sites increasingly
offer other features, such as video tours of their campuses.
If you do not have access to the Internet and need printed
copies of application materials and catalogs, contact each
university by writing a letter or by sending a fax or e-mail
request separately to each school. Include the information
detailed in the section below, "What
to Include," in your written request. Or, you may
prefer to submit a preliminary application form instead; contact
your nearest U.S. educational information or advising center
for copies of these forms.
Due to the cost of mailing to other countries, you may receive
a shortened version of course listings, and you may be asked
to pay if you require the entire catalog. Check to see if
your information or advising center has copies of catalogs
you need. If you do not receive, or cannot find, all the information
you require, write or e-mail again to the international undergraduate
admissions office and ask the specific questions you wish
to have answered.
E-mail is an easy way to obtain an application and other
materials, and U.S. universities are usually quick to respond.
However, sometimes you may need to make a telephone call to
follow up on a particular item. In that case, send a fax or
e-mail ahead of time, telling the appropriate person that
you will be telephoning, when you will call, and what you
wish to discuss.
When to Send Your
Inquiry
Send your first inquiry approximately 12 months before you
plan to enroll. Give yourself sufficient time for possible
delays in international mailings, especially if you are posting
applications or requesting information in November or December
when the high volume of holiday mail will often double the
length of time mail takes to reach its destination.
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Where to Send Your
Inquiry
Address your requests for information to the Office of International
Undergraduate Admissions. Be brief but clear in your request.
Be sure to include the full zip (postal) code for the institution
on the envelope to ensure that your letter reaches its destination
as quickly as possible. You may also send these inquiries
by e-mail.
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What to Include
- name, address, age, and nationality (always be consistent
in the spelling of your name and address);
- your secondary school diploma or examination results that
you have obtained or that you will obtain;
- any postsecondary study you have undertaken (if applicable);
- the degree and subject you would like to major in (if
known), and the proposed starting date;
- how you expect to finance your studies — if you need
financial assistance from the university, inquire about
the possibilities;
- results of TOEFL, SAT, and any other admissions tests,
if already taken.
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