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Sources of Information
to Help You Choose
U.S. Educational Information Advising
Centers | College Web Sites and E-Mail
| College Searches on the Web | U.S.
College Fairs and Visits | Visiting Campuses
| Educational Consultants and Recruiting
Agents
U.S. Educational
Information and Advising Centers
U.S. educational information
and advising centers can be found in almost every country
around the world, and they are the ideal starting point for
your research. Centers usually have a library with directories,
university catalogs, introductory guides such as this one,
handouts, and reference books to assist you in applying to
study in the United States. Many centers have developed guides,
videos, and Web sites specifically tailored to students applying
from your country. Many also have computer-based college search
packages to help you choose the best colleges for you. Most
important of all, they have trained staff who can answer your
questions in person or by mail, by telephone, and, in most
cases, by e-mail.
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College Web Sites
and E-mail
"E-mail students of your nationality who are at a particular
school and find out about their experiences."
— Computer science student from Ghana
The United States leads the world in using the World Wide
Web. Almost every U.S. university and college has a Web site
that offers a wealth of information about degree programs,
application procedures, academic departments, facilities on
campus, and other topics. In many cases you will also find
a copy of the college catalog, which you can study on-line
or download to read later. Don't forget that many sites also
give e-mail addresses for current students, including international
students, who are often more than happy to answer your questions
about applying to the school and about life on campus. Once
you have narrowed down the colleges and universities you are
interested in, you may wish to e-mail professors and admissions
personnel to have specific questions answered before you finally
decide where to apply.
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College Searches on
the Web
Some Web sites are independent of colleges and universities
and allow you to search for institutions by the subject you
are interested in studying, by geographic preference, or by
a range of other criteria that you specify. This website provides
links to a number of different college search engines such
as Peterson's,
The College Board,
U.S.
News, The Princeton Review,
and many others found in our Related
Links page.
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U.S. College Fairs
and Visits
If you cannot visit the United States, colleges may come to
visit you. Your nearest U.S. educational information or advising
center can tell you about any upcoming U.S. college fairs
or other types of visits where you can have the opportunity
to talk to admissions officers face-to-face. Many of these
take place in the spring or fall of the year before you intend
to start your studies, so it is important to start your research
early.
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Visiting Campuses
"A visit to the school you are considering helps a lot
— whether during an exchange year, a vacation trip, or
a sports contest."
— Theater performance student from Finland
If you are able to take a vacation to the United States before
you go to college, this could be a great opportunity to visit
the campuses you are considering. Many schools organize college
tours that are led by current students; check with the undergraduate
admissions office for further information. Visit the academic
and housing facilities, the student union, and the library
to get a good sense of the campus. Americans are famous for
being friendly, so talk to the students to find out what college
life is really like. Some private organizations offer tours
of U.S. colleges to help prospective students see firsthand
if these schools are right for them. Ask your information
or advising center if they have further information about
such organizations.
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Educational Consultants
and Recruiting Agents
In many parts of the world, private agents or agencies work
to recruit international students into U.S. colleges. There
are also private educational consultants who charge a fee
for assisting you with the process of choosing U.S. colleges
and putting together your applications. Often these educational
consultants and private agents are graduates of U.S. colleges
or people who are dedicated to promoting the benefits and
advantages of the U.S. education system. However, sometimes
they are not, and so it is important to check the credentials
and past performance of educational consultants or agents
before using their services.
If you have found a recruiting agent or consultant who is
helpful, well informed, and dependable, she or he may be very
useful in helping you to select and apply to a college in
the United States. Be careful, however, to look for verifiable
signs of the agent's or consultant's past success stories
with students from your country. Ask for a list of names and
addresses of students presently studying in the United States
who are there because of the agent's or consultant's help.
Write, e-mail, or telephone some of these students to get
their firsthand opinion of the college where they study and
the services they received from the agent or consultant. Such
precautions are especially important if the agent or consultant
is asking for expensive fees for his or her services. Lastly,
always check with an unbiased source (such as a U.S.
educational information or advising center) to ensure
the legitimacy and accreditation status of the college being
represented to you.
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