Eligibility for Freshman and Transfer admissions:
Anyone who is in class XII and want to go to US for higher studies after finishing his XIIth grade can apply as a Freshman applicant for a two year Associate Program or a four year Bachelor coursework. However, those who also have done some college level coursework beyond XIIth grade usually apply as a Transfer applicant. Such Transfer applicants can join American Universities as advanced level students and can finish their studies in less than the required four year duration.

Admission Requirements and expectations:
While reviewing prospective student’s applications, U S admission officers look for students who can demonstrate strong academic ability as well as leadership, community service, creativity, talent, and enthusiasm. Personal characteristics that would contribute to the strength and diversity of the class are also considered a positive factor.

Academic Requirements:
Applicants are expected to achieve a high level of performance in the course work they pursue. This includes:

Academic Course preparation and performance:
Academic preparation and solid grades earned during IX, X, XI and XII grades are the most infallible predictors of academic success. The four trusted criteria of academic success are




1. Rigor of course work:
   Quality of the course curriculum is very important. Good performance in a more challenging course curriculum like Advanced Placement--AP, International Baccalaureate --IB, and Honors Courses is preferred over a better performance in a normal course curriculum.

   
   

2. Academic grade point average (GPA):
   US High School System often operates on 0-4 grading scale. A GPA of 3.0 and above is desirable. International applicants whose grading are not done on a 0-4 scale need not worry about their GPA since their academic records are converted into US 0-4 GPA system by International Credential Evaluation Experts of the American Universities themselves. Those who would like to get their grades converted into US GPA System through an independent evaluation agency can do so on their own by contacting any of the 12 International Credential Evaluators as approved by NASCA. Their contact details are available on the website :

   
   

3. Grade trends:
   Increasingly consistent good academic performance is more desirable than a couple of isolated bright performance.

   
   

4. Class rank:
   Class rank is a good predictor of the relative academic performance vis-à-vis others in the same class group and circumstances and helps US Admission officials understand how well an applicant has utilized the resources and opportunities available to it. A percentile Rank certificate from the School Officials would be helpful in case an absolute Class Rank is not available or not applicable.

   
   

Good grades are always welcome but even if you do not have a stellar academic record, you have not much to worry about. US Schools are open to all applicants who can showcase their academic potential via other means. A good SAT/ACT and TOEFL score, explanation of applicant’s School’s grading system, a strong recommendation letter from teachers and counselors and a relatively better academic performance compared to the peer group may still help in getting into the first choice school. If there are any extenuating circumstances resulting in not-so-good grades,one must explain it candidly in a separate note attached with the Grade Report to help admission officer make a realistic assessment of applicant’s past academic performance.

Non-academic Requirements:
While grades are important, grades alone will not guarantee success. American Universities are looking for students with special talents and skills who learn outside the classroom as much as they do within the four walls. Performance outside the classroom is perhaps equally important. Admissions officers are constantly searching for an all rounded development in prospective applicants and would consider an applicant more qualified if one is also good at sports, debates, music, fine arts, and community service. If one are a writer and is published, one becomes a very strong candidate for admission and merit scholarships. Please remember, however, that while nonacademic indicators will make a good applicant strong, there is really no substitute of good academic performance.

Some of the nonacademic areas where you can showcase your talents are:
1. Admission Eligibility
2. Leadership experience
3. Community service
4. Special talents and abilities
5. Personal characteristics
6. Alumni affiliation, if applicable

Entrance Exam Requirements:
US academic institutions often require a decent score on either the ACT or the SAT. The ACT (American College Test) is administered by ACT Testing Program, Iowa while SAT (SAT is no more an abbreviation) is administered by the College Board, USA. These tests are conducted at periodical intervals at centers all over the world. For Test details and a list of Centers and registration process please check their website www.sat.org     www.ACT.org

Language Proficiency Requirements:
English is the sole medium of instructions in US colleges and Universities. One must be proficient in English language to attend US Schools and perform academically well. US academic institutions often require satisfactory results from TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language). All prospective students whose native language is not English are required to take TOEFL. TOEFL is administered by the College Board, USA across the centers world wide round the year. For Test details and a list of Centers and registration process please check the website www.toefl.org Usually a 79/120 on Internet Based TOEFL (or 213/300 on Computer based TOEFL or 550 on paper-based TOEFL) is considered satisfactory.

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Financial Requirements
A quality US Education does not come cheap! Though affordability is a relative term, but affording US Education for all four years of Bachelors Program for a middle class family is no cinch. A prospective applicant must be careful not to choose any place where the net cost as mentioned on the I-20 goes beyond his/her financial limit. Remember, you have to do a four year costing, not just for first year. Living expenses alone would cost no less than 7,000 USD per annum and with holiday expenses when school is not in session, it could be too much if finances are not planned wisely before leaving for USA.

Short listing--Profile matching:
Through Mentors’ PRISM Technology, we help you arrive at a logical list of handful of institutions in your chosen filed of study. Once the tentative list is ready, you can fix an appointment with Mentors’ admissions counselors and engage them in a one to one discussion to further bring down your list to a manageable number of Universities that you finally choose to apply.

Ranking and Academic Reputation:
Who would not like to study at Top Schools like Harvard, Columbia, and Yale. In fact, apart from eight Ivy-League schools--- Harvard, Columbia, Yale, Cornell, Princeton, Dartmouth, U Penn and Brown America is also home to the world renowned universities like Stanford, Berkley, MIT, Caltech and many more. While ranking is a somewhat subjective issue, its value and necessity cannot be ignored. There are various rankings available in different categories—Top National Universities, Top national Liberal Arts and Science Colleges, Top National Engineering Schools, Top National Business Schools (all by US News), Top 376 Schools and Best Buys both by Princeton Review. There are various independent rating agencies in USA helping prospective applicants get a fair amount of idea about the quality of the academic institutions both at regional level and national level. Subject specialized rankings are also available especially in the filed of Engineering, the Sciences, Fine Arts, and specialized fields

Short listing a dozen of places out of more than 3,800 colleges and universities in America is simply painful and quite confusing! Myriad options and varying admission and financial assistance policy make it all rather a more challenging task. Here we are to explore step-by-step how you need to formulate a strategy to manage to find your kind of institutions where you would be happy to spend four year of your life.

Accreditation:
There are various US Govt. approved accrediting agencies mandated to grant and maintain accrediting status of US Universities and colleges. Such colleges and universities also require authorization by the US Immigration and Naturalization Services to issue I-20 in order to enroll an International student. I-20 is a legal document necessary to obtain student visa. Council of Higher Education Accreditation—CHEA and US Department of Education periodically review and evaluate these accrediting agencies. For a list of these accrediting agencies.

Majors & Academics:
Various universities and colleges offer various subjects. If you are not sure what you want to study and need some more time before you finalize your major, you need not worry. The first two years in US are good enough for you to decide upon your choice of subjects. In fact, you can enter a college or university as an ‘undecided major’ and explore various options before you discover your true taste and finalize your major by the beginning of your third year. Moreover, you may also explore options to join an Honors Program, Cooperative Program or an Accelerated Program. What else! You can even design your own course of study or even take two majors together which could be as diverse as English Literature and Electrical Engineering simultaneously. The flexibility offered is just awesome. There are 491 majors (subject specializations) in 37 categories covering 25 career options.

Selectivity:

Broadly we can categorize admissions into five categories:
1. Most Selective—Toughest to get into.
2. Very Selective—Tough to get into.
3. Selective—Not so easy to get into.
4. Less Selective— Easy to get into and
5. Least selective or Open admission — Easiest to get into

Test score range:
Often institutions publish the mid-50 % range of SAT/ ACT scores of the admitted students to help prospective student get a feel of their relative position vis-à-vis successful applicants. However, SAT/ ACT is just one of many factors in the admission process and its importance need not be overemphasized. Perhaps your grades and percentage of marks in your academics are more important than a three-and-a-half-hour test outcome! Please do note that the same SAT/ACT scores of two students may be valued differently depending upon the overall background including family and social background! So if you come form a humble background and had limited resources to access better Test Prep options or a fancy Private School, do highlight these facts in your application to your advantage!

Sports and athletics:
If playing sports is equally important to you, pay close attention to Schools offering sports facilities before you select on the list of universities for your application. There are many US varsities offering excellent athletics facilities and are known nationally for their athletics team. Schools offering NCAA Division-I sports-wise are given highest rating.

School Size---Small versus Large:
You might like to study at a big University meeting student from over 160 nationalities or you may prefer to keep it small and would love to join a place where everybody knows everybody and you are not just another face. US is full of Colleges and Universities both big and small. You will find many excellent colleges and universities with enrollment as low as just 3,500 and as high as even 40,000. It is entirely a matter of your personal taste and choice and has no apparent correlation with the quality or standard of the institution.

Type of School----Public versus Private:
Public Universities and Colleges are usually land grant and state funded institutions whose primary responsibility is first to educate the students of their own State at a highly subsidized rate. State colleges and universities have in-built scholarship in the form of a much reduced tuition charged even for an International student. Such institutions may give preference to the state residents in the admission process but they also admit on merit many out-of-state and international students. Except for lower Tuition charges (Usually one-third of the actual Tuition rate as charged for “outsiders”) for the State residents, there is no other major distinction between an admitted in-state student and an out-of-state or international student. There are also many Private Colleges and Universities which are under no such obligations and follow uniform standard admission practice and charge uniform Tuition rate –be it domestic or international. If you take monetary considerations into selection process, you will find that Private Colleges and Universities often have greater access to funds and with fewer restrictions they can be a good source of merit-based scholarships and need-based financial assistance.

Retention Rate:
No US College or University can boast of a 100% retention rate. In plain language it simply means that not all students return to the same school for reregistration next term when the school reopens. Some choose to go elsewhere to join another varsity of their choice while others return to continue with their studies at the same university. It is interesting to note that US education system permits transfers allowing students to transfer them from one institution to another without much loss of the academic credits earned at earlier school. Such students are called Transfer students and often there is a separate admission process for such Transfer admissions. Credits earned at earlier school(s) are audited by the office of the Registrar and often credits with grades of C or better of comparable standard course curriculum are usually accepted for transfer. Most of the Universities require is a minimum of two to four Terms (Quarters/Semesters’) successful study at their place before awarding any degree.

A very high retention rate is a very good indicator of the quality of the institution and speaks volumes for its popularity among its Students. On the other hand, a low retention rate in general, reflects poorly on the quality/ popularity of the School. So in deciding on where to apply, you must pay particular attention to the retention rate of the schools of your choice.

Geographical Location:
Some students prefer big exciting city life of NY, Chicago and Los Angeles whereas others prefer to settle in the Midwest and rural areas of US. Some might like to be close to mountains and snowy area whereas others are more comfortable with places with moderate weather. US is home to both chilly places like Alaska and scenic places like Hawaii. You can choose to study at a place which is within 10 miles radius of your parents and relatives place of residence or you may prefer to go to a faraway place to pursue your academics. Again which geographical part of US is your preference is entirely a matter of personal choice.

Budget—Tuition & Fee:
US education is recognized both for its quality and value. While the cost of attendance varies from student to student, provided below is an estimated budget to help aspirants plan for their education wisely. Please note these are Tuition and living expense estimates for the 2007-08 year. The amount will likely increase each year and is subject to change without notice.

For official university tuition figures, visit the Bursar's Office Web site of College or University you are applying to. You can learn more about student financial information, including payment deadlines, at the Bursar's Office Web site.

Financial Assistance:
USA is perhaps the only country that supports a large number of international applicants interested in studying in America. The financial assistance policy of American universities can be broadly categorized into two main categories—Merit Based Scholarships and Need-based Financial Assistance. There are various avenues of financial support as described below:

1. Merit-based Scholarships:
   Merit-based Scholarships are awarded by the very College or University which offers you admission. Out of 3,800 Colleges and Universities offering undergraduate programs around 600 do offer merit-based scholarships to an International student and usually there is a keen and fierce competition for relatively fewer numbers of awards. The range of merit-based scholarship is quite wide and can be as little as 500 USD or as high as the full cost of attendance. Check with the Individual Colleges or Universities regarding availability of this type of financial assistance.
   
   

2. Need-based financial assistance:
   Need-based financial assistance is granted according to the demonstrated need as assessed on the basis of data supplied by you and your parents on the College Board’s Foreign Student Financial Aid Application Form (FSFAAF). This application form can be obtained from The College Board Scholarship Service (CSS) of the Educational Testing Services (ETS), NJ, USA. The range of need-based financial assistance can be as high as the full cost of attendance including even airfare sometime!
   
   

3. Athletics & Sports Scholarships:
   Awarding Athletics and Sports Scholarships is the prerogative of the coach of the school where you have applied for admission and the basis of the award is applicant’s athletics and sports ability.
   
   

4. On-Campus job possibility:
   Many Colleges and Universities in US have provision for on-campus employment to help International students partially defray the cost of your education. By law, you are not authorized to work for more than 20 hour-a-week during week days and a maximum of 40 hour-a-week during holidays. Your payment must come directly from University or College where you are studying. Unless otherwise authorized, any employment engagement for which the College/University is not responsible is simply illegal and can have very serious consequences.
   
   

5. Cooperative program options:
   This is an attractive option especially for those students who want to reduce their cost of education by working full time as an intern during studies. Through cooperative program, a student takes a semester study break and does full time paid internship with nearby companies for usually a total of two to three semesters over a period of five years and also gains one-and-a-half-year full time work experience by the time he/she graduates.
   
   

Safety and security:
Safety and security is a prime concern among parents and students nowadays. Detailed information in this regard can be asked for and schools would be glad to provide you with the details of their security arrangements of their students on-campus.

Academic Term:
There are two types of academic terms practiced in US--Semester System and Quarter System.

Semester System:
Majority of Universities and Colleges especially those that are on the East coast operate on Semester system and follow 4-1-4 pattern. Fall Term starts in late August to early September and ends in Mid December. Schools reopen after a one month winter vacation in the middle of January for another four month term that ends in the first week of May for summer breaks. Studying in Summers is usually optional since very few classes are actually open during Summer Break.

Quarter System:
Some US Universities and Colleges especially those on the West Coast and in the Midwest US follow Quarter System wherein the entire academic year of nine month is divided into three quarters of three month each—3-3-3 pattern. Fall Term starts in late August to early September and ends in later October. Spring Term Starts in early November and ends in early February. Winter Term starts in late February and ends in the first week of May. Studying in Summers is again optional since very few classes are actually open during Summer Break.

Deadline:
There is nothing called common application deadline in US. Different Colleges and Universities follow a variety of different application deadlines that starts from as early as November 1 for next Fall session or can stretch up to one month before the classes start. So it makes sense to check with each individual university about the application process, requirements and the published deadlines. Majority of American Universities follow only one deadline. However, it is not unusual to find three different deadlines in the same university for the same program. Some of the common Terms used by American Universities are as described below:

1. Regular Deadline:
   Prospective students are expected to submit all the required application materials including supporting documents by a particular deadline in order to be considered for admission. Applicants must pay very close attention to the deadlines applicable to prospective International applicants. Often deadlines for International/overseas students are set much in advance of those applicable to domestic/ inside US applicants.
   
   

2. Early Action Deadline:
   Under Early Action admission policy, a prospective international applicant has the option of being considered early for admission and sometimes for scholarships. Admission offers under Early Action is not binding on the applicant and the admitted applicant is free to make the commitment to enroll until May 1, the common reply date. Please note that not all schools follow the Early Action admission policy.
   
   

3. Early Decision Deadline:
   Schools offering admission under the ED (Early Decision) application category meet full demonstrated financial need of all admitted applicants—domestic and International alike. However, admission offer under ED is considered binding. One cannot apply to more than one place under the ED category and is expected to withdraw the regular applications/ admission offer from elsewhere if offered admission with full financial need under ED.
   
   

4. Rolling Admission:
   Many US schools also follow rolling admissions policy. It means that they would continue to accept on a first come first served basis until the classes are filled. It is advisable to apply as soon as possible for a more favorable outcome at such schools.
   

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Application Requirements:
A complete international application file usually consists of the following items:

1. Application for Admission :
   You can apply online, download a paper application, or request US Colleges and Universities to send you a paper application.
   
   

2. Application Fee:
   Prospective applicants are often asked to submit with their Application a nonrefundable application fee to cover application processing. The application fee could be as low as only 10 USD or as high as 100 USD. Applicants who apply online can pay the application fee by international credit card. Applicants submitting paper application can pay by a US Bank check, through international money order, or by a US Dollar Draft drawn on a U.S. bank payable to the “Title of the Beneficiary”. Sending cash or currency is not expected. For those who find it difficult to pay for the application fee can seek a waiver or deferral of their application fee payment or alternately can seek help of friends or relatives overseas. Be sure to write you full legal name on the back of the Check or Dollar Draft.
   
   

3. Academic Records:
   US Academic institutions require school certified true copy of the official academic records (Original, official academic records must bear the original stamp or seal of the school or examination board) for each year of secondary (and post-secondary, if any) course work in a sealed and signed envelop. Whenever possible, academic records must contain the dates of attendance, level of study, subjects studied, grades (marks) received, grading scale followed, and a percentile rank in class, if an absolute rank is not available. Ask your School officials to include both internal school reports and external Board Exam results in a sealed envelop signed across the flap. All records must be in the original language accompanied by an official English translation, if necessary.
   
   

4. Courses in Progress:
   All the current and future courses of grade XII must be reported to the school where you are an applicant. Those attending a post secondary course in a college or university must include the details for each course and must also submit course descriptions or syllabi for all courses for which requesting advanced standing (transfer) credit.
   
   

5. Essay(s):
   The Essay is a crucial part of your application. Essays give you an opportunity to showcase your creativity and make admission officers know more about you as an individual. It also gives you a chance to explain any extenuating circumstances that may have adversely affected your past academic performance. Essentially, it affords you a chance to provide admissions committee with all the details you would like them to know before they make a decision on your application.
   
   

6. Letters of Recommendations:
   Confidential and candid Letters of Recommendation written on your behalf serve as an additional piece of crucial information in making a realistic assessment of you as an individual. Often three letters of recommendation are asked for. One should be from your counselor and the rest two must come from faculty who can attest to your academic ability (i.e., classroom skills, knowledge, and work ethic).
   
   

7. Financial Verification Form and Bank Letter:
   U.S. immigration law requires that all international students document their ability to cover educational expenses as mentioned on their I-20. All tuition and living expenses not covered by the financial assistance is the responsibility of the applicants and their sponsors. It can be done by submitting the relevant Financial Verification Form with an original bank letter verifying the availability of the required funds in USD for at least first year of educational expenses in US.
   
   

8. Copy of Passport:
   Sending a copy of the passport will serve to rectify any spelling mistakes in the application. It is imperative that the date of birth and family name and first name of the applicant as pelt on the I-20 match with those mentioned on the Passport. For any discrepancy need be rectified before filing US Visa application. Applicants currently studying in the United States must also submit a copy of their I-94 card.
   
   

Application Procedure:
There are three possible ways to apply:

1. Apply Online:
   Online application is the most preferred option nowadays. It is secure and easy to use, and can be finished in multiple sessions. Applying online also provides applicants with immediate notification that their application has been received, and will likely speed up the processing of their application. Application fee can also be paid online by using international credit card.
   
   

2. Download a Paper Application:
   Applicants who lack internet facility or prefer to submit a paper application can download and print a copy of it by using the appropriate web link on the website if the university.
   
   

3. Request a Paper Application:
   Most US Colleges and Universities no longer offer Paper applications. However, some universities may be open to accept paper application request from prospective applicants. It usually takes up to six weeks to receive a Paper Application from American Universities.
   
   

Submitting your application:
To ensure proper and efficient processing of your application, keep these tips in mind:

1. Provision of Full Legal Name on All Documents:
   In all your application process, it is always advisable to write your full legal name as it is spelt on your Passport. If your Passport does not have any family name and your full name is spelt under “given name” leave the family name section on your application for admission simply blank.
   
   

2. Use of Post Office Box as Your Permanent Foreign Address:
   It is safer to use only street address in all your correspondence with the American Universities.
   
   

3. Submitting All Materials Together:
   It is best to submit all application materials together in the same envelop. This includes Application (If Applying on Paper), Application Fee if not being paid electronically, sealed and signed Academic Records, Essay(s), confidential Recommendation Letters, completed Financial Verification Form along with the Financial Documentations. Official ACT and/or SAT and TOEFL scores must be sent directly from the testing agencies. However, one may include a copy of examinee test score reports with one’s application materials.
   
   

4. Avoiding Submitting Unnecessary Materials:
   Unless asked for, it is better to avoid sending unnecessary supporting documents or items such as photographs, recordings, writing samples, awards or commendations, etc. Instead, all relevant activity, talent, or award can be mentioned on a sheet of paper and be submitted it with other application materials
   
   

5. Using the Correct Mailing Address:
   Make sure to send all materials to the appropriate street address if using express mail.
   
   

6. Awaiting application acknowledgement letter or e-mail to arrive:
   Usually it takes six weeks to receive an acknowledgement letter in postal mail from US academic institutions. Acknowledgement via e-mail could be a little sooner. It all depends on the application filing time. The acknowledgement often includes applicant’s ID number and many other key information.
   
   

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