Study in America, 2nd Edition

Study in America, 2nd Edition

by Renuka Raja Rao
Released June 2011
Publisher(s): Pearson India
ISBN: 9788131772768

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Book description

For students applying to U.S. universities, picking out exactly what they need to know from the abundance of information available on the Internet becomes a time-consuming and difficult task. Study in America: The Definitive Guide for Aspiring Students is an authoritative and comprehensive handbook, that makes this task simple by addressing the specific needs of students aspiring to go to the USA for higher studies. It provides step-by-step advice on the application process, the tests required, choosing universities, writing application essays, and obtaining financial aid. It also guides students through the all-important process of obtaining a U.S. visa. Sensitive to the specific needs of international students, this book explains the unique vocabulary that one comes across in U.S. campuses, and shares information, anecdotes, and real-life examples to ease the transition from one culture to another. Study in America will serve as a one-point reference guide for students, right from the planning stage to adjusting in the environment of the U.S. universities.

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Contents
  4. Author's Note
  5. Foreword
  6. Getting Started
  7. 1 - The Evolution of the American Education System
    1. Education in Early Times (17th–19th Centuries)
    2. The Ivy League: The League of Eight
    3. Secularization of Higher Education
    4. Architecture of the American College and Campus Layout
    5. Town and Gown Affiliation
    6. Philanthropy and the U.S. Education System
    7. Land Grant Act 1862
    8. Private and Public (State) Universities
    9. The Philosophy Underlying the “Liberal Arts”
    10. Points of Entry into the U.S. Education System
    11. Affording an American Education
    12. 3-2 Colleges
    13. Community Colleges
    14. Accreditation
    15. International Students
    16. The Strengths of the U.S. Education System
    17. Students with Learning Disabilities
  8. 2 - Why America as a Study Destination
    1. Open Doors: Interesting Statistics and Trends
  9. 3 - American History: A Capsule
    1. Prehistory
    2. The Native Americans
    3. The Coming of the Europeans
    4. Expansion from 13 Colonies to 50 States
    5. The Curse of Slavery
    6. The World's Education Powerhouse in the 21st Century
  10. 4 - College Argot
    1. Glossary
  11. 5 - Fundamentals of the Admission Process
    1. Fall Admissions Versus Winter or Spring Admissions
    2. Standardized Tests and Preparation
    3. Advanced Placement Tests
    4. Liberal Arts Colleges or Large Universities
    5. Early Action and Early Decision
    6. An Interview with Susan Whipple
  12. 6 - Application Basics for Undergraduate Students
    1. Flow Chart for the Application Process
    2. The Importance of “Extras” in Your Application
    3. Application Flow chart
    4. Organizing Your Application
    5. Timelines, Early Action, Early Decision, and Rolling Admissions
    6. Your Presence in Cyberspace: Blogging, Facebook, Youtube, or Orkut
  13. 7 - The “W” Graph and Its Implications for International Undergraduate Students
    1. A Conundrum for International Admissions Committees
  14. 8 - Application Basics for Graduate Students
    1. Application Components
    2. Membership of Professional Organizations and Associations
    3. Professional Magazines and Journals
    4. Scholar @ Google
    5. Maturity of Graduate Applicants
    6. A Note on Financial Preparedness
    7. Communicating with Faculty
    8. Graduates of Three-year Bachelor's Degrees
    9. Application Flow Chart
  15. 9 - Rankings and Choosing Universities
    1. Rankings and How to Make the Most of Them
    2. Choosing Universities
    3. Think Beyond the Ivies and the Top-ranking Institutions
    4. Dream, Reach, and Safety Schools
  16. 10 - The Common Applications and Credentials Evaluations
    1. The Common App
    2. Completing Applications
    3. Credentials Evaluation
    4. An Interview with Margaret Wenger
  17. 11 - Recommendations and Résumés
    1. Letters of Recommendation
    2. Résumés
    3. Issuing Letters of Recommendation
  18. 12 - Standardized Tests
    1. Tests for English-Language Proficiency
    2. Standardized Tests for Undergraduate Admissions
    3. Standardized Tests for Professional Schools
    4. Standardized Tests for Graduate Students
    5. Navigating College and University Web Sites
  19. 13 - Application Essays
    1. Important Features of Good Writing
    2. Examples of Common Errors in Writing and Speaking
    3. Admission-winning Essays: Undergraduate
    4. Additional Tips for Graduate Essays
    5. Admission-winning Essays: Graduate
    6. Business School Essays
  20. 14 - Money Matters: Finances and Work Opportunities, Bank Loans, Certification of Finances
    1. Finance Basics for Undergraduate Students
    2. Harvard President's Widely Reported Initiative on Funding
    3. FAFSA or FSFAA? Neither; It's the ISFAA
    4. How Much Aid Should an International Student Ask For?
    5. Finance Basics for Graduate Students: Types of Funding
  21. 15 - Effective Ways to Trim Costs During the Application Process
  22. 16 - Rich Universities and the International Student
    1. Endowments of U.S. Universities
    2. Money for International Undergraduate Students
    3. Money for International Graduate Students
    4. Not-so-Rich American Universities and the International Student
  23. 17 - Interviews, Deferrals, Waitlists, and How to Handle Them
    1. Interview
    2. Deferral and Waitlist
  24. 18 - Transferring to an American University: It's Easy!
    1. The Procedure
    2. Transfer of Credits
  25. 19 - Visas, Sevis, and VFS
    1. Visa
    2. The Student Exchange and Visitor Information System (SEVIS)
    3. Visa Fee Payment: VFS and Other Banks
    4. Expedited Appointments for U.S. Bound Students
    5. The Visa Interview
    6. Organizing Your Documents
    7. What You Must Establish as an F-1 Visa Applicant
    8. What the Consular Officer Seeks to Understand at the Interview
    9. Visa Denials and What You Can Do
    10. Finance Basics
    11. Immigration
    12. Dos and Don'ts at the Visa Interview
    13. Frequently Asked Questions About U.S. Student Visas
  26. 20 - For Aspiring Doctors and Dentists, Architects, Lawyers, and Pharmacists
    1. Aspiring Doctors
    2. Aspiring Dentists
    3. Aspiring Lawyers
    4. Aspiring Architects
    5. Aspiring Pharmacists
  27. 21 - Useful Information and Web Sites
    1. Web Sites to Begin With
    2. Credentials Evaluators: WES and ECE
    3. Scholarships for International Students: All Levels
  28. 22 - Before You Go
    1. Tickets
    2. Port of Entry
    3. Traveling in the United States
    4. Money
    5. Credit Cards
    6. Academic Documents
    7. Contact Details
    8. International Student Accommodation
    9. Driving in the United States
    10. Clothing
    11. “Linen n Things”
    12. Personal Stuff
    13. What to Carry on the Aircraft with You
    14. What to Check-in
    15. Homesickness
    16. What to Do During Vacations
    17. Safety Concerns for International Students on American Campuses
    18. An Interview with Charles Grim
  29. 23 - Students Speak: Real Visa Stories and Experiences
    1. A Visa Interview: Delhi
    2. A Visa Interview: Chennai
  30. 24 - Financial Aid Statistics for Undergraduates
    1. Financial Aid Statistics
  31. 25 - College Folklore, Myths, and Legends
    1. How Stanford Got the Better of Harvard
    2. Dubya Bush, Yale, Skull and Bones, Geronimo
    3. More Myths
    4. What's in a Name?
    5. American Humor and Way of Life
    6. Student Activism
  32. 26 - A Note to Parents
    1. Involvement of Parents
  33. 27 - Mentioning the Unmentionable
    1. Social Intercourse
    2. Food and Eating Habits
    3. Language
    4. Recommended Reading and Viewing
  34. Appendices
    1. 1 - State-wise College Locator Maps
    2. 2 - Top 125 U.S. Universities
    3. 3 - Top 100 Liberal Arts Colleges
    4. 4 - Sample Declaration by Parents and Affidavit of Support
    5. 5 - Format of “Capability Certificate” Issued by a Public Sector Bank in India
    6. 6 - Format of Bank Education Loan Sanction Memorandum
    7. 7 - Religious, Historically African-American, Women's and Men's Colleges
  35. Notes
  36. Acknowledgements
  37. Copyright

Product information

  • Title: Study in America, 2nd Edition
  • Author(s): Renuka Raja Rao
  • Release date: June 2011
  • Publisher(s): Pearson India
  • ISBN: 9788131772768