Universities greatly value diversity and look for international students who will take the opportunity to study in the US.
The USA has the largest international student population in the world, with more than 1,000,000 students. On average, 5% of university student populations are international students, but this number can be closer to 25% at some universities. Colleges often accept more American students, but their SAT results and overall application is often worse than of the average international student. This is why it is essential to understand each university's attitude toward international students.
More selective universities that accept a lower percentage of international students will require higher SAT results from international students than American students. In comparison, universities that accept a higher percentage of international students may not have as large of an SAT score gap. Many students do not pay attention to this data and apply with excellent test results to universities when their chances may be much lower.
How much does my score matter?
For international students, our teams recommends the SAT exam. To learn more about the difference between the SAT and ACT, visit our tab SAT/ACT. Many students wish to know the exact number of points needed on the SAT to be accepted to their desired university, but the answer is not straightforward. The application is not entirely based on the SAT score, but international students may need a higher score than American students in some cases. A popular rule recommends that international students should aim to have an SAT score that falls within the upper 25% of admitted students' scores at their particular school. This is the same rule we follow at Advantageous Education.
Of course, students that do not have an SAT score within the upper 25% range still have a possibility of being accepted to their top university. A critical part of the application process is to manage this risk and apply to a range of universities differ in the level of difficulty of admission (for more information on A,B, and C schools, visit our Application Process tab below). Do not stress - our team will help you create a list of universities, give you tools to search for information, and guide you throughout the process.
What do I need to apply?
- School report - This document describes your high school to the university. The report is important for international students and must be written in English. Our team will provide you with templates to create an amazing school report.
- Grades - Every student must provide high school grades from their history. Our mentors will help you translate grade certificates and describe your high school’s grading scale/system in your application. For more information, visit our Application tab.
- Personal Statement - This essay will describe who you are to the university. For more information, visit our Application Essay tab.
- Supplemental Essays The majority of universities ask additional questions and require essays as responses. For more information, visit our Application Essay tab.
- SAT - A standardized test that assesses your abilities to comprehend knowledge in math, reading, and writing. For more information, visit our SAT tab.
- Recommendation Letters - Most universities require 2 or more letters of recommendation to gain better insight into your academic career. One letter must be from your college counselor/academic advisor, and one to two additional letters are required from teachers, mentors, coaches, or any person who can speak to you as a student (this cannot be a family member or friend, however). Check with your university’s requirements.
- TOEFL - International students that do not live in an English speaking country or did not attend English school must provide proof of proficient English language understanding. TOEFL is the most popular English certification exam in the USA that tests students specifically in terms of studying at an English speaking university.
What does higher education look like?
Undergraduate
The first college degree students can receive is known as an undergraduate degree. In the U.S., the two most popular types of undergraduate degrees are an associate's degree (2 years) and a bachelor's degree (4 years). The most popular is a bachelor's degree - students can enroll in courses that differ in points, known as credit hours. For example, if a student wants to receive a computer engineering bachelor’s degree, they must pass their required courses to receive a total of 120 credit hours. In this case, the student may choose to complete 30 credit hours per academic year. For the fall term, the student enrolls in math (5 credit hours), physics (4 credit hours), etc. Of course, more credit hours means more time in the classroom and more work outside the classroom. This is why it is crucial to plan your education, and your university will help you. Sometimes, students can receive credit hours by testing out of certain classes, bringing credit from high school courses (e.g. IB courses), completing research, study abroad, or becoming involved in other activities.
Graduate
After an undergraduate degree, some students may continue their education to receive a master’s degree or doctoral degree by attending graduate school. These schools are often already a part of a university that also has undergraduate programs. Both degrees involve a combination of research and coursework. Graduate education is characterized by in-depth training and specialized instruction. Study and learning are more individual and require a lot of self motivation.
How can our team help you?
Advantageous Education tutors will assist you in:
- Translating documents including school report transcripts and recommendation letters.
- Explaining how to write recommendation letters for your teacher and advisors.
- Finding a college counselor.
- Planning SAT exams and learning necessary vocabulary.
- Applying for an F1 visa and getting an I-20 form from your university.
- Receiving a great result from the TOEFL exam.
