The United States is the MOST popular overseas education destination for students from the Middle East because of the quality and flexibility of its educational system. The country offers 4,000 high education institutions, hundreds of fields of study, world-renowned faculty, and high-tech learning facilities. In short, it has everything you need to build the successful career you’re dreaming of.

But the very size of the U.S. educational system can make it hard to pinpoint the right college for you. You’ll need to do some research to narrow down your options.

Your best chance to meet with U.S. college reps and current students is coming up on Saturday, March 3, 2012, and it’s coming right to your home: The Hobsons Virtual Student Fair (VSF). The VSF is a free online event for students interested in pursuing a bachelor’s degree or a graduate degree at a U.S. university. Much like a traditional student fair, the VSF features booths staffed by university representatives. But because the fair takes place online, it is much easier to attend; all you need is an Internet connection.

In the virtual fair environment, you will be able to view photos and videos from dozens of U.S. universities, download materials, and chat live with admissions officers, professors, and current students. The booths at the fair will be segmented by level—undergraduate and graduate—so you can easily find schools that offer the degree(s) you’re looking for.

Parents and counselors are also encouraged to attend this free event to learn about the participating U.S. universities.

Knowledge isn’t the only think you can gain by attending the VSF. All students who register for and attend the fair will be entered into a drawing for one of three USD$1,000 scholarships awarded the day of the fair.

The VSF will be open from 1:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m. March 3, and you should plan on spending 1–2 hours visiting the virtual booths and chatting with university staff members. As a bonus, the exhibit hall will remain open for repeat visits for the rest of the year; university staff will not be available for chat after March 3, but all of the videos, photos, and text documents will still be there to review and download. This will give you the flexibility to go back for another look at a school you liked, or even to visit for the first time if you weren’t able to make it to the live event.

Registration for the March 3 fair is now open, and you can sign up quickly at www.hobsonsevents.com. The registration page also features a list of participating universities with links to each school’s website and key information, so you can start your college research today!

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Learn about the American higher education application process, I-20 issues, university costs, housing, and more. Speak with representatives about admissions tests and test preparation including TOEFL®, SAT®, GRE®, and GMAT®. A face to face meeting is the best time to explore opportunities for higher education in the United States and ask questions about scholarship opportunities. The Al Jamiat / US Educational Group Tour is free of charge and open to the public.

Fall 2011 US College Fair Schedule

Beirut, Lebanon         October 4th, 2011
Movenpick Hotel & Resort – Raouche
Fair Time: 6 p.m.–9 p.m.
Event Details & List of Universities Attending (English)
Event Details & List of Universities Attending (Arabic)

Amman, Jordan        October 6th, 2011
Sheraton Amman Hotel
Fair Time: 6 p.m.–9 p.m.
Event Details & List of Universities Attending (English)
Event Details & List of Universities Attending (Arabic)

DAMMAM FAIR HAS BEEN CANCELED
Dammam, Saudi Arabia      October 8th & 9th, 2011

King Abdullah National
Ceremonial Hall
Dharan & Jubail Highway
Fair Time: 6 p.m.– 10 p.m. (2 days)

Salmiyah, Kuwait   October 11th, 2011
Marina Hotel
Fair Time: 6 p.m.– 9 p.m.
Event Details & List of Universities Attending (English)
Event Details & List of Universities Attending (Arabic)

Doha, Qatar October 13th, 2011
The Diplomatic Club
(near the Ritz Carlton)
Fair Time: 6 p.m.–9 p.m.
Event Details & List of Universities Attending (English)
Event Details & List of Universities Attending (Arabic)

Muscat, Oman     October 15th, 2011
Grand Hyatt Hotel
Tour Time: 6 p.m.–9 p.m.
Event Details & List of Universities Attending (English)
Event Details & List of Universities Attending (Arabic)

Dubai, UAE October 17th, 2011
Movenpick Hotel
Fair Time: 7 p.m.– 10 p.m.
Event Details & List of Universities Attending (English)
Event Details & List of Universities Attending (Arabic)

See you then!

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The holidays though were a completely different story. Most of my friends returned home to spend the holidays with their families. But because I was so far away from home I couldn’t go back for a few weeks at a time. It was just far too expensive. This meant that I was stuck in a foreign country, not knowing exactly what to do.

Asking your College or University

It’s actually worth asking your college or university whether or not they have anything planned for foreign students during the holidays. Quite often they will run day trips or holidays for students to various places. These are a great way to see more of the country and gain some new experiences. It should also be possible to meet some new friends and have a great time.

Meeting Locals

Another option is to meet local people. There will probably be some students in your university or college who do not board but instead travel from home every day. These students will stay in the area during the holidays and could be a real life line. It may even be possible to spend some of the holidays with them so that you can experience the customs and traditions first hand.

Taking Control

Although it may seem like you are alone and isolated you aren’t. Actually there will still be many other foreign students who are still at the university or college. These people will normally be just as bored as you and also looking for something to do. You could take control and actually start organizing activities for you all to do.

Even if your college doesn’t plan anything, there’s nothing stopping you arranging things yourself. This is actually something really beneficial and it can even be put on your CV to help you get a job when you graduate.

Getting a Job

Of course if you don’t mind missing out on the holidays and feel like working then you could even get a job. You will be allowed to work a limited number of hours on a student visa, so it’s worth checking exactly how long you are entitled to work. A job will keep you occupied until school starts again. It will also give you some extra money which can be used to pay for your living expenses or just to have some fun.

Just because you are a long way from home, you shouldn’t feel upset that you are by yourself for the holidays. You need to do something about it rather than sitting in your room by yourself. And anyway, you will always be able to call your parents up on the phone to have a chat if you miss them too much.

Image by atlanticcape

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If this is your first time away from home, then it’s probably the first time that you have ever had to take care of yourself. This means much more than just cooking though. It’s also essential that you budget and ensure you don’t run out of money.

Working out your Expenses

The first thing you should do is sit down by yourself and come up with a plan. You should know how much money you have each month to spend. Hopefully your parents or another family member will send you money to start off with.

Later on in your course you may get a job which will give you a certain amount of regular income.

Then you can work out how much money you need to spend each month. There are websites which will show you how much food costs, and you should already know your monthly rent. You will also need to allow some money for textbooks, stationary and other equipment you need for your course.

Spending Carefully

When you go shopping you will probably see several things that you would like to buy. However, you should only buy what you actually need where possible. Of course, there will be times where you want to treat yourself and this is fine. However, make sure that your budget can allow you to spend the extra money.

A good way to ensure that you don’t spend more than you have is to take cash with you. If you take a debit card then it’s very easy to spend more than you intended. However, if you only have a certain amount of cash then you are physically restricted to the amount of money that you can actually spend.

Revising your Budget

Your budget isn’t set in stone. There will always be some unexpected expenses that cause you to go over your budget in some months. This is why you should continually revise your budget when you are surer about your monthly outgoings. You will probably find that at the start of your course you will need to spend more to buy textbooks and various other supplies.

Once you have settled into college life though, you should find it much easier to budget what you need to spend. If you don’t spend your entire budget then you can save the extra until you have some unexpected expenses which need your attention.

Being a student in America should be a great experience and one that can change your life for the better. It will also give you the understanding of how to budget your money correctly which is a very important and useful life skill.

Image used by:RambergMediaImages

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Sure, you will meet new people both in your classes and in your dorm.  A dorm can be a particularly good place to make friends, though just how much this is true varies wildly depending on the way the dorm is set up and which people happen to be in your hall.  If you are lucky, you could end up living right near a bunch of really cool people.  But the best way to make new friends is to join some kind of club or organization on campus in which you are interested.  If you like to sing, join the college choir or glee club.  If you like sports, join intramural teams.  If you like popular culture, join the college anime or video game clubs.  Depending on the size of your college, there can be a wide variety of clubs and organizations for you to join.  The larger the college, the more people should be in each of these clubs as well.  That is not to say that if you go to a small college, you will have greater difficulty finding friends in clubs.  You may just have a bit less variety.

By joining a club or organization, you will be able to participate in group activities with people that you know share at least some of your interests.  And you are far more likely to make friends with people who enjoy doing the same things you do than with people with whom you have nothing in common.  Even at small schools there will be such a variety of clubs and groups to join that you should be able to find at least one that you want to join.  Once you join, you may feel nervous because you are just a freshman, and the leaders are big, scary upper-classmen who are probably way cooler than you.  Well, put those fears aside.  They were freshmen once too, and age does not equal coolness.  Besides, if they are actually good club leaders, they will be happy to become friends with new blood that likes the same things they do.

Once you join the club, be sure to actually join in the activities.  Just because you are a member does not mean that everyone will suddenly like you.  You have to show some investment in the club and actually show up so that people can get to know you.  That does not mean you have to go to every meeting and every event.  Everyone has their own lives, even the club leaders, so it is to be expected that work or what have you will get in the way sometimes.  But you will only get as much out of these groups as you put into them.  The more time you spend and the more energy you put forth, the more you will get in return.

Some people get so excited about clubs that they end up joining a ton of clubs and find out quickly that they have way too much to do.  While it is good if you want to become really active, do not so overschedule yourself that you have no time to sleep or relax.  Everything in moderation.  For major organizations like a sports team or a music group, you should probably just stick to one, unless there are two that are closely related and coordinate schedules.  Clubwise, you can join multiple clubs, but you should stick to the ones about which you are really passionate.  Then you can give more to the clubs and get more out of them.  Also, every so often, you may run into a bad club run by lazy people.  So at the very least, it cannot hurt to join a couple of clubs at the beginning of the year, then trim down which ones you actually attend based on their quality.

Photo Credit: Ed Yourdon (CC Flickr)

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Since advisors are an available resource, please take advantage of them.  Your advisor can be a sounding board for any major academic decision you make, from choosing your major to going abroad for a semester.  They can help you keep track of which requirements you have yet to complete, a particularly difficult task especially if you are trying to double major or do a minor.  As someone from your discipline, advisors can also keep track of your progress and advise you to take certain classes to learn important skills and/or methodology.  They can tell you about research opportunities in your field and help you with applications to graduate school and for scholarships and fellowships.  They can even provide advice on your career plans, particularly if you plan to go into academics.

Because of the wide variety of benefits that come from having an advisor, it is important that you cultivate a good relationship with your own advisor.  You should take at least one class with him/her so that he/she has some grasp of your current academic level, particularly in your chosen field.  You should not hesitate to meet with or contact your advisor if you have a question.  You do not necessarily need to flatter your advisor or anything like that.  But it is best that you not anger your advisor by acting blatantly disrespectful or by showing no interest in your academics or his/her advice.  He/she is there to help you, not to bother you.

Unfortunately, not all advisors are equal.  Just as some academics are far better researchers than they are teachers, and vice versa, some advisors simply do not know how to advise very well.  They may try to push you along a certain path without any regard for your personal interests or predilections.  They may completely fail to inform you of any research or scholarship opportunities or even to keep track of your academic progress.  Or they could just have bizarre personality quirks that make interacting with them extremely uncomfortable.  In such circumstances, what can you do?

Well, so long as your advisor is not the only expert at your college in your field (which is particularly unlikely if you are at a university), then you can always switch advisors.  Sure, you may have some uncomfortable interactions with your original advisor when you have to tell him/her that you want to switch.  All you can do is bear it and try not to make him/her mad.  Try to downplay any conflict and make it sound as though it is not the professor’s fault.  Chances are that you will not have to interact with that professor much more afterward, but it is still best not to burn your bridges.  If you are going into academia, that professor will be your senior, and you do not want your senior angry with you.

Another thing you can do is to take the initiative with your advisor and ask a lot of questions.  Some advisors may just be too busy to think about helping you as much as you like without prodding.  If you constantly ask your advisor about research and scholarship opportunities, your academic progress, graduate school, and requirements and whatnot, they will have to answer you.  You will get a lot more from your advisor if you play an active part in your relationship, even if your advisor is good, so it can only help even more so if your advisor does not seem to be attentive enough.  If your advisor still does not answer your questions often or to your taste, then please switch.  Do not put yourself through unnecessary stress by dealing with a bad advisor for four straight years.  Just remember that you have to do some of the work yourself.  Your advisor is there to assist you, not to hold your hand.  Yes, some advisors do that, but better to be diligent than to be disappointed by a busy, inattentive advisor.

Photo credit: Nazareth College

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Tips on eating healthy and staying active

Going away to college can be a fun and exciting time. For most, it is the first time that you are truly on your own and able to control your own life. No more mom and dad to tell you what to do. It’s all up to you and the choices you make.

Unfortunately, when many people go to college, they begin to make very poor health and eating choices and up pops the “Freshman 15,” those naughty little 15 pounds that seem to pack onto the bellies and thighs of some unfortunate college freshman all over the country. Not everyone gains the Freshman 15, in fact many people actually lose weight during their first year of college, but keeping those pounds at bay requires some good decision making when it comes to eating and exercise.

Keep the tips below in mind as you live the fabulous college life so you won’t become victim to this looming enemy:

• Stay active- When in high school, most students had gym or other another athletic class at least once (sometimes up to twice) a week and many students were also active in sport activities. Unless you have been recruited to be a star athlete for your college’s sports team, you’re in need of a replacement.  Find the opportunity to be active on a regular basis through walking, running, biking, etc.  Whether it’s a jog around campus, a walk to the student center vs getting a ride or biking downtown and back, the extra physical activity will do you good.




• Join the gym- Most colleges and universities have an athletic center on campus and membership is free or very cheap. Join the gym and take advantage. Most university athletic centers have a pool, tennis courts, weights, exercise equipment, basketball courts, you name it and most offer a myriad of classes to fit any need. But don’t just join the gym… GO. Get a workout buddy and make it a habit to work out regularly each week.
• Manage your portions- Most colleges have cafeteria eating and that means all you can eat all the time. This smorgasbord can be very tempting and it can be hard not to indulge in all your favorites when they are regularly available and in abundance. Don’t go crazy with portions, don’t keep piling food on the plate. Keep your portions reasonable, especially for high caloric and fatty foods.
• Don’t forget your veggies (and fruits)- Mom is not going to be there to remind you to eat fresh fruits and vegetables, but you still need them to stay healthy. Incorporate a salad a day into your meals and make sure you have one vegetable with your dinner each night. Try to incorporate fresh fruit as well and grab an apple, orange, or banana on your way out and keep as a late night snack.
• Keeps unhealthy snacks at bay- There will be plenty of cake, cookies, chips, french fries, ice cream and more readily available. While you may want to dive in head first and on occasion make a meal of just fries, don’t. Do treat yourself, but not all the time. Keep a treat a treat and limit your daily consumption of these items. Giving yourself a limit (like one cookie a day) may help.
• Don’t forget water- Drinking water is important in maintaining overall health. Eight glasses a day should be your goal. Drinking water helps your metabolism operate at its ideal level and that gives your body a fighting chance of burning off some of those snacks.

Going away to college will result in growth in maturity, knowledge and potential… it shouldn’t be a growth in pants size too!

Photo credit: by klynslis

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Nonetheless, it is not a bad thing to come to college with no clue as to what you want to major in.  One of the reasons that many colleges make you take courses from a wide variety of disciplines is to make you a well-rounded person.  Another is to help you figure out what you are really interested in so that you can make an informed decision when you finally decide your major.  Some colleges do not even allow you to declare a major until your sophomore year or later.

If you really know what you want to do, you may see this as unnecessary.  Since there is nothing you can do about it, you should take the opportunity to take as many different classes as you can.  Take science classes, math classes, literature classes, history classes, performing arts classes, or anything else you have to in order to fulfill any general education requirements your school might have.  If you get as many of those requirements done as possible before you have to pick, you can spend most of the rest of college just working on your major.  Even if your school has no general education requirements, you can use this time to discover an interest you never knew you had or to confirm your passion for whatever you already think your major should be.  It is perfectly possible that you could believe that you enjoy a subject in theory but that you discover that you absolutely hate the actual classes.

Most schools do require you to tell them what you believe your major might be so that they can pair you up with an academic advisor relevant to your potential interests.  Advisors are just there to help you figure out how best to discover and fulfill your academic goals.  If they are unable to give you information on a major in which you are interested, they will be happy to point out to you someone who can help.  Most professors or teaching assistants will be perfectly happy to talk with prospective majors about their field.  You can also consult seniors and juniors who are majors in the field you are interested in, as they can provide information about the concrete experience of being any given major at your specific college.

If you know what career you would like to eventually have, you may not even necessarily have to major in the corresponding field.  If you want to be a doctor, so long as you take the prerequisite undergraduate chemistry and other science courses, you can be a music or literature major.  Alternatively, if you want to become a history teacher, you could still be an area studies major, so long as you take enough history courses that you have the skills needed to go into a graduate program.  You will also still be able to take courses in other fields; you are not restricted only to classes in your major.  Therefore, you are not closing other doors when you finally have to choose.

All of this aside, it is still very important to take care when picking your major.  A major can provide you with a lot of the skills you may need in your future education or in your chosen career.  And if you pick a major without really thinking about it, you could end up impossibly confused or spectacularly bored by the material.  Since you have all of these resources available, and you will likely be unable to decide your major your freshman year, do not rush your decision.  As you take a bunch of different courses, think long and hard about what you really enjoy and what potential goals are actually feasible.  If you take your time and are honest with yourself about your interests, you will make the right choice when you must finally officially make your choice.

Photos by: CC Some rights reserved by [F]oxymoron

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The fair is open to everyone interested in studying in the United States! Whether you want to study Art, Engineering, Graphic Design, Business, Pharmacy, Computer Science or any one of the hundreds of majors offered by our universities – make sure you come to the college fair!

Make sure you register for the event TODAY – we will all be waiting for you at the fair!

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Tips on how to prepare for your first college roommate

Most college freshman end up living with a roommate their first year of college.  Some people may luck up and room with a high school friend who happens to be attending the same college, but most students will be placed with a complete stranger. Life with a roommate can be great or horrible and the relationship can have a huge impact on your freshman year experience.  But you don’t have to enter the situation blindly. There are few steps you can take over the summer to make sure that you and your roommate get off to the best possible start.

Reach out: Your university will inform you who your roommate is over the summer. Once you get this information reach out to him/her. Place a call, shoot an email, friend them on Facebook. Introduce yourself and let your roommate know a little about you. Keep the first communication brief, but let them know that you are interested in connecting with them over the summer prior to arriving on campus. Most people will welcome this communication.

Determine compatibility: Your university may have paired you with your roommate based on a determined compatibility, but it’s probably still a good idea for you test the waters yourself. Once you open the lines of communication, take the opportunity to get to know them and allow them to get to know you. Try to discuss subjects like musical taste, personal style, work habits, cleanliness, etc. so you can determine areas of joint interest and areas of potential problems. If you find a potential problem area, don’t panic. Unless the situation is particularly grievous, give the situation a chance first. You never how the situation may work out in the end.

Coordinate the décor: Unless both you and your roommate want a hodge podge room, it’s probably a good idea to discuss décor. You both will have your own personal style, but you will both be much happier if you can coordinate the look of your shared space. See if you can find agreement on a look/feel first. If you find your styles are too different and you can’t find a happen medium, don’t give up. See if you can at least settle on a coordinating color scheme. Remember to be flexible and open-minded and hopefully your new roommate will too.

Coordinate purchasing: There are some items that you will not need two of, especially considering the size of most dorm rooms. With these items, you and your roommate can work together to split the purchasing.  Items like extra furniture, rugs, and window treatments fall into this category. Some students may also choose to split purchasing on larger items like a TV or mini fridge, and if you decide to do this proceed carefully. Many people get possessive with these types of items and it may cause future conflict. If these types of items are shared, make sure to develop ground rules on use to prevent issues.

If you follow these steps, you’ve provided yourself and your roommate a good start for your living situation. You’ve already started to work together and know a little about each other. If, however, troubles arise, try to address them quickly. Work to always keep an open line of communication and if you are having trouble communicating, reach out for help from the university. In particularly bad cases, you will be reassigned and given a new roommate.

Photo credit: by sienacommunications

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