Try and consider the various areas of study carefully.
As a student, you will have to decide the occupation you wish to pursue in future.  This will in a big way help you to make your decision. There are many colleges in the US that offer unique programs of study to students that happen to be outside mainstream areas of study. You may be opting for subjects such as Agriculture, Industrial engineering etc. These are a few examples of study courses that are not found in every college or university. It is natural for you to be undecided. Do not be in a rush. Take your time and try not to make this decision based on an area of study. It is seen that an average college fresher is likely to change their major almost 5 times before graduation.

You need to compare the tuition rates of different colleges.
You will have to consider the cost to attend college as that is important. You have to make a list of different colleges and see what courses they offer and what their tuition rates are. You may have to apply for educational loans or take financial assistance from home to study. Thus, you aim should be to identify the best college that offers the courses you wish to study at a reasonable price.

How much time it takes to commute?
This is also a factor that you may have to consider while choosing the college for yourself. Do you want to stay closer to home or would prefer to move far away. If your college is within the driving distance, then you can drive down to college and pursue your studies. Or else you may have to apply for hostel accommodation.

Decide on a college where family and friends are studying.
It is always advantageous to join a college that family and friends already attend. You may feel a bit isolated in an unfamiliar environment. But if you have known faces around you it can give you the desired confidence. You will excel in your studies and spread your wings sooner than expected.

Visit the College Campus
If you visit the campus of your prospective colleges, it will help you to reach a better decision. You have to feel comfortable in the college environment where you wish to study. Facts and figures will not be able to give you enough information about a place. When you visit the college campus in person, you will see for yourself the campus life that exists there and that will help you to make up your mind. After you have considered these factors carefully, it will be easy for you to choose the right college to study. These study years are invaluable as it prepares you for the future. You will have to make sure that you are able to select the college that will help you to study the courses you want and make you realize your dreams.

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First off, pick a major that caters to your interests, passions, and strong suites. This will give you more motivation in researching the major, the professors who teach in the major, and the opportunities you’ll receive during and after your college degree with your selected education path. Every school has stronger or weaker colleges of business, social sciences, physical sciences, etc. If your heart lies with science, go with a school that offers more opportunities in that field.

When you visit the campus, make sure to talk to people that deal directly with your possible major. Visit the clubs associated with the major, so you can talk to students and ask them about the experiences they’ve had over their past few years and how they feel about it. Ask yourself if you relate to the type of individuals that end up in that field. Talk to advisors specifically dedicated to the subject. This will give you insight into what type of people are going down your desired path, what type of professors and courses you’ll be dealing with, and it will give you a broader perspective of the experiences you will encounter during your time in college.

If you still feel unsure, or what to leave yourself options later down the line, mainly register for classes that will apply towards general education. This way, if you decide a year or so in that you want to change majors or head down a different path, you never really wasted any time in getting your degree. When I entered college as a biology major, I mainly took general education courses. I ended up deciding two years into my major to switch to psychology, and even though the course paths were very different, I had already completed much of my general education and still had biology classes that went into a minor.

Do not stress if you are not 110% sure about what you want to do with the rest of your life. Even if you do feel that sure, you most likely aren’t. Take it slow your first year or two in college, keep your eyes and ears open , and plan accordingly to make any last minute changes.

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Ready to Travel

• Leave small electronics at home. When I went to Austria I tried to learn the difference between a converter and an adapter. After blowing out an alarm clock by trying to plug my 110volt alarm clock into the 220 volt socket, I understood. Small electronics (ie. Alarm clocks, hairdryers, etc.) and voltage differences don’t combine well. Battery powered alarm clocks work well, and a day or two without a hairdryer should be survivable. While you can buy voltage converters, they can be difficult to use and expensive to purchase. Adapters simply allow the two different physical plugs to plug into one another. These are more common, and are available at most travel stores, in airports, and in some major shopping centers.
• No pillows. Pillows are cheap in the US, costing $10 at Wal-Mart or other shopping centers. They are not worth trying to cram into a suitcase (no matter how squishy they are), where space for other important things (like clothes) could go. You might have to go without a pillow for a few days, but at least you will have clothes to wear during that time. If this worries you, bring a small travel pillow.
• Don’t mention Lebkuchen at Customs. While customs officers are nice enough people, you don’t want to spend hours talking with them, after spending hours on a plane. It makes for a very long day and bad start. The items listed are likely to be confiscated at the customs check. For more specific information check out the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (cpb.gov) statement.

Here’s a story: When I came back from Frankfurt, I bought my sister Lebkuchen, which is a special kind of German cookie. The customs officer asked if I had any food in my bag. I didn’t want to say no, and have him find my Lebkuchen package, so I told him yes. He questioned me, being very polite, but since in my two or three times through U.S. customs no one had asked me questions before, I was a bit nervous. It’s like a cookie, I told him, pulling the package out. He tried to read the ingredients, but since they were in German, he gave up. No meat or fruit in it right, he asked, glancing down at the German label again. Not that I know of, I replied. Alright, he said, go on through. The moral of this story, is don’t mention Lebkuchen or cookies at customs.

Mad Packing Skillz!

• Keep your passport on you at all times. You will need your passport constantly on your trip to the U.S. . You need it to get your ticket, to get through security, to get onto the plane,  and finally to get out of customs. A passport holder which hangs around your neck or hides under your belt will be worthwhile. Vanity aside, it’s a convenient place to put your passport and ticket, and it also keeps it safe throughout your trip. Also, in case something does happen to your passport, keep a photocopy (somehow certified that it truly is your passport) both in your checked baggage, and in your carry on luggage, and finally at home. If the worst happens, and you do loose your passport, at least you will have some sort of ID and be able to get the help you’ll need to get a new passport.
• Take a deep breath and relax. If you forget something, the world will not end. There are stores here in the U.S which will probably carry it, or you can most likely have someone mail it to you.

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Hi! My name is Zhandos Orazalin. Today, I’m going to tell you about my first experience with skateboarding. I’m from Kazakhstan, which is a fascinating country located between Europe and Asia.  It’s a size of whole of the Western Europe, it has stable government and it’s becoming a very attractive place for investments.

[Watch Zhandos Orazalin talk about his experience at ASU & learning to skateboard]

The President of our country has established a scholarship named “Bolashak” which allows the best students from Kazakhstan to study in any country of the world with the objective to acquire the necessary skills and knowledge to build a democratic and prosperous society.

Currently, I have a great honor to study at AECP, American English and Culture Program, in Arizona State University. AECP is the best place to learn English and it has a great deal of what to do in order to become a successful student in any university of the United States of America.

I came to Arizona this year, 2009, on March. It’s my first time here in the United States. I came here from the overseas, and, as it happens, I’ve had a cultural shock. The first thought that came to my mind was that I’m in American college movie. It was something absolutely new to me – being in American University’s campus. Thanks to the AECP that helped me a lot to adjust to the new environment.

Khazakh student Zhandos Orazalin learning to skateboard & learning english at Arizona State University

I was placed to live in real American College dormitory, and I had classes in different buildings around the biggest university campus at ASU. However, I had a big problem with transportation; I didn’t know how to get from my one class to another because of the big distances.

I’ve seen that a great number of American students are using skateboards in purpose of transportation. For that time, for me, it was just a piece of wood with wheels. I had absolutely no idea how they are doing this – skateboarding.

I’ve never used skateboard in my country, maybe because I’m now a graduate student, and, as I thought, I was too old for that. By the way, I’m going to study Civil Engineering in the graduate school next year. Currently, I’m studying English at AECP and preparing for the standardized tests and application for the top notch graduate schools. Time is absolutely crucial for me, and I don’t want to waste my precious time on transportation.

In addition, I didn’t want to use car or bicycle, because these types of transportation were all about maintenance and parking issues. These types of transportation weren’t mobile and easy to carry everywhere with me. Thus, I decided to buy a skateboard and use it as my super mobile “car”.

One of my friends from Kazakhstan said that it wasn’t a good idea for me to waste my money on skateboard because as he said, “You will never learn skateboarding! It is only for American Students who use skateboards since their childhood! Observing American students on skateboards you may think that it is just a piece of cake, but skateboarding is very-very difficult. You should give up with an idea that you will use skateboard someday…” Then I said to myself – “Well, I’ve got to learn this!”

I bought a board and went to the campus. The first day on skateboard was just horrible! I couldn’t even stand on this tiny piece of wood. I’ve been falling every 10 seconds for the first days. I thought that maybe my friend was right, and I won’t learn skateboarding in my life… However, I didn’t give up. I just got my skateboard and said to myself, “Well, man, your next class in different building, you should be on the other side of the campus in the next 5 minutes. There is no way to do it by walking.” In other words, I was just forced to use skateboard in order to achieve my goals. It was my great motivation for the success.

To sum up, as you see – I’ve learned to skateboard, and I’m doing it everyday. It helps me to save my time on transportation, gives me an opportunity to get to know more American culture, and it is good for my health.

I’m very grateful for the AECP program at ASU, and I encourage every student who wants to be successful in American College environment to attend American English and Culture Program at Arizona State University.

For more information on the ASU American English and Culture Program contact

ASU American English and Culture Program
Ph: (480) 965-2376 • Fax: (480) 965-8529
Email: aecp@asu.edu
Web: www.asu.edu/aecp

ASU International Undergraduate Admissions
Ph: (480) 965-2688
Email: asuinternational@asu.edu
Web: www.students.asu.edu/international-admission

ASU Graduate College
Ph: (480) 965-6113
Web: www.graduate.asu.edu/

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A friend of mine recently started going to a large four-year university, after having attended our local community college. While at the community college, she refused to join Facebook. It only took three weeks to go by at the university and suddenly she was an active Facebook user, like so many others I know.

Social networking sites, specifically Facebook, LinkedIn and MySpace are now a part of the culture at American Universities. Their names have become verbs. You can now “facebook” someone, as easily as you can call someone. Their impact on a student’s social life can be helpful, but also devastating. Fights can start over a message posted online or an argument can become inflamed and continue through these mediums.

College users often are so wrapped up in their own Facebook worlds that they forget about the bigger picture. An occasional photo of you and your friends having a beer at the local bar shouldn’t devastate your bright and shining future. Picture after picture of standing next to a beer keg and all your drunk buddies, just might. With the downturn of the world economy, the job market has become even more competitive.

So how do you keep that embarrassing picture from being viewed by potential employers? Simple, don’t post it. Don’t put things on Facebook that you aren’t willing to share with a complete stranger. Security measures are nice, but they aren’t fool proof, and people aren’t perfect. If you want to share the picture of you and your friends drinking a whole keg, then email them the pictures. Don’t post them to a website millions of people can access.

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Also, remember to self-check your online image. Go to your favorite search engine, type your name in and see what comes up. I assure you, that any computer savvy employer will do the same. Make sure that a simple internet search doesn’t turn up that picture you had forgotten about with your friends goofing off. Knowing your online reputation is comparable to knowing what your former employers will say about you.

Lastly, and perhaps the easiest thing to do is not do stupid things in the first place. In college, my favorite thing to do Monday morning was to pick up a copy of the school newspaper and read the police blotter. This is a log of select police incidents, which happened over the weekend. I was told by my boss on the first day of my job that if I was ever in the blotter, I would no longer have a job. School officials do check things like this and it isn’t hard for a company to find the newspaper of your school and search for your name.

These warnings are not meant to make you paranoid. I enjoy using social media and the web as much as anyone. I love spending time on Facebook and posting pictures of my friends. The internet can be an amazing social tool, but remember to keep your future in mind when sharing information. What you post on the net can be seen by anyone including that potential future employer.

Elissa Yonkers is a recent graduate from Bowling Green State University, with a Bachelors of Science of Journalism with a focus on Public Relations, and a very strong minor in German. With several internship experiences under her belt, she is looking to widen her experience and knowledge with a job in corporate communications, public affairs, or work in a public relations agency. Connect with her here: http://sites.google.com/site/elissay/

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During the Al Jamiat US College & University Tour in Beirut, Lebanon and Amman, Jordan Veritas Prep will offer a FREE MBA seminar to discuss GMAT and MBA Admissions advice.  Join one of our top instructors for an informative discussion on MBA admissions and improving your GMAT score.  Register NOW to save your spot!

Beirut, Lebanon October 27th, 2009
Movenpick Hotel & Resort – Raouche
MBA Seminar: 3pm-5pm
(Full college fair from 6pm-9pm)
Register NOW

Amman, Jordan October 29th, 2009
Sheraton Hotel and Towers
MBA Seminar: 3pm-5pm
(Full college fair from 6pm-9pm)
Register NOW

Founded in 2002 by graduates of the Yale School of Management, Veritas Prep offers live GMAT preparation instruction in more than 80 cities worldwide, as well as interactive online classes available everywhere. The creators of the Veritas Prep GMAT preparation class have completely deconstructed the GMAT and designed the most comprehensive approach to mastering the business school entrance exam.

Veritas Prep offers industry-leading admissions consulting services for applicants seeking admission to the most competitive business schools including MBA programs in the US, UK, and Canada.

For more information, email admin@veritasprep.com or visit www.veritasprep.com.

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Here are a few questions to ask yourself BEFORE you start your search:

What do I want to study?

Do I want a college or a university?

What do you intend to study?

What is an Associate’s Degree?

Starting the search for the “right” university for you!

Remember….the more time and thought that you invest in this process, the better you will feel about your choice and the more likely you will make the “right” decision.  To learn more, watch for the next article “Using your resources to help you find the Right school for you!  We will tell you about the “resources” you have and how you can use them in your search.

Jim Crawley is a Director of University Partner Relations for ELS Educational Services.  Mr. Crawley has nearly 20 years in university admissions and was responsible for starting the international recruitment efforts at Central Michigan University and Grand Valley State University, also in Michigan.  Mr. Crawley has previously traveled throughout Asia and Latin/South America recruiting students and more recently has spent considerable time visiting campuses throughout the U.S. and making presentations at conferences to discuss international student recruitment.

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Let’s look at the reasons for choosing universities that you would like to apply to.  Each person has their own reasons for picking universities to apply to and eventually the more difficult decision of which one to attend, but the first reason below should be the same for everyone:

1. They offer the academic program (for Bachelors programs, this would be your “major”) that you are looking for.  This is #1 on this list, because if they do not offer your selected area of study, then the rest of these items do not matter.  Keep in mind that sometimes we name our “majors” slightly differently than you would be familiar with.  For example…You might be looking for a Bachelor’s in Economics, and some schools will offer it by this name, while other schools might call it Business Economics.   Another good example is Engineering….some schools will offer a Bachelors of Engineering, but then you will need to look at their web site to see what specific areas of Engineering they actually offer.

2. Everyone wants their university to have a “Good Reputation”, and they want it to have a “Good Ranking”.   This is both understandable and also very interesting.  Understandable because yes, it is important that you look at a college or university that offers academic quality and very good student services.  HOWEVER…in regard to “ranking”, it is very important to realize that THERE IS NO NATIONAL RANKING of universities in the U.S.  There are magazines that list and rank some of the many colleges and universities, but these are private rankings.  They are a good resource, however it is also important to realize that 1) Not all colleges and universities choose to participate in the surveys, and 2) some universities choose to be listed in the “national” listing, while others choose to be in the “regional” listing.  If you are going to use these private magazines, it is recommended that you look at various magazines that offer different types of rankings or lists and compare what criteria they use to come up with their rankings to try and see which of these factors is really important to you.

3. Location can be very important to some of you while to others it is not so important.  A few things I can recommend to you:

- The U.S. is a very large country, so please realize that it might not be possible to live in one town and go to university in another town.  It just depends on how close they are and what transportation options you have.

- The weather can change throughout the year, depending on where you live, so location might be part of your decision.  Many parts of the U.S. offer you four Seasons: Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer.  In the Southern half of the U.S, the weather does not change as much, but in the northern half, the weather and temperature changes throughout the year.  On campuses all across the Northern United States, you can enjoy the Winter months from November to February.  Many international students living in the Northern U.S. are able to try things like snow skiing and ice skating for the first time.   There are fantastic schools in every one of the 50 states, so you have many choices.

4. University education in the U.S. is EXPENSIVE.  I wish I could tell you something different, but that is the truth.  This is, again, why it is very important that you make the best decision for you.   It doesn’t matter where your friends went or if you have heard of the sports teams at a certain school.  What really matter is whether they offer what you need AND that you, or your family, or your sponsor can afford to pay for it!   You need to look at the school’s TOTAL expenses for a year.  They will usually give you that amount on their website or international student application.

5. International Student Services is not something you might think of right away as being important, but I can tell you that an international student office with well-trained and professional staff members can help your experience at the school be very good, or it can be the cause of a lot of frustration.  When researching universities, look on their web site and search for the international office…see what they have to say and what programs and services they offer.  E-mail them a question or request for information and see if they reply.  It might not be immediate, but schools that are staffed appropriately and value having an international student population on campus should reply.  A few important services that you will probably be using:

International Student Orientation, Immigration Advising, International Club, and Information Sessions on qualifying for internships and Practical Training work experiences.

Learn more tips on finding a university here.

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Most, but not all international undergraduate students want to end up with a bachelor’s degree.  This can be accomplished by going directly to a college or university that offers bachelor’s degrees, or you could attend a community/junior college first and then “transfer” to a university.  There are a couple of reasons why a student might choose to attend community/junior college:

1. It can be much more economical to attend a 2-year school first, as the costs are usually lower.

2. It is generally easier to get admitted to a 2-year school.  If a student does not have the academic qualifications to get into a university, they might choose to attend a community college first to finish some of their “general” classes and to establish a good grade average, and then transfer the classes to a university in order to then take the specific classes in their academic area of study

Learn more tips on finding a university here.

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