The real problem on the way to a child’s admission to an American university may not even be the restrictions associated with a pandemic or difficulties in preparation, but myths, fears and stereotypes that are ingrained in the minds of parents. Together with Natalia Rozanova, senior consultant of the Education USA information center and GCSE chemistry tutor at StudyMind, we dispel the most common ones.
Myth 1: It is very difficult to independently prepare for admission to the United States.
In fact: The 120 Credits online course program allows you to do it yourself, it is a detailed and understandable admission plan. As you progress through it, you can gain the basic knowledge that you will need on the way to admission. And get answers to questions – how to approach the choice of an educational institution (program) in the USA, how to start looking for funding to pay for education in the USA, how to prepare documents for admission. And after the course, you will have access to individual consultations of the specialists of the Education USA center.
If the child does not yet understand what he wants
Burnout, fatigue, loss of interest in learning – this often happens to graduates. In this case, a good option is to pause and take the gap year. That is, just letting the child breathe out, live his life, go on a trip or work in a fairly free mode. If, in principle, he is considering the opportunity to study abroad, he can devote a free year to improving a foreign language. Gap year is a popular phenomenon among American and European youth, a pause in study allows you to decide on plans, get to know yourself better, and get stronger morally.
Myth 2: After a foreign school, it will be difficult for a child in an American university: our education systems are too different
Actually: In American universities and colleges, a curatorial system has long been debugged. There are many international students, and none of them is left to their own devices, each is assigned an advisor (curator) to whom you can turn to with any question. Curators help navigate the new educational system, give advice on curriculum drafting, and suggest which courses to choose, for example, for admission after college to a medical school or university. “The curators and the First Year Seminar taught me a lot of things from homework strategy to American culture to help me adapt in college. The curator helps constantly – with drawing up a schedule of subjects that I can do, with preparing the correct resume, he even reminds me of the deadlines for transferring to universities “,
If a child wants to study, but does not know where
To better imagine the future, you can offer your child a good exercise, which is used by career counseling specialists: let the person dream up how he sees himself in 7-10 years. Where does he live? What does his workplace look like, what is his working tool, with whom does his daily communication take place?
Think together what the first steps towards a future that attracts your child, where such specialists are trained, could be. If there are no such programs in our country yet, you can look for them abroad. For Fully funded US Scholarships make a visit to Ascholarship. An Exclusive deal is waiting for you.
Myth 3: It’s not safe. America is restless now
In fact: To allay such fears, we specially arrange meetings for applicants with international students and alumni who study in the United States and their parents, where you can get first-hand information. As with any environment, different situations can arise. But the question is how quickly they react to them.
And how seriously they take prevention. It should be said that on student campuses there are special racks with a “panic button”, by clicking on which any student can call the police. And each campus dorm contains information about where to go if you find yourself in an ambiguous or dangerous situation.
Myth 4: The pandemic has blocked our way to American universities.
In fact: At the moment, as elsewhere in the world, the United States is taking measures to prevent the spread of the virus. Some students study online, and those who attend full-time university follow all the sanitary and epidemiological rules of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
But if you are just planning to enroll, you have about two more years of preparation ahead – judging by the dynamics of the fight against COVID-19, the restrictions will only subside, not intensify.
If your child loves English and wants to study in the USA
It is important to draw up a “road map”, understand what stages the preparation for admission will consist of, and choose a university. Education USA, the official source of information on higher education in the United States, will help you gain a deeper understanding of the country’s higher education system, explain all the intricacies of admission and preparation, and provide guidance in a variety of educational institutions. The process of admission to an American university, as a rule, takes at least two years, so experts recommend starting preparation as early as possible.
Myth 5: Education in the USA is very expensive
In fact: A quality education costs money, and moving and living in another country, of course, implies an investment. But various US universities provide support programs for international students. If a child shows high academic results now and is fluent in English, then he has the opportunity to become a participant in the scholarship program and thus reduce the cost of education.
In addition, there are Community Colleges. Tuition at these colleges costs almost half the price, and if you study in a 2 + 2 program (two years in college, then two years in a 4-year college or university), you save half the cost of a university undergraduate program, and that’s at least $ 40,000. By the way, many Hollywood stars and major businessmen started with community colleges.
Community College students at one time included actors Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman, Eddie Murphy, Apple founding father Steve Jobs, Star Wars director George Lucas and founder of the cartoon empire Walt Disney. “I chose Community College because of the lower cost, guaranteed transfer to UW-Madison and no need to take the SAT,” says Polina Chaterjee.
As you progress through the 120 Credits online course, you can not only gain the basic knowledge that a child will need on the way to admission, but also get answers to important questions: how to approach the choice of an educational institution (program) in the USA, start looking for funding to pay for education in the USA, how to prepare documents for admission. And after the course, the applicant will have access to individual consultations of specialists from the Education USA center.
