HELLO NSFZ STUDENTS!

My name is Bruce Hammond and I look forward to working with all of you as your college counselor beginning in the spring.  Your journey toward earning a degree in the United States is about to enter an exciting new phase.   I will be visiting the school in May, and to prepare for our work at that time, I would like to begin sharing with you some information about the process of applying to American colleges and universities.   The following description should serve as a beginning point.  There are many more details that I will fill in as we move forward. 

The primary purpose of this initial description is to highlight ways in which the American system of education, and the process for gaining admission, may differ from what you would logically expect having grown up in China.  The American approach to higher education is unlike that in most other parts of the world.  Some of the admission process will seem foreign to you, and maybe even strange.   As a Chinese student, you will not be expected to think or act like an American.   Part of the reason that American universities want to enroll Chinese students is to bring new ideas to the campus.   At the same time, however, it will be important for you to understand the point of view from which American universities will look at you and evaluate your application.   At its root, the American system is about making personal choices, and then being able to explain those choices in an intelligent way. 

Do you understand so far?  My bet is that the picture will become clear as we get to know each other.  At the bottom of this passage, I have listed some questions that I would like you to answer to help us begin.  I look forward to meeting each of you in May. 


THE AMERICAN SYSTEM

There are about 2,200 institutions in the United States that offer undergraduate degree programs for students graduating from high school.   Leading institutions are located in all areas of the country, though the largest concentration of them is in the Northeast, especially  the coastal region between Boston and Washington, D.C.   A second major region is the West Coast, particularly California.  Many leading institutions are located in cities, but others are in small towns.  Some of the most renowned institutions in the U.S. have 2,000 students or less; the largest in the nation have about 50,000 students, though those with 20,000 to 30,000 are considered large by U.S. standards.  

Several categories are important to understand:

Colleges vs. Universities --  Americans speak generically of “going to college” to mean attendance at a college or university.  Technically, institutions that enroll only undergraduates are called colleges, whereas those that have both undergraduate and graduate students are referred to as universities.  For instance, a student might apply to Amherst College in Massachusetts, an institution with about 2,000 students that is more selective than all but about a dozen of the colleges and universities in the nation.  All of Amherst’s students are undergraduates in the arts and sciences rather than professional programs such as engineering or business.  Amherst has no graduate students.  The student who applies to Amherst might also consider Boston University, an institution of nearly 30,000 students that has an undergraduate college of arts and sciences, and also has undergraduate colleges of engineering, architecture, and business, among others, as well has programs for graduate students.  Most students who apply to both Amherst College and Boston University will choose Amherst because it has more prestige and attracts a higher percentage of top students.   But some might prefer Boston University because of its location in a major city, or because it offers a scholarship, or for some other reason. 

Technical institutes comprise a third category that may interest some students.   These typically offer programs primarily in computer- and engineering-related fields.   The most famous technical institute in the U.S. is Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), though it also offers degrees in many non-technical fields.

The U.S. differs from the rest of the English-speaking world in several respects.  In the United Kingdom, students speak of “going to university,” whereas “college” is used to refer to a variety of schools, including high schools.   Students in the U.K., and in Hong Kong for that matter, are often confused when they hear Americans speak of going to college.  In the English-speaking world outside the United States, institutions of higher learning are fewer, and larger, and they are generally universities.  Here, I will speak of “going to college” as meaning attendance at a college or university.  I will use the terms “college” and “university”  interchangeably, and refer to both as “institutions.”


Public vs. Private Institutions  --  As you know, the U.S. is divided into 50 states.  Each of these states supports colleges and universities, and these are referred to as “public” or “state” institutions.  Random examples of public institutions include the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), the University of Vermont, the College of William and Mary, and the University of Southern Maine.  Many public universities have the name of a state as part of their names. 

Public, state-supported institutions give preference in admission to residents of their state because these schools are supported in part by taxes from those residents.  Many of these institutions have a local rather than a national focus.  But the most prominent state institutions are also very interested in achieving a national and international reputation.  Virtually all state colleges and universities would like to enroll some top students from throughout the U.S., and around the world.

Private institutions are those not supported by a state government.  Many are independent of any organized group; others have ties to a particular religious group.  The University of Notre Dame, for instance, is a Catholic university, but one does not need to be a member of the Catholic faith to attend Notre Dame.

Private colleges and universities generally seek students from across the United States and around the world.  Private institutions include many of the oldest and most famous ones in the U.S., but other private institutions are not as well known.


FINDING THE BEST COLLEGES FOR YOU

If you were to look up the London Times Good University Guide, or the Guardian’s League Tables, you would find rankings of universities in each academic subject.  In Psychology, for instance, you would find Cambridge ranked #1, Oxford ranked #2, University of Glasgow ranked #15, and so on.   In the United Kingdom and everywhere else in the world, people think of university as a place to go to study a particular subject. 

There are no prominent subject-by-subject rankings of this sort in the U.S.   Americans view the college experience differently, and these differences are important in shaping how Americans search for colleges, and also, how American colleges make judgments about whom they will accept as students.

Historically, American society has been shaped by movement and flexibility.  In other countries, people have often lived in one place, prepared for one career, and worked in one job for most of their lives.  Americans have tended to change careers several times during their lives, and therefore, have tended to value education that is broad and general.

In turn, colleges and universities in the U.S. do not view themselves primarily as places where students go to study a particular subject, though studying  for a career is part of the equation.  Instead, American institutions promote themselves as learning communities where the student experience is shaped by fellow students, professors, student organizations,  location, and non-academic programs.  American colleges and universities view themselves as places where students can come to learn about the world; as a result, they seek to build a student community that reflects as much of the world as possible. 

In other countries, including the United Kingdom, universities expect students to know what they want to study BEFORE they arrive.  In the U.S., institutions expect many students to learn about subjects they might want to study AFTER they arrive.  Though American applications may ask you to choose a major field of study, it is not necessarily expected that you will complete your degree in that field.  A typical student in the U.S. changes his or her major at least once.  It is often viewed as a sign of intelligence for students to be “undecided” as to their major when they apply to college.

American students tend to evaluate institutions based on their overall reputation and desirability.   For instance, students might want to attend Emory University in Atlanta because of its reputation as one of the leading institutions in the southern U.S., or because of the excitement of being in a city such as Atlanta.  The quality of Emory’s program in the student’s area of interest might be of secondary importance, though it might still play a role in the decision.  For the rest of their lives, Americans identify themselves as graduates of their college or university, and maintain a lifelong affiliation with it.


WHEN YOUR MAJOR IS IMPORTANT

Despite the American emphasis on broad education rather than specific career preparation, there are some areas of study in which the choice of major does play a more significant role.  Students interested in a pre-professional field –  such as engineering or architecture – must choose from among institutions that offer excellent programs in those areas.  Students interested in a subject as specific as aerospace engineering will likely focus on a handful of institutions that have programs in that field.   The more specialized a student’s interests are, the more likely that his or her choice of major will help determine where he or she will apply and enroll.

But even for those planning on specialized majors, choices are everywhere in the United States!  For instance, a student planning to major in computer engineering might choose a large university, such as the University of Michigan, with over 30,000 students and an engineering program with a number of former NSFZ students.  Or, a student might choose Lafayette College, a smaller school that offers an excellent engineering program.  The quality of students enrolling in engineering programs at these two institutions is approximately the same, but their experiences may be quite different.  Lafayette offers smaller classes, more chances to work closely with faculty, more opportunities to publish original research, and probably, a better chance to get a broader education that includes courses outside engineering.  The University of Michigan offers larger classes, but also a greater number of specialized courses that might not be available at Lafayette.  Students at the University of Michigan also have the opportunity to participate in the life of a large and prestigious university. 

A third option for a major in computer engineering would be a technical institute, such as Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts.  Worcester Polytech combines some of the elements offered at Lafayette – including small classes and emphasis on working in teams – with a variety of classes in engineering that might be comparable to that offered by the University of Michigan.  The primary difference between Worcester Polytech and both Lafayette and the University of Michigan is that almost every student at Worcester Polytech studies a technical field.   Through some American eyes, the quality of life at Worcester Polytech might seem lower because there is a less diverse community, fewer campus events, less emphasis on athletic contests, etc.  If you are interested in engineering, would you prefer to go to an institution at which most of the other students are also interested in technical fields?  Or would you prefer an institution where you can interact with students majoring in a variety of subjects? 

Even if you plan to study a specialized field, admissions officers will want to know about your other interests.  In addition to evaluating your preparation as a student, they will want to know what contributions you can make to the institution outside the classroom. 

In the U.S., counselors encourage students to think about choices such as those listed below.  Please think carefully about these questions:

•Would you prefer a large institution, with large classes and many majors?  Or would you prefer a smaller one at which you can know your professors better?

•Are you seeking a specialized education in which you learn primarily about topics in your major field?  Or would you like to study broadly about subjects in a number of areas? 

•Would you prefer to attend an institution with a large community of Chinese students?  Or would you prefer to be primarily among American students?

•Do you want to be in or near a city?  Or would you prefer to be in a small town or rural area? 

We will talk more about these and similar questions in the coming months.  The most important part of your college search may be simply identifying the institutions that offer excellent programs in your intended major.  There are so many colleges and universities in the United States that you will also need to make choices in other areas as well.


THE ADMISSION PROCESS

Americans themselves are often confused by the application process in their own country, and some parts of it may be hard for you to understand as well.  The review process can be complicated and the outcome difficult to predict.  Procedures vary widely, depending on the type of institution and the number of applications it receives.  The grades you earn in the IB program and the results of your IB examinations will be important factors in the consideration of your application.  In most cases, your scores on the SAT will also be very significant.  One or more of the following may also play a role:  essays that you write about yourself, evaluations of you written by your teachers, any interests or activities that you may have outside of school, a personal interview with an admissions officer, and your ability to write convincingly about your interest in a particular institution.  The following is an overview of the admission process at various kinds of American institutions:

Non-selective colleges and universities – Of the 2,200 institutions in the U.S., about 1,900 of them will admit any student with a reasonably good academic record who can speak English well enough to do the work, and who can pay the bill.  At these colleges and universities, no other factors are generally considered. 

Public colleges and universities – These institutions will consider your academic record and standardized test scores.  In some cases, their applications will include a personal essay, but usually not.  Public institutions vary from non-selective to highly selective.  Virtually all are required to give preference in admission to students who live in their state.  For instance, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is required by the government to ensure that 82% of the students in each entering class are residents of North Carolina.  Therefore, students from the U.S. and around the world compete for only 18% of the available spaces.  Most public institutions are not as selective as UNC.  At many public institutions, the difficulty of gaining admission will depend on which division within the university you would like to attend.  Programs in engineering and architecture are generally more competitive than those in the arts and sciences or business, for instance.

Selective private colleges – These are famous institutions such as those in the Ivy League, and about 200 others that you may not have heard of, but which are well-known within the U.S.  The most selective colleges choose from among qualified applicants, and their goal is to build a class that reflects the diversity of the world to the greatest extent possible.   They seek outstanding scholars with high SAT scores, but consider a variety of other factors when choosing students, including personal essays, letters of recommendation, interactions with admissions officers, and various personal characteristics.


It is important to understand that the most selective U.S. institutions do NOT merely try to admit the best students they can find.  Rather, they work to create an interesting academic community, which includes students from all races, ethnicities, and nationalities; students with a variety of academic interests;  students who are involved in their local communities, and who care about issues in the global community; and students with talent in the arts, athletics,  writing, and so on.  Any particular student would not be expected to contribute in all of these areas, but those who bring an added dimension in one or two of them will have an advantage over those who do not.  One important question to think about:  Is there a talent or point-of-view that you could contribute to a university community?

There is one additional element that U.S. institutions seek which may not come naturally to Chinese students: a willingness to take intellectual risks, and to stand out from the crowd.  American colleges tend to be impressed by students who follow their own path, rather than by those who follow the group path.  They appreciate students who may voice different or unpopular opinions.  And while students are expected to show academic ability on standardized tests, American colleges like to see evidence of student motivation to go beyond what is required by teachers – to research topics on their own, to talk with teachers outside of class about their subjects, and to find other ways of showing independent, self-sustaining intellectual interests.

During my visit, I will discuss the various parts of a U.S. college application with you.  When you file applications next fall and winter, you will be asked to supply some or all of the following:

•Personal information about you and your family – These are questions such as your mailing address, birthday, and where your parents received their education.

•A transcript of your grades in school.  The fact that you are completing the IB curriculum will help colleges understand the work you are doing.

•Your scores on the SAT, TOEFL, or IELTS.

•A question about your interests or activities outside of the classroom.  Some colleges ask that you write an essay describing your most important or interesting activity outside of your studies.

•A question about why you want to attend the college – Institutions are more likely to admit students who demonstrate that they are knowledgeable about them.

•A personal essay on a topic of your choice, or a topic designated by the application, in which you reflect on yourself and an aspect of your personal life, your values, and the way you look at the world

•A report from the administration of NSFZ describing your characteristics as a student.

•Recommendations written by one or two of your teachers describing you as a student.

•A personal interview, in which you have a face-to-face conversation with an admissions officer. A minority of colleges, generally small ones, offer interviews as a routine part of the process. But since you are coming from overseas, it will be to your advantage to arrange a personal conversation with an admissions officer when possible. 


For a look at a typical private-college application, go to the Common Application site, www.commonapp.org. More than 300 of the best colleges in the U.S. accept this form for admission.   If you go to “Download Forms,” you can print key items for review.  (These are in PDF form.)  The most important ones are the Instructions, Application (student form), Teacher Evaluation, and Secondary School Report.  When you actually apply to college, you’ll want to use the apply-online option, but printing and reading the forms now will give you an idea of the sort of information that the colleges will be seeking.  Another example of a private-college application form is at http://www.lawrence.edu/admissions/forms/app_instructions.pdf.

For examples of applications to public universities, go to https://admissions.arizona.edu/form/2008_2009-application.pdf ,  http://www.virginia.edu/undergradadmission/documents/2008Application.pdf , or http://www.admiss.vt.edu/forms/VTFreshApp.pdf.


THE U.K. AND THE REST OF THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING WORLD

The application process in the U.K., Canada, and Australia is more like that in China and the rest of the world.  Universities in these countries will evaluate your application primarily on the results of your IB examinations.  If you apply to universities in the U.K., your application will usually go through the UCAS clearinghouse, www.ucas.ac.uk.  Universities in the U.K. will generally ask you to write an essay related to the major you wish to study, and will ask for an evaluation of your work by a counselor or teacher.   None will ask for an American-style personal essay.  Oxford and Cambridge conduct interviews of strong candidates for admission. These are generally held in Beijing or Shanghai, or done via telephone or web cam.  Unlike American interviews, which are typically wide-ranging and informal, Oxbridge interviews focus the student’s knowledge of his or her intended academic major.

THE TOEFL, IELTS, AND THE SAT
I know you are aware that standardized tests are required for admission. Colleges that are moderately selective may ask for only the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).  (The TOEFL is more commonly used in the U.S. while the IELTS is widely used in Europe and Australia.)  Highly selective institutions in the United States will require you to take the SAT, and in some cases, up to three SAT Subject Tests.
Applicants to universities such as Yale, University of Pennsylvania, etc., should plan to take the SAT at least two or three times.  These institutions generally consider the highest score that a student earns, on any test day, in Writing, Critical Reading, and Math.  It probably that your scores will improve as you become more familiar with the test.  I offer programs for American students to help them prepare for the SAT, and I look forward to working with many of you when I am in Nanjing.
It is important to stress that while the SAT is important, it is not the only significant part of your application. Your work in school, your essays, and the recommendations of your teachers are also very important. Students with perfect 800s on the SAT are not always admitted to the most selective colleges, and others with lower scores who can make contributions to the community are sometimes chosen in their place.


VISITS FROM AMERICAN ADMISSIONS OFFICERS

Admissions officers from leading American colleges and universities often visit China from late September to early November.   They typically go to Hong Kong, Beijing, and/or Shanghai.  There are a number of International and American schools clustered in these areas.  The admissions officers sometimes offer information sessions in the evening that are open to the public, and it may be useful for NSFZ students to attend such events in Shanghai, when possible, to see representatives of institutions that interest them.  It is also possible that a few universities will send representatives to NSFZ. 


COMMISSIONED AGENTS

It is important to distinguish between admissions officers, some of whom make an annual trip to China, and commissioned agents, who live in China and represent U.S. institutions.  Leading U.S. colleges and universities NEVER use commissioned agents.  Only institutions lacking the money to send a representative to China use such agents, who are paid by the college when they steer a student to the college. 


COSTS, SCHOLARSHIPS, AND FINANCIAL AID

Attending college in the U.S. is extremely expensive.  And since foreign students are not eligible for government-backed financial assistance, many families will need to pay the full bill.  The following are approximate costs, per year, of attending college in the U.S., including tuition, housing, fees, living expenses, and transportation:

The Most Selective Private Institutions:  55,000 dollars or 395,000 yuan
Selective Private Institutions:                40,000 dollars or 290,000 yuan
Average Private Institutions:                 25,000 dollars or 180,000 yuan
Least Expansive Private Institutions:      20,000 dollars or 145,000 yuan
The Most Selective Public Institutions:    30,000 dollars or 215,000 yuan
Selective Public Institutions:                  25,000 dollars or 180,000 yuan
Average Public Institutions:                   15,000 dollars or 105,000 yuan
Least Expensive Public Institutions:        7,500 dollars or 55,000 yuan

Sources of financial assistance are available, but they are very limited.


Scholarships vs. Financial Aid – It is important to understand the difference between these two.  A scholarship is assistance awarded on the basis of merit, generally one’s academic record and/or test scores.  Financial aid is awarded to students who, after an analysis of their financial resources, are judged to have need.  The availability of both scholarships and financial aid is limited for international students.  A few colleges set aside scholarships for students who live outside the U.S., and a small number of the richest and most selective American institutions offer need-based financial aid to international students.  Outstanding students are more likely than others to receive either a scholarship or financial aid based on need.


OBTAINING AN F-1 STUDENT VISA

After you are admitted to an American college, you will need to get an F-1 student visa.  The institution that has offered you an acceptance will assist you in this process.  In most cases, it will have a strong financial incentive to do so (your tuition money).  After the September 11 attacks in the U.S., there was a period when obtaining a student visa was more difficult, but most of those problems have been cleared up.  No student who speaks good English and who can show proof of necessary financial resources should worry about being denied a student visa.


ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

www.edupass.org – Edupass has excellent advice for students looking at colleges and universities in the U.S.

www.collegeboard.com – In addition to information about registering for the SAT, the College Board’s web site has a college search feature that allows students to generate a list of possible colleges.  After clicking on “Students,” go to “Find a College” and “College Search.”  There, you can search for colleges that offer particular majors and have a variety of other characteristics.

www.sourcebookscollege.com – My home on the internet, this site includes information for American students about applying to college and taking the SAT. 

www.sandiaprep.org/college/college.htm -- Some information about me and my work at Sandia Preparatory School in Albuquerque, New Mexico.


QUESTIONS FOR YOU

Now that you have read a bit about the process for admission to college, I would like you to write to me with the answers to four questions:

1) Write several paragraphs about yourself and your family.  What are some important things to know about you?

2) Why do you want to study in the United States?  Write several paragraphs on this one.

3) What subject(s) would you like to major in?  If you are not sure, what subjects interest you?  Why?

4) Are there any particular U.S. colleges or universities that you have heard of and might like to attend?  Which ones?  If so, why do they interest you?  If not, what sort of college or university do you think would be best for you?

For more information about Bruce Hammond, visit www.fiskeguideblog.com.