The United States is a country with a top tier higher education system and is therefore a target destination for many students. Because of that, in order to prepare for your studies in the United States, a good portfolio is needed for your admission to US colleges. Let’s look at the most important factors for your admission process.
1. GPA – Grade Point Average
Each school will have differing admissions standards depending on its reputation and the targeted level of the incoming class. So, to make sure you can keep up with your program and fellow students, you must prove your ability to study well, and that is usually reflected in your grade point average. Depending on the requirements of each school, the Admissions Committee of the US University will consider the average of 1 – 3 most recent school years.
2. Standardized test results
Most American universities require a minimum score for standardized tests, the most common of which being the SAT and ACT. These are tests that evaluates student’s ability in logical thinking and problem analysis. Therefore, the higher the SAT / ACT score, the more likely it is that a student will gain admission to an American university. Therefore, depending on the school and individual aspirations, one should be aware of the detailed entry conditions to know the school’s score range as well as its deadline in order to plan the SAT or ACT test dates accordingly.
3. International language certificate
Students from countries whose national language is not English will need an English certificate when applying to American colleges. For the US, the TOEFL certificates is quite popular, but in recent years, the IELTS has also become a good alternative for most international students.
In addition, some schools also implement English as Second Language courses for students who meet other entry requirements but still do not meet the language level required by the school. Although this is a good option for those whose English can still be significantly improved, it also means more time and higher costs.
4. Personal Essay
For highly ranked schools, good academics and extracurriculars still cannot guarantee admissions; rather, much of it also depends on your personal essay. If you want to be admitted into a top school, your essay cannot be generic. That is because the Admissions Committee of American universities will rely on the candidates’ personal essays to evaluate and screen exceptional students.
In addition to having no grammatical, layouts, or spelling errors, the essay also needs to have a great emotional impact and accurately conveys one’s own individuality. This is an important factor that not only helps you gain admission to your dream school, but also to increase your chances of securing a scholarship.
5. Extracurricular activities
Education in the United States aims to produce well rounded students, so in addition to academic ability, schools also favor students who have outstanding extracurricular activities. That can be through clubs such as English, Chess, Cooking, … or the orchestra, the dance team / cheer team of the school, all of which are appreciated.
If you have some spare time, you can always register to volunteer somewhere; or if you have other talents such as playing, singing, drawing, dancing … don’t hesitate to show these off to the school, as this is definitely a plus point to help you stand out during the admissions process.
A complete application needs to be carefully prepared before going abroad. With a success record of more than 219 students attaining scholarships to 95 leading schools in the US, Canada, and the UK… ETEST is proud to have created a successful US study abroad pathway for each of our students.
Source: Hotcourses
| AMP Scholarship – Essay Course is a program designed to suit the strengths and characteristics of each student; it suggests a unique pathway for each individual, helps them build portfolios for scholarships from prestigious Universities in the US and beyond.
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