The USA is one of the world’s most exciting places to study. A friend of mine, Tom Williams said ‘the USA is where it happens first, twelve months later its happening everywhere from Berlin to Bangkok’.

There are about 400,000 students from outside the USA enrolled at 3,000 colleges, universities and graduate institutions. Many students come to the United States because of the diversity of educational opportunities available.

There are over 600 major fields of study offered at the various colleges and universities. These colleges and universities are located in some of the world’s largest cities and rural communities, in a variety of climates and in areas of diverse cultural opportunities and ethnic heritage. Craig Gould of Alderson - Broaddus College, West Virginia, believes, ‘smaller towns are more conducive to better study environments and friendly communities’. On the other hand you might prefer to work in the livelier surroundings of New York, Miami, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles. Many of these cities have large ethnic communities, Los Angeles for example has the largest Korean population outside Korea, and probably the largest Chinese population outside China. The fear some students have with these popular cities is one of personal safety. This is an issue that is always high on the agenda of all university enrolments boards. Although it can never be guaranteed, student safety is of paramount importance. ‘The best advice is to use your common sense. Don’t make yourself a lonely target or an obvious one’, says Arturo Bustamante - Florida International University.

Making a wise choice begins with thinking about your reasons for going to college in general. Then you need to write down why you want to study in the United States in particular. Writing down your reasons can help you think clearly about your goals. Make a list of these when applying to a college in the United States, putting your most important reason at the top of the list. Discuss your reasons with your parents, teachers and others who can help you think abut your educational and life goals. There are a few facts about the structure of US education that may be helpful in your planning.

The first level of higher (postsecondary) education is undergraduate study, which includes two-year and four-year programs. Two-year programs generally lead to the associate degree. There are two types of associate degree programs:

Occupational/vocational (sometimes called ‘terminal’) programs, which prepare the student for a trade or technical job, and transfer programs, which provide the first two years of general education for transfer to a four-year program. Four-year colleges and universities offer programs that lead to the bachelor’s degree. The first two years are usually spent in general education. This may include courses in English composition, history, science, mathematics, languages and social sciences. The courses in the first two years may depend on your chosen field of study. The second two years are devoted to your major field. Five years of undergraduate study may be required for some fields, such as pharmacy and architecture. A few institutions offer only the last two years of undergraduate study, these are called upper division institutions.

Graduate study follows the completion of undergraduate education at the bachelor’s degree level. Graduate study leads to the master’s and doctoral degrees. A master’s degree generally requires one or two years of full-time study. Doctoral degrees require at least three years of full-time study. First professional degrees in fields such as medicine, law, dentistry, and theology usually are earned after completing the bachelor’s degree. A few programs may be entered after two or three years of undergraduate study. First professional degree programs generally require at least three years of study after a bachelor’s degree. Admission to some programs at all degree levels can be very competitive, and some first professional degree programs limit admission to applicants from US colleges only.

There are various types of colleges and universities to choose from, for example: Liberal Arts Colleges focus on the education of undergraduate students. Because most liberal arts colleges are smaller than universities, classes tend to be smaller and more personal attention is available. While students are exposed to a broad base of courses and sciences rather than preparing for a specific career, they select at least one area of in-depth study which is their college ‘major’.

Universities are generally larger and include a liberal arts college, as well as some professional colleges and graduate programs. Universities offer a greater range of academic choices and may provide more extensive resources. Class size reflects institutional size. Some classes will be taught by graduate students. Professors at major universities are involved in research which adds to the vitality of the academic community but may draw energy and resources away from undergraduate teaching.

Technical Institutes and Professional Schools enrol students who have made clear decisions about what they want to study and emphasise preparation for specific careers. You will want to be quite sure of your future direction before selecting one of these options.

The other major point you should consider is campus life. Be sure that you bear in mind what your experience will be like at a college - beyond the classroom. In order to grow in all ways, you will want a reasonable balance between academic rigor and an active social life. Find out about extra-curricular activities.

Colleges often require that you live in campus housing for one or more years. So, in considering social life, be sure to look carefully at the quality of life in the dormitories. Ask if housing is guaranteed to be available to returning students. If so, how are dormitory assignments made after the first year? Often, one of the first strangers to become a friend is a dormitory roommate.

Some students share a room with people they already know, others will rely on the college to find them a suitable roommate. It is often said that living with other people who are going through the same things was very helpful. Two factors that are less obvious, but very important in predicting the kind of experience you will have in college, are firstly, you will learn a great deal from your classmates everyday - in the classroom and in activities. Consider the geographic, ethnic, racial and religious diversity of the student body as ways of assessing your opportunities to learn more about the world. Secondly, another way to measure the quality of a college or university and the satisfaction of its students is by finding what percentage of students who return after the first year and the percentage of entering students who remain to graduate. Comparatively good retention and graduation rates are indicators that responsible academic, social and financial support systems exist for most students. Ziba Mahdavi - Armstrong University, Berkeley, California, is very active in recruiting overseas students, her advice to all students is to be prepared to work hard and play hard. There is a lot to do in University, try making a list each week and sticking to it. Successful students are good at time management. Gathering and comparing information is the key to making a good decision about which colleges to apply to. There is no ideal number of colleges to select for application, but advisors often recommend that students identify at least three to six colleges.

Many schools require foreign students to buy health insurance when they enrol, insurance protects the student against exorbitantly high medical costs in the US.

In addition some universities and colleges provide free medical examinations and treatment for minor injuries and illnesses. However, because the US medical costs are so high, you will probably want health and accident insurance too, even if the school does not require it. Your school probably offers a comprehensive medical insurance policy designed for international students. A comprehensive policy will cover doctor’s visits, hospitalisation, medicine, surgery, ambulance care, X-rays and laboratory tests. These policies do not cover dental care or eye examinations and glasses.

Sheila Milne of Barton College, Wilson, North Carolina points out the importance of private medical insurance. She said, "It’s absolutely necessary to have private medical insurance while staying in the U.S.A., as medical costs are so high. Many schools will recommend a reliable insurance company and assist in the paper work".

Although insurance policies vary slightly, some may include travel insurance for visits back home for example. An approximate cost for a one million dollar full major coverage plan costs about $500-00 per year, which must be paid in full, in advance.

Medical insurance is just one cost that is often overlooked. When planning your budget you should also allow for books and supplies, especially for those students studying engineering, art or architecture. Room and board is another on going cost. Although some colleges have on-campus housing it assumes that you will share a room and have your meals at the college cafeteria.

Besides the general cost of living remember to include travel costs for a trip back home once a year. Tuition and fees will obviously be the most important factor. These are calculated on a nine-month academic year. Like most things, college costs have also been increasing year by year. To be safe if you are estimating your costs for the future allow for a six to seven percent increase for each year ahead.

Once you are accepted you will be asked to reply by a specific date to let the college know you intend to enrol. Many colleges may require a small deposit, usually up to $100-00 as confirmation. The college will then send you forms for applying for a visa to study in the USA. This is generally an F-1 or J-1 non-immigrant visa. Visas will be supplied by the US embassy or consulate in your country.

To find out more information about colleges, universities and professional institutions you can write directly to the Editor of the International Study Guides or to the various advertisers in this publication. There is also a fast reader reply service towards the back of the magazine. Other sources of information you might find in your own country include, US embassies, consulates, US information Centers. American Centers, libraries, Fulbright Commissions and Foundations, Bi-national Centers, exchange organisations like the Institute of International Education or AMIDEAST.

The College Board has many useful and informative publications for overseas students wishing to study in the USA they can be contacted at: The College Board, 45 Columbus Avenue, New York, New York 10023-6992 or on the World-Wide Web: http:/www.collegeboard.org.

A useful reference on financial aid is a publication titled Funding for U.S. Study: A guide for Foreign Nationals, from the Institute of International Education, 809 U.N. Plaza, New York, New York 10017, USA. It has over 200 pages and costs $55-95 including postage.

Author: Alastair Bennett, from information supplied by The College Board of USA.

This article first appeared in Studying Abroad