Applying to school as a foreign student

Applying to graduate school can be a headache even in the best of circumstances. After all, it's not nearly as easy as applying to most undergraduate colleges and universities, which involve taking the SAT's, filling out an application, writing one essay at most, and having your school's guidance counselor send your transcript to the institution to which you're applying. No, applying to graduate school is much more involved than that, and it is a lengthy process even for American students.

As a foreign student, however, the process is even more arduous. After all, you not only have to go through everything your American counterparts do, but you also have to deal with the paperwork required for maintaining legal student status in the country, taking the appropriate and corresponding standardized tests in your own country, and making sure you have all the proper materials filed on time from your home overseas.

Fortunately, there are several things you can do to make the process of applying to an American graduate school easier. And while this is merely a primer, it should certainly help you along.

Look At The Big Picture

Before you start anything, it's important to consider everything you'll have to do-before you do it. This way, there will be no surprises along the way. So once you have narrowed down the list of schools you're considering, make a list of what you have to do to complete the application for each school. Remember, while there are some universals when it comes to applications, every school will have its own little (and sometimes not so little) quirks. So the more you know before you begin, the smoother the process will go once you get started.

Whatever the deadline is for each of the programs, make sure you get all of your materials to the right person in no less than one week before they're due. This way, even if there is some unforeseen event that slows down the process along the way, you will still be able to get everything done on time. The last thing you want is to put all that effort into applying and then to miss the deadline because you weren't adequately prepared.

Finally, give yourself a weekly goal for each of your applications. If you make a schedule in the beginning, and follow it every week, then you won't have the opportunity to fall behind. Really, you should think of the application process as another job. Take it seriously, get your work done, and don't fall behind.

A Smart List Is A Good List

Don't just make a list for each application of everything you have to do and start checking off items at random. There must be a specific order to what you're doing or you could find yourself in a lot of trouble. For example, filling out all the basic information on the application can wait until the last minute, but signing up for the standardized tests-whichever ones you plan on taking-must be done as early as possible. Space constraints are a big problem for American applicants, and they're taking tests that are typical in this country. For foreign students, there may only be one or two tests a year in some countries, so making sure you reserve a spot early will allow you to avoid not getting a spot at all.

Also, many applications include essay sections. There are generally two that are required, but again, this varies depending on the program you choose. The biographical essay-sometimes called the "personal statement"-is the easiest one to write, so you should probably save it for last. If, however, you are required to write a scholarly essay dealing with some issue that is relevant to your field, you should give yourself plenty of time to complete it. Remember, you may need to do research, or read several books, before writing it, and that takes time. So the earlier you start the process, the better off you'll be.

Finally, make sure you give yourself enough time to do any work you simply forgot about along the way. Of course, if you have a good list, and follow it, this shouldn't be an issue. But there are always last-minute items that you realize you didn't put on the list in the first place. Make sure you give yourself enough time to do these. This, after all, is why you built a week or two of buffer time into your list in the first place.

The Waiting Game

While you wait, it's a good idea to begin preparing for all that you'll have to do once you're accepted to a program and you've decided to enroll in it. Don't start any of the paperwork just yet, because there's always the possibility that you may not get into any of the programs to which you have applied this time, but you should be prepared nonetheless. This means scouring the Internet for information on what you'll have to do in order to become a full-time student in the United States, and perhaps even gathering some of the paperwork and documentation you'll need to file with the United States government prior to coming to America. Because this, too, can be an arduous process, and you should be as prepared as possible for all that it involves.

This may seem like a lot of work-and it is-but it will save you a lot of aggravation as you begin the process of applying to graduate school in the United States. However, no matter how difficult or time-consuming it is, the end result will be quite more than worth all the effort. After all, there are very few ways to better spend your time than pursuing a graduate degree. In the end, it will all be worth it.


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