When selecting and applying to colleges, you may have used the
services of an EducationUSA information or advising center. These
centers also can provide assistance as you plan your departure for
the United States. More than 450 U.S. Department of State-affiliated
educational information and advising centers are located in
virtually every country around the world. They are stocked with a
wealth of information and staffed by trained educational advisers.
Your nearest EducationUSA information and advising center can
provide you with predeparture materials and may conduct predeparture
orientation programs for students from your country or region who
are going to the United States to study. Some programs offer
participants the chance to meet fellow students who have recently
spent time in the United States. Contact your nearest center well in
advance of your departure for their program schedule and to reserve
a place. Some centers may charge a fee for these programs.
Educational advisers can be found in a variety of institutions,
including U.S. embassies, Fulbright Commissions, U.S. nonprofit
organizations with operations outside the United States, binational
centers, local universities, private foundations, and other local
institutions. The educational advisers are there, first and
foremost, to provide general information about the U.S. system of
education. Secondly, they clearly explain the process for gaining
admission to an American college or university, usually through
regularly scheduled presentations. The educational advisers can also
offer individual advising services, sometimes for a fee, to help
interested, qualified students choose a course of study and an
institution that is best suited to them.
The kinds of information available at advising centers include:
- profiles of U.S. institutions, including course
descriptions,
- application procedures and strategies;
- financial assistance options;
- information on standardized tests required for admission,
such as the TOEFL, SAT, GMAT, and GRE.
All EducationUSA centers are supported by the U.S. Department of
State, with the goal of providing objective information on the range
of study opportunities available in the United States. However, the
names of the centers and the organizations that run them vary from
country to country. To locate the educational information and
advising center nearest you, contact your closest U.S. embassy or
consulate, or consult the list at
https://www.educationusa.state.gov/centers.htm. |
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