Students will start by researching various colleges and university programs in their junior year or earlier. With the help of an advisor, students should start talking about majors, preferences, and requirements for applications.
Southlands will schedule students for the appropriate exams needed for applying. Many schools have a requirement of a score of 80 iBT on the TOEFL but not all schools are strict about the requirement, while other schools require different exams. Students must also take the SAT/ACT exams. Schools will also usually require transcripts, letters of recommendations, personal essays, exam scores, and other material in order to finish the application. Southlands counselors use the naviance system, adding our students school records, training our teachers to enter teacher references, and training students to enter their common application, essays, supporting material. Without seeing a single outside agent, every Southlands senior in any of our schools worldwide will have professional assistance applying to over 700 schools worldwide accepting the common application, and any others they dream of attending.
Starting in August many schools open their application access. Students should look at application essay questions to start writing rough drafts. Students need to give themselves enough time to complete the applications in a proper timeframe, as the deadline for early applications falls on November 1 or 15. However, some schools might have a different date. Furthermore, some schools might not offer early application admission.
While working through the application process, students must ensure they are doing well in school, as some schools make acceptance conditional on final transcripts. This would also be a time to focus on scholarships, student visas, and health insurance.
Starting in December and through April schools will start making their decisions. Once students have made a decision, students should ensure that any final documents are provided to the school that was accepted like a final transcript, housing information, health records, and scholarship information. Southlands will provide six transcripts and diplomas free of charge, and mail transcripts to additional colleges at students request.
Students must also think about financial packages as well as paying the initial deposit. Finally, students must apply for their student visa by submitting I-20 documentation, as well as paying for the SEVIS fee. Students will then be able to travel to the U.S. for a life-changing journey.