My Boarding School Blog

We often hear a lot about exchange students, you can see them in a small number in your schools usually coming from the Asia Pacific regions. A student who participates in this program is given the opportunity to study abroad either in secondary schools or in colleges and universities. Most students enrolled in the program are set to study culture, arts and languages. The program does not only require a real exchange of students between two countries or a trade off to happen, a student may be sent to another country to study without a counterpart.

An exchange student lives with host family usually volunteer families who don’t have children. Host families work closely with the organization in the care and supervision of the exchange student. The program for exchange students became popular after World War II to supplement the need to bring various cultures together and learn from each other. Exchange students only participates in the program for a short duration of 6-8 months, unlike international students and those participating in study abroad programs where they offer a full 4 year course or more.

Universities exchange are programs where sister universities share and trade off students through the American Institute for Foreign Studies (AIFS) or with the International Student Exchange Programs. The application process takes about 6 months to 1 year. Applicants go through a series of interview and eligibility of travel documents and legal papers need to be finalized months before the scheduled departure.

Funding for exchange students are generally supported by the individual organizations behind the student exchange programs. Funding may come from private institutions or government who shares the vision of letting students experience different cultures and be exposed to different languages and people. Host families are usually volunteers that do not get paid to welcome and care for an exchange student. Families who are financially stable and can make room for another member in their homes are encourage to apply as hosting family in the student exchange programs.  Opening your homes to exchange students reaps personal rewards in understanding their culture, language and customs. The experience itself is worthwhile. For information on becoming host families click here.

Studying in a foreign land can be exciting and gratifying especially if you meet friends and family (host family) who will be a part of your life journey in  gaining new experiences, learning different cultures and languages.

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The US is perceived to be the ideal destination for students from other countries to pursue their education. World class institutions like Harvard, Princeton and Yale are the emblem of excellence among the world’s best universities and colleges. These prestigious schools offer competitive curriculum and advanced technology combined with the best teachers highly specialized in different fields and courses. Professors in these institutions lead in advanced and cutting edge research published in respective journals.

The Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2010 showed Harvard University at the top. The rankings were powered by a reliable information provider, Thomson Reuters, which gathered data from extensive research in more 15 countries all over the world. Seven of the top 10 universities ranked showed educational institutions from the US namely, Harvard University (1), California Institute of Technology (2), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (3), Stanford University (4), Princeton University (5), University of California Berkeley (8), and Yale University (10).

The United States has a rich diverse culture that welcomes international students to easily adapt and fit in. Universities in the US offer various courses on an infinite array of study in different fields. Specialized courses are even offered only in the US. Accreditation is also an advantage of studying in America as most of the academic courses are accredited by international organizing bodies. Application of academic concepts is best practiced in training and these schools often provide affiliations with respective specialized institutions in the medical, science, political and education fields. Since higher education in the US is very prominent worldwide the US government gives a substantial financial budget to maintain its high quality of education. An estimated annual budget of US$71 billion was allocated for the US Department of Education for 2011.

Advanced technology and modern methods of teaching is practiced in colleges and universities in the US. Media and libraries are utilized to give students access to information they need in their studies. Libraries in these universities provide a vast resource for information and are made conducive to a learning environment. Campuses are situated in spacious grounds with facilities for recreation, social events and relaxation. Dormitories in universities foster the chance to interact with students from all over the world, build friendships that could last a lifetime and provide an all around learning experience of different cultures and ideology. Ideal academic curriculum, high quality teaching and advanced facilities don’t come cheap. Surely enrolling in these prestigious universities and colleges are expensive but good thing that there are many student loans available to help and aid these potential students to experience premiere education at its best.

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Basic Facts for International Students Wanting to Attend a US Boarding School

Statistics shows that the US is still the number one choice by parents, from the entire world over, to send their children for further studies. To date, the US is host to almost 600,000 international students.

Studying in a boarding school in the US is a good way to prepare students for their school education. As with any preparation, knowing what is ahead of you can make things easier. These guidelines are intended to help you be prepared, in the event you choose to enroll your child in a US boarding school.

There are stories circling on boarding schools. While a fair amount of these stories are entertaining, and some depict the bittersweet reality of living away from home, most of these stories are just fiction. Therefore, it is obvious how it cannot be comparable to the real life drama.

Indeed, attending boarding school is never an easy decision to make. Even if decisions are already made, one has to proceed into the second and most challenging stage, where one has to learn to adjust him or herself physically and mentally. The student will have to learn to adapt to a whole new environment.

Studying in a boarding school in the US is a good way to prepare students if they intend to pursue a degree in an American school or university. However, the journey to studying abroad, especially in the US, has become much more of a predicament since the 9/11 terrorism attack, in 2001.

So, what are the processes involved for international students to attend a boarding school in the USA?

In case you haven’t acknowledged this important fact, getting accepted into top US schools is especially hard. This is because of the vast competition within the citizens from the country itself. The following criteria should first be fulfilled if you intend to enroll into any top US schools.

•    Good academic grades
•    Completed coursework
•    Sufficient financing
•    Strong command of English language

If you have the intention of pursuing your tertiary education in the US, it is advisable to apply for a student visa at least 18 months prior to your expected arrival date in the USA.

Steps to Take

It is important to do thorough research on potential schools that you wish to enroll with. Research, via the internet, and using a search engine such as Google, are two of the more popular ways to equip yourself with better knowledge of schools. You can also seek advice from your friends who are already experiencing life in the US, or relatives who are residing there as well. It is also wise to call up your preferred school(s) to get more information.

Once you identify the school that you wish to enroll with, have your application submitted to that one and several other schools as well– especially to schools that are offering the course that you would like to pursue.

You will then need to get at least a couple, or more, teachers that have taught you and know you well enough to help you write a letter of recommendation. And it is always good to get your family members, friends, and relatives to speak about your potential and your academic goals.

An application essay is always a good thing to accompany an application, even if the school does not require it. An essay is considerably significant because it will reflect you as a person and what is deemed to be important by you. Be sure to make your application essay as unique as possible. It is always a big help to get your English teacher to comment on your application essay.

Boarding School Requirements

Before proceeding to the visa application, students have to prove that they possess a high level of spoken and written English, and one can do so through one of these tests:
•    SLEP Test (Secondary Language English Proficiency Test), a multiple choice language test for students.
•    SSAT- Test (Secondary School Admission Test), s standard entry test for English language.

Once you have everything wrapped up, submit your application form together with the financial aid application forms. Have everything typed or written by hand and be sure that your application looks tidy and presentable.

Check up on your teachers and school to make sure that your transcripts and recommendations have already been mailed to your preferred school(s). It is strongly advised that you do all these way before the deadline to allow for any problems that may arise.

You should expect an extra request from the boarding school of your choice. Usually, the request is made to get more relevant information, or resubmission of any important documents that you may have left out earlier.

After all that, you will soon be hearing from some of the schools about their decision to accept you. Please be sure to accept an offer from only one school. This will help you to avoid any problems when you later request an I-20 form. You may ask the school if you are eligible for financial aid, as some school usually offer  aid to international students.

Student Visa – a must for enrollment

To obtain a visa form, you must first pay a visit to the US embassy or consulate, nearest to you, three months before your arrival date in the US. You need to fulfill a few requirements before you can obtain a US student visa.

Be sure to keep yourself healthy and in good shape. You should note that people who are diagnosed HIV positive will not be allowed to enter the US, thus failing to obtain any sort of US visa.

Make sure to arrange your travel so that you can arrive at least 15 days before your school’s orientation day, to avoid any fatigue on the day itself, as you do not want to miss out on anything.

Note: I-20 Form
This form is officially themed as ‘Certificate of Eligibility for Non-immigrant Student Status for Academic and Languages Students. This form will be issued by schools: (a) for one year or multiple years to cover the duration of student’s program (b) after student has completed the application process and is admitted. Student must apply in person for a visa at the nearest U.S. consulate or embassy their home country after receiving the form. Calling or making an appointment is necessary to confirm required documents.

Since the September 11, 2001 attack, people from the world over know that the tragedy has left a big impact on the Americans; hence a new policy has since been implemented where international students are to follow tight procedures.

As of January 30, 2003, all authorized schools shall follow a new system to have the SEVIS Forms I-20 issued to all freshmen, as well as current students.

With this new rule, schools are required to report both a student’s physical and mailing address when these two addresses are in conflict.

Though the process may be confusing, frustrating, and time-consuming, the benefits of a US boarding school education can give a student opportunities for success they may never have otherwise had. Be determined, be detailed, be organized, and be diligent— your hard work will pay off in the end!

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