Studying Abroad: Guidelines,Fees and Help thread

[Ali250]

Some more info about US unis:

- Most private university applications are sent via CommonApp (www.commonapplication.org). You fill out the admission form with your details, add supplement forms for every uni you want to apply to (the supplement form is a secondary application unique to each uni, which asks for info that you may have not provided on the main application. All counselor/teacher recommendations and official transcripts are electronically sent via CommonApp. SAT scores are reported directly by the testing agency (CollegeBoard) to the uni (you select recipient unis from their site). Normally you won't need to send anything via post.
P.S. The same main application will be sent to every uni you apply to, so fill it out carefully! Supplement forms however, will only be sent to the respective uni, so feel free to copy essays/material between different supplements.

- State universities have their own applications.

- This is a list of all the "need-blind" universities in USA. What it basically means is that once you get admitted into one of these, the university will give you 100% financial aid which INCLUDES ACCOMMODATION if you're not financially capable to support yourself. In short all you need to do is get admitted to one of these, and after that you can throw financial concerns to the wind:
* MIT
* Harvard
* Yale
* Princeton
* Stanford
* William's College
* Dartmouth College
* Amherst College
....but in case you didn't already know, getting admitted into any of these unis is no joke. They have an intake of less than 10% and all the applicants are extraordinary students to begin with. Generally the kind of people who do get admitted boast off SAT scores of 2300+ and have A TON of extra-curricular activities under their belt.

- No university will ask for both SAT and ACT. Both are alternatives of each other. SAT is the more popular choice.

- Regular decision application deadline for most unis is 1st Jan of the year you plan on getting enrolled in; early decision deadline 1st Oct of the preceding year. There are variations though; UC Berkley for example, has a regular decision deadline of 1st Nov, so be sure to check them well in advance.

- There are virtually no sizable scholarships for international students. Very few exceed a value of over $5000 and most are one-time awards only. Still if you're interested you can search for them on CollegeBoard's website, they have a comprehensive scholarship search engine, but you'll only be able to use it if you register on their site.

- If you're serious about applying to USA, consider giving the SAT when you're in AS level/1st year of intermediate. I can say from personal experience that giving all these standardized tests in A2s with deadlines just around the corner is extremely stressful. Plus there's no chance that you'll be able to appear for a retake if you mess up.

- Like most foreign countries, you have to prove English proficiency too. Some unis will exempt you from this obligation if, for example, you get 700+ in the critical reading section of your SAT, but most will require it anyway. Both IELTS and TOEFL are accepted (test fee = Rs.14k; you can register for it at http://www.ets.org/toefl

 

[Ashhad]

Some more info about US unis:

- Most private university applications are sent via CommonApp (www.commonapplication.org). You fill out the admission form with your details, add supplement forms for every uni you want to apply to (the supplement form is a secondary application unique to each uni, which asks for info that you may have not provided on the main application. All counselor/teacher recommendations and official transcripts are electronically sent via CommonApp. SAT scores are reported directly by the testing agency (CollegeBoard) to the uni (you select recipient unis from their site). Normally you won't need to send anything via post.
P.S. The same main application will be sent to every uni you apply to, so fill it out carefully! Supplement forms however, will only be sent to the respective uni, so feel free to copy essays/material between different supplements.

- State universities have their own applications.

- This is a list of all the "need-blind" universities in USA. What it basically means is that once you get admitted into one of these, the university will give you 100% financial aid which INCLUDES ACCOMMODATION if you're not financially capable to support yourself. In short all you need to do is get admitted to one of these, and after that you can throw financial concerns to the wind:
* MIT
* Harvard
* Yale
* Princeton
* Stanford
* William's College
* Dartmouth College
* Amherst College
....but in case you didn't already know, getting admitted into any of these unis is no joke. They have an intake of less than 10% and all the applicants are extraordinary students to begin with. Generally the kind of people who do get admitted boast off SAT scores of 2300+ and have A TON of extra-curricular activities under their belt.

- No university will ask for both SAT and ACT. Both are alternatives of each other. SAT is the more popular choice.

- Regular decision application deadline for most unis is 1st Jan of the year you plan on getting enrolled in; early decision deadline 1st Oct of the preceding year. There are variations though; UC Berkley for example, has a regular decision deadline of 1st Nov, so be sure to check them well in advance.

- There are virtually no sizable scholarships for international students. Very few exceed a value of over $5000 and most are one-time awards only. Still if you're interested you can search for them on CollegeBoard's website, they have a comprehensive scholarship search engine, but you'll only be able to use it if you register on their site.

- If you're serious about applying to USA, consider giving the SAT when you're in AS level/1st year of intermediate. I can say from personal experience that giving all these standardized tests in A2s with deadlines just around the corner if extremely stressful. Plus there's no chance that you'll be able to appear for a retake if you mess up.

- Like most foreign countries, you have to prove English proficiency too. Some unis will exempt you from this obligation if, for example, you get 700+ in the critical reading section of your SAT, but most will require it anyway. Both IELTS and TOEFL are accepted (test fee = Rs.14k; you can register for it at http://www.ets.org/toefl

thank you very much ....ive read it and ive missed these points(im an expert in Uk uni's only ) so these points have been added to the opening post

 

[WajieRaja]

the S.A.T's are required by almost every Australian university

Thanks for the appreciation

---------- Post added at 05:02 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:57 PM ----------


I agree with you...just think about it like this....both countries have good institutions and one is good for some courses and the other is good for some.

now if send 2 students for automotive engineering ....one to the UK and one to Germany....the one in Germany is likely to land a fabulous job after completing his degree....Uk has some great institutions but you need real deep pockets to study there where as Germany has great institutions and isn't that much expensive

ohh and nowadays i hear kids saying that its easy to get into Imperial,UCL,LSE etc (top notch universities).Well I just want to say that they are taking these universities way to easy....a student's admission into these fine institutions is not only based on academics,they want extra curricular activities,internships,a solid personal statement etc and believe me when i say this-- getting into these universities is not easy.Students should stop taking these uni's lightly.

what you have written in bold is incorrect, admission to these universities only depends on your grades and personal statement, no value for any extra curriculars or SATs or internships or anything else.

I say this again, getting admitted in these universities is easy, when I say easy I am saying this in contrast to getting into same or higher standar US universities.
And by easy I mean having straight A's in O Levels and straight A's in A levels as entry requirement or ICL is A*AA in A level, this may seem hard but its nothing compared to what US universities ask for.

It all comes to this, more people apply to US universities because they offer scholarships, thus competition is VERY high and thus very high entry requirements.
Since there are barely any scholarships for International students to the UK, few people apply here and thus entry requirements are low.

I have applied only to the UK and I have an offer from University of Manchester, but I'll be waiting for other offers too.

 

[Blastwave]

WARNING: Any post/comment/personal opinion will be deleted in this particular thread without warnings. This thread is for help only.

Take your arguments elsewhere.

If you have something to add to this thread, please do.

No argument or bickering of any sort will be tolerated.

 

[WajieRaja]

WARNING: Any post/comment/personal opinion will be deleted in this particular thread without warnings. This thread is for help only.

Take your arguments elsewhere.

If you have something to add to this thread, please do.

No argument or bickering of any sort will be tolerated.

Sir jee just this one helpful argument? Let it finish

 

[Blastwave]

Sir jee just this one helpful argument? Let it finish

NOT in this thread. NO!

This is for help only.

This thread, Ashhad and the guidelines we provide here are supposed to guide people with the basic stuff not see them through the entire process and not confuse them with all this argument.

Also, this does not mean you and Ashhad go messaging the hell out of each other! I don't want any of that.

I understand you have first hand experience with applying for UK and that information should benefit us So do share more.

If you any suggestions, recommended amendments for this thread, just type that out and no more than that.

Keep calm and carry on.

 

[Ashhad]

what you have written in bold is incorrect, admission to these universities only depends on your grades and personal statement, no value for any extra curriculars or SATs or internships or anything else.

I say this again, getting admitted in these universities is easy, when I say easy I am saying this in contrast to getting into same or higher standar US universities.
And by easy I mean having straight A's in O Levels and straight A's in A levels as entry requirement or ICL is A*AA in A level, this may seem hard but its nothing compared to what US universities ask for.

It all comes to this, more people apply to US universities because they offer scholarships, thus competition is VERY high and thus very high entry requirements.
Since there are barely any scholarships for International students to the UK, few people apply here and thus entry requirements are low.

I have applied only to the UK and I have an offer from University of Manchester, but I'll be waiting for other offers too.

I have applied to uni's in the UK too about a year ago...got accepted into all 5...so i know what im talking about....maybe i wrote it a bit wrong up there but let me elaborate
its simple....getting straight A's in o levels and A levels isnt easy for everyone....
Extra curricular activities are good for a college application and so are internships ....no matter where you are applying to....if you dont have them then you can still get accepted to uni's in Uk but these things do impress the universities....

and i never said that S.A.T's were needed for uk universities....

getting into U.S.A isnt too hard....If u have a HSD with 4 grade point average,a good S.A.T result and good scores in your advance placement exams then you can get accepted into really good universities in U.S.A.

 

[Blastwave]

its simple....getting straight A's in o levels and A levels isnt easy for everyone....
Extra curricular activities are good for a college application and so are internships ....no matter where you are applying to....if you dont have them then you can still get accepted to uni's in Uk but these things do impress the universities....

The warning applies to you too

We admire your efforts and appreciate the time, effort and enthusiasm you've shown here but essentially NO ARGUMENTS!

.
.
.
.
.

Next time anyone has any argument/opinion/comment/post that does not concur with this thread, would you kindly provide a source/link to back that up!

 

[Ashhad]

NOT in this thread. NO!

This is for help only.

This thread, Ashhad and the guidelines we provide here are supposed to guide people with the basic stuff not see them through the entire process and not confuse them with all this argument.

Also, this does not mean you and Ashhad go messaging the hell out of each other! I don't want any of that.

I understand you have first hand experience with applying for UK and that information should benefit us So do share more.

If you any suggestions, recommended amendments for this thread, just type that out and no more than that.

Keep calm and carry on.

thank you for clearing that out

I myself have first hand experience in applying to the UK....i applied to 5 universities and got accepted in all of them
to be precise i applied to these universities:

these were my first choice universities:
London school of economics
Nottingham
warwick
these were my backup universities (just in case i didnt get in the three above)
Brunel
Regets business school london

---------- Post added at 11:51 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:50 PM ----------

The warning applies to you too

We admire your efforts and appreciate the time, effort and enthusiasm you've shown here but essentially NO ARGUMENTS!

.
.
.
.
.

Next time anyone has any argument/opinion/comment/post that does not concur with this thread, would you kindly provide a source/link to back that up!

ok no arguments anymore

 

[Ashhad]

I know the mod's been repeatedly warning against arguments, but please just let me throw in one final argument:
I read somewhere that in some recent year, Brown University (another Ivy League uni) rejected 81% of all Valedictorians (people who score a perfect 2400 on the SAT; yes you'd be surprised to know there are quite a few of these). Ali Moeen Nawazish, the guy with 23 A's in A levels, failed to get admitted to Harvard cuz he was lacking in ECs. I guess I don't need to say any more

In a nutshell, US unis don't wanna simply fill up their institute with a bunch of nerds. Don't get me wrong, excelling at academics is definitely a must, but you must also have something else in your application that makes you stand out from the sea of straight A applicants.

if u see the previous arguments u will see that ive been saying that EC activities are essential

anyways......no arguments from now on.....ill be reporting arguments from now on

 

[Blastwave]

WARNING: Any post/comment/personal opinion will be deleted in this particular thread without warnings. This thread is for help only.

Take your arguments elsewhere.



No exceptions Ali250!

 

[cobby]

Ok I want to ask this : What are the medical requirements

i heard inorder to go to canada , u need to go to different medical tests , similarly are different medical tests for diff countries

 

[Ali250]

I have a friend who's applied to McGill University's medical program. He didn't do anything other than prove English proficiency by giving IELTS.

 

[Blastwave]

Ok I want to ask this : What are the medical requirements

i heard inorder to go to canada , u need to go to different medical tests , similarly are different medical tests for diff countries

I have a friend who's applied to McGill University's medical program. He didn't do anything other than prove English proficiency by giving IELTS.

The medical tests as far as I know are only mandatory for Immigrant/Vocational applicants.

Not to students.

 

[Ashhad]

Ok I want to ask this : What are the medical requirements

i heard inorder to go to canada , u need to go to different medical tests , similarly are different medical tests for diff countries

For all the aspiring students who want to apply for Canadian Student Visa, either under SPP or General program, the requirements for medical examination are same. The main purpose of the medical examination is to make sure that the student is not suffering from any communicable disease and do not carry any deadly virus

Following tests are undertaken during the medical examination

• General Body Examination (Weight/Height/Eyesight/Blood Pressure/Pulse Rate)
• Urine Test (samples will be taken at the clinic itself)
• Blood Test
• Chest X-ray
• Physical Check up by doctor

---------- Post added at 12:34 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:29 AM ----------

The medical tests as far as I know are only mandatory for Immigrant/Vocational applicants.

Not to students.

nah i found info about the student visa for canada....they do need tests for the student visa's too

 

[Syavash]

I need a bit of help again. I've been researching and taking opinions from various individuals and I'm confused regarding choosing a Bachelors or going for a Professional certificate like ACCA/CIMA ?

Alot of people seem to be saying that Bachelors and Masters is just not worth it and these professional qualifications are worth more? On the other hand some people say that ACCA is going to loose its value considering how many Pakistanis are going for it nowadays. Then there's the matter of getting a job after doing my Bachelors, alot of people seem to think you won't find a good job in Pakistan or Middle East on the basis of a Bachelors. What's your opinion on this?

Btw I'm considering a Major in Finance and a Bachelors from Nottingham or Monash University so reply keeping that in mind. And also, how would these degrees compare to a Bachelors from a Pakistani university such as FAST/LUMS/IBA/IBM etc?

Also let me know how employment prospects would differ in a Bachelors vs a professional qualification? And isn't ACCA much better than a Bachelors since even the HEC recognizes it as a Masters equivalent?
​

 

[Ashhad]

I need a bit of help again. I've been researching and taking opinions from various individuals and I'm confused regarding choosing a Bachelors or going for a Professional certificate like ACCA/CIMA ?

Alot of people seem to be saying that Bachelors and Masters is just not worth it and these professional qualifications are worth more? On the other hand some people say that ACCA is going to loose its value considering how many Pakistanis are going for it nowadays. Then there's the matter of getting a job after doing my Bachelors, alot of people seem to think you won't find a good job in Pakistan or Middle East on the basis of a Bachelors. What's your opinion on this?

Btw I'm considering a Major in Finance and a Bachelors from Nottingham or Monash University so reply keeping that in mind. And also, how would these degrees compare to a Bachelors from a Pakistani university such as FAST/LUMS/IBA/IBM etc?

Also let me know how employment prospects would differ in a Bachelors vs a professional qualification? And isn't ACCA much better than a Bachelors since even the HEC recognizes it as a Masters equivalent?
​

Many people are going for ACCA nowadays.The thing is that not only in Pakistan but in the whole world ,the number of people doing ACCA has increased significantly.

In a year or so you will see many ACCA degree holders without a job because of the excess of ACCA students so if I were you I would drop the idea of doing ACCA.

Bachelors and Masters are worth every penny and every hour(you study).Yes it would be hard to find to job after your Bachelors but once you have completed your Masters,it wont be hard to find a good job.

Nottingham or Monash (Malaysia) are really good universities and their degrees are recognized all over the world.So you need not worry about that.

 

[Syavash]

Many people are going for ACCA nowadays.The thing is that not only in Pakistan but in the whole world ,the number of people doing ACCA has increased significantly.

In a year or so you will see many ACCA degree holders without a job because of the excess of ACCA students so if I were you I would drop the idea of doing ACCA.

Bachelors and Masters are worth every penny and every hour(you study).Yes it would be hard to find to job after your Bachelors but once you have completed your Masters,it wont be hard to find a good job.

Nottingham or Monash (Malaysia) are really good universities and their degrees are recognized all over the world.So you need not worry about that.

Ohh, acha I'll see it. Any ideas about CIMA?

 

[Ashhad]

Ohh, acha I'll see it. Any ideas about CIMA?

Hmm...I dont know much about CIMA....you have my cousin on skype.Try asking him.He will surely help you out

 

[MrDeadman]

can anyone post tips for applying in universities in Germany?