Finding A Program

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U.S. Education 

In order to have a profitable time during your time in the U.S. you need to be in the right place. Just because you get into a U.S. college/university does not mean you'll be happy there. Explore your options before you enroll in any specific program. Consider the following things when trying to find a program of study.

Quality

Just because a school has a tuition cost that is higher than the average home mortgage does not mean its the best school out there. Nor does the school's name mean anything, a highly reputed school may not have as much quality in its programs as a less reputed school Quality is determined by more than just cost and reputation.

To determine the quality of an institution take a look at its:

• Class size: smaller classes mean you'll receive more individualized attention.

• Class format: are all classes taught in a lecture setting, or are smaller seminars and discussion sessions available?

• Opportunities: are there service learning opportunities, undergraduate research programs, and an honors program?

• Selectivity in enrollment: is the institution nonselective ("open enrollment"), selective, competitive, or highly competitive?

• Department size: how large is the department you are interested in studying in? Sure you may be going to a fantastic school, but if your a computer science major what good does it do you if the arts program is big?

Cost

The quality of an institution will help you determine if its programs are worth the price they're charging. With tuition costs ranging from $2,000 to over $25,000 per year you need to make sure that you're willing to pay the price they're asking.

While there is an enormous availability of scholarships and other forms of financial aid, these programs aren't always open to international students and you may have trouble paying a $25,000 tuition bill every year.

Another consideration is that in addition to tuition you will also have living expenses. These will significantly vary from one place to next. Check into the cost of living in a school's surrounding area.

English Proficiency

If your English is less than proficient you may want to select a school that offers an English as a second language (ESL) program before the main school year begins.

Location

Where the school is located may be very important to you when you consider the vast difference in climate from state-to-state. You may have two equally good schools to choose from but if one is in Northern California and the other is in Southern California  you may want to pick the one with the climate you'd be more comfortable with.