Admissions Process
Unlike in the UK, where students apply to highly specialised courses, most students applying to the US will choose to follow the Liberal Arts route which offers a great deal of flexibility in terms of course choice. Those interested in understanding the philosophy behind the Liberal Arts degree should read Fareed Zakaria’s In Defense of a Liberal Education.
Applying to university in America represents a significant commitment of time and money. SAT (or ACT) scores are an essential part of the application procedure and preparation starts during the second half of Year 11. The application procedure itself also involves writing several essays and, while you will receive support from your college counsellor, there are also endless resources that you can consult to start preparing. Among them, Harry Bauld’s On Writing the College Application Essay and Michele Hernandez’ A is for Admission are useful reads.
With its 2,450 or so four-year colleges and universities, choosing which institution to apply to may seem daunting and here, nothing can replace personal research. Students should browse college websites, attend College Day (organised by the Fulbright Commission in the UK) and make on-site college visits where possible. You should note that American colleges welcome visitors so you should try to schedule your visits when students are on campus so as to ensure that you get to meet them, possibly attend classes and get a good understanding of campus life.
