iRevise Guide to Studying Abroad

Before you start applying to schools, find out the application deadline and fees for each school you are considering.

The application process at each school is unique. You'll find different requirements, prerequisites , and levels of selectivity. Some things remain consistent though, and we have advice to help you through the application process.

It takes time to get ACT scores tabulated and sent, and it takes time for guidance counselors and others providing references to gather information.
Follow the instructions and proofread. The application form is often an admission committee's first contact with a prospective student. Make a good impression with a neat application free of spelling and grammatical errors.

Work with your high school to send transcripts & test scores. Go to your school guidance office for help getting all necessary transcripts, records, test scores, and applications sent to prospective schools.

Senior year is hectic, but don't let it affect the quality of your college applications. Take your time, pay attention to detail and plan ahead so you can meet the deadlines.

Following are some of the top responses from counselors and admissions staff who shared the most common mistakes on college applications.

Misspellings and grammatical errors - This is a big pet peeve of admissions people. If you misspell on something as important as the application, it shows that either you don't care or you aren't good at spelling. Some students even misspell their intended major. But don't stop with a spell check. Proofread for grammatical errors, too.
Applying online, but the application isn't submitted - If you apply online, you should receive confirmation that the college or university received it. Confirmation could be an email message, a Web page response or a credit card receipt. Follow through and make sure that your application has been submitted.
Forgotten signatures - Make sure you sign and date the form. Often students overlook that part of the form if it's on the back. Check that all spaces are completed.
Not reading carefully - For example, if the form asks what County you live in, don't misread it as Country and write United States.
Listing extracurricular activities that aren't - Those that make the list include sports, the arts, formal organizations and volunteer work. Talking on the phone and hanging out with friends don't make the cut. Make sure your activity information is accurate. Colleges may check with your high school.
Not telling your guidance counselor where you've applied - Let your guidance counselor know which colleges you're applying to, and ask him or her to review your high school transcript before sending it to colleges. Sometimes transcripts have errors.
Writing illegibly - First impressions count, so take your time and use your best handwriting. It will make a better impression.
Using an email address that friends might laugh about, but colleges won't - Select a professional email address. Keep your fun address for friends, but select an address using your name for college admissions.
Not checking your email regularly - If you've given an email address, the college will use it. You don't want to miss out on anything because you didn't read your email.
Letting Mom or Dad help you fill out your application - Admissions people know if your parents help, whether you have two different styles of handwriting or your admissions essay sounds more like a 45-year-old than a 17-year-old. It's fine to get advice, but do the work yourself

Waiting for notice of college acceptance can be agonizing. Admissions materials and financial aid applications list the date by which decisions will be made. Don't expect to be notified much sooner. Many schools mail notifications to applicants by April 1, and most require acceptance by May 1.

Once admissions notices are received, the decision-making begins. Make your decision carefully and thoughtfully, and accept an offer that feels right. If that dream college doesn't extend an offer, remind yourself that it isn't the end of the world. A college education, regardless of the school where you earn it, is a valuable investment in your future.

Be sure you keep the lines of communication open with all of the schools extending offers. Once you make a final decision, let all who have extended offers know of the decision.

The registration process should not be taken lightly as it is the time that you will be signing up for your first classes. Usually, the course taken in your first semester will be prerequisites and may not provide much opportunity for signing up for electives. Many colleges provide students with student advisors to assist with this process. In some cases, your student advisors signature, as well as the program director's signature will be required so as to allow enrollment into the semester courses being offered. Usually as students register for courses and the appropriate fees are paid, the enrollment process is almost completed. It is important to remember that your course choices can be influential to the career you are considering pursuing.

In many cases international students may register after other students if they do not arrive in the country of their choice early. In these cases, it is essential to remember that in the event that the required courses are full, some universities allow their courses to be overbooked if it is filled with students for whom it is not a required course and subsequently an international student for whom it is a required course arrives.

We hope that the information provided has been helpful to you and look forward to your further comments and suggestions. We believe that these articles provide a framework that should assist any student seeking to further their study internationally. These articles cannot prepare you for everything that you will face but hopefully they will help in allowing you to understand this process. Bon Voyage!!!