Fulbright Educational Advising Center Newsletter for High Schoolers - Jan 2014

STUDY IN THE USA!

Quarterly Newsletter for

Smart High School Students

Bucharest, January 20, 2014

Year VI, Winter Issue

FEAC CORE

EDUCATIONUSA NEWS

FEAC NEWS

WISDOM OF THE SEASON

FEAC CORE

• Close-Up on U.S. Study: American

Universities and the Power of a Mentor, by Chris Kajtor, U.S. Fulbright Grantee to Romania in 2013-14

• University Highlight: Middlebury

College, VT, by Matei Epure

• Student Highlight: Matei Epure,

sophomore at Middlebury College, VT

FEAC NEWS

Developments

• Giving Back: FEAC Friends from Three U.S. Universities Represent Their Schools

at FEAC • FEAC, the Hub for International Education

Week Events in Romania in November

• International Study Day Traveled to Suceava, Cluj, and Galati in Oct-Nov

• Educational Fair Time: World Education Fair, University Fair at Bucharest High School, RIUF in Bucharest, Constanta, and

Timisoara • U.S. Universities on Visit in Bucharest,

Sept-Oct • U.S. Study Highlights in Transylvania:

Presentations and Workshops in

Targu-Mures and Sighisoara, with local American Corner, in Sept

• U.S. Study Prominent in Bacau: FEAC’s U.S. Admissions Summer School in Sept

• U.S. Study at American Corner

Resources

• Excellent Resource: New Fulbright Site, New FEAC Content

• New Fulbright Site: Feedback from Bacau • From the Students to the Students: FEAC

Internships for High Schoolers

• Virtual Advising: What’s Your Stand?

Upcoming Events • Reaching for the Stars: Application Updates

from FEAC Friends and Advisees

• Ace Your Undergrad Application: Admissions Training in Jan-Feb

• Special FEAC Sessions Coming Up at American Corner Bucharest: Feb Calendar

• U.S. Study Prominent at RIUF in March:

Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, and Iasi • Inside U.S. Admissions: The TOEFL

Test—Dedicated Session in April • FEAC Invites Suggestions: Which High

Schools to Visit This Spring? • International Study Day. New Season in

Spring

Website Section of the Season:

For Logged-In Users

EDUCATIONUSA NEWS

• FEAC’s Online Outreach Campaign

Continues • EducationUSA Participates in Upcoming

UPenn MOOC: “Applying to U.S.

Universities”


If you wish to subscribe or cancel your subscription to this newsletter, please contact [email protected].

This Newsletter is produced by the Fulbright Educational Advising Center in Bucharest, Romania.

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Contents

www.fulbright.ro/

educational-advising-center.html

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Close-Up on U.S. Study

American Universities and the Power of a Mentor

By Chris Kajtor, U.S. Fulbright Grantee to Romania in 2013-14

American universities offer far more than grades, credits and degrees. The opportunity to

get to know your professors and establish close relationships with them is part of what

makes attending an American university so special. For a few short years, students get the

opportunity to work closely with a plethora of great men and women who want to see them

succeed and reach their goals. They have a chance to ask them questions that could

impact the rest of their lives. Questions such as: What are the most important lessons you

have learned in life? What is one thing you know now that you wish you had known

earlier? What kind of wisdom can make our lives better? Take advantage of this

opportunity to ask really bright people the things you have always wanted answered. Many

young people today attend university just because they see it as a ticket to a well-paying

job, or perhaps because of pressure from parents, and they rush toward graduation. But, as my mentor

says, “Higher education isn’t just about learning how to make more money…it’s about enriching your life.”

One way for Romanian students who attend universities in America to enrich their lives is by finding

mentors on campus.

The British writer Isaac D’ Israeli once said, “The wisdom of the wise, and the experience of ages may only

be preserved by sharing.” Our lives and human knowledge have greatly improved because people have

generously taken the time to share their wisdom with others. Throughout history, people have obtained

wisdom from teachers, friends, and parents. Nowadays, universities are an ideal setting for mentorship. At

universities students can find dedicated, caring people from a number of fields in one place. I invite all

current and future students to take advantage of the remarkable professors at their campuses. Take the

time to sit and talk with them outside of the classroom. Invite them to lunch or coffee. It may be

nerve-racking at first, but I can assure you that these experiences are what many professors love most

about their work. Those familiar with the famous story of the Odyssey will remember that Odysseus left his

son, Telemachus, in the hands of his friend, Mentor. Odysseus chose Mentor for his maturity, compassion,

and wisdom. From my experience, it is people with these traits that most often pursue careers in education.

Dictionaries define mentors as “wise and trusted counselors or

teachers of guidance and advice”. This is true, but their power

can extend far beyond that. Someone who really knows you,

loves you, and cares for you has the ability to impact your life

forever. In my own experience, my mentors have helped me to

see how my old, outdated modes of seeing the world and

myself hurt my future, and they helped me adapt to new ways

of being. Through my mentors, I have learned the power of

listening to my heart, of serving others, and of doing

something greater than myself. Through them, I learned what

resonates with me, and I learned what I love to do. They helped me to find my gifts and my passions, and

they taught me how to use these attributes to benefit not only myself, but the greater good. If it were not

for my mentors, I would not have obtained my masters degree in non-profit management, joined the Peace

Corps, or become a Fulbright Lecturer right here in Romania.

Your university experience is a time dedicated to yourself and the world around you, and mentors can be an

integral part of that. But I have one favor to ask of you. It is one that requires great responsibility. Upon

your return, share what you have learned from your mentors with other people. Thanking your mentors is

nice, but to help spread what they gave you is to truly honor them. Continued on page 3

FEAC CORE

Chris alongside other U.S. Fulbrighters teaching

and doing research in Romania in 2013-14

www.fulbright.ro/

educational-advising-center.html 3



You will now possess the wisdom and power to improve people's lives. It is your responsibility to pass on

that wisdom. One way you can do that is by becoming a mentor for someone else. Your journey does not

end when you complete your education in the USA. It can and should continue as you partake in an ongoing

cycle to transfer your newfound wisdom to others.

We rarely get chances in life to thank those who have helped us along our way. So I would like to take this

chance to thank all my mentors who helped me to become the man I am today. I can honestly say that I

owe the best things in my life to them and to all that they have taught me.

University Highlight

Middlebury College, Vermont

By Matei Epure, sophomore at Middlebury and former FEAC intern

Whether regarding its history, academics, facilities, arts, events

calendar, language schools, campus, or sports, Middlebury can simply be

described as remarkable. Founded in the year 1800, Middlebury College

is one of the 30 oldest universities in the United States, one of the first

universities to become coeducational (in 1883), and the first American

school to have awarded a degree to an African-American student (in

1823).

Throughout its many years of existence, Middlebury has earned a reputation for its academics and rigor,

constantly sending students to the best graduate schools out there, including Harvard, Cambridge, Oxford,

or CMU, and having programs together with schools like Oxford, Columbia University (a dual-degree

engineering program in which any Middlebury student with a GPA above 3.0 is directly accepted), and

Dartmouth College. Every year, Middlebury students win Fulbright, Marshall or Rhodes scholarships, they

intern and work at companies like Twitter, Apple, Google, HBO, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, found

companies like New Balance, bands like Dispatch, invent the GPS, or write the Dexter series.

The most fantastic thing about it, however, is that Middlebury does all this

without the intention of teaching you a profession. Attending Middlebury is not

about being taught how to do a job later in life; it is about becoming an

intellectual. Here, you will meet professors and schoolmates that will thoroughly

challenge the way you think, and force you to figure out what your passion is and

drive you to pursue it for the rest of your life. And in that environment, with

passion, excellence comes naturally.

Attending Middlebury definitely increases the tempo of your life – you will have to work

hard, most probably harder than you ever worked before in your life. However, there is

a characteristic of the school’s workload that makes it extraordinary, and missed

whenever you don’t have it: your workload is made up of whatever you want to learn;

here you will pick your classes, you will pick your projects, and you will work with

people who will amaze you every single time. All this makes your work something to

look forward to. Besides that, there will always be visiting professors, or experts in the

field you study that will come and discuss the subject with you, both in class and

personally. For example, in my first year I personally met and discussed with a highly

appreciated game music composer, an electronic music producer, a Columbia University professor of Music

Related Artificial Intelligence, and a theologian from, probably, the most respected theological institute in

the United States.

Continued on page 4

FEAC CORE

Guess what the cap says :)

www.fulbright.ro/




Outside of the classroom, Middlebury is as active as inside of it. From the

names that appeared in last year’s schedule come to mind the Dalai Lama,

fun. (which was just nominated for 6 Grammys, the highest number of

nominations that year), and the Takacs and Emerson String Quartets (two of

the most highly regarded string quartets in the world). Outside of the concert

halls, Middlebury can also give you the chance to play sports, from learning

beginning Tennis or Fencing, to playing Quidditch in the 7 times world

champion team, to playing intramural or NCAA level sports.

Having one of the most wonderful campuses in the world, more than 200 years of history in education,

having an extremely diverse group of students and professors that follow in the footsteps of the old

professors like Robert Frost, Middlebury College is definitely a place that would change your life.

Student Highlight

Matei Epure, sophomore at Middlebury and former FEAC intern

By Matei Epure

Studying in the United States has been a dream of mine since I started high school.

Since my physics teacher’s son was attending Princeton, I started hearing a lot about

it and about how the college experience in the US is different from that in Europe.

People choosing what they want to study, interacting personally with professors and

even majoring in multiple subjects at once? I most definitely was intrigued.

I first started browsing the Internet to make sure that what I was hearing about was

true, and the more I read, the more I started falling with love with the American

school system. I decided to take action, and sometime before my 10th grade I heard

of the Fulbright EducationUSA center and decided to pay them a visit.

I became a Fulbright regular that year, and I started to figure out what the

application process is, to choose colleges, to attend meetings and trainings organized

by the people there (one of which introduced me to the concept of Liberal Arts education, and the Liberal

Arts Colleges), and a bit more than a year later, I became an intern there. I then spent more and more time

preparing for the SATs and the Common Application, and picking schools. In the process, I ended up

changing 7 “that’s definitely the one” colleges.

One of these 7 schools (specifically, my latest addition to the “most wanted” list) accepted me with a great

scholarship. I was not all that confident about my chances to get into one of these schools, and this news

was fantastic and incredibly exciting. Seven days before the deadline for accepting an offer, came time for

me to make up my mind, and… I turned it down!

Earlier that year, I had applied to Middlebury College, which I had heard of

from Fulbright’s Group Advising Meetings; it did not get on that 7 wonder

schools list, but I still applied. At the interview with that school, however,

Middlebury became from that one cool liberal arts school, the school that

graduated Gruia, my interviewer. This guy talked to me in that one hour about

art, sociology, science, theology and whatever else came into discussion and

he was shockingly knowledgeable about every single one of those subjects,

while still being a really nice and approachable guy.

Continued on page 5

FEAC CORE

www.fulbright.ro/




My decision came down to these two schools – Middlebury and the

wonder school. I did not know what to decide, and so I sent an email to

the Chairs of the Computer Science Departments at both schools. The

professor from the Wonder School answered me, congratulating me and

answering my questions in about two days. With his email, I was

introduced to two other professors who sent me almost identical emails.

All was good with these answers, but half an hour from sending the email

to the professor at Middlebury, I received a 2-page email from him telling

me about how excited he would be if I decided to enroll there, about my

opportunities at Middlebury, about how there was a professor in the

department that had been to Romania and knows a little bit of Romanian,

about how he, like me, is a musician, and about how cool the research I

could do there would be. Less than two hours later I also received an email from the chair of the Math

Department (a one page email about every little detail the first professor might have missed).

This episode made up my mind and I decided to attend the fantastic

Middlebury College, and Middlebury has changed my life and my view of

the future in the most fantastic way. From the typical European guy who

wanted in his second semester to have four classes in his already declared

majors (Computer Science and Music), I became the guy who at the end of

his second year, in one semester has a math class, a computer science

class, a music class, a film class, and a literature class, and is madly

excited about his literature class.

I have focused my schooling here on becoming as broad minded as possible, and strengthening my culture,

and along the way, I have done an internship at Twitter, that changed my perspective on Computer

Science, sang in a gospel choir, composed a suite of modern music compositions (still hate it, but turns out

I now can do it), wrote a program that figures out what musical genre an MP3 file has, impressed my

literature professor with a pretty acid criticism of one of the most respected atheist apologists alive, seen

fun. play live, heard the Dalai Lama talk, became really invested in American politics, led Middlebury’s

competitive programming team, met fantastic people, building new relationships, led a Christian music

organization, and meanwhile kept alive and well my relationships with my friends and family at home.

I have no doubt that I chose the right school to attend, and none of it would have been possible without the

Fulbright Team introducing me to the concept of Liberal Arts, helping me with my application, and all

throughout being there every step of the way.

FEAC CORE

At the U.S. Ambassador’s Residence

for Flag Day with Alex,

freshman at NYU Abu Dhabi

Sporting a Twitter T-shirt

at a Giants game

www.fulbright.ro/




Developments

Giving Back: FEAC Friends from Three U.S. Universities Represent Their Schools at FEAC

U.S. study and liberal arts education made many new friends in Romania during a series

of sessions that FEAC offered over December-January: three presentations at the Advising

Center and a webinar during which former advisees, now students at U.S. schools,

connected with future applicants and shared U.S. campus experiences and admissions

advice.

We were thrilled to have with us Alex, freshman at New York University, Abu Dhabi

campus; Catalina and Alexandra, juniors at University of Richmond, VA; and Iulia and

Corina, junior and senior, respectively, at Grinnell College, IA. All of them are enjoying

full need- and merit-based financial aid from their universities.

After enjoying FEAC support during their applications to U.S.

universities, these thriving FEAC friends provided inspiration and

helpful tips to local students. Participants were won over by the

beauty and benefits of U.S. college life, so much so that after the last

session one student rushed home to apply to that school before the

deadline, which was the next day. Video interviews and more news

from our friends on U.S. campuses are coming up on the FEAC site.

FEAC, the Hub of International Education Week Events in Romania in November

According to FEAC tradition, in November 2013 we organized a collection

of exciting online and face-to-face events celebrating Int’l Education Week

and sharing the joy of international exchanges and U.S. study with

students, parents, and educators across Romania. Pics at http://on.fb.me/

FEACPics. Int’l Education Week/IEW is a yearly joint initiative of the U.S.

Department of State and U.S. Department of Education.

Undergrad events included a globally-transmitted FEAC webinar - part of the EducationUSA series - on

pre-departure planning, as well as a joint digital video conference/DVC with the American Corners in

Bucharest and Bacau. During the web seminar FEAC engaged audiences in four Romanian cities and outside

the country. FEAC was one of four Advising Centers in Europe that offered a global webinar during Int’l

Education Week. We were excited to recognize, among the participants, alumni of our two most recent

summer schools in Bacau and Alba Iulia.

The DVC allowed us to bridge two groups of U.S. study fans and made for a fun,

bubbly conversation among high schoolers in Bucharest and Bacau. The participants

shared their reasons for wanting to study in the USA as well as their questions

about the application process. Stay tuned for more webinars and DVCs in the

future!

International Study Day Traveled to Suceava, Cluj, and Galati in Oct-Nov

The Fulbright Educational Advising Center’s outreach program outside Bucharest

included Int’l Study Day events in Suceava, Cluj, and Galati. In all three cities, the

events were hosted by the local public university and attracted high school and college

students and graduates, as well as teachers and university staff interested in bringing

their students closer to study abroad opportunities.

Continued on page 7

FEAC NEWS

www.fulbright.ro/




During Int’l Study Day FEAC attracted a wide range of visitors to the

educational opportunities in the USA. We shared information at our booth

and answered the audience’s detailed questions during the two dedicated

presentations we offered.

In Cluj, the U.S. study message was further reinforced by the

representative of the local American Corner who joined the event in order

to inform the participants on the relevant resources and services available

at the American Corner.

Educational Fair Time: World Education Fair, University Fair at Bucharest High School, RIUF in

Bucharest, Constanta, and Timisoara

In October, FEAC offered a well-attended presentation on U.S. study during the World Education Fair in

Bucharest, met over 250 students from 15 Bucharest high schools at our booth during a full-day int’l

university fair hosted by “Iulia Hasdeu” Natl College, and took part in the most prominent educational fair in

SE Europe, the Romanian Int’l University Fair/RIUF, in Bucharest, Constanta, and Timisoara.

According to the organizers, RIUF attracted around 5,000 students in Bucharest, an audience of over 1,100

in Constanta, and more than 1,500 visitors in Timisoara. Visitors learned about US study opportunities and

FEAC services at our booth and during the presentation on U.S. undergrad studies we offered at every

location. In Bucharest we enjoyed the support of two U.S. Fulbright grantees at our booth, in Constanta we

also had a U.S. Fulbrighter with us, and in Timisoara the American Corner joined us at the booth.

As for media coverage, after Int’l Study Day the FEAC rep gave a 30-min. radio interview on U.S. study and

FEAC U.S. admissions services and during RIUF Bucharest and Constanta we were interviewed by local TV

stations. More pics: http://on.fb.me/FEACPics.

U.S. Universities on Visit in Bucharest, Sept-Oct

Fall was marked by an intense face-to-face and online outreach campaign

organized by FEAC with our guests from prestigious U.S. universities. We got

visits from Wellesley College, University of Pennsylvania, New York University,

Abu Dhabi campus, the George Washington University, Babson College, and

John Cabot University, a U.S.-like school in Italy.

In Bucharest, FEAC organized seven high school presentations to highlight our

guests and their institutions, dedicated sessions at the Fulbright Commission,

and also traveled to Ploiesti and Pitesti to meet around 500 students at four high

schools in the two cities, alongside the NYU rep.

More pics: http://on.fb.me/FEACPics.

FEAC NEWS

www.fulbright.ro/




U.S. Study Highlights in Transylvania: U.S. Study Presentations and Workshops in Targu-Mures

and Sighisoara, with Local American Corner, in Sept

FEAC conducted an intense outreach program in central Transylvania in

late September. The presentations offered to the top three high schools

in Targu Mures and two in Sighisoara involved Romanian and

Hungarian students and teachers. The high school-hosted sessions

were followed by two workshops on the admissions essay and

recommendation letters housed by the American Corner in Targu Mures

until late at night.

Each school visited got copies of our undergraduate booklet – produced this spring with U.S. Embassy

funding – for their libraries, together with our Newsletter for undergraduate applicants. More pics at http://

on.fb.me/FEACfb.

U.S. Study Prominent in Bacau: FEAC’s U.S. Admissions School in September

In early September FEAC was in Bacau to conduct the fourth U.S. admissions summer school supported by

the U.S. Embassy to Romania. 49 high school students from Bacau county entering grades 9-12 at eight

high schools in five cities as far as 100 km away from Bacau took part in the intensive three-day program

hosted by the “Gh. Vranceanu” Natl College, the foremost high school in Bacau.

The program engaged the participants – divided into two groups, Princeton and Harvard – in a series of

interactive activities around the U.S. school selection process, identifying universities that offer generous

financial aid, and putting together a competitive application package with powerful essays and

recommendations. Every evening EducationUSA Romania took the participants closer to the U.S. culture

through culture clubs built around movies representative of the U.S. educational system and its values:

“The Perks of Being a Wallflower” and “Dead Poets’ Society”.

This fourth U.S. Admissions Summer School was graced by the Public Affairs Officer at the U.S. Embassy,

who shared his own U.S. academic and career experience with the students. The team at the local American

Corner also joined the event. Our support group also included two FEAC high school interns from Bucharest

who shared stories of their U.S. admissions preparations and provided administrative help. The event was

extensively covered in the local press. More pictures on Facebook at www.on.fb.me/FEACfb.

U.S. Study at American Corner Bucharest

Starting September, FEAC launched a new outreach campaign

designed to bring interested students and graduates closer to U.S.

study. Our new sessions held at American Corner Bucharest provide

comprehensive information on U.S. study, share insights into U.S.

education, and attract students to learn about all the exciting

opportunities available to them on a U.S. campus. The sessions

proved eye-opening to the participants who followed up by visiting

FEAC for in-depth discussions and access to our vast resource library.

FEAC NEWS

www.fulbright.ro/




Resources

Excellent Resource: New Fulbright Site, New FEAC Content

In November, we were thrilled to launch the new

website of the Fulbright Commission, which

includes a completely revamped, updated, and

much enhanced FEAC site too. We love it. Do you

love it, too? Send your suggestions for new or

enhanced content to [email protected].

New Fulbright Site: Feedback from Bacau

What do you think of our new site? See what Elena, our friend in Bacau, fondly known

as Natasha Fulbright, has to say about it. Elena took part in our U.S. Admissions

Summer School in Bacau, where she discovered her alter-ego, fictitious Natasha

Fulbright, a witty university admissions officer who loves Romanian applicants.

“Why I love your website. Well, firstly, I love it because it has a friendly aspect. The

combination of blue and white inspires serenity and it makes me stay online for a

looooong time. Secondly, it is so easy to do my research on the FEAC website.

Everything is so organized and it is very easy to find what I’m looking for. It is a

pleasure to read stories from Romanian students about their U.S. experience. It makes

me think that America is the place where I must go study. Furthermore, I found out about the FEAC

Summer School on the website and it has been one of the greatest experiences I have ever had. Probably if

I had done a research about studying in the U.S., it would’ve taken me a lot of time to find out all that

amazing stuff that I found out from you in only 3 days. Finally, you convinced me that America is the place

that suits me better and your website is very useful to keep me in touch with the U.S. study. Watch out,

America! Next year I’m coming!”

Looking forward to your feedback, too!

From the Students to the Students: FEAC Internships for High Schoolers

Starting in fall, we have been working with a new team of interns from

Vianu, ICHB, Viteazul, and Lazar high schools in Bucharest. Our interns

bring to FEAC their very own variety of skills and a common passion for

U.S. study. They’ve been involved in research projects on U.S.

universities, in EducationUSA promotional activities, educational video

editing and production, and more. Meet our interns at RIUF, during FEAC

events, and in our study room, and stay tuned for a new internship

program that will start in April!

Virtual Advising: What’s Your Stand?

Thanks to recent developments in online event organizing, the world – and

U.S. admissions – are now literally at our fingertips. EducationUSA and FEAC

have been active in offering online training and advising opportunities, in the

form of webinars and digital video conferences that allow the advising

expertise available at the Fulbright center to reach multi-tier audiences

throughout the country, and other IT-based outreach methods that match

your learning preferences.

The Fulbright Educational Advising Center has offered a number of webinars so far to domestic audiences as

well as to international ones – for instance as part of International Education Week 2013 and College Week

Live in 2012. Did you take part in webinar offered by a FEAC or EducationUSA? Did you enjoy the

experience? What kinds of online training would you like us to offer and on what topics? Looking forward to

your answers!

FEAC NEWS

www.fulbright.ro/




Upcoming Events

Reaching for the Stars: Application Updates from FEAC Friends and Advisees

Congratulations to our advisees around Romania who’ve sent in their applications this

fall! For Early Decision candidates, we’ve had students admitted to Cornell (two!),

Harvard, and Princeton. Many of our other applicants are now in the interview stage

with the universities offering such an option as part of the admissions package. Good

luck on your face-to-face and online interviews and a special shout-out to Cristina, our

former intern who is now in New York City auditioning at Julliard in New York City!

Ace Your Undergrad Application! Admissions Training in Jan-Feb

A new Undergraduate Admissions Training program will start on Jan 21. The

eye-opening sessions scheduled on Jan 21-28 and Feb 11-25, Tuesdays

3:00-5:00 PM, will highlight U.S. application tips and strategies leading to

success: admissions with funding.

Join us and learn how to select U.S. study programs and connect with

American universities. How to master the art of negotiating strong

recommendation letters. How to develop a competitive edge. At the end of

the program your well-rounded application will show that you are a great fit for the U.S. campus of your

choice. Details at http://bit.ly/FEAC_Events and on Facebook.

Special FEAC Sessions Coming Up at American Corner Bucharest: Feb Calendar

Are you preparing your U.S. application and in need of urgent advice on filling

in your financial aid application form – the CSS form – or on your admissions

essay? Or maybe you have more time on your hands to figure your application

strategy out, but what are the first smart steps you need to take, you wonder.

Or maybe you’re curious about U.S. study and would like to hear from other

students on the benefits of traveling to the States for your university

education…

For the above dilemmas and not only FEAC is offering a series of newly-minted sessions at the American

Corner. Meet us Mondays 4-6 PM and Fridays 10:30 AM – 12:00 noon for interactrive sessions, workshops,

and individual advising! Full details at http://bit.ly/FEAC_Events.

U.S. Study Prominent at RIUF in March: Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, and Iasi

Come meet us at the Fulbright Commission booths at the Romanian Inter-

national University Fair/RIUF on March 15-16 (Bucharest), March 18 (Cluj),

and March 20 (Iasi)!

We will be there with fresh information on U.S. study opportunities and

scholarships, Romanian success stories, SAT and TOEFL tips, and so

much more: booth, dedicated presentations, FEAC interns, native

speakers, and all of the multiple resources that EducationUSA and FEAC

offer free of charge to those dreaming of pursuing their studies in the

United States or at accredited U.S. universities anywhere in the world. Will you meet us there?

FEAC NEWS

www.fulbright.ro/




Inside U.S. Admissions: The TOEFL Test – Dedicated Session in April

The TOEFL test is accepted by over 9,000 universities, agencies, and other

institutions in over 130 countries, and required for admissions purposes by

nearly every top university in the USA.

But what is the strategic value of the TOEFL test? How should you tackle this

exam so that it adds value to your application? Join us on April 8, 5:00-6:30

PM for an in-depth discussion that you’ll surely love. Featuring a U.S. Fulbright

grantee!

FEAC Invites Suggestions: Which High Schools to Visit This Spring?

According to the latest statistics released by the Institute of International

Education, over 820,000 international students, including Romanians, are

currently studying in the United States. Want to join their ranks and thrive on a

U.S. campus? In January-March, FEAC will continue its intense outreach

program and will interact with students from a wide range of high schools from

Bucharest and beyond.

If you are interested in U.S. education and would like to learn more about the American university system

and the scholarships available for international applicants, assume leadership (so relevant on a college

application!), tell your teachers about FEAC, and contact us at [email protected] or on Facebook http://

on.fb.me/FEACfb to discuss a FEAC presentation in your high school. We look forward to visiting you!

International Study Day. New Season This Spring

This year, more cities will be added to the International Study Day map. The joint outreach

programs will introduce high school and university students and graduates to the benefits and

study opportunities abroad and will offer information on the IELTS exam. Prospective destina-

tions: Ploiesti, Targu Jiu, and Targu Mures. Confirmations and full details are coming up on

our site: http://bit.ly/FEAC_Events.

Website Section of the Season: For Logged-In Users

One of the enhancements that our new website offers is a U.S. admissions treasure chest – the “For

Logged-In Users” section.

Getting an account on our site is free and fast. After that, you will have access to a buzzing section that

already offers insider tips on filling out the Common App, asking for recommendations and samples of

successful recommendation letters, and an overview of the entire admissions process with countless stories

from Romanian applicants who’ve already completed the process successfully.

In late January, the section will be enriched with

translation samples for financial aid application docs

and transcripts, a list of colleges that offer generous

scholarships to international applicants, sample fee

waiver requests and high school profiles, and more.

Check in every week for new resources!

FEAC NEWS

www.fulbright.ro/




FEAC’s Online Outreach Campaign Continues

2014 promises to offer tons of online sessions and seminars to those of you who

can’t make it to our advising Center on a regular basis. On top of

EducationUSA’s “5 Steps to U.S. Study” – with Step 3: Financing Your Studies to

be highlighted in Jan-Feb, you will also be able to take part in TOEFL Talks

offered by ETS Global and on FEAC-specific web seminars. Are you in? Full info

at http://bit.ly/FEAC_Events.

EducationUSA Participates in Upcoming UPenn MOOC on "Applying to U.S. Universities"

EducationUSA is proud to be part of the free "Applying to U.S.

Universities" MOOC – massive open online course - designed by the

University of Pennsylvania's English Language Program and offered free

of charge to international students on the Coursera platform.

This course will help you understand how the U.S. university application

and admission process works for international students and non-native

English speakers applying to undergraduate (i.e., bachelor's degree)

programs. Classes start in March. Register now http://bit.ly/1aBmWsf!

“When you know better you do better.”

Maya Angelou,

American poet, memoirist, actress and an important figure in the American Civil Rights Movement

Naresh Ramchandani, Creative Partner at Pentagram

(design studio with offices in the States and worldwide)

EDUCATIONUSA NEWS


www.fulbright.ro/




Need more info?

Contact us!

Public hours at the Fulbright Educational Advising Center/FEAC:

Tue: 1:00 - 7:00 pm Wed-Thu: 1:00 - 5:00 pm

Phone no: 021-231 9015

Website: http://www.fulbright.ro/educational-advising-center.html

Facebook fanpage: http://on.fb.me/FEACfb

Address: No. 2, Ing. Costinescu St., Sector 1, Bucharest 011878, Romania

Comments?

Suggestions?

E-mail us at:

[email protected]

All articles are contributed by FEAC staff Mihaela Arsene and Sinziana Medvetchi,

unless otherwise stated.

Advising at American Corner Bucharest:

Visit the American Corner to get U.S. admissions advice from an EducationUSA adviser:

Mon: 4:00 - 6:00 pm Fri: 10:30 am - 12:00 noon

Phone no: 021-311 03 23

Website: http://romania.usembassy.gov/resources/ac_bucharest.html

Facebook fanpage: http://facebook.com/ACBucharest

Address: American Corner Bucharest, National Library of Romania, 22 Unirii Blvd

Documents

Fulbright Educational Advising Center Newsletter for High Schoolers - Jan 2014