Yasmine ElRoweinyEducationUSA Adviser

AMIDEAST Cairo, Egypt

Your EducationUSA Team in Cairo

EducationUSA can help you every step along the way.5 Steps to U.S. Study

1.Research Your Options

2.Finance Your Studies

3.Complete Your Application

4.Apply for Your Student

Visa

5.Prepare for Your Departure

Let’s Begin

This is the first question to ask yourself.Why do I want to study in the U.S.?

Why Study in the U.S. of all places?

Flexibility

Critical-thinking

State-of-the-art Facilities

International Networking and Internships

4500 + choices

Quality

English language practice

Value

Student-centered approach

Working closely with professors

Diversity

Every little piece counts. And every university is different.The “Application Package” for the U.S.

• Application Fee and Form – Your answers to questions and lists.

• Statement of Purpose and other Essays• 2-3 Recommendation Letters• Official Academic Records/Transcripts• Exams (GRE, GMAT) Scores sent from testing agency.• TOEFL iBT (or IELTS) Results sent from testing agency.• Writing Samples, Research Papers, Portfolio, Other• Curriculum Vitae or Resume• Financial Aid Form and Documents as Proof• Interview• Common app for undergraduates

What to Study

Life and FamilySkills and KnowledgeEmployment / ExperiencesNetworkDegrees or Certification

Achieving Your Long-Term Goals

Gain your degree from a U.S. institution.Degree Options in the U.S.

UNDERGRADUATE• Bachelor: 4-year college or university• Bachelor: 2+2 Plan (attend community

college first)• Bachelor: Transfer into a U.S. college from

Egypt• Associates (2 year degree): nursing,

radiology, auto, tourism, air traffic control, hospitality, culinary, etc.

GRADUATE• Masters• PhD• Professional

Study in the U.S. while attaining your degree from Egypt.Non-Degree Seeking Options in the U.S.

• Exchange Programs through the U.S. Embassy or your Egyptian University (UGRAD-SUSI-MEPI)

• Artistic Training • English Language Intensive (ELI)• Summer Study Program• Study abroad programs from an Egyptian

University• Study Abroad program from an Egyptian

university

Your choice of majors and concentrations are endless.Study Outside the Box

• Arts, Entertainment and Media Management

• Peace and Conflict Studies• Diving Business and Technology• Theme Park Engineering• Women and Gender Studies• Dance and Music Ethnology• Game Design and Mobile Media

Programming• Decision Sciences• Athletic Training or Coaching • High Performance Motorsports• Design-Your-Own Major

Where to Study

Remember that you havethousands of quality gradschools to choose from…

Hawaii to New Hampshire

Big Cities and Small Towns

The environment can change everything.Types of Institutions in the U.S.

• Liberal Arts Colleges• Research Universities: Private and

Public• Regional Public Universities • Community Colleges • Women’s Colleges• Institutes of Technology and

Polytechnics• Academies of Arts and Design• HBCUs• Work Colleges• Online/Distance and Combined

Programs• Professional Schools:

Law, Medical, Journalism, Pharmacy, Business, Veterinary and Dental• And more!

What are you looking for… Academically?

What are you looking for… Personally?

What are you looking for… Financially?

Start by figuring out your budget.The Truth About Undergraduate Funding

3%

80%

17%Academic and Talent Scholarships, Work Study, Tuition waivers and Discounts.

US COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

U.S. Government, Corporations, Foundations, Egyptian sources.

OTHER SOURCES

Family contributions and Personal savings.

PERSONAL FUNDING

The nation’s oldest schools, with prestigious reputations and high selectivity.

• Cornell 16%• Brown 9%• Yale 7%• Princeton 8%• Harvard 6%• Dartmouth 10%• Columbia 7%• Penn 12%

“Full-Need-Met” Schools / Ivy League

Always remember that finding your “Best Fit” is more important than ranking.Other Need-Based Aid Universities

• Stanford 6%• University of Chicago

13%• MIT 8%• Duke 13%• CalTech 11%• Johns Hopkins 17%• Northwestern 13%• Washington University

in St. Louis 16%• Bates College 24%• Hamilton College 27%

Assess your personal/family contribution. Find programs that fit your budget.Lower Tuition Options in the U.S.

• Tuition Waivers• Delta State University• Minot State University• Wayne State College• Northern State University• City University of New York• Dickinson State University• Midwestern State University• West Texas A&M University• Bemidji State University• The Ohio State University: Chilli-

coth• University of Michigan: Flint• Community College 2+2 plan

Where merit-based aid is most common, goes to more students.Merit-Based Scholarship Schools

• Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture (AZ)

• Webb Institute (NY)• Cooper Union (NY)• Hillsdale College (MI)• Furman University (SC)• Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering

(MA)• Denison University (OH)• Trinity University (TX)• Samford University (AL)• Briar Cliff University (IO)• University of Nevada – Reno (NV)• Thousands more…

Where merit-based aid includes full or nearly full tuition.Merit-Based Scholarship Schools

• Boston College (MA)• College of William and Mary (VA)• Duke University (NC)• Kenyon College (OH)• New York University (NY)• University of Miami (FL)• University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill

(NC)• University of Oregon (OR)• University of Southern California (CA)• University of Virginia (VA)• Vanderbilt University (TN)• Many more…

Financing Your Education - Undergraduate

Need-Based Financial AidTuition = $49,000Living = $11,000Total = $60,000Subtract…Amount you can pay = $9,000Equals…Award Package = $51,000

Merit-Based ScholarshipsTuition = $46,000Living = $12,000Total = $58,000Subtract…Average Award = $55,000Equals…Projected Cost = $3,000

What if the U.S. college or university does not provide funding?External Funding for U.S. Degrees

• Amideast (MEPI)• IIE – Cairo (Step)• Misr ElKher• Onsi Sawiris Scholarship • Ministries of Education/Fi-

nance• Search engines via Educa-

tionUSA

Strategies for Getting In Selective Schools

• Consistently High Grades – All A’s / Excellent with honors• Advanced coursework (AP, IG, IB) • Overall GPA 3.6 - 4.2 or 95-100%• Class Rank – Top 5-10%• SAT 2200, subject 600 /GRE verbal 165, quant. 155 /GMAT

720• TOEFL 110+ or years of study in English• Powerful essay, letters of rec, and work samples• Activities, Projects, Relevant Work Experience • Commitment to the field and/or your country• Apply Early (early decision or early action)• Passion, Maturity and Flexibility• The First or The Only

Institution

Academic Personal Financial Application Details

Universi

ty A• 65% admitted• Flexible program• New lab facility

opening in 2016

• Great city• Free Trips• Laid backatmosphere

• Low total cost

• No aid• $8,000 projected

net cost

• Rolling Deadline• No tests• E-mailed

Universi

ty B• Only 7%

admitted• High ranking

• Laptop/Wifi• Near beach• Values • Adventurous spirit

• High cost• Scholarships• $8-18,000

projected net cost

• Deadline 11/1•SAT required &TOEFL 85

Universi

ty C• 48% admitted• Unique classes

• Arab music club• Quiet town• Global Citizen

• Medium cost• Guaranteed

academic scholarship

• $7,000 projected net cost

• Deadline 1/1• SAT or TOEFL

Chart Your Options

Undergraduate: Things to Consider

• What are the admission requirements?• What is the average GPA/Test Scores• Extracurricular Activities/Community

Service• Two Models: Few, fully-funded students

VS Many, partially-funded students• Sports (Athletic Scholarships)• Does your personality fit the campus

profile?• Could you consider an academic

degree instead of a professional track?• Facilities: (Writing Center, Career

Advising Center, Library, Studios, etc)

What Are They Looking For?

Head of the Class

Academic Excellence Over the Years

Active Outside the Classroom

Developed and Documented Talents

Strong English Proficiency

Fantastic Essay Writing Ability

Bright Character, Passionate, Mature, Independent, Professional, Goal-driven

Full Research of which Colleges and Universities are ‘Best Fits’ not Rank

How to Apply

Start the process early.First Steps Toward a Winning Application

Know Your Academic

History and Career Goals

Contact Admissions Officers or Professors

Register and Take

Tests

Your high school or university in Egypt must send official, original documents. You may have to have them translated and evaluated.

ACADEMIC RECORDSEach university program sets their own requirements, so be sure you are taking the correct test. AMIDEAST offers prep courses.

STANDARDIZED TESTSEnglish proficiency will be important unless you are going for an English Intensive program. Can be waved in some cases.

TOEFL IBT

Make a great first impression.Putting Together a Winning Application

• Give yourself enough time: a year or more ideally. Most applications will be due December-January.

• Apply to 5-10 universities, varying in selectivity.

• Never do just the minimum or the average.

• Use consistent version of name; match passport.

• Double-check deadlines and instructions.• Communicate with the International

Admissions Office or Department to make sure you have all your documents ready before the deadlines.

• Be professional… in all correspondence.• Don’t leave holes in your application

form.

Take your research seriously. You have many free tools to help.Search Tools and Resources

Global network of centers and thorough website/app.

EDUCATION USA

AMIDEASTInformation on testing, test prep, and fields of study.

U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORTUnofficial rankings for graduate programs in the United States.

PETERSONSFantastic tools and resources for graduate study, incl. GRE.CHAEDatabase of accredited American education institutions.

NACESInformation on credential evaluation.

NUMBEO, FOREIGN CREDITS, ETC. Cost of Living comparison, GPA calculator, and more.

Our Facebook CommunityStudy USA -Egypt

www.youtube.com/EducationUSATV

@EducationUSAEG

Thank you and Good Luck!

EducationUSAcairo@amideast.orgrg

19263

Q&AAsk your questions about Study in the USA.