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by Molly Roza, AAEC Program Assistant
It's what you’ve been dreaming of since the day you mailed that fat envelope bulging with references and essays, qualifications and hope. Someday, you prayed, you would be accepted at one of the fine institutions to which you applied. Someday, another fat envelope* would appear in your mailbox, and you’d open it and discover that you had been accepted somewhere.

Well, it happened (if it didn’t happen, my condolences and we’ll talk about your situation in the next post.) The fat envelope has arrived. In fact, several fat envelopes have arrived, and with their arrival you realize, once again, that your journey isn’t over yet, and that acceptance is not the end of the college selection process.

Now, you have to choose between a number of options. If you’re indecisive, like me, this could be pure torture. Here are some strategies that might help you pick the clear winner.

• Get a ‘Feel’ for the Place

Unless you happen to be visiting the US, it’s unlikely that you’ll get the chance to check out the campus in person. You’re probably quite familiar with the college’s official website by now, but you might check if they have a pinterest account—the many pictures posted on pinterest boards can give you a better idea what the place looks like. You might also visit student review sites, like http://www.collegeconfidential.com/ and http://www.studentsreview.com/. Remember, though, that these sites can attract trolls (I noticed that some male ‘alumni’ posted negative comments about the women’s college I attended) and that people who hate something are often motivated to seek out venues where they can complain about it.

• Contact Professors and other Resources

If you’re a graduate student, or are passionately interested in a particular field, try writing to a few professors at each school. Describe your academic interests and ask about any research opportunities and why (if) they feel that the school is a good choice for someone with your interests. You can also try writing to the school's international office to ask about the services they offer to international students.

• Compare

I made a big table and compared all of the universities to which I was accepted. Here‘s a sample:

In the end, the decision may be a financial one: the total cost, after subtracting any tuition waivers or assistantships.
In my case, I only applied to quality schools, and I was pretty sure that I could be happy at any of them, so I picked one that gave me a great financial aid package. I’m happy with my decision—I loved my school, and felt that it was an excellent value. Not only did I save money, but I also went to a university that used its financial resources to prove that they wanted me on campus! Finally, remember that the cost of living is much higher in major cities than in small towns and rural areas, and that the Northeast, especially New York City, and California are particularly expensive.

This is the last major hurdle in the 'selection' part of your college journey! Good luck and remember, there is no one perfect university for everyone, and that most people would be happy at any number of American universities. Just compare the schools, look at your finances, and pick the one where you feel like you belong.

* A note on the 'fat envelope'-- among American high school students, it's widely believed that a fat envelope from a university signifies acceptance, while a skinny envelope (which presumably contains nothing but a piece of paper telling you that you weren't accepted) connotes rejection.

UG: Daemen College Merit Scholarships and Grants

UG: Florida Institute of Technology Academic and Transfer Scholarships

Grad: Hawaii Pacific University Academic Scholarships

Grad/Postgrad: Cornell University Fellowships

DAEMEN COLLEGE MERIT SCHOLARSHIPS AND GRANTS

Daemen College offers three different merit scholarships to freshmen and transfer students. The Trustee’s Scholarship is a full tuition scholarship awarded to freshmen of the highest caliber. The President’s Scholarship ($7,000-$10,000) and Dean’s Scholarship ($5,000-$7,000) are awarded annually to freshmen or transfer students of proven academic ability.
For more information, please visit: http://bit.ly/Hpi3bd

FLORIDA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY ACADEMIC AND TRANSFER SCHOLARSHIPS

Academic scholarships are available through the Office of Admission. Scholarships are awarded to students with very strong secondary school grades. Scholarships may be available to qualified students regardless of country of citizenship. Scholarships range from $5,000 to $12,000 per year and are awarded automatically at the time of admission. These scholarships are only awarded to students with no prior community college or university course work. Those students having attended, or who are currently attending, a community college or university may be eligible for a Transfer Scholarship of $8,000 per year ($4,000 per semester) until graduation.
For more information, please visit: http://bit.ly/H2LyAk

HAWAII PACIFIC UNIVERSITY ACADEMIC SCHOLARSHIPS

Hawai’i Pacific University awards a limited number of graduate scholarships each fall and spring semesters to new graduate students. These scholarships are available for 2 years, as long as the student is in good standing and maintains a 3.0 GPA. There are three different scholarships available: Trustee’s Scholarship ($6,000/year); Dean’s Scholarship ($4,000/year); and Graduate Kokua Scholarship ($2,000/year).
For more information, please visit: http://bit.ly/H1zCxi

CORNELL UNIVERSITY FELLOWSHIPS

Approximately 20 percent of our doctoral students studying on campus receive Cornell University Fellowships (referred to as Sage Fellowships or Cornell Fellowships depending on the field of study). These fellowships typically include full tuition, a nine-month stipend, and Cornell individual student health insurance. A summer stipend may also be provided to students. The graduate field to which you are applying will consider your eligibility for fellowships based on your application; no additional information is required.
For more information, please visit: http://bit.ly/H1JK5C

• get an internship: this will allow you to get a taste of what your field looks like from a professional perspective, and you might make valuable job contacts for when you return.
• work in your field: a year of job experience will likely give you valuable skills and connections.
• travel abroad: you can work, volunteer, or learn a language abroad.
• start an Austrian masters degree: when you return from the US with a masters degree, you can finish your Austrian masters. Try a degree in a different, but complementary field.
• learn a new language, or take a language you've already learned to the next level!
• develop marketable or fulfilling skills: learn a computer programming language, or become an Excel wizard.
• volunteer! There are many great organizations in Austria where you can volunteer, often in a way that allows you to use your special skills. For example, if you're an engineering student, lots of poor kids need volunteer math tutors...  American Fulbright grantees have volunteered at Backbone, Caritas Lerncafes and Mädchenzentrum, and other organizations.
• You can combine most of the above options with a regular full or part-time job too, in case you need to, you know, pay for food and rent and boring stuff like that.

Here is the weekly round-up of great scholarships open to international students!

UG: St. Catherine University Scholarships for Undergraduate Women
UG: Randolph College Merit Scholarships
UG/Grad: Georgia College International Graduate Assistantships
Grad/Postgrad: Rice University President's Graduate Fellowships

ST. CATHERINE UNIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIPS FOR UNDERGRADUATE WOMEN
Our largest scholarship is approximately $18,500 per year. We also award on-campus jobs valued at $2,500 to international students. The remaining expenses could be as low as $19,500 per year for students who receive one of our highest scholarships. Scholarships are awarded based on academic merit and financial need. Please contact Aimee Thostenson at aethostenson@stkate.edu with any questions or concerns.
For more information, please visit: http://bit.ly/zjoe56

RANDOLPH COLLEGE MERIT SCHOLARSHIPS
Randolph College offers a number of scholarships, the first and most prestigious being the Presidential Scholars Program. Presidential Scholars have a wide variety of achievements and aspirations. The characteristics they have in common include academic strength, focus, and the desire to be inspired through the process of learning and challenge. They are leaders, scholars, and good citizens. Students are eligible for academic scholarships upon submission of their application for admission. Academic scholarships range from $2,000 to $18,000. They’re awarded based on a variety of factors, including SAT scores and GPA. These awards are renewed annually based on academic performance. Your application for admission serves as your application for an academic scholarship.
For more information, please visit: http://bit.ly/ApomFE

GEORGIA COLLEGE INTERNATIONAL GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIPS
Georgia College is happy to announce that 10-15 International Graduate Assistantships will be available for Fall 2012. The International Graduate Assistantship will waive approximately $13,000 of tuition per year in exchange for 10 hours of work per week. The application for the assistantship is found inside of the international graduate application for admission. Applicants for all graduate programs at Georgia College may apply for the assistantship. The application deadline is April 1st.
For more information, please visit: http://bit.ly/zaw9Ry


RICE UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT'S GRADUATE FELLOWSHIPS
The President's Graduate Fellowship Program was established in 2000 to enhance the opportunity to attract the best students to Rice's over thirty graduate programs. These fellowships are for entering graduate students intending to pursue a doctoral degree in the Schools of Engineering, Humanities, Natural Sciences, and Humanities, and graduate degrees in the Schools of Architecture and Music.
For more information, please visit: http://bit.ly/y7KGAI

by Molly Roza, AAEC Program Assistant
At first glance, letters of recommendation may seem like the easiest part of an application. After all, unlike taking a test or writing an application essay, someone else does all the work on a letter of recommendation.

However, if you think that all you have to do to get a good letter of recommendation is relax, then you are sadly mistaken. As with the other parts of your application, getting a good letter of recommendation requires forethought, organization, analysis and planning. Let’s go over the steps you should follow to get excellent letters that will boost your application, rather than ‘eh’ letters that will weaken it.  

Choose The Right Professor
In most cases, you want professors to write your recommendations; unless you’ve been out of school for a long time and the university you’re applying to will accept a reference from your boss. Never submit a letter from a friend or family member—that is really unprofessional and no one will take your application seriously.  

Throughout college, you should try to connect with and cultivate mentoring relationships with professors in your field, because these sorts of meaningful intellectual interactions will likely enhance your study experience. These same people can be valuable resources and reference-writers down the road.

If you’re submitting multiple references, try to choose people who can highlight different strengths; for example, if you’re applying for a German teaching assistantship, try to choose one professor who will extol your German skills and another who has had you as a TA and can gush about your teaching abilities. The goal is to get detailed, relevant, insightful, long letters of recommendation.

A good referent:

• ·         Knows you well: always choose someone you’ve actually worked with over someone with a famous name or impressive title. The writer should ideally have known you for a while (more than one semester), so that he or she can comment on your intellectual growth.
• ·         Likes you: you want a glowing review!
• ·         Is professional: someone who is chronically late or forgetful may well forget to send your letter!
• ·         Is a good writer: poorly-written letters make you look bad.
• ·         Cares: a professor who is invested in you, likes you and wants you to succeed will likely take care with your letter. Someone who doesn’t may make careless mistakes (like re-using a letter from someone else and forgetting to change the name).

Ask For The Letter
Most professors who fit the above profile won’t mind writing you a letter, provided that they aren’t too busy. Ask them nicely, in person, during office hours if possible. If someone turns you down, never push them! That person probably feels that they can’t write you a positive letter.

Give Them The Tools
Once a referent has agreed to write you a letter, make sure that you give them enough time (at least 2 weeks, if possible), as well as the tools to write you a good reference. Give each of your referents a neatly organized folder containing the following items, aka the Professor Packet.


Professor Packet:

• ·         A brief, clear outline detailing the position or program to which you’re applying, why that program, what the position entails, the institution to which you’re applying, due date, address, etc.
• ·          A copy of your personal statement
• ·         A list of relevant courses and courses you took with the professor, including your grades and GPA
• ·         Any major papers you wrote for that professor
• ·         Your professional goals
• ·         Relevant activities you’ve participated in, including service or volunteer work
• ·         Awards or scholarships you have won
• ·         A CV
• ·         Addressed envelopes and stamps, if submitted via ‘snail mail’

Follow Up
You should remind your professor about a week before the reference is due, and be sure to send a thank-you note after the reference has been sent off.

Final Thoughts
Always, always make the reference confidential. If there’s a box to check to make it confidential, check it, because many people reading applications won’t read a reference that isn’t confidential. If you are submitting the reference in paper copy with the rest of your application materials, make sure that the professor gives you the letter in a sealed envelope that is signed over the seal.

Finally, if a professor asks you to write your own letter and he/she will sign it, this is not the great deal it may appear to be. You probably won't be able to write a letter that meets the standard format; admissions officers can often tell when students have writtent their own letters. Try to find another referent who really cares. If you must write your own letter, try to follow the guidelines above.  

With a bit of preparation and organization, you should get excellent letters that complement the rest of your application!

This is the weekly financial aid update, collected by our colleagues at EducationUSA. We are going to post updates every week letting you know about available scholarships hot off the press!

UG: Oregon State University Freshman and Transfer Scholarships
UG: The University of Kentucky Merit Scholarships
Grad: Texas Christian University School of Business Scholarships
Grad: SIT Graduate Institute Intercultural Leadership Awards and Peace Fellowships

OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY FRESHMAN AND TRANSFER SCHOLARSHIPS

Competitive Scholarships are offered to exceptional international freshman and transfer students. Award amounts vary and are renewable for up to four years of undergraduate study with specific renewal requirements to be met by recipients. Students are selected to receive $4,000, $6,000 to $7,000 awards. Minimum eligibility requirements include international Student status, academic achievement 3.5 GPA or greater, meet the English language proficiency requirements for full admission. Conditionally admitted students are ineligible.
For more information, please visit: http://bit.ly/A8g3GZ

THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY MERIT SCHOLARSHIPS

The University of Kentucky is pleased to announce a NEW International Undergraduate Student Scholarship program. Applicants are encouraged to apply for fall of 2012 awards! The candidates will be evaluated on multiple criteria, including their academic background, a potential to positively represent their home country and the University of Kentucky, leadership experience, and other factors. We look forward to welcoming you on our campus!
For more information, please visit: http://bit.ly/AsNjps

TEXAS CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF BUSINESS SCHOLARSHIPS

Application deadline for priority scholarship consideration for international students is March 1st. Scholarship awards range from $25,000-$45,400. General and final application deadline for fall 2012 is April 15, 2012.
For more information, please visit: http://bit.ly/u6MtUv

SIT GRADUATE INSTITUTE INTERCULTURAL LEADERSHIP AWARDS AND PEACE FELLOWSHIPS

The Intercultural Leadership Award was established to recognize students who embody the SIT mission. The $10,000 award is based on a variety of criteria, including financial need, academic merit, professional contribution to the field, community action, organizational affiliation, and educational leadership. Several awards are offered each year, and all graduate students are eligible.
For more information, please visit: http://bit.ly/xZnVMC

by Molly Roza, AAEC Program Assistant
As someone who’s written a lot of application essays, I can honestly say that I’ve felt the pain. The long nights agonizing over what to say, the daily rewrites, the discarded introductions and trite conclusions, the bits of occasionally-helpful advice snatched from friends, parents and professors forced to read the essay... Mostly, though, I remember hating that personal statement and wanting more than anything to be done with it.

However, once I got through that admission essay ‘dark place,’ I realized that the admissions essay is actually a friend in disguise. Consider your application as a whole: you have your transcript (i.e. your grades), test scores, letters of recommendation, a CV, personal essay, and perhaps a language test score.  How many of those things can you directly control, at the time of application? I mean, you can re-format your CV, maybe do some test-prep and retake a test, be nice to professors and give them hints about why you’re awesome, but beyond that, how much influence do you have?

Only your essay is completely under your control. The essay is your chance to explain—did some unusual circumstance affect your grades or force you to leave school? Do you have strange gaps in your CV? Admissions officials will assume that you spent any time not accounted for lying on your mother’s couch, drinking beer and watching re-runs of ‘The Simpsons.’ If you were actually raising a child, paying your way through college, struggling with severe illness, or entering a Buddhist monastery, you should mention that in your essay. Rather than whining about your bad luck, emphasize how your good qualities (perseverance, resilience, etc.) allowed you to overcome obstacles.

The essay is also your chance to connect the dots: if your CV lists that you volunteered in an archive, worked as a nanny for a British nobleman’s children, and trained horses in your spare time, these totally unrelated activities might make you look like a scattered and disjointed person. However, if you explain in your essay that your true passion is the history of polo in the Victorian Era, and that the university to which you are applying has a world-renowned polo historian, you make a lot more sense. Remember, they’ll have your CV, so don’t just list your accomplishments; instead, highlight a few key experiences and show how they’re related. Show the university how the things you’ve done reflect who you are as a person, and how attending the program you’re applying for is the logical next step.

Of course, spelling, grammar, and punctuation are important, because they show that you are conscientious. It’s also vital that you don’t plagiarize or have someone else write your essay, because not only will it fail to reflect your unique personality and to connect your past achievements to your future goals, but also because American universities take cheating extremely seriously. They may well catch you and disqualify your application.

Most of all, remember that, though the essay is hard to write, it’s actually your chance to take control of your application, explain your situation, connect the other parts of the application, and show why you’re a perfect fit for this program.  Good luck!  

Take Control-Explain-Connect-Show!

For some great tips on writing a personal statement, check out this site from UC Berkeley:
http://students.berkeley.edu/apa/personalstatement/index.htm

by Alexandra Enzi, AAEC Austrian Program Officer Since Austrians are not used to having to apply to university to get into the program of their dreams, they are generally not trained to write application essays. As the competition can be fierce you have to make sure to put your best effort into the application essay(s) since they represent who you are, why and what you wish to study in the U.S. and how you are going to achieve it. Here are some vital tips on what to do: Evaluate your education/career so far State goals Explain why you want to continue your education in the U.S. and how you wish to achieve this.

•      Follow instructions carefully
•      Take time to reflect
•      Be yourself -- shouldn’t try to second guess what committee members want to read
•      Be thoughtful-- opportunity to make all the pieces of the application fit together
•      Be clear
•      Talk about experiences, not wishes
•      Have a friend proofread
•      Use spell check

•      Don’t write too many pages
•      Don’t exceed stated word limits
•      Don’t hire someone to write for you or follow a model that you find on the web (plagiarism)
•      Don’t just repeat what is on resume or in application
•      Don’t talk about U.S. having best schools or that this school is the best school