- The document is a transcript of an online chat about choosing and applying to schools in the United States. - A representative from SUNY Plattsburgh answers questions about their programs, transferring credits, scholarships, requirements for international students, and the application process. - Additional questions cover differences between public and private universities, costs, work opportunities for international students, application deadlines, and prerequisites for certain fields of study.

1. Choosing A School
Catrillia Young – SUNY Plattsburg
Email: cat.young@plattsburgh.edu
Website: www.plattsburgh.edu
January 10, 2010 -- 7am – 8 am
Q: Do you give credit to CIE-A-level
A: Yes, we do offer transfer credit for A-level exams.
Q: This is Lynette working with Sennane from Kenya. Do you have Engineering programs at Plattsburgh
and
A: No, we don't have engineering programs at Plattsburgh, but there are many other State University of
New York institutions that do.
Q: is their a big different between south and north us universities
A: Hello Ali. Thanks for your question. The differences between institutions in the U.S. can be very
great even within the same city. The differences regionally can be most obviously explained by the kinds
of weather they receive, but in reality the campus location, size of campus, type of institution, and many
other factors are important to consider and will vary dramatically from school to school.
Q: what are some of the main advantages of studying in the US over home institutions?
A: At US institutions you have the chance to study many different topics. You also get to participate in
clubs and organizations on campus that are not always related to your studies such as sports or music.
Q: What are the opportunities that I have to study in US with a scholarship?
A: Over 900 institutions in the US offer significant amounts of merit or need based aid. You may want to
contact an advising center near you for more assistance in finding one that best fits your needs.
Q: What should be take into consideration when choosing a graduate course in the US?
A: Hello Marta, this session is focused mainly on the factors used for choosing an undergraduate school.
On Wednesday this week at this same time 7am eastern US, we will have a session specifically on
Selecting the Right Graduate School. Please come back then--
http://edusaconnects.acrobat.com/researchchoices
Q: I'm Peruvian. ok, but I know that I have to take the TOELF
A: We require students to show proof of English, but there are many ways to do this. You can take
TOEFL or IELTS. You can also show proof that you attended an institution instructed in English. We
review your academic background to determine whether or not you need to take TOEFL.

2. Q: People say that it is a good idea to start searching for a University by visiting web sites, do you thing is
a good idea?
A: Yes, it is very important to visit many different university websites. They offer you a lot of good
information about the size of the institution, the cost, the type of students that attend, the majors, and
so much more. By visiting the websites you will see what options are available to you.
Q: hey this is ujjawaal from nepal.do u have any scholarship for MBA?
A: Hello Ujjawal. This session is focusing on how to choose a school that's right for you at the
undergraduate level. On Wednesday, we will have a session on Selecting the Right Graduate School.
Check our schedule of upcoming events at: http://www.educationusa.info/edusa_connects
Q: This is Jesus. Could you say about PhD of food science in your University
A: No, we focus on undergraduate education, so we do not offer PhD programs. However, there are
many other State University of New York institutions that do have PhD programs.
Q: have the possibility to live into one family as host can reduce the amount of your financial proof?
A: Yes, this is possible, however, we do not have a program that helps students meet host families.
There are some colleges and universities that help students find host families to live with, but students
at SUNY Plattsburgh usually meet them after they arrive and live on campus for one year.
Q: I want to study a graduate program in the US, and I need to know about the application
A: Welcome Romina. On Wednesday, we will have a speaker talking about exactly that question--
Selecting the Right Graduate Program. That session will be at this same time 7am eastern US, in this
same meeting room: http://edusaconnects.acrobat.com/researchchoices
Q: Can I apply at a college even though I have graduated in my country.
A: Do you mean that you have a bachelor's degree and wish to get another on in the US? If so, yes, but it
must for a different major.
Q: What is the deadline for application
A: If you are interested in fall 2011, we encourage you to apply by April 1. We accept applications after
April 1, but only until we have no more seats available for fall 2011.
Q: hello, i would like to know how can i get into a USA university
A: The first step is to research your choices and find schools that best fit your needs.
Q: other than the universities websites, where else can we look for information, and what other
information should we be looking for?
A: Hello Emily,

3. Q: Is taking biology in High school compulsory to study genetic engineering?
A: It depends on your situation. Yes, you do need biology, however, if you attended a school that made
you choose a specific area of study and you did not get to study biology, you might still be able to apply
to colleges and universities in the US without it. When you start preparing applications you should
contact the admissions counselors to find out what each school requires.
A: There are some great resources on our EducationUSA site for students that provide search engines to
allow students to narrow down the list of schools they might apply to:
http://www.educationusa.info/pages/students/search.php Please check them out.
Q: i want to get admission in winter 2013. when should i apply?
A: If you would like to attend college or university in January 2013 you should apply in August or
September of 2012. There are some schools that might accept your application earlier, but you should
contact the schools you wish to apply to directly for more information.
Q: Can I apply at a college even though I have graduated in my country.
A: Yes - it will depend on your personal and academic goals when choosing a school and program to
apply.
Q: My major is in chemical engineering and I would like to study Japanese now
A: Ok. Changing majors is common in the US.
Q: is there an exam that i have to do here in brazil ?
A: Hello Luisa. Thanks for your question. Depending on what you want to study and what level of study
(undergraduate, graduate) there are usually one or more standardized tests that would be required.
Check in with our EducationUSA Advising Centers in Brazil for more direct assistance:
http://www.educationusa.info/Brazil
Q: Can an international student apply for work studies directly. my preoccupation s to reduce costs
A: Usually, you wait until you arrive on campus and take a look at what jobs are available. Then, you
apply for different positions and see where you can actually get a job. If you want to work off campus
you must have special permission. Usually, students earn some spending money working on campus.
This means you would earn money for books or small expenses, but not enough to pay your tuition.
Q: what do i have to study for apply to an university?
A: Hello Luisa. What you study as a pre-requisite for university will sometimes depend on the subject
you wish to study, but the good news is, that if you meet your country's standards for secondary school
completion (pre-university) then most US institutions will consider that the equivalent in terms of course
requirements.

4. Q: how many trimesters or semesters are there per year? And what are the deadlines for the
applications during the year?
A: Hello Evelyn. Trimesters break the academic year down into three sections, usually for three-four
months. Semesters are typically the Fall & Spring terms of our academic calendar here in the U.S. Fall =
August to December/ Spring = January - May
Q: how difficult is to a Brazilian get a graduate in any university of USA
A: Difficulty will not depend on your nationality. Important factors will include your personal/academic
goals and hard work....
Q: what is the main difference between 4 year public and 4 year private colleges?
A: A public institution receives money from the government. They also have certain rules that they must
follow. A private college receives funding from sources other than the government. They do not have to
follow the same rules as public colleges.
Q: can international student get part-time job i?
A: current immigration regulations allow international students to work part time up to 20 hours per
week. In addition, Optional Practical Training is available for up to 12 months (29 months for STEM
students) in an internship related to your academic field.
Q: Is taking biology in High school compulsory to study genetic engineering?
A: Great question, Sujan. At the undergraduate level for admission to engineering programs typically
what is more important is that a student has taken four years of math and four years of science courses
(or their equivalent) in his/her secondary school. For specific subjects like genetic engineering, it
certainly would not hurt to have biology as one of those four years.
Q: I just want to know if I can do a second Master because I already have one
A: Yes, you can do another master's program, but it should probably be in a different subject area. I
would encourage you to contact the schools you are considering so that they can help you in advance.
Q: my marks in high school will be useful to USA universities?
A: If you have attended a college or university for one year or more you probably don't need to submit
your high school marks. If you have only attended high school then you definitely need to submit your
high school marks.
Q: thank Cat Young. I have a mater degree in Communication and I really want to do another master in
sociology
A: You can do a second master's program in sociology.

5. Q: what is the main factor to get top schools in US for MBBS?
A: Hi, what kind of program is an MBBS?
Q: when and where should I report on how to the exams and what they are?
A: Usually, there is space on your application to tell each college or university what exams you took and
when you took them. You will probably need to provide official results, however, in order to complete
your application.
Q: Thanks Martin, and how about the applications, are they twice per year or 3 times per year?
A: You should check with each school as they may have different times per year to apply.
Q: but the problem is that i don't know what exams i have to attend in order to go to an USA college
A: Usually, you must take an English proficiency exam like TOEFL iBT or IELTS. This will show colleges and
universities what level of English you have. If you are a high school student you may want to take the
SAT, too. You must contact the colleges or universities that interest you in order to know what exams
they require.
Q: and i would like to know too, what are the applications and what i have to do? Because i don't have
information here. thanks
A: Some schools have an application that you can find on their websites. It is an application that is only
for their institution. There are other schools that use what is called a Common Application. This means
you can apply to more than one school using the same application.
Q: should college rankings (both for subjects and overall) be a factor in choosing a college?
A: There is no official system in the US to rank institutions. Rather, you should look at institutions with
strong reputations for their faculty, resources, and so on related to your chosen academic field.
Q: my daughter is a junior but wants to begin the application process now; is it too early? i think so
because her final transcripts are not available but she insists she wants them to see her enthusiasm and
interest.
A: It is probably too early to apply right now. I would encourage your daughter to contact the schools
she is interested in now so that she feels like she is being more active in her college search. This will also
help her narrow down the schools she is most interested in. She can apply even before she has her final
transcript, but probably at the beginning of her senior year, not right now.
Q: besides the exams is there anything else that i have to do?
A: You will need to submit your official marks, maybe a recommendation letter from a teacher, an essay
about why you want to attend college, and other things that would be listed on each application.

6. Q: What I would like to now is if I get admitted will my husband get a visa too?
A: If you are applying for an F-1 visa your husband can apply for an F-2 visa. I would encourage you to
contact your local EducationUSA office to get more guidance on how to prepare for the visa interview
once you are admitted to a college or university in the US.
Q: i noticed some schools now offer online classes for high school students. are these credits included in
the transcripts for students? are these online schools reputable?
A: When considering online classes you should make sure that they are being offered from accredited
institutions. If so, yes, they can be very helpful and you would want to include them along with any
other academic records.
Q: What do you mean my midyear report?
A: A midyear report is an explanation of how well you are doing during your last year of high school.
Q: my daughter does not test well but Kaplan and all these test taking places are too expensive and the
teachers in the afterschool program leave at 5. Are good grades the ultimate status when colleges look
at students grades? what about their extracurricular activity. She wants to attend college but i am
thinking a jr. college may be best for the first two years so she can get acclimated to the environment.
A: Admissions may look at many factors and not only test scores. It is important to have a well-rounded
application. Choosing a 2 year community college before transferring to a 4 year institutions is a good
option.
Q: Is the essay or the recommendation letter a requisite, even when not mentioned in the college’s
website???
A: Some schools do not require an essay or recommendation letter. It is usually listed on the application
if they do require it. If you are worried you can always contact the admissions office to find out for sure.
Q: do i have to go to usa for to the application?
A: No, you can visit the websites of colleges and universities to get the applications online.
Q: can we get a transcript of this chat?
A: Yes, a transcript will be available at: http://www.educationusa.info/edusa_connects tomorrow
Q: Is it usually a good idea to try to apply for 2 colleges instead of just one? In case the first one is full or
something...
A: I would encourage you to apply to more than one college or university. You might want to make a list
of your top 8 schools and then apply to 5.
Q: what factors are considered for the American Universities ranking?

7. A: There is no official system to rank US colleges and universities. Students choose schools that best fit
their own needs.