Applying to U.S. Universities
Description
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About this course: “It depends.” That is what you’ll hear when asking about the U.S. university admission process. With over 4,000 universities in the United States and no standard application system, the U.S. admission process can be confusing for everyone, but especially for students applying from other countries. This course will help international students (non-U.S. citizens) and non-native English speakers navigate the U.S. university admission process by offering practical information about the documents and pieces that make up a U.S. university application. More importantly, admission officers will discuss how they use those pieces to decide who is accepted and who is denied, so …
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When you enroll for courses through Coursera you get to choose for a paid plan or for a free plan .
- Free plan: No certicification and/or audit only. You will have access to all course materials except graded items.
- Paid plan: Commit to earning a Certificate—it's a trusted, shareable way to showcase your new skills.
About this course: “It depends.” That is what you’ll hear when asking about the U.S. university admission process. With over 4,000 universities in the United States and no standard application system, the U.S. admission process can be confusing for everyone, but especially for students applying from other countries. This course will help international students (non-U.S. citizens) and non-native English speakers navigate the U.S. university admission process by offering practical information about the documents and pieces that make up a U.S. university application. More importantly, admission officers will discuss how they use those pieces to decide who is accepted and who is denied, so that you can understand the process beyond the pieces. By the end of this course, you will understand application basics that include researching schools, creating a school list, and establishing an application plan. This course will not answer all of your application questions, but it will teach you to ask the right questions of yourself and the universities. Ultimately, you will have all the information you need to start your process the right way, putting you on the path to acceptance. * Please note, while the English Language Programs are part of the University of Pennsylvania, this is not a course about applying to Penn. Furthermore, this course is intended for international students educated in the national curriculum of their country. While other students are welcome to enroll, the course is not intended for American students or students studying in an American, International Baccalaureate, or Advanced Placement curriculum. The course is also intended for students who do not have access to university counseling – if you attend a school that offers university counseling, your counselor is the best source of information on applying to university. Finally, this course is for undergraduate (Bachelors degree) freshmen (students who have not attended any university) applicants. Undergraduate transfer applicants, students who have attended a university, will find some of the information helpful, but graduate (Masters and Doctoral) applicants will not.
Created by: University of Pennsylvania-
Taught by: Erick Hyde, University Connection Counseling Specialist
English Language Programs
每门课程都像是一本互动的教科书,具有预先录制的视频、测验和项目。
来自同学的帮助与其他成千上万的学生相联系,对想法进行辩论,讨论课程材料,并寻求帮助来掌握概念。
University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (commonly referred to as Penn) is a private university, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. A member of the Ivy League, Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States, and considers itself to be the first university in the United States with both undergraduate and graduate studies.Syllabus
WEEK 1
The U.S. Admissions Process
The first step to studying in the USA is to understand the application and admissions process in the U.S. How to apply to colleges and universities in the U.S. is probably very different than the university admissions process in your home country. One big difference is the importance of “fit,” and how fit plays a different role among the 4,000+ U.S. colleges and universities. In this module, you will begin to learn about the U.S. admissions process, including how schools evaluate international applications, U.S. college admission requirements, and how schools decide who to accept (it is not all about SAT or ACT scores like many students think). You will also begin to explore yourself so that you can look beyond the "top" colleges and universities to identify schools based on “fit,” a big step toward being accepted into U.S. colleges and universities.
13 videos, 7 readings, 1 practice quiz expand
- Video: Introduction to the Course
- 阅读: FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
- Video: The Realities of Admission: Understanding Options
- Video: The Realities of Admission: Understanding Timing
- Video: The Admissions Process and the Course
- Video: Eight Pieces & Two Questions
- Video: Being the "Best"
- 阅读: Thoughts on College Rankings
- Video: The Second Question
- Video: Different Universities Evaluate Differently
- 阅读: "What It Takes” by Ivan Maisel
- 阅读: The Selection Process: Online Resources
- Video: Purdue University
- Video: Montgomery County Community College
- Video: Rhodes College
- Video: Santa Clara University
- Video: University of Pennsylvania
- 阅读: Connect with Our Partner Schools
- 阅读: Suggested Readings
- 阅读: Instructions for Self-Assessment Quiz 1: Personal Qualities
- 练习测验: Assessment Quiz: Personal Qualities
WEEK 2
Self-Assessment
The most important part of your college application is you. Before you apply to any U.S. universities, you have to know yourself – likes, dislikes, strengths, and weaknesses. Once you know yourself, you can look at your application the way a U.S. admissions counselor will look at your application. In this module you will learn how to use self-assessment to examine your application, identifying strengths and weaknesses in both your academic and non-academic qualifications. You will also learn about EducationUSA, a college admissions assistance resource located in your home country.
12 videos, 7 readings, 1 practice quiz expand
- Video: Importance of Self-Assessment
- Video: Personal Strengths
- 阅读: "5I's" by Eric Furda
- Video: Study Preferences
- 阅读: "4C's" by Eric Furda
- Video: Academic Qualifications Part 1
- Video: Academic Qualifications: Testing
- 阅读: Notes on Practice Materials and the New SAT
- Video: Non-Academic Qualifications
- Video: Connecting You with Universities
- 阅读: "5 College Admission Mistakes International Students Can Avoid" by Amy Rader Kice
- Video: EducationUSA: A U.S. State Department Supported Network
- Video: EducationUSA Interview Part 1
- Video: EducationUSA Interview Part 2
- Video: EducationUSA Interview Part 3
- Video: EducationUSA Interview Part 4
- 阅读: EducationUSA Resource
- 阅读: Additional Resources
- 阅读: Instructions for Self-Assessment Quiz 2: Academic Preferences
- 练习测验: Assessment Quiz: Academic Preferences
WEEK 3
Research & Planning
It is time to use what you learned about yourself to start the college search and find the schools where you will apply. With 4,000+ colleges and universities in the U.S., picking the right schools for you takes time and strategy. This module will focus on three areas: (1) conducting your research, (2) building your school list, and (3) creating your college application plan. To accomplish these goals you will learn everything from application deadlines to where you can research schools to what the information means and how to use that information to better ensure your success.
18 videos, 8 readings expand
- Video: Beginning Your Research
- Video: Building Your School List
- 阅读: "Aligning Your Interests With Your College List" by Eric Furda
- Video: Level 1 Research: What You Want
- Video: Level 1 Research: What is Realistic
- Video: Level 1 Research: Understanding Your Findings
- 阅读: Digging Deeper Into Acceptance Rates
- Video: Level 1 Research: Additional Options
- 阅读: Additional Research Resources
- Video: Level 2 Research
- Video: Level 3 Research
- Video: Demonstrated Interest
- Video: Identifying Reach, Target, and Safety
- 阅读: Articles About the School List
- Video: Understanding Deadlines
- 阅读: Early Admission/Decision Statistics
- Video: Creating a Plan
- 阅读: Suggested Reading
- Video: Financial Aid, Part 1: Cost of a U.S. Education
- Video: Financial Aid, Part 2: Need-Based Aid
- Video: Financial Aid, Part 3: Merit-Based Aid
- Video: Financial Aid, Part 4: Other Types of Funding
- Video: Financial Aid, Part 5: The Realities of Available Funding
- Video: Financial Aid, Part 6: Need Blind vs. Need Aware
- 阅读: Financial Aid Resources
- 阅读: Exchange Programs and Scholarships
WEEK 4
The Pieces of Your Application
Your college “application” is made up of eight individual pieces, including essays, letter(s) of recommendation, test/exam scores (SAT, ACT, TOEFL, & IELTS), and more. In this module you will understand how each piece is viewed individually along with how that piece fulfills admission requirements and contributes to your application as a whole. We will also discuss how to submit the pieces of your application, as well as the timing related to each piece. Understanding the pieces of your application, along with the admission requirements, will help you assemble a stronger application overall.
12 videos, 14 readings, 2 practice quizzes expand
- Video: The Application Piece-by-Piece
- Video: The First Piece: The Application Form
- 阅读: Application Tips & Notes
- Video: Academic Documents Part 1
- 阅读: Understanding Document Requirements
- Video: Academic Documents Part 2
- Video: Test Scores: ACT & SAT
- 阅读: Testing Data and Information Resources
- Video: English Language Proficiency Tests: TOEFL & IELTS
- 阅读: "That Time I Took the TOEFL" by Meghan McHale
- Video: Essays
- 阅读: "Writing the Essay: Sound Advice from an Expert" by Parke Muth
- 阅读: An Essay Should...
- Video: Letters of Recommendation
- 阅读: "Writing Recommendations" by MIT Admissions
- Video: School Forms
- Video: Activity List & Résumé
- Video: Other Requirements
- 阅读: "Interviews" by The College Board
- Video: Connecting Themes
- 阅读: Essay Resources
- 阅读: Letter of Recommendation Resources
- 阅读: School Forms Resources
- 阅读: Activity List Resources
- 阅读: Suggested Reading
- 阅读: Instructions for Self-Assessment Quiz: Application Planning
- 练习测验: Assessment Quiz: Application Planning
- 练习测验: Final Examination
WEEK 5
Admission Officials Interview Series
While these interviews might be long, this information is some of the most valuable in the course. Throughout the course you have learned that U.S. colleges and universities are all different – different environments, different personalities, and different admission processes. In this module you will hear directly from admission counselors at five schools so that you can see the similarities and differences for yourself. These five schools are from across the U.S. and range from small to large, highly selective to open admission, research focused to liberal arts, and more. The previous parts of the course taught you the theories of U.S. admission, in these interviews you will learn the actual practice from the people who make the admission decisions.
24 videos, 5 readings expand
- Video: Part 1: Getting to Know You
- Video: Part 2: The Application & Evaluation Processes
- Video: Part 3: Piece-by-Piece Evaluation
- Video: Part 4: Additional Information & Advice
- 阅读: Connect with Montgomery County Community College
- Video: Part 1: Getting to Know You
- Video: Part 2: The Application Process
- Video: Part 3: The Evaluation Processes
- Video: Part 4: Piece-by-Piece Evaluation
- Video: Part 5: Additional Information & Advice
- 阅读: Connect with Purdue University
- Video: Part 1: Getting to Know You
- Video: Part 2: The Application Process
- Video: Part 3: The Evaluation Processes
- Video: Part 4: Piece-by-Piece Evaluation
- Video: Part 5: Additional Information & Advice
- 阅读: Connect with Rhodes College
- Video: Part 1: Getting to Know You
- Video: Part 2: The Application Process
- Video: Part 3: The Evaluation Processes
- Video: Part 4: Piece-by-Piece Evaluation
- Video: Part 5: Additional Information & Advice
- 阅读: Connect with Santa Clara University
- Video: Part 1: Getting to Know You
- Video: Part 2: The Application Process
- Video: Part 3: The Evaluation Processes
- Video: Part 4: Piece-by-Piece Evaluation
- Video: Part 5: Additional Information & Advice
- 阅读: Connect with University of Pennsylvania
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