Of course, TOP flagships of higher education in the USA are the universities of the legendary "Ivy League". But according to statistics, only 0.4% of entrants succeed in them - the rest have to choose something less prestigious than Harvard or Yale. Meanwhile, there are about 4,000 universities in the United States, and the first hundred (and not only 8 members of the Ivy League) are prestigious educational institutions that provide quality educational services and prestigious diplomas.
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Boston Universities
Boston is the main and largest city of New England. It has long become a kind of student center the USA, largely due to such giants as Harvard and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). At the same time students of the University in Boston are easily distinguishable from their colleagues from the above institutions, at least due to their bright red and white sweatshirts.
The University of Boston is included in 4% of the best universities in the country, while providing fairly accessible admission conditions. According to statistics, 60% of applicants receive a letter of admission. The pedagogical staff is full of famous names, and even the Nobel laureates freely and openly communicate with all students, share their experience and their knowledge. International relations, psychology and business are considered to be the most popular and demanded specialties.
Among the Boston high schools it is worth noting and Northeastern University, known for its most convenient co-op programs. Students quickly receive job offers due to the fact that the topics of their research and coursework are always directly related to real internships, practical experience and market requirements. A total of four practical courses for interns will take place during a four-year course of study, conducting their own comprehensive research and a study semester in another country. For admission it is enough to have an average score of the school certificate, to provide letters of recommendation from teachers from the previous place of study, to pass the entrance exams well and write essays.
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Universities in California
Most of the universities in California adhere to the motto "Let there be light!": this applies to the local sunny, warm climate, and to strengthened and effective programs.
The main state university - UCLA - is attractive to students due to many factors. According to US News, the University of California is ranked 24th in the national ranking, with an excellent teaching staff and unique infrastructure equipment. The degree of development of the campus is so high that even professional sportsmen train on local sports grounds - for example, Lakers players, including the legendary Kobe Bryant. Admission requires fairly high scores (both in the certificate and entrance examinations), as well as interest in extracurricular activities, success in sports and creativity, social and volunteer skills.
The oldest state university is also the most prestigious - it's about UC Berkeley. Here, an unusually international and diverse composition of students - the university in its walls unites various interests, nationalities and religions. According to the national ranking, the university ranks 21st. To enter UC Berkeley, you need to write an outstanding, memorable essay, and also pass the entrance exams well. A good score is 650-740 (in each section) in SAT, 80 and higher in the TOEFL (iBT scale), and the average score of the certificate is 3.8 out of 4.
UC San Diego provides an opportunity not only to study popular and demanded specialties (business administration, finance and management), but also to master surfing in free time. The level of equipment and preparation of the campus is really impressive, as is the list of additional classes and electives. Encouraging and the percentage of applicants - an average annual positive response and an invitation receives 48% of applicants.
It is worth paying attention to UC Riverside. Here, students study in small classes and groups, a comfortable, well-equipped and beautiful campus, as well as enjoy the highest professionalism and qualifications of teachers. The strong side is served by a huge number of student clubs, organizations, sections and electives, the work of a special department dealing with internships and employment of students and graduates. For admission, you will need to show good scores in SAT and TOEFL tests, as well as have a high enough score in the certificate (and do not forget about a competent motivation letter).
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The universities of the northeastern states
And in Pennsylvania you can find prestigious universities that are among the best in the country. The first to note Pennsylvania State University: it is a part of the original Ivy League (Public Ivy) among government agencies. Students already from the first year proudly refer to themselves as penn staters, and among the most sought-after specialties are engineering and business administration. According to the Wall Street Journal, employers highly praise the graduates of the PSU and are happy to provide them with jobs. For admission, you will need to present a certificate of secondary education with good and excellent marks (this is the basic requirement), as well as pass the entrance exams well. The advantage will be your interest in extracurricular activities, success in creativity and sports.
Among the students of the University of Pittsburgh, business and commerce are the most popular. The university is famous for its huge number of student clubs and organizations (there are more than 400 of them, the mountaineering section is especially notable), and the students are friendly named the alma mater just Pitt.
Michigan State University - also part of Public Ivy, and is also one of the largest universities in the country. More than 200 specialties are taught here, of which it is worth noting the developed areas of communication, engineering and hotel business. The Admissions Committee pays special attention to the grades in the school certificate, the TOEFL test scores and the Writing section in the SAT test.
Admission requirements
It is obvious that the competition and the flow of entrants to prestigious universities are greater than in ordinary ordinary options. This means a higher passing score, higher requirements, higher motivation of applicants. What are the tests and examinations for foreign applicants:
It is an English test, compulsory for all foreign students (for whom English is not native). It is necessary to pass the exam for 80-100 points out of 1210 possible on the iBT scale in order to qualify for a place in a good institution. In addition to direct knowledge of the language, you need to learn how to correctly allocate time, concentrate attention, know the structure of the test and its blocks, and also have enviable stress resistance.
It is compulsory in all prestigious and respected universities, since it fairly reliably determines the level of academic knowledge. Americans usually take SAT in high school, but foreign students must take the exam before admission to prove that their level of knowledge is not lower than that of American competitors. The structure of the test includes testing knowledge in mathematics, profile subjects, tasks for analyzing the read text and writing essays.
- Personal Statement
It is a motivation letter, a detailed answer to the question "Why do you want to study at our university?". Try to avoid template phrases and in no way duplicate or copy motivation letters if you submit an application package to several institutions. Do not be lazy and write a coool letter.
- Essay Writing
The main goal is checking the knowledge of written English and composition techniques. In fact, these are written, sufficiently detailed answers to the questions asked by the admissions committee: all questions can be up to 3, the minimum size of the answer for each is 250 words. In advance, practice writing texts in English, and it is best to deal with a native speaker - it will help to make your letter the most appropriate to the norms of the literary language.
Terms
Deadline for filing documents for US universities - January 1. It is highly recommended to consider the possibility of Early Action, or "early action": you can send out application packs back in mid-September. If you have already decided on the priority educational institutions - demonstrate your intentions in advance, the admissions committee will assess your foresight and readiness to confirm your request practically one year before the official start of the course.
