The USA University Application Process
The college application process can seem intimidating, especially if students don’t have parents or siblings who have already been through it and can offer advice.
Since there are so many steps, such as writing an essay and obtaining letters of recommendation, it can be overwhelming!.
The USA University Application is not a single task but a process. At D Y Patil International School we start this process early and work systematically towards each aspect of the application to alleviate anxiety and help the students deliver their best.
In Grade 11 itself, the students are informed and guided about the requirements for application and the students start work in the summer vacation. In Grade 12, based on the student’s grades, performance, UG program, and other requirements (location, size, budget, etc.) the University shortlist is prepared under the expertise of Dr. Pratibha Jain and Sonam Moondhra.
With that, we also take the students, through the entire process, step-by-step and offer them assistance which is end-to-end (Application to Starting their College). With that said, Below are 4 types of Deadlines that are essential for US Applications. These deadlines play a very important role in the application process and are necessary for the students to abide by and understand a best-fit admission procedure.
Step 1 : Know The Important College Application Deadlines
- Early Decision: Deadlines are usually in November. ED acceptances are binding, meaning an applicant must enroll if offered admission.
- Early Action: Deadline usually in November or December. The difference is EA acceptances aren’t binding.
- Regular Decision: The deadline is typically Jan. 1. Students who apply for regular decisions generally hear back from schools in mid-to-late March or early April.
- Rolling Admissions: Schools with rolling admissions evaluate applications as they receive them and release admissions decisions regularly. The institutions continue accepting them until all spots in the incoming class are filled.
Students generally have until May 1 to decide which school they will attend and pay an enrollment deposit. Moving ahead, there are two application platforms used by US colleges. At school, we help students to understand how they work with dummy form-filling sessions.
Step 2 : Know The College Application Platforms
- Common Application: One popular choice is A Common Application, which is accepted by more than 900 colleges. The students can select from the Universities listed on the Common App. The general form filled by the student will be sent to all the selected universities. Universities often have a supplemental section with additional essay questions.
- Coalition Application: The format is slightly different than Common App, however, the information sections are almost the same.
- University system-specific applications: University of California system has its own application – the only platform accepted by UC schools – and students can apply to multiple campuses with one application. Similarly, Apply Texas is the portal used for applying to Universities in the state of Texas
Step 3 : College Application Essay
As part of the application process, most colleges require students to submit at least one writing sample: the college essay. This is sometimes referred to as a personal statement. The application essay prompts are broad and open-ended, and that’s what challenges students the most. The Universities do want to see what students choose to write about, what students feel is important. Students should try to tell a story about themselves in the essay, which doesn’t necessarily mean writing about a big, impressive accomplishment. Some essays focus on more ordinary topics, but they’re done in such a self-reflective way that it gives insight into the student as a person and gives a sense of the student’s voice. The essay should bring out the unique personality of the student through the narrative.
Apart from the common essay, most Universities have their supplemental essays regarding the major selected by the student, why the student wants to study in the particular University, or any other topic.
Step 4 : What Are The Other Key Components of a College Application
- Personal information : Basic information about themselves, their school, and their family.
- High school transcript : A record of the student of the subject has taken and the grades they earn from Gr 9 – 12 along with the Predicted grades.
- Standardized test scores : Many Universities require applicants to submit SAT / ACT scores. They test the student’s aptitude in mainly English and Math.
- English Proficiency Exam : Most Universities will require a TOEFL / IELTS score for students from India.
- Letters of recommendation : Colleges often ask students to submit two to three letters of recommendation. Students should seek out recommenders –teachers or counselors – who know them well and can comment not just on their academic abilities but also their personal qualities and other types of achievements.
- Resume / Activity List : Contains information such as academic and extracurricular awards, achievements, and activities. In this section, students should detail all of the ways they spend their time inside and outside of class.
The school aims at facilitating the students to reach their dream Universities. The faculty, counselors, and the students work collaboratively towards achieving this goal. Hence, dear students gear up and get us your questions, we are here to help and assist you with your Study Abroad Dream.
Career Counselling & Scholarship
In the dynamic budding new school ecosystem, the career counselor remains the focal point of all communication to be conducted between the major players: Students, Parents, School, and University. At DYPIS, We have a unique approach that describes itself as;
Our Approach – EXCEL
- E – Explore Careers and Courses
- X – Xamine academic and work opportunities in different countries
- C – Compile the application for further studies in India or any country abroad
- E – Express your strengths through application essays
- L – Land your dream University
Career Counselling is a process that shapes the journey of high school students towards reaching their education milestones and attaining their career goals. The D Y Patil International School career counselling cell works relentlessly and systematically with students right from Grade 8 to design, plan and execute their educational and career choices. The counselors work backward, they understand what the students want to achieve and then chart their path with consideration of subjects, undergraduate programs, specializations, study destinations, job opportunities juxtaposed with the personality, ability, and interest of the students.
Grade 9 and 10 are exploration stages, where the school aims at maximizing their exposure to career exploration. These young students are given the platform and tools to think beyond the typical professional paths and venture into new age and interdisciplinary careers. Grade 11 and 12 is the time to aggregate all the career options and make the right decisions that are suitable for the student.
Selection of the correct subjects is a very important part, as the curriculum gives the early indication to the student whether they have a liking for the subject content and eventually its applications. The career cell brings in experts from Institutions and Organisations every month from different walks of life to throw light on the particular subjects, the career avenues, the know-how, and describe the roles they play at work. Career Day is also organised to highlight some traditional, evolutionary, and contemporary careers with their changing roles and skills.
University fairs are held as discovery grounds for the students to expand their horizons. The school invites Universities from more than 16 countries across the world including India to offer a comparative perspective. The students start considering various countries and universities more realistically and without the ranking bias. They view the features of a particular country as a suitable study destination and further interact with University representatives on a personal basis to figure the right fit for themselves.
Profile building is an exercise done to not only strengthen the student’s resume for applications but to build their personality, skills, expertise, empathy, and help them make informed decisions. Students can select an array of activities from the broad spectrum of internships, research papers, community services, projects, skill-enhancing courses, academic projects, immersive summer programs, extra-curricular activities, etc. Profile building provides a space to demonstrate the passion for a subject, display the extra mile travelled for it and exhibit and how the activities have helped to shape your personality.
Counsellors believe that there is no substitute for personal interaction. Apart from the group sessions, regular individual meetings are scheduled with high school students to maintain a rapport. The individual meetings provide a window to know the student personally, understand their strengths, weakness, skills, and aptitude. This lays the foundation for the counsellor to help select suitable programs, universities, and careers for the student where the student will thrive, progress, and emerge as a confident and successful person.
A DYPIS, a Merit Scholarships is provided for our internal students seeking admission in the IBDP. The purpose of the scholarship programme is to motivate deserving students to continue to perform better and encourage them to get the best possible educational opportunity. Similar to the scholarship, there are also various other scholarships available for students while they apply abroad. Here are a few examples of scholarships listed below:
1) Western Colorado University: International Merit University
2) Rutgers University: International Chancellor’s Merit Scholarship
3) University of Birmingham: International Scholarships in Law
4) UCL: London Opportunity Scholarship
5) University of Hull Achievement Scholarship
6) University of Waterloo: Suncor Emerging Leaders Awards in Engineering in Canada
7) University of Guelph: International Undergraduate Entrance Scholarship
8) University of Toronto: Pearson Scholarship
Note : These scholarships are subject to change.
Ms. Sonam Moondhra
Career Counselor
