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PLEASE READ DISCLAIMER AT THE BOTTOM FIRST!
Request
Information
Write or call schools requesting view books and
applications. Make sure to call all possible schools you are interested in.
Remember these books are free and a great guide to learning about the
differences in the schools.
Tours and Interviews
A tour and an interview are great ways to get a first hand
look at the school. It enables the prospective student to get a feeling of the
atmosphere, types of students that attend the school, and gives the student a
chance to ask specific questions that the view book is unable to answer. You
should select 5-8 schools you would like to tour and interview with. Do not
schedule more than two schools per day. It is recommended that the interviews be
scheduled a few weeks in advance. Try to coordinate the visits of the schools so
you are not spending all of your days driving.
Make sure you do research on the school and have specific questions about each
school prepared to ask the admissions staff. The interview is when you get to
show the admissions committee who you are. Try not to be nervous. Take good
notes during your interview/tour. Write down all pertinent information once back
in the car. Make airline and hotel reservations in advance. The view book
usually has good directions to the schools, if not do not hesitate to contact
them for directions.
Application Process
Begin to narrow your school list down. You should apply to
around five schools, making sure you always have a "long shot and a
safety" school. Your consultant should be able to help in your selection
with a good range of schools.
The application process can be a bit scary. You will need to be organized to
make the process easier. All schools will ask for recommendations from various
teachers. Ask your teachers for these recommendations early to give them plenty
of time so they can reflect on what they would like to write. You should also
ask for recommendations from coaches, art teachers, music teachers and other
faculty that can write about your positive attributes. Ask people that know of
your accomplishments and will speak of you highly.
Transcripts of your grades will also need to be sent with
your application. Most international schools have a different grading system
then the US. Do not worry about this as the American Independent Boarding School
already has the knowledge of interpreting your grades into the US system.
The application form itself should be treated like a term paper. Photocopy the
application, make rough drafts, and take your time with the answers. The
personal essay that most schools ask you to write is a way for the school to get
to know who you are. Make your essay stand out. Be creative, original and
honest. Make sure ALL material is mailed by the due date, as schools take notice
of late applications while some often will not except late applications. Make a
follow up call to make sure all material is in.
Letters Schools will be contacting you the last week in March, first week in
April. Be patient. Do not push or rush the schools to making their decision.
There are three different letters you may receive from the schools. The first is
an acceptance letter. This letter congratulates you on being admitted to the
school, and gives you details on how to accept or decline their offer for
admissions. You are usually given a date by when your decision needs to be made,
and a deposit maybe required. The second letter you may receive is a wait-list
letter. Students are put on a wait-list when the school would like to accept the
student, but room in the class is limited. Full acceptance will be given to the
student if space becomes available. If you have been wait-listed and the school
is one of your top choices make sure you write them a letter telling them that
you are very interested in the school and that you are willing to wait for the
possibility of being removed from the wait-list. The third letter you may
receive is the rejection letter. Do not get disappointed as schools often reject
students not because they are not qualified, but the students strengths and
needs may not match the schools strengths and needs.
Decision- You may have a few schools that you are trying to decide between. Many
schools offer overnight visits, in order to help make the final decision. These
visits let you see into the daily life of a student. You will accompany the host
students to their classes, meals, sports activity, and even sleep in their room.
It is a great opportunity and often helps make the hard decision easier.
Important Documents
Your school will be sending you many forms that will need
to be filled out prior to your arrival. These include such things as: a personal
questionnaire for housing purposes, insurance forms, sports sign up, class
registration, health form/health insurance and emergency contact sheet. They may
also include information concerning your guardian in the USA.
Passport, Visa, and I-20
In order to travel internationally you will need a valid
passport from your home country. This needs to be taken with you whenever you
travel abroad. Make sure it is valid during your time of study. The I-20 form is
the certificate of eligibility for non-immigrant student status for academic and
language students. You need to request an I-20 A-B/I-20 ID certificate from the
admissions office of your new US school. This form can be obtained from your
school once you have a written acceptance, proof of tuition payment, and an
affidavit of support issued from your home country bank. Carry your I-20 form
with your passport as it is needed upon arrival and departure of the USA. The
I-20 Form must be signed by the school every time you leave to go abroad.
It is mandatory to have the I-20 form with you upon your application for a US
Visa: F1. You can apply for a US Visa at a US Consulate or Embassy (in Taiwan
application is made at the American Institute). Be prepared to show proof of
English proficiency, financial support, and residence in a foreign country.
Apply for these documents well in advance of your departure date as they often
take several weeks to process.
Arrival to the United States
With over a hundred colleges and preparatory schools in
the New England area early September is a very busy travel time. Flight, hotel,
and transportation needs should all be made well in advance. Often schools
provide bus services from the local airport (for students only) on arrival day.
Check your individual school for details.
The school will send you information on your roommate. Try to contact this
person during the summer. It will make moving in the first day a bit easier.
When thinking about your room you will need to purchase specific bedding and
room items, often not available abroad. You should also ask your school about
computer systems (PC verse Mac, laptop verse desktop) and available Internet
access in your dorm room. You may want to arrive a few days early in the states
to make sure your back-to-school shopping is complete. Most preparatory schools
are not wired for individual telephones in the dorm rooms. Public telephones are
often found on every hallway and it is wise to set a time with family and
friends that you will be contacting them.
Vacation Plans
Several times throughout the year, the school dormitories
close for school holidays. Students are responsible for making off-campus plans
during these vacations. Students often go home, while others either spend the
time with friends or local relatives. Another alternative is to plan vacation
trips and Homestays with Concierge Services for Students.
End of School Year
At the end of the academic school year students are
required to check out of their dorm rooms. Some schools offer space to store
school supplies while others leave it up to the individual student to find
storage spaces on their own.
If you have any
questions, please contact:
Concierge Services for Students
867 Boylston Street
Boston, MA 02116 USA
(617) 523-8686 |
