Higher education in USA lures students from all parts of the world. It takes a lot of preparation to get into any one of the American universities. Most of these schools or colleges have their own standards for testing the student's skills and knowledge.

• Undergraduate or a graduate program
• Different types of education centers
• Understanding terminology
• Community College
• How to Qualify
• USA Universities/Colleges/Schools
• How to get the Student Visa

A student aspiring to study in the USA can gain admission as an undergraduate, graduate or a post graduate student.

Generally, it takes four years of undergraduate study to earn a Bachelors degree.

The 4 year undergraduate program consists of:

• 1st Year is called Freshman Year.
• 2nd Year is called Sophomore Year.
• 3rd Year is called Junior Year.
• 4th Year is called Senior Year.

Students in senior year are also called as "Upperclassmen".

There are various subjects you can choose to study in an undergraduate college. The first two years mostly cover general subjects. A junior year student must choose a "major" field of study. They must take a certain number of courses in their field. In some schools, students also choose a "minor" field. There is usually time for students to choose several other "elective" (extra) courses in other subjects. Each student is assigned a "faculty advisor", who teaches their major subjects, and also assists them to select a particular program of study.

An international student will also have an "International Student Advisor" who helps them to adjust to U.S. life, handles visa and other paperwork problems. They also organize activities for them.

It is what we in India call as postgraduate education. All master degrees are graduate degrees.

Masters Degree: This degree is usually required in fields such as Engineering, Library science, Business Administration or Social work.

Mostly masters degree is a 2 year program, but some subjects like journalism, may need just one year.

A Doctorate degree (Ph.D.) usually takes five to seven years to complete. Unlike undergraduates, graduate students begin specialized study from the first day.

These are many specific courses/training programs for professional subjects. Some of them include Printing technology, Orthoptics, fashion and textile technology.

Fourteen step plan, if you want to go for graduate studies in USA.

1. State College or University: These schools are supported and run by the State Government. Each U.S. state operates at least one state university, and several state colleges.

2. Private College or Universities: These schools are privately owned/operated institutes. Tuition fee is usually higher than the state government schools. Normally these colleges and universities are smaller in size.

3. Community Colleges: Community colleges are local i.e. a city or county colleges. They also conduct evening classes for students who work during the day. Normally, community colleges welcome international students. But few countries do not recognize degrees from such community colleges.

4. Professional Schools: These are professional schools to train students in professional fields such as Art, Music, Engineering, Business, etc. They can be a part of a university or may be a separate school. Some offer graduate programs as well.

5. Institute of Technology: These are technical schools which conduct atleast four years of study in the science and technology fields. Some of them offer graduate programs too.

6. Schools run by Church: Many U.S. colleges and universities were founded by religious groups and are run by local religious organizations. Nearly all these schools welcome students of all religions and belief, but may give preference to members of their own religious group. Traditionally, many church related schools insist all the students to take Bible courses and attend chapel services.

Registration: Every institution in the United States uses a registration process to enroll students into their academic courses. Registration procedures vary widely, so it is very important that to fully understand the institution's process before registering.

Orientation: A term used by U.S. institutions of higher learning to describe a formal program of introduction to the institution. The purpose of orientation is to help you become familiar with the institution's rules and regulations. Most international student offices offer some type of orientation for foreign students.

Academic year: The school calendar usually begins in August or September and continues through May or June. Most new and international students join the colleges during the Fall session, so as to adjust to the weather.

The academic year at many schools is composed of two terms known as semesters. Some schools use a three term calendar known as the "trimester" system. Still others divide the year into four terms known as the "quarter" system, including a summer session which is optional.

Academic Advising: Academic advisers offer information, guidance, and advice throughout the academic program. They may provide this information in a group setting with other students, or in private sessions. Most graduate students are assigned, or can choose a faculty member as their academic adviser.

Credits: Each course is considered to be worth a number of "credits" or "credit hours". This number is roughly the same as the number of hours a student spends in a class for that course each week. A course is typically worth three to five credits. A full program at most schools is twelve or fifteen credit hours (four or five courses per term). International students are expected to enroll in a full program during each term.

Grade: The word "grade" conveys two meanings, viz. A year of education e.g. the first year of school is "first grade", or grade also means marks/rank, e.g. "grade A, B, C, D, or F".

So a student might say, "In 8th grade, my grades were average."

Course: "Course" is usually called a "subject", where as "course of study" is a full program consisting of several courses.

Transfers: After attending classes for a semester or two. the student can enroll in a new university, i.e. take a transfer to a different university. Usually most credits earned at the first school can be used to complete a degree at the new university.

Also, if you have finished a certain undergraduate degree outside U.S.A, and are planning to continue your studies here, then you can apply as an transfer student.

Marks: Students are evaluated on the basis of "Marks". Professors give each student marks/grades for each course. The marks are based upon all the following or combination of the following, depending on the school:

1. Classroom participation: Discussion, questions, conversation. Students are expected to participate in class discussions, especially in seminar classes. This is often a very important factor in determining a student's grade.
2. A midterm examination: Usually given during class time.
3. One or more research or term papers, or laboratory reports.
4. Short exams or "quizzes" intended to inspire students to keep up with their assignments and attendance.
5. Final examination: These are the final examination after completion of the course.

Community colleges offer a wide range of vocational (job training) programs in hundreds of fields from Business Administration and Computer Programming to Nursing, Fashion Design, Hotel and Restaurant Management, Secretarial, Commercial Photography, Engineering or Advertising Art. Students who complete these courses get degrees or certificates.

International students can attend community colleges. Community college can be a starting point to earn a four year or graduate degree from a U.S. university. Community colleges are a popular alternative for the first two years of a bachelor's degree. These first two years are designed to provide a strong foundation of general knowledge, before a student begins concentrating on a major field of study.

Community colleges meet the educational and vocational needs of local communities. Usually they are run by a state government, by maintaining an "open door policy" with low tuition costs and few entrance requirements.

Universities on the other hand are bigger educational centers which offer wide range of courses, and caters to a larger area. But due to the competition and a complicated admission process, it is difficult to get an admission here.

1. Admission is easily available.
   TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), or in few places 16 years of prior education in english medium is required other then academic record. Many community colleges also offer English as a second language program for students whose TOEFL scores were low. They can help an international student to improve language skills, and get accustomed to the U.S. educational system.
2. Less tuition fee.
   Tuition fee at community colleges are much less than any regular four year college or university.
3. Smaller in size.
   Community colleges are often smaller than the universities. Classes are smaller, too. Teachers and advisors are able to provide personal attention to the students.
4. Supporting environment.
   Introductory classes in community colleges are supportive rather than competitive. They are good for International students to get the hang of US style of study, and environment.
5. Instructors.
   Instructors are able to give personal attention to the students. These teachers work in community colleges because they choose to teach instead of conducting research and publishing articles. Some instructors at universities are mostly interested in research.
6. Student Counseling.
   Student Counseling is available in all the colleges. Their main objective is to help and guide students in selecting the best course for them. They help students with their personal problems too.

Step 1: For full time study you need to get good scores in some tests. ** For graduate programs GRE/GMAT are the most needed tests. GRE (Graduate Record Examinations). It is usually required for graduate programs. GRE includes a general test, subject test and writing assessment. For more information checkout GRE website (http://www.gre.org/). GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test). This test contains verbal, quantitative, analytical, and essay sections. It is usually required for graduate programs in business and management. For more information checkout GMAT website (http://www.gmat.org/). For higher education in schools or undergraduate colleges admission following tests are required by most of the institutes in USA. 1. TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language). It measures the ability to understand, read and write english. For more information checkout TOEFL website (http://www.toefl.org/). 2. SAT: The SAT or Scholastic Assessment Test is a college admission pre-test. This exam has two parts, viz. SAT I (Reasoning Test) and SAT II (Subject Tests). SAT I: is a three hour test, primarily multiple choice. It measures verbal and mathematical reasoning abilities. SAT II: Subject Tests are one hour, mostly multiple choice test in specific subject. It measures knowledge of particular subject and the ability to apply that knowledge. Many colleges require or recommend one or more of these tests for admission/placement purposes. Important Links for details on these exams: http://www.collegeboard.org/ http://www.collegenet.com/ Step 2: Choose the appropriate course and College/University of your choice. Communicate/ correspond with the university to submit your application for the admission. Alphabetical Listing of Colleges and universities in USA. Links to Higher education centers in USA. Step 3: Get the Student Visa. There are three types of student visas, viz. F-1, M, and J-1. After a college or university has approved your application for for a full time study, they will send you a document called an I-20 form, which is the application for a F-1 visa. The M visa is for students at technical schools. Usually M visa cannot be converted to F visa. Exchange Visitor J-1: J-1 is for a short term consultation, training, research or teaching program. The organization sponsoring you will send an IAP-66 form, which is the application for a J-1 visa. For more information, checkout US Visas page For information on visa stamping at consulate, checkout Student visa page.