How To Become A Student In The Us - 2

By Author: Theodore Olsen
Total Articles: 2
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Whichever type of visa you determine you will need, you'll need a form from your chosen college or institution, either an I-20 or a DS-209. These forms state your entry qualification as an accepted and enrolled student in a US school. You'll also need to schedule and complete a visa interview at the embassy or consulate nearest you. Since acquiring the appropriate form and interview can take some time, it is essential that you begin well in advance of the start of your courses. You cannot enter the US more than 30 days before the start of your classes, but it still better to be completely ready to arrive than to chance being late or even hurried.

Your First Weeks as a US Student

You'll want to arrive early enough to settle in, making your dorm or apartment a comfortable, pleasant place to live. First year students, no matter how fervently engaged in learning and social activities, tend to experience feelings of loneliness, homesickness and culture shock. Creating a warm, inviting, safe place to come home to at the end of a bad day is important to both your mental and emotional state.

You'll also want to ...
... acquaint yourself with the campus and the community surrounding it, whether New York City or a small town in rural America. Being familiar with campus will help you navigate buildings and classrooms, easing some of the anxieties often associated with new environments. Getting to know your school's community can offer you new and exciting cultural experiences as you get to hear, see, smell, taste and touch real America. You may find a haven away from the hustle and bustle of campus, or a religious or cultural center that can make you feel a little closer to home.

Most large US colleges and universities have social groups specifically for foreign students. Some are culture or language specific, while others may just offer the company of other students far from home These groups or clubs can be excellent places to meet and socialize, especially if your language skills make socializing with English speaking student uncomfortable.

Keeping a journal, scrapbook or photo album will create an invaluable memoir of your time spent in the US as a student. Begin early, taking photos or writing journal entries from your first day. Not only will they serve to preserve memories you may otherwise forget, they can offer a record of your journey, from being a stranger in a strange land to a confident, comfortable citizen of the world upon graduation.

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