myUface Blog

Many of our myUface students either have received, or will soon receive, emails directly from US universities. As this happens, we would like to bring to you attention a couple VERY important thoughts.

1. Be professional! These universities are interested in learning more about you. Your response to universities will tell them much about you. If you don’t respond in a professional and mature way, then the university will likely not come aware with a positive impression of you.
2. Respond! Once you get an email from a university, respond to them! If you don’t, it looks bad both for you and our network. Even if you are not interested, it makes sense for you to talk with the university, learn about them and generate interest in you!

Remember, even if the university that contacts you is not your first choice, it may be a great fit for you. Moreover, if you have a couple universities that you are talking with, you might be able to negotiate a better financial package from one of them!

As always, we’re here to help. If you hear from a university and would like to talk about it, let us know.

Over the past week we’ve had hundreds and hundreds of new users visit the site.  I wanted to take a moment and share with you some resources we have that may be of interest to you:

First, we have two myUface guides:

1. The Advantages and Disadvantages of a University Education in the United States
2. Looking for a University in the United States

You can donwload both of these guides (for free of course) here.

Second, you should check out our Series:

1. Should you study in the U.S.? A comprehensive and honest guide to the benefits and disadvantages of a U.S. education (April 2009).
2. Looking for a U.S. University – All of the information you should consider in selecting a U.S. university – including some things you may not have thought about (May 2009).
3. Finding Financial Aid for your U.S. Education – Need help paying for a U.S. education?  Here’s a guide to how to look for and secure financial support.  It’s not easy, but it’s worth a try (June / July 2009)!
4. Preparing For A Visa Interview – A three part series on the misconceptions many students have about student visa interviews (July 2009).
5. Universities in the Fifty States – we look at what it would be like to live as an international student in each of the fifty states.
6. Writing Essays for University Applications – full of advice on how to write, edit and submit an essay with your university application.

We here at myUface want to take a moment to wish all of you a Happy Thanksgiving.  And, as Thanksgiving is a holiday that encourages all of us to take a moment and reflect on the wonderful things we’ve been provided in our lives, I want to share something I’m thankful for, that helps explain a little bit the spirit behind this website.

I am extremely thankful for the fact that I was born in a country – through no merit of my own! – where it was very easy to keep informed about colleges and universities.  When I was 17, I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life, and I certainly had no idea where I wanted to go to university.  I was very lucky that in the U.S. universities bend over backwards to reach out to students.  Every day it seems I got lots of mail from universities advertising their programs.  Then, at school, we had guidance counselors whose job it was to help us find colleges and apply to them.

At the time, of course, all of this seemed normal to me.  When I worked abroad, though, I got to see how difficult it is in some countries to find out about universities and apply to them.  In some of the countries I have worked in, students have to be extremely dedicated in order to have a chance at getting into any university, and they certainly don’t have someone assigned to help them.  For them, the thing I took for granted – having lots of universities contact me and show interest in me – is almost impossible.  I was constantly amazed  by the maturity of the students I met.   Had I been faced with such difficulties at seventeen, I very much doubt I would have succeeded.

So I am thankful for the accident of being born in a country where my lack of drive did not penalize me.

And this is a large part of the reason why we created myUface.  We hope that through this website we can make it easier – even just a little bit easier – for those hard-working, dedicated students abroad to find the university of their dreams.  We hope we can extend the benefits we enjoyed as American students – the benefits of having universities contact us, reach out to us, compete over us - to students from the rest of the world.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Your academic record does matter.  However, most universities will also consider your work experience, recommendations, essays, test scores, and other factors.  Just because you don’t have perfect grades does NOT mean you won’t be of interest to U.S. universities.  At the same time, you may want to work extra hard on the other aspects of your application in order to compensate for an average academic record.

This week is International Education Week, and you can take advantage by learning about the array of events going on around the world.  IEW events are great places to learn about U.S. universities and academic programs, and to meet and network with other students who may share your interests.

You can read about IEW here, and an online directory of events is here.  You can also contact your local US Embassy, or check their website.  Finally, your friendly neighborhood Education USA Advising Center should have all the information you need to take advantage of International Education Week.

According to this article in the Washington Post, thousands of students who had planned on attending “traditional” four-year institutions are choosing instead to go to community colleges.

Community college enrollment in the Washington region rose by nearly 12,000 students this fall, a 10 percent bump. The recession diverted large numbers of high school seniors from four-year colleges to less-expensive two-year colleges.

“I’ve heard stories of high school students who were accepted at U-Va. or Virginia Tech, and what their parents have done is ask them to wait out a year, come here for a year, purely for economics,” said Deborah DiCroce, president of Tidewater Community College in the South Hampton Roads region of Virginia. Fall enrollment at Tidewater was projected to rise to 30,500 this year from 26,898 last year.

As a result, community colleges have expanded their faculty, and increased their working hours.  At some community college campuses, you can take classes at midnight!

What does this mean for you?  It means that you might consider community colleges as a first step in the American educational system.  More and more, they are attracting high quality students, high quality professors, and high quality technology – and offering it to students at a fraction of the cost charged by “traditional” universities.

Are you looking for a high quality education in the United States, but don’t want to spend four years away from home or hundreds of thousands of dollars in tuition?  Community colleges might be the answer you’re looking for.  Community colleges generally offer two-year degrees, called “associates degrees,” in a variety of fields.  Generally speaking, community colleges provide education in emerging technologies or in technical skills.

Dr. Jill Biden, an instructor at community colleges herself, and the wife of Vice President Joe Biden, toured some community colleges alongside President Obama, and had this to say:

Every day in my classroom I also see the power of education to break down barriers and to open students’ eyes to the possibilities around them.

I saw that power again as President Obama and I toured several high-tech classrooms and spoke with students who are being trained in cutting-edge and emerging technologies to meet the workforce needs of their region. There is no doubt that the education gained on [community college] campuses . . . will provide the knowledge that will power the American and global economies of the 21st century.

I have always said community colleges are one of America’s best kept secrets – and I am so pleased that now we have a president who is highlighting their contribution, making a historic commitment to higher education, and bringing more and more students to [community] colleges . . . so they, too, can gain the skills and the confidence they need to succeed in a new era.

You might want to consider a community college for your U.S. education.  Barack Obama certainly thinks so!

Today on our tour of U.S. States:  North Dakota, the Peace Garden state.  Hey, that sounds nice!  Who doesn’t like peace and gardens?

The rugged wilderness of North Dakota

Activities

Once again, we’re in a state where most of the activities involve putting on a good pair of boots and going out to see Mother Nature in all of her glory.   As this list of activities from North Dakota’s tourism site shows, there are A LOT of different ways you can experience the beauty of North Dakotan wilderness.   North Dakota offers more opportunities than most states to see nature via horseback or motorized vehicle (such as an ATV, or All-Terrain Vehicle).  The state offers a unique chance to see a lot of untouched wilderness – it is the 19th largest state, but is has the 3rd least amount of people.  This means a lot of empty space.

Extracurricular activities

Sports and outdoor activities.  That’s what you can expect the focus of extracurricular activities to be.  Of course, like every other state, universities in North Dakota will have all the usual activities too (drama, debate, etc.).  But if you go to North Dakota and fail to experience the out-of-doors, you’ll be missing out.  Expect a special emphasis on winter sports such as skiing, hockey, etc.

Social Activities

Universities in North Dakota will offer a very eclectic mix of social activities.  The universities will be in medium-sized towns with all of the amenities, so if you’re a lover of all things urban, you’ll be able to survive.  At the same time, the universities will be home to many students from rural areas.  The mix of rural and urban student populations creates a good mix of activities and perspectives.  Contrary to any stereotypes Americans might hold about North Dakota, universities in the state boast the full range of cultural facilities, including art museums, theatres and concert venues.  In short, you won’t find a lack of a social life to be a problem.

North Dakota has art museums, and don't let people tell you differently!

Tourist Sites

We’ve already mentioned the nature, but it’s worth mentioning again.  I’d also like to put a word in for the culture in North Dakota – it is at the same time the state with the largest church-going population in the U.S., and a state with a large Native American population.  As such, it really offers a very unique view into several different American subcultures.  If you’re interested in experiencing new cultures, it’s an attractive choice.  And let’s not forget Theodore Roosevelt National Park, home to some of America’s great vistas.

Wow. Enough said.

Weather

Are you by any chance familiar with the Billy Joel song, “I Go To Extremes?”

Darling I don’t know why I go to extremes
Too high or too low there ain’t no in-betweens
And if I stand or I fall
It’s all or nothing at all
Darling I don’t know why I go to extremes

Little known fact:  it was written about the weather in North Dakota.  OK, not really.  But it could have been.  North Dakota, according to Wikipedia, “has some of the most extreme temperature variations on the planet.”  If, like Billy Joel, you go to extremes, this could be the place for you.  Having said that, North Dakota’s heat waves last only a day or two according to this site on North Dakota’s weather.  In fact, if you are interested in studying in North Dakota, but are scared by the weather, visit this site and it’ll cheer you up.  You can learn that

Winter is the grandest season of all to many North Dakotans. It is the season for snowmobiling in open and uncrowded fields, for such vigorous outdoor recreation as ice skating and ice hockey, for basketball, and for visiting with friends and neighbors. There is no medicine like a crisp North Dakota winter morning to put spring and vigor into the steps of old and young alike.

And also that

North Dakota’s delightful summer season is at its best in June, July and August, and is perfect for all outdoor activities. The days are warm, sometimes even hot, but nights are one-blanket cool for restful sleep.

Can I come too?

Cost of Living

Here’s some good news. It costs roughly half of what it would take to live in New York to live in Fargo, North Dakota (51.2%, to be exact). And salaries are only 24.8% lower.  Translation:  it’s a good place if you’re on a tight budget.

Source is here.

Notable Universities

Here’s a list of North Dakota’s fine universities.

Posts in this Series

1. Choosing a University in the U.S.: North Dakota (This post)
2. Choosing a University in the U.S.: Minnesota - 12 Aug
3. Choosing a University in the U.S.: Alaska - 31 Jul
4. Choosing a University in the U.S.: Utah - 24 Jul
5. Choosing a University in the U.S.: Colorado - 21 Jul
6. New myUface Guide and New Series - 20 Jul

Moving to the state neighboring Colorado, let’s investigate the very much under-appreciated state of Utah (full disclosure:  I was born in Vernal, Utah, so I am a little biased).

Activities

Like Colorado, Utah has a very diverse array of activities, many of which are based in the outdoors.    It is a hiker’s paradise, with several national parks and thousands and thousands of miles of trails.  There are also opportunities to ski, mountain-bike, fish, kayak . . . the list goes on and on and on.  For more information, visit the Utah travel site.

Extracurricular activities

You can expect to find many clubs providing opportunities to explore Utah’s wonderful wilderness.  Because of Utah’s unique religious heritage, many extracurricular activities exist to serve local communities, and for public service and volunteerism in general.  Sports are also a key interest for many students.  Aside from the “normal” sports, Utah’s universities might offer some additional opportunities, like horseback riding, rock climbing, and so on.

Social Activities

The majority of Utah’s population is made up of adherents to the Mormon religion, which frowns on the use of certain substances, such as alcohol.  As a result, the social atmosphere on Utah’s campuses is a little different form that on most U.S. university campuses (NOT better or worse – just different!).  Salt Lake City is the only “major” city in the State, and it has all the major amenities.  Again, though, the level of what we might call “hard-core” partying is lower than in most cities because of the religious tradition of the state.

Tourist Sites

Utah has no less than six major national parks or monuments, all of which are unbelievably beautiful.  In fact, I’ll come right out and say it:  in terms of natural beauty, Utah is the best state in the union.  Don’t believe me?  Just go to the websites for Zion, Arches, Canyonlands, Bryce Canyon, or Capitol Reef National Parks or Dinosaur National Monument.  If you want to experience natural beauty, you can’t go wrong with Utah.

Utah also has a number of wonderful ski resorts.  If you’re interested in dinosaurs or biology in general, Dinosaur National Monument is one of the world’s greatest repositories of prehistoric fossils.  Finally, Salt Lake City’s Mormon temple is a monument to one of the world’s fastest-growing religions.

Weather

Utah has two main climates:  it’s dry, desert climate, which covers most of the state; and a cooler, very unpredictable climate in Utah’s various mountain ranges.  Temperatures are extreme, with very cold winters and very hot summers.

Here’s a long, very detailed summary from Utah’s state climatologists.

Cost of Living

The cost of living in Salt Lake City, Utah is 44% less than in New York; salaries are 29% less than in New York.  Source is here.

Notable Universities

Here is Wikipedia’s list of Utah’s universities.

Posts in this Series

1. Choosing a University in the U.S.: North Dakota - 12 Sep
2. Choosing a University in the U.S.: Minnesota - 12 Aug
3. Choosing a University in the U.S.: Alaska - 31 Jul
4. Choosing a University in the U.S.: Utah (This post)
5. Choosing a University in the U.S.: Colorado - 21 Jul
6. New myUface Guide and New Series - 20 Jul

We begin our look at choosing a university in specific U.S. states with my home state, Colorado.

Activities

Colorado has a very diverse array of activities, many of which are centered on the Rocky Mountains, which roughly divide the state into two parts:  the eastern plains and the western, mountainous slopes.  If you like the outdoors and activities in them, Colorado is going to be a great place to study.  Hiking, biking, skiing, fishing, rafting, birdwatching, nature photography, camping, snowboarding, ice skating – the list is almost endless.

Extracurricular activities

Because of the wonderful natural setting of many of Colorado’s universities, there are a number of clubs that encourage students to involve themselves in the great outdoors.  In addition, clubs or volunteer groups that seek to protect or preserve the environment are very common.  Finally, because many students partake of an active lifestyle, sports are very much a large part of most students’ experience.

Social Activities

Many of Colorado’s universities are situated in medium-large sized towns such as Boulder, Fort Collins, Greeley or Colorado Springs.  Because these towns are somewhat dependent on their student populations, there will tend to be a large amount of student-oriented bars, clubs, and other businesses, serving to create good opportunities for a healthy social life.

Denver, the capitol, is a fairly large city.  It lacks the size and frenzy of mega cities like New York or L.A., but does have many, if not all, of the same amenities (clubs, mega-malls, stadiums for concerts, etc.)

Tourist Sites

The number one tourist site by far in Colorado is Rocky Mountain National Park.  The other main tourist attractions in Colorado are the ski resorts.  There are a number of other national parks and wonders to be seen, including ancient native american dwellings at Mesa Verde.  If you love natural beauty, you could spend years in Colorado and not even scratch the surface.

Weather

Colorado has a reputation for crazy weather.  It’s one of the few places on earth where it can be hot and sunny one hour and cold and snowy the next.  If you like predictability in your weather, Colorado is probably not for you.  Overall, though, the weather is quite good:  hot in the summer and cold in the winter, but without much humidity, with long falls and winters.  Here’s the summary from the Colorado Climate Center.

Cost of Living

One quick note on how I’ll be providing this information:  I’m going to use New York City, one of the most expensive places in the U.S. (and the world), as a baseline.  I’ll then tell you:

a)  how much less it costs to live in another place; and

b)  how much less employers pay

I’m including the data on employer’s pay because it gives you an idea of the overall quality of life there.  If, for example, the cost of living is 10% less but the average salaries are 25% less, it probably means people living in that location have a lower standard of living than in New York (at least in financial terms).  If, on the other hand, the cost of living is 25% less but people make only 10% less, the standard of living is probably higher than in New York.  Does that make sense?  If not, let me know.  Anyway, onto the data for Colorado.

The cost of living in Denver, Colorado is 39% less than in New York; salaries are 12% less than in New York.

Notable Universities

Here is Wikipedia’s list of Colorado universities.

Posts in this Series

1. Choosing a University in the U.S.: North Dakota - 12 Sep
2. Choosing a University in the U.S.: Minnesota - 12 Aug
3. Choosing a University in the U.S.: Alaska - 31 Jul
4. Choosing a University in the U.S.: Utah - 24 Jul
5. Choosing a University in the U.S.: Colorado (This post)
6. New myUface Guide and New Series - 20 Jul