The Help Center

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Q: There are so many schools in the U.S. How do I decide which schools to apply to?

A: Research your options and define your priorities. Contact the Dexter's Portal advising center nearest you and browse college search engines online. Check to see if the schools your are considering are accredited.

Q: Are there age limitations to attend U.S. universities?

A: In general, you must have completed high school and you must be at least 17 years of age.

Q: What are the different types of undergraduate degrees?

A: Associate: a two-year program that either leads to a specific vocation or transitions to a bachelor program. Bachelor: a four or five-year program where students earn credits in a wide variety of courses.

Q: What are the different types of graduate degrees?

A: Masters: two-year degree providing additional specialization. Doctorate: five to eight-year program certifying the student as a trained research scholar and/or professor.

Q: Is it possible to take a professional degree program without first earning a bachelor's degree?

A: Yes, but they are highly selective and require a heavy courseload across a total of six years of study.

Q: Is it possible to obtain a bachelor's degree and a master's degree at the same time?

A: In a joint-degree program, students begin a graduate program in their fourth year of college, earning both degrees upon graduation.

Q: What is the length of study for MBA programs in the U.S.?

A: MBA programs typically last one to two years.

Q: What is the transfer application process?

A: You must fulfill the requirements of a freshman applicant, as well as any supplemental information required by the transfer institution.

Q: What is a community college?

A: Community colleges are typically state-supported and provide the first two years of a four-year undergraduate degree.

Q: Can I transfer to a U.S. university from a university outside of the United States?

A: Yes, although you may lose some credits and require extra time to complete your degree.

Q: How do you transfer from a community college to a four-year university?

A: The transfer process varies for each school. It is best to target the four-year institution early and determine what is needed to transfer.

Q: What are English language proficiency requirements?

A: U.S. universities require an English language proficiency test before admission to ensure you can read, write, and speak fluently.

Q: I want to study in the United States, but my English proficiency isn’t good enough yet. What can I do?

A: There are a number of programs for English language study in the United States and online, as well as local possibilities.

Q: When do you declare a major?

A: You do not declare a major until the end of you second year of school.

Q: What is a liberal arts college?

A: A liberal arts college offers courses in humanities, languages, math, social and natural sciences, and students take 25-50% of their courses in their major.

Q: What is a GPA?

A: Grade Point Average (GPA) is a numeric indicator for a student's academic performance, calculated on a scale of 4.0.

Q: What is the U.S. grading system?

A: Letter grades indicate a student's academic performance. Each letter grade has a numeric value which is used to calculate a GPA, on a scale of 4.0.

Q: How are grades determined in U.S. universities?

A: Grades are typically determined by quizzes, midterms, final exams, papers, projects, class attendance, and class participation.

Q: What is the difference between state and private universities?

A: State universities are funded by the state and are generally larger and less expensive than private universities.

Q: Are there opportunities for university exchange programs?

A: Contact the office responsible for international programs at your institution to ask if your school has exchange agreements with U.S. universities.

Q: What’s the best general advice for an incoming student?

A: Attend the closest Dexter's Portal advising center's predeparture orientation. Then, when you arrive on campus, attend all orientation meetings scheduled at your college or university.

Who is eligible to apply to the U.S.?

Anyone who has a consistently good academic record and proficiency in English is eligible to apply to the U.S. for higher education. Please check the details of the program and the university to which you wish to apply since different programs have different sets of criteria for eligibility. You may be required to take admission tests. Planning should preferably begin 12 -18 months in advance.

When can I start undergraduate (bachelor's) studies in the U.S.?

To be eligible for admission to a US college or university, you must meet certain minimum entry requirements. These include a secondary school diploma (12 years of school education) or examination results, English language ability, and in many cases a score from a standardized admissions tests (either the SAT or ACT).

The requirement that you complete 12 years of school education has to be fulfilled by the time that you start the Bachelor's program. It does NOT mean that you should have completed it by the time of application. You can apply while you are still in the 12th year of your school education.

Q: Should I apply to a two year college in the United States?

A: Two-year colleges in the U.S. offer an alternative to the more traditional four-year bachelor's degree programs. Known as community colleges, these institutions offer study in a wide range of subjects to post-secondary students of all ages and academic levels. Students studying at a community college may either receive a stand-alone two-year degree (associate's degree) or transfer to a four-year Bachelor's program (2 + 2 program). In addition to educational flexibility, two-year colleges are also known for their affordability with relatively low tuition rates in comparison to four-year institutions.

International students interested in attending a two-year college and then transferring to a four-year bachelor's degree program should consider the following factors: the articulation or guaranteed transfer agreements that the two-year college has with four-year institutions policies on transfer credit course requirements.

Q: Is it possible to study law or medicine at the undergraduate level in the U.S.?

A: No. Although some universities offer pre-law or pre-med undergraduate degrees, they are not sufficient to qualify to practice law or medicine. In the US, there are two postgraduate degrees in law: the three-year JD degree for training to practice law in the US and the one-year LLM for lawyers who are intending to practice law in their home country. Medicine is a four-year postgraduate degree. US students typically complete a degree in a related field at the undergraduate level before applying for these degrees.

Q: What standardized tests are required for admission to undergraduate programs?

A: Besides tests of English language proficiency (TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE Academic), international student may be required to take:

SAT Reasoning Test: The SAT Reasoning Test measures critical thinking skills and assesses how well you analyze and solve problems. The test entails critical reading, mathematics and writing.
SAT Subject Tests: SAT Subject tests measure knowledge in specific subject areas. Many competitive US colleges and universities either require or recommend one or more SAT Subject test scores for admission or scholarship consideration. Some colleges specify which subject tests you must take while others leave the option up to you.
ACT: The ACT measures English, mathematics, reading and science reasoning. The optional writing test measures skill in planning and writing a short essay. The ACT is an alternative to taking SAT Reasoning and Subject tests.

Q: Are there rankings available for U.S. universities?

A: There is no centralized, authoritative ranking system of U.S. universities. Unofficial rankings, such as US News and World Report, Princeton Review and the THS-QS World University Rankings will give you a general idea of the academic reputation and relative prestige of a university. However, it is important to recognize that a top 20, or even top 100, list of universities covers only a small percentage of the universities available. You should read the fine print on how rankings are determined. Rankings are not always based upon factors that could impact you or your child's quality of education most, such as class size, teaching quality, student advising, faculty access and opportunities for research, internships, campus activities, etc.

Q: How do I find a university that is a good fit for me?

A: Selecting a university that is a good fit for you can be a challenging task, but also an exciting one! With over 4,500 universities offering undergraduate degrees, you may find the process of narrowing your search to 8-12 universities a bit overwhelming at first. It helps to start by thinking about the big picture first before doing university searches.

You will want to think about your priorities and expectations for undergraduate study and rank in order of importance the factors to consider when choosing a university. For example, are you looking for an academically-rigorous experience or a balance of academics and extracurricular activities? Is it more important for you to go to a 'brand name' university, or is finding a 'best-buy' and/or a university that can provide you with scholarship funding more important for you?

Next, you may wish to begin by using the university search tool or websites on the short listing universities page. These will allow you to search by as many or few search criteria as you like. They will likely provide profiles of universities, which will allow you to compare factors across universities such as size, location, degrees offered, average SAT scores and GPAs (marks) of the previous admitted class, funding opportunities and cost. Please note, guidebooks in our Dexter's Portal advising centers have similar information in print format.

After you narrow your search further, you will want to visit the websites of each university. Their websites will provide comprehensive information about majors, extracurricular activities, funding opportunities, and campus settings. Most universities will list average test scores and GPAs, as well as their admittance rate. This gives you a better idea of the competitiveness of the program, as well as how strong your background is in comparison to last year's incoming class.
For more information on choosing a university, as well as for links for university search engines, please see the Dexter's Portal advising centers for more information.