Undergraduate Education in the US

GETTING STARTED - Choosing an Accredited Institution

The United States offers an exciting variety of higher education institutions and there is one that’s right for you.

There is no official ranking system for the 4,000+ regionally accredited colleges and universities in the US. When choosing a school, it is important to consider many factors like size, location, price, academics, financial aid, and international student services.

To find and choose schools, take advantage of the useful search engines below and contact the nearest professional EducationUSA advisers to help you ‘find the right fit’.

The first and foremost criteria when choosing schools should be Regional Accreditation. Regional accreditation also means that a school is recognized by the Turkish Higher Education Council (YÖK - www.yök.gov.tr). This is important for students who will continue with their studies in Turkey and for male students who have not completed their military service requirements. To check whether a US school has regional accreditation, you can use the CHEA (Council for Higher Education Accreditation) database and directory. You can also check whether a US school is recognized by YOK.

SOME COLLEGE SEARCH ENGINES YOU CAN USE:

College Board

Peterson’s Find-a-School Website

College Opportunities On-line (COOL)

Princeton Review

College View

SEARCH BEYOND THE IVY LEAGUE

Don’t confine yourself to the “Ivies”. Investigate all options carefully to make sure you give yourself the best chance to find institutions that suit your needs and interests.

WHAT CAMPUS FEATURES AND OPPORTUNITIES ARE IMPORTANT TO YOU?

TIP: Keep an open mind when using the search engines above to develop your list of 10-20 institutions

FUNDING US STUDY

Financing your college education consists of four key elements, which are addressed under Funding Options and Lower Your Tuition Bill – Funding for U.S. study. They are:

• Compiling Effective Applications

• Assessing Personal Funds - If students/families can pay $15,000 or more per year, admission with partial aid is not difficult.

• Identifying Sources of Financial Assistance

• Reducing Educational Costs

TIP: Find out about any opportunities to meet U.S. college representatives and have your questions answered, or use e-mail to correspond with college staff and students.

KEEP IN MIND: Talk to an EducationUSA adviser about the full range of opportunities that may be available to you.

IIE FUNDING FOR US STUDY ONLINE

Links To External Financial Aid Resources

Taken from the EducationUSA Handout Series : How to get into US schools. Download in PDF format here.

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