The Best Book On Stanford International Admissions

Andrea Sy, a Stanford student with an international background, shares her strategies for getting into elite American colleges.

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How To Get A U.S. Student Visa

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Any international student who needs a U.S. visa to study the United States is required to apply for an F-1 visa. The process is actually really simple, and universities like Stanford will definitely assist the student throughout the process. Once you have been admitted into Stanford, the process usually goes as follows.

Receiving your I-20 and instructions in the mail Stanford will send you the signed I-20, which you will need to present to the embassy much later on. Aside from this document, you will need the following (some of which the school will provide for you.)

Materials needed: As early as June or July, you have to compile the following documents:

  • A completed DS-160 form, which you can find online.
  • A valid passport (valid until at least 6 months after your intended stay)
  • 2 photographs (37mm x 37mm) with full face, light and no covering
  • Proof of permanent residence in your current country of citizenship and residence
  • A statement that you will leave the U.S. after your study
  • Signed I-20A/B form
  • Letter of admission

Sometimes you will be required to show documents proving that your family can support your education, so it is always best to have those as well. (For more information, visit: http://faq.visapro.com/F1-Student-visa-faq7.asp)

In-person interview

For countries like the Philippines, an in-person interview is usually necessary to obtain the visa. You have to set up these appointments months in advance because visas can take up to a month to process, and sometimes the embassy will be too busy to accommodate everyone.

When you go to the interview remember to dress well and be professional. Answer the official confidently, and things should go smoothly after that. Wait time for visas can be between 1 week and 1 month, and once you get your visa, you’re good to go. Congratulations on your hard work–you deserved it!

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International Student Life

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Stanford Student Life & Organizations

The moment international students set foot on the Stanford campus, they are immediately warmly welcomed into the community. While the community tries to remove any boundaries between the international students and the locals, they also make sure that the students are comfortable enough in the new environment.

Hence, there are cultural groups like the Hong Kong Students Association, the Vietnamese group, the Chinese students group and the Filipino students group (that I joined as soon as I came to Stanford in 2007).

I think the most important part of an international student’s integration into Stanford community is their cultural group. I’ve seen a lot of Thai students take leadership roles in the Thai student group, and a lot of Korean students become the co-chairs of the Korean Students Association.

By far, the most popular events for international students and local students alike are the cultural shows that are held by some of the bigger, more prominent groups. The Filipino group has an annual dance showcase which is a huge production of 12 or so dances with short skits and modern dances tying it all together.

Other student groups have employed the same strategy for their annual showcases. It is these types of activities that bring the Stanford community together and raise cultural awareness.

Another big hit are events that have tons of food. The Thai Student Group and the Taiwanese Student Group love holding ‘night markets’ showcasing the best of their cuisine. These also bring in tons of students, regardless of ethnicity or nationality.

Evidently, these cultural groups have proven to be a very vital part of student life. Local students and international students alike are heavily engaged in this constantly coming up with cultural events to raise awareness within the community. It gives students a chance to embrace their own culture and learn about a new one in a safe community.

Aside from Bechtel and the cultural groups that are prominent in all parts of campus, international students are free to join interest groups, and there is wide and abundant range to choose from.

You can find more information about the Stanford programs here: http://www.stanford.edu/dept/uga/student/organizations

Here is a list of the student groups: http://www.stanford.edu/dept/uga/student/diversity/student_organizations_list.html

Stanford Student Life

The Bechtel Center: Support For International Students

The Bechtel Center is a great facility that serves its purpose when it comes to making sure that the students are comfortable and adjusting well to the Stanford campus. The Bechtel Center hosts a lot of cultural events such as Japan Day and Filipino cultural nights that is often put together by the Filipino-American Alumni.

Aside from these fun events, the Bechtel Center provides information regarding visas, study abroad, scholarships and other things that pertain to international students.

The website itself is chock full of information for students who plan to apply for scholarships and fellowships. Students can also come to the I-Center to get passport photos and get an ISIC card, which will help them get discounts for transportation and other services.

The students are also free to use the facilities, and are always assisted by the Bechtel staff. I’ve attached a link to the website, and the best things to look out for are the scholarship and grant information that they have for international students, and the classes and workshops link that they have on the site.

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Securing Rec Letters From Non-English Speaking Teachers

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Aside from maintaining your grades, studying for the SATs and writing your essays, one of the more difficult parts of the application process is the letter of recommendation. I, for one, had a really tough time because my teachers weren’t particularly good at speaking or writing English, nor did they have very solid relationships with any of the students. Here are my 5 tips for getting GREAT Stanford letters.

Choose Wisely It’s always best to pick a teacher you’re close to, or who likes your work. If you ace her exams constantly and have established a good and professional relationship with him or her, he or she will be a good candidate to write your letter of recommendation. Make sure you have two or three teachers on your list – maybe more, just in case they’re busy–to ensure success.

The Earlier the Better Never EVER leave the letters of recommendation for last. Approach your teachers early, and make sure explain very explicitly what you need from them. Providing timelines and deadlines is always good. Teachers are busy and they might forget, especially if they aren’t used to the U.S. application process.

Build Relationships with Your Teachers This part is what I like to call ‘content-generation’. Based on the Filipino culture, I don’t think that high school teachers get the chance to build strong relationships with their students. Classroom culture is very basic in the Philippines. You listen to the teacher, take their tests and quizzes and participate in class. If you do well, you’re a good student.

However, you have to make yourself stand out in the recommendation letters. You have to be passionate and you have to stand out on paper because of your interests and your personality. Let the teacher know that so that it can reflect well in their letters.

Work Together and BE CLEAR The teacher might not even know where to begin when it comes to writing the letter, make sure that you explain it well, and give them samples to work with. Unlike in the U.S., these letters are a work in progress, you definitely have to work together to make it a success.

Maintain Your Grades and Performance in Class Just because you got them to write your recommendation letter, doesn’t mean you can relax. In fact, I would say that you should definitely try harder and make sure that you do excel in their classes even more.

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Stanford Essay Samples From International Students

2007 Freshman Essay Questions Short Essays (you must write on all three topics; each is about one-third page in length) 1.) Of all the activities, interests and experiences listed on the previous page, which is the most meaningful to you, and why? The happiness that is genuinely satisfying is accompanied by the fullest exercise of [...]

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Stanford Application Essays For International Students

I guess the most important thing I learned from going through the entire common application process for Stanford was how important it was to write about yourself and your passions. My high school never really encouraged creative writing. The most we’ve ever done was write short twenty-sentence essays and book reports. Whatever we did in [...]

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Critical Tips For The SAT IIs

SAT IIs are a whole different story since most schools just recommend them without actually requiring a student to take them. While the SAT was testing your general knowledge in Math and English, the SAT IIs are subject tests, which require specialized knowledge in certain areas, like Chemistry, Physics, LIterature, History and Biology. There are [...]

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The SAT For Stanford Admission

The SAT, in my opinion, is what gets you through the door in terms of admissions. The rest of your application is the core – something that the admissions office will consider once you meet their grade requirements. As mentioned earlier in one of the chapters, the SAT is really important since the baseline or [...]

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The TOEFL For Stanford

For every single international student, the TOEFL is an additional test that has to be included in the college application. The TOEFL is used to gauge a person’s ability and fluency in English. It definitely isn’t as challenging as the SAT, nor is it as important, but you need it for your application. When I [...]

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Table Of Stanford Academic Requirements

This part of my experience will vary widely for international students all over the world. I know for a fact that the academic calendar of the Philippines is completely different from U.S. schools, or schools in Korea, Singapore and China. Our school starts in June, with winter break taking place in December, resuming in January [...]

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How High School Academics Influence Your Chances

Most high school students worry about their GPA will affect their chances of getting in. GPA is even more crucial for students who want to go abroad. The reason behind this is that when an international student is pitted against a local student, the international student has to be able to stand up or be [...]

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