So hey, you want to study in America. You’re Malaysian (or maybe you’re not) and you have no idea what to do. Congrats, this is a how-to on remedying that.

Welcome to Scary America: How the HELL do I do this shit?

First thing’s first: applying to America is scary for sure, but it doesn’t have to be. All you need is to understand what to do, and to be prepared for it.

Please read this guide all at once, if possible. On that note, I hope you’re reading this in about November or so. Everything in this guide that is orange is a link. All links here are useful. Don’t question it.

In America, freshmen enroll in fall, meaning August (September if it’s by quarter). You will need to submit all your documents by March, meaning that you should begin applying by December.

I’ve broken up this guide into sections, so feel free to just read through everything, or to skip to a section. Here is a quick application timeline for your perusal.

1. So you want to go to America
2. An app a day keeps the headaches at bay
3. Exam-me-nation
4. More is more
5. Submit that shit
6. Passport
7. Applying for a Visa
8. The Interview
9. Leaving on a jet plane
10. Arriving in college
11. Blending in

You can also check out the FAQ for general info and Visa FAQ for visa-related quandaries unrelated to the actual application procedures in Section 7.

America has one of the best education systems in the world. It’s kind of a given that you have heard about some incredible university programme available there, or maybe you like the climate (figuritavely and literally). Whatever it may be, you’ve made a decision to get your ass to America to study, one way or another. Good job. Now, you need to choose WHAT university or college you want to get into.

STEP 1: PICK A SCHOOL, ANY SCHOOL

This step, I’m afraid, you’ll have to manage on your own. America has a diversity of programmes available for study, and each are unique. Do your homework on this one, and ask yourself if your course will be suitable for your personality and your job situation upon graduation. Knowing what school you want to attend first of all is a big way to cut down all the agony of applying.

Collegeboard.com is a good way to start. Fill in their lengthy form so they can help match you to some universities. If you register for an account, they can also save your searches. Besides that, they have a school database so you can quickly glance through all the information a potential student would look for.

Before we move along, what is the difference between a university and a college?

In the US, there is very little difference academically between a “college” and a “university”. Universities are usually larger and often contain multiple “colleges” within them. However, some of the top-ranked schools in the US have a name including “college” (ex. Dartmouth College). In other parts of the English-speaking world, the term “university” equates to the US use of “college” and the term “college” refers more to a trade or vocational school. So, in the US, you’re not missing out much if you end up in a “college” rather than a “university”.

In short, college can be:

1. University
2. A subdivision of a university
3. A “community college” which is a local, 2-year (generally) school which is cheaper but does not have as advanced degrees

Now that that is cleared up, you’ll want to look into several schools and all the related programmes being offered. Pick your favourite. That’s your first choice. The rest are alternatives for in case you don’t get your first choice. Picking or preparing more than one of something will be a common theme throughout this guide.

Once you have your choices, we’ll move on to actually applying.

««Getting Started««   »»An app a day keeps the headaches at bay»»

Identify if you are a freshman or a transfer applicant and download all the necessary documents from each school to which you plan on applying. Read through the instructions and fill them out as necessary. Lately, there has been a rising trend in online applications but you will still want hard copies of everything you fill out.

STEP 2: OH GOD, SO MANY PAPERS TO PRINT

You will notice that, firstly, these documents are thick. Prepare yourself for plenty of paper wastage. You may want to pace yourself so as not to get confused. Grab a file and sort everything out by university. Print everything, one university at a time, and file it as such. Now, as an International applicant, these are papers you will definitely see which are vitally important:

1. Common application (transfer/freshman)
2. International application
3. Financial information/declaration
4. Financial aid

Make sure you have all these. The application forms usually include instructions, a check list, and sometimes a list of all the majors offered. The check list is useful, but I never kept it handy.

Look through the application form. You will notice that they will want to know about your educational background. Well duh, what did you expect? You’re going to need transcripts from all high school/colleges you attended - ORIGINAL COPIES ONLY. If you send them photocopies, they’ll ignore it. America is capitalist like that.

Fill everything in as completely as possible. Leave out what you can’t and come back to it later.

Something you should notice is the SAT/ACT/TOEFL/IELTS requirement for most, if not all, schools. Let’s get into that.

««So you want to go to America««   »»Exam-me-nation»»

Every country has their equivalent of a high school graduation exam or certificate. In America, it’s the SAT Reasoning Test (formerly Scholastic Aptitude Test and Scholastic Assessment Test) OR the ACT (American College Testing Program). SAT or ACT. Remember it. Very important.

All American universities accept one or the other, and it’s universally acknowledged that those who fail the SAT tend to ace the ACT kind of like how physics stars flunk chemistry exams. Just how true this is, I don’t know, but I sat for the SAT. Schools in America do accept equivalents, the A-levels and the IBT being prime examples (because they are so freaking hard). However, many opt to sit for an American test because it can give you a boost. For transfers, this also applies, though it may not be necessary.

Which brings us to…

STEP 3: I HOPE YOU REMEMBER YOUR MATRICES

…or at least hire a good enough tutor. Tuition for SAT/ACT students can be pocket burningly expensive. In my case, I had all of one week to study for the SAT Reasoning Test. What I did was hire tutors to teach me how to solve recurring math problems (the structure is exactly the same in each exam on the questions are different), borrowed some of the SAT Exam books (Collegeboard and Princeton are the best) and did diagnostic tests a minimum of twice a day. One full paper takes about 4 hours to do.

My English was already at a good academic level, thanks to my completion of Freshman English I and II in college plus Literature in English while in high school, so it was a matter of brushing it up for the essay section. I memorised plenty of Einstein quotes the night before my exam date because honestly, he may be the only quoter you need. If you study effectively, it is possible to score well even in such a short period of time. (For the curious, I scored 2000/2400).

I recommend please, please, please taking at least one month to study for maximum effectiveness.

Please note if you require SAT Subject tests in addition to the Reasoning test for those applying to science programmes.

The SAT is offered seven times a year in the US: October, November, December, January, March (or April, alternating), May, and June. Internationally, the dates are the same except for the first spring test date (i.e., March or April), which is not offered.

In terms of the ACT, you can pretty much expect about the same thing, only the structure of the exam is different. A friend of mine who sat for the ACT and the practice SAT says that he did not recall any real difference in terms of the questions being asked. The entire exam should take over 3 hours without breaks.

The ACT is offered four to six times a year, depending on the state, in the United States, in September, October, December, February, April and June and is always on a Saturday except for those with credible religious obligations.

To sit for the SAT, register at Collegeboard.com. To sit for the ACT, register at Actstudent.org.

Now that you’ve dispensed with the SAT/ACT, we need to talk English language requirements.

STEP 4: JUST BECAUSE YEW FRUENT NO MEAN YEW GOOD AT IT

American universities acknowledge a list of countries as having students proficient in English… namely because the national language of those countries is English. For bi/trilingual losers like us, no matter how much we beg and plead, our applications are a no-go without an English test. Note: you need to sit for an English proficiency test if English is your second language and your country is not approved as English-fluent by the school you’re applying to.

In some cases, schools (like Carnegie Mellon University - minimum of 600 on the SAT Critical Reading section) do not need you to sit for these tests if you have something else that qualifies you. There may also be exams you have already sat for that will exempt you from these tests. Contact the school’s admissions office for further clarification.

Your English should be at a university academic level to pass either the TOEFL or the IELTS. The TOEFL is only valid for 2 years.

To sit for the TOEFL, register at ETS.org. To sit for the IELTS, register at IELTS.org.

««An app a day keeps the headaches at bay««   »»More is more»»

At this point in time, you should have completed your application forms and received your results for your SAT/ACT and TOEFL/IELTS. If you’re applying manually which I recommend, something you may want to do at this point in time is to collect supplementary documents to support your application.

Things like:

1. Letters of recommendation
2. Samples of highly marked essays/research papers
3. Newspaper clippings featuring you as the subject or the writer
4. Certificates

STEP 5: I TAKE AND I TAKE AND I TAKE AND I TAKE AND…

Get. Extra. Copies. Of. EVERYTHING.

I cannot stress this enough. Ask for 5 copies of everything. Letters of recommendation must be original so when you bug your lecturers or teachers to type one up for you, ask for several. They will understand. If you have to photocopy anything (like certificates), get them certified (by your counsellor or something).

Extras never, ever hurt. Especially when you are applying to several schools. This will save you loads of grief.

When it comes to documents you may need from high school, if you have not attended a college, you’re going to need your school transcripts (i.e. your report cards). Please note that they do not accept photocopies, even if you get them certified. You must request an original copy, or get an official letter from your school explaining that original copies are not given as a rule in Malaysia. Then, you need to get it translated if it’s not in English. Those translation should include a cover letter by your school confirming that they are accurate.

««Exam-me-nation««   »»Submit that shit»»

Okay, we want to send our shit now. First we need to make sure we’ve got all our shit together.

Let’s briefly run through our checklist:

• Picked out several schools
• Printed out all application forms
• FILLED IN all application forms COMPLETELY
• Written your personal statement/essay
• Provided financial documents
• Provided transcripts
• Signed all documents requiring signature
• Sent any and all test results (SAT/ACT/TOEFL/IELTS/etc.)
• Added supplementary documents

Got that? All of that? Good.

STEP 6: WOAH YES WAIT A MINUTE MISTER POSTMAN

You’re better off with a courier, but no matter what your decision may be, secure everything in a stiff cardboard case and mail it in. By the way, we’re not done yet.

STEP 6.5: HARRASS THE ADMISSIONS OFFICE

Be wary of the situation in which you harrass them. For me, I applied to the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) which had rolling applications, so I sent everything I had in mid-July or so (bad judgement on my end). For me, time was ticking away and harrassment wasn’t a choice, it was a compulsion.

Once I was notified that my package had arrived at the university via courier, I called them a minimum of once a week, without fail. I checked every single week to find out at what stage of being approved/rejected my application was. Because I hadn’t sent in my application during the conventional period, this step was vital. I got to know the admissions people and they recognised that I was a persistent applicant who clearly wanted to get in. As a result, when they informed me that a decision had been made (rejection) they immediately told me of what I could do to get a second chance without having to submit a totally new application. Thanks to that, I got accepted. Hurrah!

Making friends with the admissions office is the best thing you can ever do as a desperate applicant.

««More is more««   »»Passport»»

Two things can happen. You can get rejected, or you can accepted. In case of rejection…

STEP 6.5b: CRY FOR A LITTLE WHILE AND THEN APPLY AGAIN

On that note, I do hope you submited all your applications at once. Don’t send them one at a time.

In case of acceptance…

STEP 7: IT’S MY PARTYYYYY AND

Ha ha ha. Right. No, you can’t party yet really because you need to…

STEP 7: I’LL CRY IF I WANT TO. LIKE OVER HOW MUCH MORE I HAVE TO DO.

…Renew your passport and apply for a visa as soon as you can.

For Malaysians, check out The Idiot’s Guide To Renewing Malaysian Passports with KIPPAS. It will cost RM300 and 2 hours of your time. I do mean that renewing takes just 2 hours. Further details here. You can only use KIPPAS if you are 18 or older.

If you are 17 and below, you must go to the Immigration with a parent and:

1. Your expired passport (duh)
2. A copy of your I/C, front and back on one page
3. A copy of your birth cert
4. A copy of your parent’s I/C, front and back on one page
5. Two passport sized photos
6. All the originals (your B/C, your I/C, your parent’s I/C)

Renewing manually will probably take a day if you go in the evening. If you go in the morning, it will take 2 hours.

At this point, a portion of you may want to temporarily divert to the EPF section. For those who don’t need it, go straight to Visa.

««Submit that shit««   »»Visa»»

The visa may or may not cause you loads of grief. You need to first receive your I-20 form and letter of admission from your university (they insert it with your admissions/acceptance package). You must also have the financial documents proving you can sponsor your education in America for at least the first year.

Be aware that America still hasn’t finished milking you of your money on your own soil.

Go to the USA Visa Embassy official site for a how-to on applying for a visa. Their how-to is lame. Let me handle this shit.

1. Go to any Alliance Bank. Say you’re applying for a US Visa. Pay RM532. Receipt get. After you get the Alliance Bank receipt, you cannot use it until the next day.
2. Log on to the SEVIS website and pay US$200 online.
3. Using IE or Safari (NOT FIREFOX), schedule an appointment using your passport number and Alliance Bank receipt date.
4. Fill in the following forms from vfs: DS-156 (also known as the EVAF), DS-158, [ DS-157 (male applicants only) ].
5. Fill in the I-901 online.
6. Print all forms.
7. Bring all necessary documents (originals) and go for the interview.

Let us elaborate:

Once you get your I-20, you need to go to any Alliance Bank to pay the visa and processing fees. That’s RM532. All you need is your passport number. Usually, they will insist on you bringing your passport or a photocopy of it, but as I had neither, they had to take my word for it (I called my brother and made him read the number out to me). Be careful because this, like everything else, is non-refundable.

Now, you need to pay the SEVIS fee. Click here to access the separate site to pay for it. This will cost $200. Look for your SEVIS number on the front page of your I-20. Print out your receipt (extras won’t hurt) and then go back to the visa main site to schedule an interview at the embassy.

Don’t use Firefox. Internet Explorer or Safari will work, but Firefox will make you die inside.

Once you have your date, fill in the PDF form for the F-1 visa. Print out your confirmation of appointment. Then, fill up the DS-156, the DS-158 and the DS-157 (male applicants only unless specifically requested by a consulate) online and print them out.

Now, all you need to do is prepare the additional documents for the interview. Make sure you bring originals as well as copies.

These include your offer letter, I-20, all the embassy forms, your financial documents (make sure your documents have FIGURES that prove you have enough money to finance your first year) and anything else supporting your position as a student studying abroad with a confirmed place in a school.

You will now be interviewed.

If you want more info about visas, go to the Visa FAQ.

««Passport«« »»The Interview»»

For applicants relying on the EPF or Employee’s Provident Fund, you need to give yourself 2 weeks to get your application for funds processed. Check out the pink paper for a complete check list of documents you should bring.

Go to the EPF building to first collect the form. On the form should be a 3 page long list on things to bring. What you should provide are:

• Copy of parent’s IC back and front on one page (depending on who’s EPF it is)
• Copy of your IC back and front on page
• Copy of your birth certificate
• Copy of the first 2 pages of your passport
• Copy of your offer letter
• Copy of your I-20 form
• Copy of your SPM/STPM official certificate (if you sat for it in 2007, you can use your results slip until 2008)

Bring your originals to get it certified.

You may need to provide more or less, depending on your situation. Getting a counter at the EPF building is surprisingly fast and you can sit down with the officer who will go through what you have.

After that, it could take up to 21 days max for you to get everything approved. It could take shorter, but it depends.

»»Leaving on a jet plane»»