For many decades, the United States has ranked as the #1 destination for international education, attracting scholars from every continent. The number of Malagasy students choosing to study in the United States has increased significantly in recent years, including a 13.5% increase for the academic year 2016-2017. There are currently more than 140 students from Madagascar pursuing university degrees across the United States.
The main attraction for students is the wide array of options in terms of location, size and types of schools, course of studies, and opportunities for personal and professional development. That diversity, however, can seem more like an obstacle than an asset when beginning a search for the right school. The following five steps will help prospective students in the U.S. college admission process, which should begin 12 to 18 months prior to the targeted start date. Most American university programs start in August, though it is often possible to begin in January as well.
Step one
At first, the applicant should be able to answer the following questions, at least vaguely, and to come up with more detailed and definitive answers as the process moves along. But for many Malagasy students, even prior to addressing those questions, the first and foremost question to pose is “How good is my English?” Applicants need to possess a certain level of proficiency to be able to do research, communicate with the school and write personal statements and study objectives.
Once the language barrier is overcome, the next questions should include:
Studying in the Unites States demands researching your options to find a college or university that best fits your needs. You should try to find the school that will support you in achieving long-term goals and meets your requirements – academic, financial, and personal. Come up with details and rank your priorities such as level of study, majors, costs, weather, preferred extracurricular activities, gender and ethnic balance, etc.
Step two
It is highly recommended to start financial planning as early as possible. Like any investment, you need to evaluate what is best for your educational and career goals and what you are able and willing to spend.
In addition to academic achievement, your personal background, your artistic achievements and/or athletic talents can constitute valid grounds for winning financial aid. Often times, national origin might be an advantage especially if the school promotes diversity. Madagascar is an underrepresented country in the U.S., which might attract financial aid offers from the right school. With an equal academic merit and strong personal background, a Malagasy might be given preference over another international student whose country has been overly represented at that particular school. So market your country to the best of your ability.
When looking at financing your studies, location matters. Costs for housing and food vary greatly in the United States depending on where you live. Suburban or rural areas in the South and Midwest of the United States generally have the lower costs of living than the East or West Coast.
The U.S. Embassy also offers the Fulbright Scholarship, a fully-funded Master’s degree program at an American university granted to a few of the most qualified Malagasy applicants every year. Like any financial offer, excellence is the watchword. The competition for Fulbright is intense, and only a few people are selected each year. However, many of our grantees have attended universities in the U.S. that are among the best in their chosen fields.
Step three
Completing an application might sound like a mundane activity, but it can be daunting for many international students. This step covers the general application requirements for U.S. colleges and universities.
In addition to adequate computer literacy, applying for U.S. study is a task that takes time and concentration as every application is different. Each one involves collecting recommendations, writing essays, and routing the results of required standard examinations. Plan to give this step the time it deserves for a successful result.
An original high school or postsecondary transcript will be required for each institution, so start collecting these materials well in advance of application deadlines. Most Malagasy credentials are issued in French, so an official translation of each document will be required. Please remember that deadlines are rarely negotiable.
In order to demonstrate that you have understood all the application questions, please reply to each one; if they do not apply, please clearly say so. Blank fields are often construed as an applicant skipping a question due to lack of understanding. (This is the first of many cultural challenges that Malagasy students need to face in order to have a positive experience in America.)
Step four
It is now time to apply for the U.S. Student Visa, one of the most exciting moments of the whole process for all international students. Applicants will receive an official notification from the schools they have applied to, saying whether they are admitted--with or without financial aid—or they have been rejected. Acceptance letters will be followed by visa documents (I-20 or DS2019) for the students to start completing their visa application. In case of multiple acceptance letters, out of courtesy, students are asked to notify any school they will not attend.
The EducationUSA staff will assist students in preparing for the visa application and provide information on F, J and M Student visa types.
Because visa interviews are short, do your best to explain why you want to study in the United States, how you plan to support yourself while in school, and what your plans are for when your studies are finished.
This is time for Malagasy students to market themselves, to be assertive and straightforward. Some traditional Malagasy ways of communicating – long, flowery speeches; a wandering thought process; great humility; indirect or evasive answers to persons in authority -- have no place during this interview, and may in fact hurt your chances of being approved for a visa. Please do come prepared.
Step five
Preparing for your departure is the final step. Key components include making your travel arrangements, attending a pre-departure orientation at the EducationUSA center, and ensuring you’ll have everything you need at your new school.
The EducationUSA advising center organizes orientation sessions for students getting ready to depart for the United States. An EducationUSA adviser, U.S. alumni, and American diplomats provide information and resources that will help you prepare for new experiences and develop skills to adjust to new challenges. This is an opportunity for students to receive a list of “do’s and don’ts” for the life they are about to embark on and ask questions of others who have been in the same situations. This orientation session addresses topics such as course selection, classroom dynamics, dealing with roommates, homesickness, volunteer opportunities, sexual harassment, shopping tips, weather, American culture, punctuality, personal space, cultural differences, motivation, academic systems and expectations, housing, and coping in a new cultural setting.
These steps represent an exciting time of life. The U.S. Embassy has many resources available to help you make the right decision about studying in the United States, to choose the right college or university for your academic goals, social interest, and ideal living environment. EducationUSA is the official source for higher education information in the U.S.
Contact information for EducationUSA Madagascar:
American Chamber of Commerce in Madagascar .
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Disclaimer:
This website was funded by a grant from the United States Department of State. The opinions, findings and conclusions stated herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Department of State.
