The Admissions Committee considers academic performance, extracurricular activities, plus personal abilities when evaluating an applicant.
Components of the application package
Generally, U.S. schools require you to submit the following documents:
Application form: includes sections like personal information, education, standardized tests you've taken or registered for, extracurricular activities, academic honors, work experience, if available, etc. You can get the application form from the schools you plan to apply to or you can download it from their website. Read the information in the application package and contact the school for further details. Around 450 U.S. universities now accept the Common Application, sometimes as an alternative to their own personalized application form. Learn more about the Common Application and discover best admissions practices from the EducationUSA online session below, which includes expert advice from EducationUSA, U.S. admissions, and Common Application representatives. Another great resource is the Harvard College Office of Admissions' Common Application Tips.
Application fee: covers the cost of processing your application. You can pay by bank check or by credit/debit card. Fees usually range between $30 to $100 and are not refundable. Some schools may grant you a fee waiver if the application fee proves a significant burden to you. Check with the school.
Academic records / official transcripts (Romanian equivalent foaia matricola): includes the subjects and grades you have taken in high school. A grade point average (GPA) stands for media generala. A GPA conversion chart is available at http://www.princetonreview.com for your reference only; you don't have to make the conversion from the Romanian grading system into the American one. Many Romanian high school students make the English translation of the official transcripts, have them verified by the high school secretariat, signed by the school's principal, and sealed by the secretary. If it is impossible for you to obtain this type of document, then you can resort to notarized copies of the official transcripts, accompanied by a certified English translation.
Official score reports for the standardized tests: TOEFL and SAT. Check with the schools what minimum TOEFL score they require for admission. The SAT I - the Reasoning Test - is required for admission to most US colleges and universities. The SAT II - the Subject Tests - demonstrate your knowledge in various disciplines. SAT II is required for admission to many competitive schools. Based on our experience, SAT II gives you a better chance to impress with your academic stamina. Even if SAT II is not required, you'd better take the SAT II tests in order to increase your chances of admission and financial aid.
Letters of recommendation: 2 or 3 letters, usually from teachers who know you well in class and from people who know you well outside class (extracurricular activities). Your referees will write about you at school and/or in your free time and will assess your potential to do well in the U.S. colleges you are applying to. Approach referees early so that they have enough time to write the letter. In the letter, the referees will include their credentials, their professional relationship with you, information on your academic skills and interpersonal abilities. The letter goes into an envelope that the referees seal and sign on. Your name must appear on the envelope, clearly indicating that it is a "letter of recommendation for applicant (…your name!)".
Application essay / personal statement: gives universities a chance to evaluate your writing skills, while getting a personal glimpse of you. Read instructions carefully! Make sure the essay has a good opening, a solid content and a strong conclusion. Try to make the essay memorable so that it wins you admission!
Supplementary materials
The following documents may enhance your application:
The school profile provides background information about your school.
The resume (curriculum vitae): given the limited space on the application form, a resume gives you the possibility to highlight your accomplishments in school and outside: contests, prizes, voluntary work etc.
The extracurricular activities show the way you spend your time outside school; select the significant ones that fit in well with the rest of your application.
Visit us and attend group advising sessions: you'll learn more about the application package. Check websites of the universities and find out exactly what their admission requirements are. Reference materials and college websites also include information about financial aid at each university (learn about terms of financial aid package, number of students who receive it, etc.). Contact the admissions office for any issues you need to clarify. Check out the titles in our Admissions literature section and also visit the Useful websites section for tips on letters of recommendation and essay writing. For any specific questions you have regarding the application package, don't hesitate to send us a message at
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The terms are listed in alphabetical order. ACT = an American college admission exam that consists of subject areas tests in English, Mathematics, Reading, Science, plus a Writing test. In Romania this test is administered by Bucharest Christian Academy. For further information on this test please visit the official website of this test www.actstudent.org. However, most Romanian students choose to take the SAT. AP (Advanced Placement) = AP courses are generally taught at U.S. high schools by teachers who follow the guidelines developed and published by the College Board. According to the information available on the official website (http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/about.html), there are 35 AP exams in 20 subject areas. These exams test the student's ability to perform at a college level. Note: AP courses are not offered in Romania. Block schedule = Yes, in Romanian high schools. All subjects are mandatory and the teaching content and pace is the same for all students. Class rank = a number or ratio indicating a student's academic standing in his/her graduating class. A student who ranks first in a class of 100 students would report his/her class rank as 1/100, while a student ranking last would report 100/100. Class rank may also be expressed in percentiles (for example, the top 25 percent, the lower 50 percent, etc.). CSS Profile = the financial aid application service of the College Board. More than 600 colleges, universities, graduate and professional schools, and scholarship programs use the information collected on the Profile to determine eligibility for nonfederal student aid funds. It is a fully Web-based application system that provides students a secure and efficient method for reporting their financial data to schools. Mind that this service is for a fee! International students generally fill out the International Student Financial Aid Form available free of charge on each college website. Click here to view a sample of this form that international students usually fill out. EA (Early Action) = students apply early and receive a decision well in advance of the institution's regular response date. Information available on www.nacac.org ED (Early Decision) = students make a commitment to a first-choice institution where, if admitted they are expected to enroll. The application deadline and decision deadline occur early. Information available on www.nacac.org FAFSA = Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Not applicable to international students. Fee waiver = if the application fee, requested by all U.S. universities, proves to be a financial burden for your family, most schools accept that you send a fee waiver request. This request will come from your school principal or your counselor, and will explain your financial situation and why the university should waive the application fee. GED (General Education Development) = a test that certifies the taker has attained American high school-level academic skills. International students need NOT take this test for admission to U.S. colleges and universities. Please write "Not applicable" in the specific line. GPA (Grade Point Average) = a system of recording achievement based on a numerical average, calculated by multiplying the numerical grade received in each course by the number of credit hours studied. Romanian "media generala". The Grade Point system is on a 1 to 10 scale in Romania. IB (International Baccalaureate) = the IB program is administered by the International Baccalaureate Organization http://www.ibo.org/. Note: in Romania the IB is administered by two schools: American International School of Bucharest http://www.aisb.ro/ and Mark Twain International School http://marktwainschool.ro/ . REA (Restrictive Early Action) = students apply to an institution of preference and receive a decision early. They may be restricted from applying ED or EA or REA to other institutions. If offered enrollment, they have until May 1 to confirm. Information available at www.nacac.org. SAT = standardized test required for admission to most U.S. colleges and universities. For further information on this test please visit the SAT section on this website. Social Security Number (SSN) = a number issued to people by the U.S. government. Anyone who works regularly in the U.S. must obtain a Social Security Number. Many institutions use this number as the student identification number. Please write "Not applicable" in the specific line. Weighted GPA = some U.S. schools offer classes that are much more difficult then regular classes, or often it is the same class but the teacher gives extra work. These tough classes are called "Weighted Classes". Weighted Classes are based on a different Grade Point system (A = 5.0, B = 4.0, C = 3.0, D = 1.0, F = 0; there is no 2.0). With Romanian high schools teachers usually give extra work with most subjects and some classes are more difficult than others, so we can say that the cumulative GPA is weighted. But the Grade Point system is still on the 1 to 10 scale.
Deadlines and submission of documents
Regular deadlines usually fall between December and February. Early deadlines are usually in November. If you choose to apply Early Decision, you can submit your application to only one institution which is your nr. 1 educational option. If admitted, you are expected to confirm that you will attend that institution. The problem with Early Decision is that it doesn't allow you to compare financial offers from several universities. Rolling admission means that a university will admit and reject candidates until the freshman class is filled. So increase your chances of admission by applying early! Generally, all the application documents need to be at the university by the date specified as deadline. A postmarked deadline means "data postei"!
Some of the components of the application package can be submitted online, such as the application form and fee, essay, while others need to be mailed (official transcripts, letters of recommendation, etc.) since they need to bear an official signature and stamp. You can also submit your application in the good old traditional way, by mailing it cu confirmare de primire. Make sure your application is well organized. Each application component will go into its own envelope; then you will put all the pieces in one big envelope that you will mail to the universities. Check with the universities if they prefer documents to arrive separately - for instance, letters of recommendation to be sent by the referees. You need to plan well so that all documents reach the university on time. We recommend that you mail your application package by registered mail (recomandata cu confirmare de primire). Registered mail is safe but somewhat slower, so don't wait until the very last minute. If the deadline is pressing, you may need to send your application by courier. Keep in touch with the colleges to make sure that your application documents have arrived. Make photocopies of all materials you send just in case the university requests them again.
Timeframe for admissions We recommend that you allow at least one year and a half for selecting US programs and preparing your application. The tentative schedule below is based on our advising experience, on input and feedback from the Romanian students admitted to undergraduate programs in the U.S. March - August:
Visit our Educational Advising Center. Attend our group advising sessions. If that's not possible, read information about U.S. higher education and the admissions process on this website. The Useful websites section is also a good start.
Consider your personal criteria for selecting U.S. universities (quality of program, financial aid, etc.). Choose a significant number universities that meet your requirements. Some people start with 15-20 universities, some with more. Investigate their admission requirements and deadlines. This will affect the dates for taking the standardized tests: TOEFL and SAT.
Establish contact with the selected universities. Send them an e-mail message with details of your study objectives, training and experience, clearly stating that you will need financial aid. Try and impress them with whatever is exceptional about you. Do not underestimate your extra-curricular achievements, be they sports, special talents or community work. It's a good opportunity to ask questions, clarify issues, but only after you have carefully read all information on the university website.
Learn about the standardized tests you need to take, about registration procedure and deadlines. You may like to take the tests in summer so that you can resit them in fall, in case you are not satisfied with your scores! Most universities set their admission deadlines between December and early February. Plan well!
Prepare for the required standardized tests. At our Educational Advising Center you have free access to test preparation materials in our library!
September - November:
To give yourself the best chance of being admitted, make a realistic assessment of an institution's admission standards and also of your own qualifications. How well do they match? You have better chances of admission with funding if you are above the average applicant! That's why the freshman profile at the schools you want to apply to is SO useful.
Work on the application package. Admissions officers spend a lot of time on the essays and letters of recommendation. When they review an application they also look at the applicant's prizes, community service, leadership skills, and special talents. Admissions officers try to determine if you are a good match for their institution. University websites and college guides available at our Center will provide helpful information in documenting this match. A good match spells success!
December - February:
Application deadlines with most universities.
Submit your applications.
March - May:
Universities announce acceptance/rejection.
Decide which university to attend, notify them of your decision, complete and return any official university forms that are sent to you.
Write to the schools that you reject and thank them for admission and financial aid. Inform them of your decision to enroll elsewhere.
Make housing arrangements (apply for on-campus housing, etc.).
Acquire as much pre-departure information as you can. It will pay off!
June - August: :
Apply for the F1 visa after you receive the I-20 form from your university. Don't forget to pay the SEVIS fee!
Make travel arrangements.
Contact the university International Student Office with details of your arrival plan.
Obtain a copy of your medical record, regular prescriptions, etc.
Plan to arrive on time for the university orientation session.
Attend the PRE-DEPARTURE ORIENTATION organized by the Fulbright Commission to facilitate your academic and cultural adjustment in the U.S. It's a full-day event usually held in mid-July that combines sessions and presentations with networking opportunities and fun.
It surely takes a lot of perseverance, resourcefulness and good management to get admission and funding from a US school. It is hard but almost 1000 Romanian students are currently studying in the US at undergraduate level. Most of them have got admission and funding by going through the stages detailed above! Good luck to you, too!
Read what people that benefited from our grants have to say about their experinece with Fulbright. This is very helpful especially if you would like to take advantage of our current offers.
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