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Romanian Students in the U.S. – Undergrad Study
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Adina Badea, Wellesley College, MA |
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Class of 2011 Student highlight as featured in the Undergraduate Newsletter, May 2010 issue. Want to learn more about Wellesley College? Read the university highlight available here. 
Looking back on my college application process now, right before I start applying to graduate schools, is a very good chance to put my life in perspective. Remembering how scared I was of the whole ‘study abroad’ business and how difficult the applications seemed to me makes me realize how much college makes one grow. I was born in Bucharest, Romania, where I spent my whole life before deciding to apply to colleges in the U.S. How did I come to my decision? Well, I knew I wanted to study Chemistry, but wanted to become neither a doctor, nor a pharmacist. I also knew I wanted to do research so I had to discover where the funding for that was, and, at that time, no Romanian universities seemed to focus their resources on giving students research opportunities. So I started applying to U.S. schools and even though at first I only chose Wellesley because it was in the top 5 liberal arts colleges, I soon came to see what unique opportunities it offered to students. First of all, the generous financial aid package that I was awarded made me realize that the college was willing to fully support admitted students so they could attend Wellesley. The cost of a year at Wellesley is of about $51,000, out of which I received $49,000 in grants and a small loan, with the option of being hired on campus to earn the rest. In order to continue receiving financial aid, I need to reapply every year and, as long as I demonstrate financial need and I keep my GPA above a C+, I am bound to receive an award for the following year. Academics-wise, I am majoring in Chemistry (I have fallen in love with this subject since my first year of high school and the Chemistry courses I took at Wellesley only confirmed to me that this is what I want to do for the rest of my life), currently with a 3.74 GPA. What I love about the liberal arts education system is that it allows you (and, to a certain extent, requires of you) to take classes in as many fields as possible, giving you the chance to explore any interests and further any hobbies. After taking an intro course in Psychology I was considering it as a possible minor or even a second major, but then I took classes in German and Italian Studies (one of the Italian courses was offered in Rome, during winter session), either of which could be my minor right now. In terms of how much I’ve advanced in my field, Wellesley has given me the opportunities to explore doing research and working on campus, doing what I love the most: spending time in the lab. I have been working in the Lab Prep Room as a lab assistant ever since my first semester in college, and I started working in a research lab in the spring semester of freshman year, which lead to my participation in two summer research programs with the same professor, doing research in organic chemistry on novel treatments for pancreatic cancer and leukemia. In the spring semester of the sophomore year I was awarded the Beck Sophomore Fellowship for my research. I also had the chance to go to the American Chemical Society National Meeting to talk about my research project to fellow chemists in March 2009, in Salt Lake City, Utah. Outstanding work in class is also rewarded at Wellesley. I was awarded the Introductory Chemistry Award, the Organic Chemistry Award, as well as the Ethel Folger Williams Prize in German. In terms of extracurricular and social life, the best thing that could ever happen to an international student is being part of the Slater International Center, the organization that takes care of all the internationals on campus, giving them support and helping them adjust to life abroad. It genuinely feels like a home away from home. There I met the most inspiring women, some of whom came from male dominated countries to receive an education that will allow them to help future generations of women. 
The annual Slater Cultural Show gives every student (not only internationals) the chance to participate in a dance, sketch, play, singing number, specific to a certain region of the world, contributing to what has become the greatest celebration of multiculturalism on campus. This is how I discovered my passion for East Asian cultures. I’ve participated in some of their dances (the Iron Fan Dance) and then joined their martial arts clubs (Wellesley WuShu, Wellesley Martial Arts, Wellesley Kendo Club). As part of my activities on campus, I was also a volunteer for the Habitat for Humanity (helping to build homes for the needy), a Wellesley Admissions Ambassador and I was also elected to be a student member in the Student Life Advisory Committee. This year I have been studying abroad at Oxford University as part of the Wellesley Study Abroad program. More than half of the juniors at Wellesley choose a university abroad to apply to as visiting students, and spend a semester or a year getting to know another culture, trying to adapt to a different educational system, and deepen their knowledge of a foreign language. My plans for the future consist of going to graduate school to pursue a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry and eventually doing research for a pharmaceutical company. For more information on Wellesley College, please visit http://www.wellesley.edu/. To explore the free Undergraduate Admissions Training programs organized by the FEAC free of charge, please visit the Calendar section of our website. |
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Ana Neferu, University of Richmond , VA |
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Class of 2012 Student highlight as featured in the Undergraduate Newsletter, Summer-Fall 2011 issue. Want to learn more about University of Richmond? Read the university highlight available here. 
There is this common misconception in Romania that participating in national and international Olympiads is necessary and sufficient for getting admission to U.S. schools. Still, many Romanian students went to great schools without any sorts of Olympiads, proving that they are not necessary. I am here to prove that they are not even sufficient. In high school, I was subscribed to National Chemistry Olympiads. Every year I came back with some prize, and at the end of my sophomore year, I even got a bronze medal in the Yakutsk International Olympiad. I first became interested in U.S. study after hanging out at Olympiad-related events with older students who were applying. I picked up concepts such as liberal arts, top-notch science facilities, or learning outside class, which made me decide to apply. What I didn’t pick up was the application process. Once Olympiads were over, I went back home, to Drăgăşani, Vȃlcea County, where nobody was familiar with the U.S. school system. I didn’t think much of the importance of extracurricular activities, because I had a VIP ticket to U.S. colleges: an international medal! I learned about the process by myself, with Internet as the only source, but often did not distinguish reliable from unreliable information. Distance did not make it possible for me to come to Fulbright for advice during the week, when they were open. Looking back, I totally don’t blame the 12 huge-name schools I applied to for rejecting me. Then I enrolled at the University of Bucharest, Faculty of Chemistry. Taking advantage of a special relationship I had developed with a professor back in my Olympiad days, I started research with her. At the same time, I realized that everything I eventually learned about applying to U.S. colleges was going to be wasted forever. So I plucked up the courage and decided to apply again. This time I had not only first-hand experience with the application process, but also a great support system I could use anytime, now that I was living in Bucharest: the Fulbright Advising Center. My new list of colleges didn’t only include super-famous schools. UR was one of the first on the list, because I knew two Romanian then-freshmen there, who told me about this scholarship program called Richmond Scholars which in the final stage invited you to an all-expense paid interview on campus. So I jumped at this opportunity to set foot in the U.S. at least for a visit, in case I still didn’t get in. Having passed the first stage, I wrote a kick-ass additional essay about my research experience which eventually brought me the biggest scholarship available. My plan of visiting the U.S. worked: in mid-March I was crossing the Atlantic for the first time, on UR’s money. But they also had a plan: they wanted to show off their extremely beautiful campus, amazing science facilities, and very welcoming community, to make it irresistible in my mind. Their plan worked too. I did not say yes on the spot, but after getting an acceptance email from a much higher ranked school, Northwestern, I found myself looking for reasons to reject the offer so I could go back to UR. Three years later, I am still pleased with my decision. UR has given me everything I wanted for in a school and a lot more. First of all, it has helped me find and refine the interests that define me: scientific research, environmental issues, and giving back to Romania. Then it helped me pursue and even combine them. And finally, it has exposed me to a world of opportunities, from friends from all over the world with more different opinions than I ever imagined the planet has room for, to introducing the President of the United States to me. I was able to take my passion for chemistry to an entirely new level by doing high-quality scientific research. I have worked in two different labs, the first of which I basically joined in orientation. I was awarded two summer fellowships for full-time research, and most likely will have a paper published in a top scientific journal by the end of my junior year. I am currently helping organizing the Southeastern Conference of the American Chemical Society, where I will also present the results of my research. I had a vague interest in environmental issues even before developing an interest in chemistry, but could not find many opportunities to get involved in Romania. Now I am minoring in Environmental Studies and am very actively involved in the main environmental club on campus. It was an Environmental Studies class that urged me to change research labs. At first, I was researching measuring techniques for water pollution levels, but after studying about how America has no room for any more waste, I decided to stop measuring and joined a project that synthesizes drug precursors without generating waste. For an Environmental Economics class, I wrote a complex research paper about Roşia Montană, and now I am trying to figure out ways to publish it in Romania. More recently, for the President’s visit, I participated in a non-violent rally to urge him to stop the Tar Sands Pipeline, in solidarity with thousands of people, including UR students, who got arrested across the U.S. for protesting. As early as my first year, UR already taught me a lot about teamwork, leadership and management skills. With those in hand, I finally found an effective way of giving back to Romania. I became the Director of Study Abroad Projects in the League of Romanian Students Abroad. I and other volunteers have been able to help students like me, who live too far from the Fulbright Commission to be able to access verified high-quality information about study abroad. My huge merit scholarship and extra financial aid make attending school almost for free, but I still work for extra money. My first 2 years, I used to write a blog about my campus activities for prospective students, to convince them to apply to UR. Now I replaced that with working as a Phonathon Caller, where I update alumni about campus life and raise donations for the University. I am also a teaching assistant for organic chemistry labs, and peer tutor for courses in chemistry, math, economics and environmental studies. One thing I did not take advantage of has been the fashionable study abroad. And not because the school does not offer many incredible programs my friends constantly brag about on Facebook. But there are only 8 semesters I can spend here, and I don’t really want to lose one of them. I am already in my second part of college, but I am sometimes still in awe thinking of how lucky I am to be here. |
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Corina Apostol, Duke University, NC |
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Student highlight as featured in the Undergraduate Newsletter, Fall 2010 issue. Want to learn more about Duke University? Read the university highlight available here. Corina is a Duke alumna currently pursuing a PhD program at Rutgers University, NJ. 
When I received the invitation from the Fulbright Educational Advising Center to write about my undergraduate experience at Duke, I leaped at the opportunity to share with you all the life-changing impact the school, as an academic environment and also as a community, has had over my life in the past 5 years. From the beginning I want to emphasize that, aside from being ranked as a top institution in the US and in the world, Duke was the only university that offered me a full financial deal covering my entire undergraduate career, with no strings attached as to what course of study I would elect or any obligations at the end of my studies. I arrived at Duke in the summer of 2005, decided to pursue my passion in Computer Science, but also open towards exploring other fields in the Social Sciences and Humanities. As it turned out, after my freshman year, which unfolded into several inspiring courses on contemporary art, a part time job at the Nasher Art Museum on campus, and a research assistantship in the Art Department, I realized that my real calling lay in the study of art, architecture and social studies. Thanks to a combination of my professors’ constant support for my work in the arts, developing and presenting projects with like-minded colleagues and constant financial support that allowed me to travel, do original research and connect with artists, critics and institutions, Art History became more than a major – it actually turned into my new path in life. After four years that afforded me the unparalleled opportunities to substantiate and create an audience for my research, gain crucial experience by interning in various departments in art museums, local galleries and non-profits, as well as the privilege to take courses and work one-on-one with some of the finest scholars in the US and Europe, I felt more than ready to commit to a PhD program and a career in Art History – a dream come true for me when I was accepted with another generous fellowship at Rutgers University in NJ, starting in September 2010. As an only child in a tightly knit family from Constanta, it was not always easy to convey to my kin the necessity of studying so far away from home, nor the substance of my work, which many in Romania consider a dead profession. That is perhaps why my research has been increasingly directed at bringing to the fore the importance of culture in the processes of recovery and reconstruction in Romania and Eastern Europe in general. At Duke, this interest and my own critical perspective were not only encouraged but given as an example and thus legitimized. As a woman working independently on neglected and belittled urgencies reflected in the art produced in Eastern Europe, I felt I had a voice and, more importantly, I was given the confidence and resources to make an impact in my home community. Additionally, Duke’s International House, a wonderful resource for all students struggling through similar issues in different fields, became my second home and the meeting place where I developed long-lasting friendships and collaborations. While I was at first deterred by the amalgamation of cliques in the university, which I think is characteristic of the US educational system in general, I nonetheless established a circle of friends from all parts of the world, something which continues to enrich me. Although I did not want to commit to any group in the beginning (out of the dozens of sororities, religious, scientific or environmental communities), I always felt welcome to join whatever activities were going on – from concerts, film screenings, theater performances, spontaneous jam sessions, to lectures, yoga & meditation, or cooking lessons. During my  sophomore year, I rediscovered a forgotten passion for live music and, encouraged by some artist friends, I joined a folk-rock band and later established a music venue on campus, dedicated to inviting local performers to play for students, employees, and faculty. Again, my endeavors were supported both in spirit by the school officials and my peers, as well as with the capital I needed to start an organization on campus from scratch. Not only did opening my own venture give me a great sense of accomplishment, but it was a great lesson on community building through sharing of culture. My music venue became more and more significant to me as it brought me in contact with people from all sorts of backgrounds and from beyond the university walls. All in all, the time I spent in and outside the classroom at Duke has been the most formative and exciting part of my life. If you are not afraid to step outside your comfort zone and open your mind to new cultures and new ways of thinking, then I encourage you to take on the myriad opportunities the US education system has to offer. |
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Corina Varlan, Grinnell College, IA |
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Class of 2014 Student highlight as featured in the Undergraduate Newsletter, Spring 2011 issue. Want to learn more about Grinnell College? Read the university highlight available here. 
Hi! My name is Corina Varlan and I attended “Gheorghe Lazar” National College in Bucharest. My journey to Grinnell College started in the 11th grade. As an aspirant to US education, I would frequently visit the FEAC and participate in their events. That was where I met Jon Edwards, Grinnell’s Dean of International Admission, and I got the first glimpses of Grinnell life. His presentation convinced me that Grinnell could be a place for me: a vibrant community of academically ambitious students. Therefore, when it came to applying to US universities, Grinnell was among my first choices. In March, I got a phone call from Jon telling me that I had been accepted and gotten a scholarship covering my full need, which literally made me cry with joy. As you may know, last year was one of the worst times for applicants in financial need - awards were scarce and undersized. The problem, often, wasn’t getting admitted – it was getting sufficient financial support. Grinnell was the only college that personally contacted me; I would get a call every couple of days either from Jon or a current student with whom I’d discuss. They sent me a postcard signed by current international students. I felt so wanted; I felt like that was where I would most feel at home. Even though I was reluctant at the thought of living in Iowa, far from a major city, I accepted their offer. Now I know I chose right. Grinnell has been a marvelous experience for me. Besides taking classes in areas as diverse as Philosophy, Economics, Russian language and literature, Mathematics, Sociology, and Political Science, I feel like I have grown immensely on a personal level. My first semester I was part of the Model United Nations group and we went to an all-American conference in Chicago, which ended up being a really fun experience. I have also been an active member of the school’s Films Committee – this month we hosted the college’s first ever Animation Film Festival and we had two amazing filmmakers visiting campus. We are slowly building our first filmmaking group on campus as well. This semester, I have focused on doing service work, participating in a week-long disaster relief trip to Cedar Rapids and working for our College’s “Liberal Arts in Prison” program, where I teach reading to inmates.  I have got a lot of insight into a concept you hear a lot at Grinnell: social justice. Right now I am also running to be the Vice President of the largest student group on campus – the International Student Organization. All my experiences have given me new perspectives on the world around me, and this is just the beginning! I will not say that adapting to this new culture has not had its difficulties, but I have been able to overcome them with the support of my peers, the staff, and the faculty. I feel constantly inspired by my professors: they are incredible human beings who concentrate their whole attention on trying to give you the best education possible. They strive to really know who you are and get the best out of you. This summer, the College’s Department of Russian is partially sponsoring a summer-long program during which I will be able to cover my whole second year of Russian. Next year, I have been selected to be a Peer Mentor in our Peer Connection program, helping first-year students navigate through their first months of college life. I want to be as inspiring to them as most people on campus are to me; they constantly amaze me with the strength of their passion and their efforts.  I still have not decided what I want to major in. I have one more year for that. I know that I will be studying abroad, probably in Buenos Aires or Cape Town. The feeling I often have when walking on campus is that I live in this special world of endless possibilities. Just as our school’s slogan professes: “No limits.” |
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Laura Micu, University of Pennsylvania, PA |
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Class of 2012 Student highlight as featured in the Undergraduate Newsletter, Winter 2011 issue. Want to learn more about the University of Pennsylvania? Read the university highlight available here.  7:30 AM. My day starts. I get up, ready for a good workout session at the gym followed by a great breakfast while planning my day. 10 AM. History class. I take my laptop and prepare to resist all temptation to use Facebook and E-mail and instead take notes and listen. It’s not hard; the lectures are so interesting! 12 PM. Lunch with one of my professors. Isn’t it great that the university pays for you to have lunch and learn a lot about an interesting professor you admire? 1 PM. Time for some studying! 3 PM. Statistics class. This one is a biggie. 3-hour long, and really challenging! 6 PM. Dinner, then a fun dance practice with my fellow team members. 9 PM. Home from dance. Dealing with administrative duties for the two clubs I’m president of. 10 PM. Going to the library to start cracking that tough statistics problem set. 12:30 AM. ZZZZzzzzz...  This is a snapshot of what my typical day looks like. Replace the first gym session with more studying and you have a version of my mid-term season days. Life at an Ivy League is exhausting, but incredibly exciting. I started out without any Olympiad performances or special talents. I was a jack of all trades. While I was at the Goethe German School in Bucharest, I knew quite a few languages and was doing my best to find a passion to really pursue. I had done lots of swimming, lots of skiing, played bridge competitively, taken a shot at Cisco certifications, won debate competitions, and opened the first student club in my school. I was definitely active and engaged, but no competition for the people who had won Chemistry and Physics competitions abroad (like my current roommate, also Romanian). So, the Ivy League was out of reach for me, or so I thought.
Yet, in junior year I found out about the Harvard Summer School program. Eager for a taste of college life in the US without any risks, I jumped at the opportunity, fundraised across my family, and packed my bags. In Boston I had a great experience, won a best friend for life, and got to feel the thrill of college freedom as well as the sting of all-nighters. Having survived it, I returned home with a clear decision: I wanted to go to an Ivy League university. I fended all laughs and questions about how I could get in without any medals in international Olympiads and went to Fulbright. There, I got some great advice and studied hard to ace the SAT. With some not-too-shabby essays to go along with that, I proved all doubting voices wrong. At first insecure, I ended up having a great experience at Penn. I got to have Thanksgiving dinner with my admissions officer, be the main coordinator for the International Orientation Week, get an academic recognition scholarship, and make a ton of great friends. For the past two and a half years (I am a junior now) I have been taking amazing courses both in my majors and outside of them. I’m majoring in Psychology and Economics, with a minor in Statistics. I’m undertaking two research projects on my own, with different famous psychology professors for my majors, and taking honors classes that make my brain smoke. Outside of my majors I have had the opportunity to do the work of a real consultant for a local business for an entire semester, as well as consult for Microsoft in another semester. On top of that, I am a competitive ballroom dancer, as well as the president of the ballroom team and president-elect of Psi Chi, the international honor psychology society. Had anyone showed me a snapshot of my representative day and current situation when I was in high school, I probably would have laughed at them. But, going to Penn helped me reach heights I never thought I could. The unique combination of amazing classes, great professors, endless opportunities, and most of all great people is what defines Penn as one of the best universities in the world. With the continued support system that Penn encourages, I know that I will be involved with the university not just now, but throughout my entire life. I am a part of Penn, and Penn is a part of me. Looking back, this was the best choice I could have made. With its support network and its way to encourage people to develop as academics, professionals, and human beings, Penn prepares you for success. The most important lesson I have learned at Penn is to never compare myself to others. No matter how good you think you are, you will always find someone better on this campus. Instead of trying to fight them, let them inspire you and become your friends; admire and appreciate everyone else for their success, then look ahead and aim for your own. There’s enough space for everyone to be successful in their own way. |
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