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University of Pennsylvania via Coursera

Applying to U.S. Universities

Overview

“It depends.” That is what you’ll hear when asking about the U.S. university admission process. With over 4,000 universities in the United States and no standard application system, the U.S. admission process can be confusing for everyone, but especially for students applying from other countries.

This course will help international students (non-U.S. citizens) and non-native English speakers navigate the U.S. university admission process by offering practical information about the documents and pieces that make up a U.S. university application. More importantly, admission officers will discuss how they use those pieces to decide who is accepted and who is denied, so that you can understand the process beyond the pieces.

By the end of this course, you will understand application basics that include researching schools, creating a school list, and establishing an application plan. This course will not answer all of your application questions, but it will teach you to ask the right questions of yourself and the universities. Ultimately, you will have all the information you need to start your process the right way, putting you on the path to acceptance.

* Please note, while the English Language Programs are part of the University of Pennsylvania, this is not a course about applying to Penn. Furthermore, this course is intended for international students educated in the national curriculum of their country. While other students are welcome to enroll, the course is not intended for American students or students studying in an American, International Baccalaureate, or Advanced Placement curriculum. The course is also intended for students who do not have access to university counseling – if you attend a school that offers university counseling, your counselor is the best source of information on applying to university. Finally, this course is for undergraduate (Bachelors degree) freshmen (students who have not attended any university) applicants. Undergraduate transfer applicants, students who have attended a university, will find some of the information helpful, but graduate (Masters and Doctoral) applicants will not.

Syllabus 5

  1. The U.S. Admissions Process 5 hours

    The first step to studying in the USA is to understand the application and admissions process in the U.S. How to apply to colleges and universities in the U.S. is probably very different than the university admissions process in your home country. One big difference is the importance of “fit,” and…

  2. Self-Assessment 3 hours

    The most important part of your college application is you. Before you apply to any U.S. universities, you have to know yourself – likes, dislikes, strengths, and weaknesses. Once you know yourself, you can look at your application the way a U.S. admissions counselor will look at your application.…

  3. Research & Planning 4 hours

    It is time to use what you learned about yourself to start the college search and find the schools where you will apply. With 4,000+ colleges and universities in the U.S., picking the right schools for you takes time and strategy. This module will focus on three areas: (1) conducting your research,…

  4. The Pieces of Your Application 5.5 hours

    Your college “application” is made up of eight individual pieces, including essays, letter(s) of recommendation, test/exam scores (SAT, ACT, TOEFL, & IELTS), and more. In this module you will understand how each piece is viewed individually along with how that piece fulfills admission requirements…

  5. Admission Officials Interview Series 7 hours

    While these interviews might be long, this information is some of the most valuable in the course. Throughout the course you have learned that U.S. colleges and universities are all different – different environments, different personalities, and different admission processes. In this module you wi…

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages

  • Structured courses with graded quizzes, assignments and deadlines you can reset.
  • A shareable certificate from the university or company when you pay.
  • Financial aid is often approved for students in India (apply 15 days before you need it).
  • Taught by University of Pennsylvania, one of the strongest names in its field.
  • Self-paced: start any time.
  • A clear syllabus (5 parts) you can see before you start.

Disadvantages

  • Paid after a 7-day free trial (Coursera Plus or per course).
  • Some courses can be audited for free, but graded work and certificates need payment.

Some points apply to every course of this kind; see how we rank.

This course is paid. Here is how to take it for free

  • Free trials: You can start a 7-day free trial for many individual courses, Specializations, or a Coursera Plus subscription to test full course features. Cancel before the seventh day if you do not want to be charged.
  • Financial aid: If you cannot afford the fee for a certificate, you can apply for financial aid through the link on the course home page by filling out an application about your background and goals.

Taught by

  • Erick HydeUniversity Connection Counseling Specialist, English Language Programs

University of Pennsylvania is in Tier 1: world-leading universities and India's top institutes of our institution ranking (94/100).

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