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Getting a Visa If you are an international student going to college in the US, you will need a visa. You should receive a Form I-20 from the college’s international student office with your acceptance letter. The US Embassy requires this form when you apply for your visa. You can’t enter a foreign country for university study unless you are a citizen, a permanent resident, or have an appropriate student visa stamped in your passport. Do not enter the US on a tourist visa! It is a good idea to consult with representatives from the US embassy to help international students understand the steps necessary to secure a US visa.
Health Documents You will receive health forms, which need to be completed by a physician. You will also be asked to include an official copy of your immunization history. You will not be able to begin classes unless this form is completed. If your family does not have a record of your immunizations, you should contact the LCS nurse before the end of the school year.
Travel Plans and Orientation Most US colleges begin in August, and many expect new students to arrive on campus a week or two before classes actually begin to go through an orientation program. Colleges often have a separate orientation for students coming from overseas. Generally, all LCS students are able to attend the international orientation, but occasionally students will need to ask about it if they are consider international or domestic. Do not skip orientation. It’s a great way to meet new people and to get over freshman jitters before classes begin. Graduates always report that attending orientation was a big help in their adjustment to college.
Transferring It is possible to transfer from one school to another in the US. Generally speaking, the more prestigious a school is, the harder it is to transfer into later, because there aren’t a lot of students who leave these schools, and, if they don’t leave, there isn’t room for you to enter. The easiest schools to transfer into are the ones with the highest attrition rates. You need to ask yourself why you would want to transfer into a school where a large number of students keep transferring out. If you do think you might want to transfer to a better school, it is sometimes possible. Transfers most often occur after the second year. By that time, you will have demonstrated you can do college work. Usually decisions are made in late spring. Colleges often expect transfer applicants to have a good reason for wanting to switch schools. Simply being unhappy at your present school isn’t enough. The best reason is you’ve decided on a major that your old school doesn’t have. Your case has to be convincing. If you come across as the type of student who would be unhappy anywhere, you’re not the type of student most colleges would want.
