At this time of year, universities are just getting back into session.  Freshmen and first years are arriving in new cities, and even new countries, for the first time and getting to know the place where they will spend the next few years of their lives.  Our bloggers remember what it was like to arrive in the U.S. for the first time, and give their number one piece of advice for traveling here.

Part 1 focused on the practicalities of traveling, including what paperwork to bring and what to pack.  In this part, the bloggers look at how to adjust to a new country.

Getting Acquainted:

Sebastian Sanchez
When you’re traveling to another country, many people will give you advice on what to bring, where to visit in your new city, and other practicalities. But there is one thing no one told me that now I wish I heard before, and it’s as simple as this: make some friends. Making new friends may sound like something given, but don’t underestimate the importance of emotional support starting from day one.

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VOA’s In Focus TV program talks to a student from Cameroon, now studying at Howard University in Washington, D.C., about why he chose to study in the U.S., the cultural differences he’s found, and what he hopes to bring back to his home country.  Click “Read the rest of this entry” to watch the video.

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At this time of year, universities are just getting back into session.  Freshmen and first years are arriving in new cities, and even new countries, for the first time and getting to know the place where they will spend the next few years of their lives.  Our bloggers remember what it was like to arrive in the U.S. for the first time, and give their number one piece of advice for traveling here.

In this part, our bloggers look at the practicalities of travel, including what you’ll need and what to pack.  Part 2 will look at how to get settled in and adjust to life in a new country.

Practicalities:

Nareg Seferian
Entering the US requires more paperwork than just your passport and visa. As a student, you need to have your I-20 ready, signed recently by the listed responsible official of your college. It doesn’t hurt to have your SEVIS receipt either, especially if it’s your first arrival.

On top of that, everyone entering America fills out a form or two, something called an I-94 and a customs declaration form. They are pretty self-explanatory, but you will require an address to fill in and perhaps a telephone number of where you will be in the country (your university’s address, if you’re living on-campus). The I-94 gets stapled into your passport. Needless to say, be very cautious and make sure you don’t lose it!

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Last week we shared the results of two rankings of international universities – the THE and US News and World Reports (based on the QS rankings) – which came to different conclusions as to which universities are the best in the world.

The Hindustan Times looks at why different rankings produce different results, and why it’s important to dig beneath the surface to understand how a ranking is generated.

What should you read to prepare yourself for freshman year?  eCollegeFinder selects its top 50 online resources to help college freshmen learn the ropes.

Look left, then right. Check the left again. The white walking man lights up, which signifies safe passage. I cross the road safely and let out a sigh of relief.

(Photo: Flickr user TheTruthAbout...)

Having arrived in Chico, California more than a year ago, I still have trouble crossing the street sometimes. In my country, oncoming traffic arrives from the right – so you’d have to look right first. The driver’s seat is on the right too. Simply put, Malaysians drive on the other (wrong?) side of the road.

It’s true what they say — coming to another country changes you. Not in some physically manifested way, but in simpler ways. Like when you cross the road. Or when you ask for only a fork, instead of a spoon and a fork.

Sometimes you pick up small mannerisms, like a local phrase or saying. I’d never used the words “for sure” so much until I came to Chico.

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Is an Ivy League education all it’s cracked up to be?

CollegeWise counsels that if “you think that only Harvard will do and that a Kenyon education just won’t get the job done, you’re falling for the sham.”

Meanwhile, CollegeBound takes a look at the “Budget Ivy League” list of top-notch public universities.

Blogger Autumn posts this hilarious photo of her friends asleep at church, under the headline, “College wears you out.”

My visa, issued by the embassy in Yerevan

The visa process was something of a harrowing experience when it came to getting to study in America. Okay, so maybe “harrowing” is too strong a word, but I was applying from Armenia, from where many have ended up in the States one way or another for a while now. The ”one way”-s can unfortunately be a problem. I was part of the “another” crowd, though – going through the proper channels - so, really, I did not have any issues.

It was just a little overwhelming getting all the paperwork done. For starters, the visa application was all online. I have trouble trusting such systems, and would much rather speak to a real-live person when it comes to dealing with official issues.

Anyway, to apply for a student visa, I needed an additional document called an “I-20″ from the college where I was going to study (which they had FedEx-ed over), and a print-out of a student payment fee called “SEVIS,” also done online.

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John Sexton, president of New York University, talks to CNN about why the university opened a campus in Abu Dhabi, and why other universities are pursuing “branch campuses” as well.

MSNBC‘s Life Inc. blog asks the question, “Is going to college still a good investment?,” looking at whether the benefits gained are worth the cost.

A new report by the College Board answers, “Yes,” arguing that college graduates are more competitive in the workplace (via USA Today).

Learning cultures is my favorite thing to do. I enjoy interacting with new people very much. That’s why I am here, in the heart of different cultures congestion, in the United States of America. I have dreamed of studying abroad since my childhood and I am pretty sure that many students from different countries have the same feeling.

My name is Zhamal. I now live in the USA and study at Mira Costa College. I am 17 and I am here to make a difference in my life.

I will never forget my first day in the United States. I was so excited to come here. My friend Kasiet and I had a long trip to California via London. We arrived at the Los Angeles airport at 9 PM. We found our friend who was supposed to meet us at the international terminal, and we headed into the city.

Los Angeles at night (Photo: Flickr user Mozul)

Los Angeles is an amazing city, especially at night when it is sparkling with lights all around.

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On the heels of last week’s World University Rankings comes U.S. News and World Reports‘ World’s Best Universities ranking.  This list ranks schools around the world based on their attraction to international students and faculty.

UPDATE: Not a fan of rankings? You’re not alone.  Check out what Australian universities have to say about these sorts of lists.

Jennifer from Study Life USA has put together a guide to studying in the US, focused on where to start when it comes to visas, English language assessments and financial aid.