Columbia University, ranked in the top 10 by some measures. Creative Commons photo by Flickr user Barbara (Jorbasa)

In recent weeks, as they do about this time each year, several publications have attempted to crown the best university in America.

So what is the best university in the country? The answer’s not quite so simple. In fact, just about the only thing these rankings agree on is that they really don’t agree what America’s best university is. U.S. News and World Report picked Harvard University and Princeton University to tie in the number one place, while the Times Higher Education World University Rankings placed the California Institute of Technology in the number one spot, sticking Harvard at number four and Princeton down at number six.

Washington Monthly’s rankings give the University of California – San Diego the win, with Princeton, Harvard, and Cal Tech nowhere to be seen in the top 10. And while Forbes Magazine followed U.S. News in selecting Princeton as its number one school, its number two school is Williams College – a school that doesn’t even appear on any of the other rankings.

(Scroll to the bottom of this article to see all the top 10 lists)

How useful are rankings then, if they can’t even agree on a top contender?
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International students in America can get a U.S. driver’s license and a social security number (which you need in order to work), and the Department of Homeland Security compiled some useful guidance for students planning to apply for either. They tell students:

1. Wait ten days after you arrive in the United States. You may want to apply for a driver’s license or SSN right away, but be patient. This step saves you 20 or more days of waiting! These ten days allow time for all the government databases to update with your arrival information. While you are waiting, talk with your designated school official (DSO) to learn more about your state’s driving rules and regulations.

2. Make sure you are in active status in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). SEVIS is the database that manages information for all F and M students and J exchange visitors in the United States. Your DSO activates your record in SEVIS when you register for classes or check in for a program. Talk with your DSO before you apply for a license to make sure you are active in SEVIS.

3. Wait two days after your DSO activates you in SEVIS. After your DSO activates your record in SEVIS, you should wait at least two business days before you apply for a driver’s license or SSN. This gives all the databases time to update with your new information. This step can also save you 20 or more days of waiting.

They have three more bits of guidance for students, which you can see over on the Study in the States website. There’s also a comprehensive fact sheet on how to get a driver’s license as an international student available from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

But here’s one more important tip: Be aware that your unstamped I-20 may cause some confusion.  As of early August, U.S. Customs is no longer stamping your I-2o form when you enter the country.  It’s part of an effort to make the process less paper-based, said U.S. Customs and Border Protection, adding that a stamp was never necessary to validate your I-20 form.  It was always standard practice, but never required.

According to the Chronicle of Higher Education though, unstamped I-20s have caused problems for some students applying for social security numbers of driver’s licenses.  They reported that many schools and benefits agencies weren’t aware of the new procedure, resulting in delays for students.  If you need to get your I-20 stamped, you can make an appointment with the local USCIS office (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) before November 21 to get it done.

A preview version of the 2012-2013 Common Application has been posted online, giving you a look at exactly what you will face if you plan to use the Common App next year, and a good sample of what your application could look like no matter where you’re applying. You can check out a PDF of the preview application on their website.

I’m sure you’re most curious to hear about the essays you’ll have to write. Well, here’s the guidance:

Please write an essay of 250 – 500 words on a topic of your choice or on one of the options listed below, and attach it to your application before submission.

…

1) Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have
2) Discuss some issue of personal, local, national, or international concern and its importance to
3) Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you, and describe that influence
4) Describe a character in fiction, a historical figure, or a creative work (as in art, music, science, etc.) that has had an influence on you, and explain that influence.
5) A range of academic interests, personal perspectives, and life experiences adds much to the educational mix. Given your personal background, describe an experience that illustrates what you would bring to the diversity in a college community or an encounter that demonstrated the importance of diversity to you.
6) Topic of your choice

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I had the pleasure of talking this week with VOA Special English, who wanted to know about the types of questions international students ask when applying to study in the U.S.  You can listen to the report they put together from our conversation here:

After the interview, they also asked me to share some of my favorite websites for international students. I figured you all might want to see as well, so I thought I’d post the list here, exactly how I sent it to them in my email (well, I corrected one typo…).

A lot of these are also in our Resources section or under our “useful websites” tag (check out both of those links for more sites to look at).  Let me know in the comments what other websites you like!

The only must-know site for all international students:

EducationUSA

If you only know one additional site:

Study in the States (Department of Homeland Security)

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How do you get a taste of American education without actually becoming a student in the U.S.?  We’ve shared one way, but here’s another: take advantage of the ever-growing number of online courses available.

Here’s a list of some websites where top American universities give away course materials, or even teach real courses, for free:
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Acceptance letters (Creative commons photo by Flickr user Adrian Ho)

One thing I learned when I was applying to U.S. universities is that standing out to the admissions committee requires much more than good test scores.  The most competitive candidates will all have well beyond average SAT and TOEFL scores, outstanding recommendation letters, and thoughtful essays.  But even that won’t guarantee them a spot at their first choice school.

So what can make your application special?  I had good SAT scores, a decent TOEFL score and good grades, but I think what put my application ahead of some others is that I showed a passion.

My passion has always been for social issues – bringing people from around the world together to empower young people, and especially young women.  Everyone has a passion, and when the admissions committee can see that about you, it makes you stand out.  The trick is to demonstrate that passion in a way that admissions officers can actually see.

Here are some suggestions of how to do that from my own experience.
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Question #2 in our weeklong online event comes from “nhung” who asked:

How can we get the visa F1 , I think I have enough condition to study in USA but US consulate refused to issue visa

Let’s start out with me reminding you that I’m not an immigration lawyer, nor am I a consular officer.  If you’re having trouble, seek out people who can help guide you, like your EducationUSA adviser or the international student adviser at the school you’ve been admitted to.

The general visa process is explained in this great (and adorable) video from EducationUSA:

For some advice on how to make the process go smoothly, check out this previous post: “Visa Tips From Visa Officers.”

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If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you know that each Friday we search the entire internet (from “a” right through “∞”) to find online events and webinars happening in the upcoming week that you might want to attend.

Well, we couldn’t find any for this week (and we even searched all the way through ∞+1), so we decided to hold our own.  All week we’ll be taking and answering your questions about studying in America (more details here).

So here we go with question #1…

How much does studying in America cost?

Feridun asked about the cost of studying in the U.S., and particularly of studying English.

I know this isn’t what you want to hear, but the answer is that there is no answer.  Or, more precisely, the cost varies VERY widely.

Take an undergraduate education.  The “sticker price” (cost of tuition + fees) can range from $59,170 (Sarah Lawrence College) down to $0 (Berea College).  According to the College Board, the average tuition is $20,770 for a public university and $28,500 for a private one.

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If you’ve been looking on U.S. government websites for information about how to study in America, but finding it confusing, two new websites are trying to help.

1) Study in the States

The Department of Homeland Security launched its Study in the States website this summer to streamline information about the visa process, including forms and regulations.  The site is part of a broader “Study in the States Initiative” that the DHS says will “examine the existing student visa and exchange visitor programs, as well as related programs for students after they have completed their course of study, to identify problem areas, and to consider possible improvements.”

2) Your 5 Steps to U.S. Study

EducationUSA also launched a new section of its website that aims to break down the admissions process into a step-by-step guide for applicants to follow.  The site suggests a timeline for when you should complete each step, and gives guidance specific to the type of study you want to pursue – undergraduate, graduate, short-term exchange or non-degree English.

Two new additions to our ever-growing list of useful websites (also check out our Resources page to see more helpful sites).

In the summer of 2007 I, a high school graduate in Russia, spent hours on the Internet in search of a cheap summer school in the United States. I had been studying English for a couple of years, but I never had a chance to practice it with native speakers. Summer school seemed like a good opportunity, but the average cost was unimaginably high for my family.

I did not find a cheap summer school then, but I discovered something a hundred times more valuable. I learned about an exchange program called Global UGRAD, which offers students the chance to go to a university in the United States for one academic year, pursue an internship, and engage in community service – for free.

Preparing for Halloween at Southern Maine Community College

I applied in my first year of college, and after a few rounds of the competition, I was selected as one of the 20 finalists. I spent my year at Southern Maine Community College, located nicely on the beach.

The Global UGRAD Program also allows its applicants to choose any major, regardless of what they study at their home universities. I took advantage of this policy and picked something I was really passionate about but never had a chance to study – International Affairs.

When I came back to my home university, I knew I wanted to change my major from Marketing to International Affairs. Because of institutional bureaucracy it turned out to be practically impossible. Moreover, this exchange experience made me very sensitive to the differences in Russian and American education systems. I began to notice disadvantages of education in Russia that I didn’t notice before.

So I started to think about continuing my studies in the U.S.  But despite my academic experiences there, I still had very little knowledge about applying to American universities. I did not even know at that point in time that transferring from a university in Russia to a university in the United States was possible. I started my research from literally nothing.

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Sometimes you guys ask really useful questions on our Facebook page.  I wanted to share this one, because I think a lot of you may want to know the answer…

…because of the number of University are so high, it really make difficult for me to find the one which may best suit to my situation as an International student. … When I open the list of all Universities, community [colleges] or other private [colleges] in US, it makes me confuse[d], discouraged and don’t know at all which ones to choose.

Honestly, it’s difficult for everyone, including Americans. But there are some tools you can use to help narrow down your search, and some strategies that can help you make sense of all the information.

The Princeton Review is one that I know many American students use to find a good match. They have a thing called the “best fit school search,” where you can narrow down colleges based on characteristics like their location, characteristics of campus life, and your own credentials.  College Board and Peterson’s are two other sites that let you search and filter schools, and I’m sure there are many more out there as well.

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We’re not the only ones on the interwebs talking about what it’s like to be an international student in the U.S. (although obviously we think we’re the best!). If you want to get even more perspectives, check out some of these blogs by current and former foreign students.

Berkeley College Life
José Navarro from Spain is studying at Berkeley College in New York and writes about his experiences at school and in the city. He also talks about what he’s learned that might help other international students.

UNIcq
Written by two former international students at Yale University (Huijia and Wilson), this blog mostly offers practical advice based on the students’ own experiences.

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The State Department today launched a new website dedicated to providing information on J-1 visas.  J-1 visas apply to exchange programs and must be sponsored through an established exchange visitor program.  They’re used in many different scenarios, but one common one is for summer work travel programs in the U.S.

If you’re confused about all the types of visas, take a look at this previous post, which explained a bit about the difference between F-1, M-1 and J-1 visas.

You may remember that the J-1 visa program gave us one entry in our unfortunately long list of cautionary tales, so if you’re planning to come to the U.S. on a J-1, make sure you do your research.  This new website, and the State Department’s pre-existing site, travel.state.gov, are good places to start.

Are you in the U.S. this summer on a J-1 visa? Tell us how it’s been so far in the comments or by emailing jstahl@voanews.com

Want to hear from students who got through the visa interview and stamping process?  Nareg talked about his experience earlier this year.

We also recently stumbled across the Happy Schools Blog, which shares stories from students about their F-1 visa interviews. They have success stories and visa denial stories, which come largely from India, but include some other countries, like this one from Kenya.

RedBus2US also shares visa stories from India, and you can look on many international student forums for even more.