- University and College Rankings

- SAT Test Information

- Application Requirements

- Financial Aid

- Useful Links

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University and College Rankings (based on U.S. News & World Report 2009)

Top 25 U.S. Universities
1. Harvard University
2. Princeton University
3. Yale University
4. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
4. Stanford University
6. California Institute of Technology
6. University of Pennsylvania
8. Columbia University
8. Duke University
8. University of Chicago
11. Dartmouth College
12. Northwestern University
12. Washington University in St. Louis
14. Cornell University
15. Johns Hopkins University
16. Brown University
17. Rice University
18. Emory University
18. University of Notre Dame
18. University of Vanderbilt
21. University of California-Berkeley
22. Carnegie Mellon University
23. Georgetown University
23. University of Virginia
25. University of California-Los Angeles

Top 25 U.S. Liberal Arts Colleges
1. Amherst College
1. Williams College
3. Swarthmore College
4. Wellesley College
5. Middlebury College
6. Bowdoin College
6. Pomona College
8. Carleton College
9. Davidson College
10. Haverford College
11. Claremont McKenna College
11. Vassar College
13. Wesleyan University
14. Grinnell College
14. Harvey Mudd College
14. United States Military Academy
17. Washington and Lee University
18. Colgate University
18. Smith College
20. Hamilton College
20. Oberlin College
22. United States Naval Academy
23. Bryn Mawr College
23. Colby College
25. Bates College

SAT Test Information
Taking the SAT -- the SAT should be taken early so as to ensure that your scores are received in time for your application deadline at the school of your choice. Please note that if you want to take a language as your subject test, language tests with listening are offered only in November. Book your test date early to ensure a seat at your testing center of choice.

Application Requirements
1. Application Forms
2. Personal Essays
3. Standardized Tests (usually SAT or ACT, 2 SAT subject tests and TOEFL/IELTS)
4. Secondary School Report and High School Transcript
5. Letters of Recommendation
6. Mid-Year School Report

Financial Aid
Don’t let the cost of education scare you away from applying to your top choice schools. Financial Aid packages can cover most of the costs of education and many of the top schools offer loans and scholarships every year. Scroll down to learn all you need to know about financial aid!

Financial Aid and Admissions
Students often wonder if applying for financial aid reduces their chances of getting admitted into a school. This depends on whether the school offers Need-Blind Admissions or not.

Where a college offers Need-Blind Admissions your application for financial aid has no bearing on the admissions decision. Ultimately, admissions officers are not informed if you apply for aid. Most schools in the US do not offer need-blind admissions to international students since a lot of the scholarship money available to them comes from government funds, which are reserved for US citizens. In this case applying for financial aid may significantly reduce your odds for admission since your application is placed in a more competitive pool, with other applicants competing for limited scholarships.

Three Main Types of Financial Aid
If you are accepted at a school offering need-blind admissions, the school commits to making up the difference between what you and your family can afford to pay and how much college costs. They do this by devising a financial aid package for you and your family that may be composed by one or more of the following types of aid.

1. Grants and Scholarships
Also called gift aid, grants don't have to be repaid and you don't need to work to earn them. Grant aid comes from federal and state governments and from individual colleges. Scholarships are usually awarded based on merit.

2. Loans
Most financial aid comes in the form of loans, aid that must be repaid. Most loans that are awarded based on financial need are low-interest loans sponsored by the federal government.

3. Work
Student employment and work-study aid helps students pay for education costs such as books, supplies, and personal expenses. Work-study is a federal program that provides students with part-time employment to help meet their financial needs and gives them work experience while serving their campuses and surrounding communities.

Useful Links

1. FinAid
2. College Board
3. US News Rankings
4. ETS
5. TOEFL
6. IELTS
7. Visa Issues