The ASFM Network has prepared the following FAQ for current high school students. If you have more specific questions, or want to contact an ASFM alumni who goes to a college you are interested on, or is studying a major you are considering, write us at asfmnetwork@gmail.com, and we will get you in touch.
Who should study abroad?
While there might be a lot of pressure in school to study abroad, this does not mean that that is the right thing for you. Studying in Monterrey can be a challenging and interesting experience, and a number of alumni actually recomend that. You should give youself some time to reflect before making any decisions.
How do I decide which universities to apply to?
There are dozens of excelent universities in the United States and Canada. It is unwise to aim only for top schools. This does not mean that you should hesitate to apply to them, however, since many high school students are unaware that they have good chances of being admitted. It does mean that you should apply to a variety of institutions, which you should pick after doing some reseach. A good way to start researching is to take a look at the colleges students from ASFM’s previous classes have been admitted into.
How important are my grades/SAT scores?
Your grades, as every other aspect of your application, are important. They will not help you much, however, if that is all you can show the admisions committee. You should therefore make sure you have a well balanced application, including extracurriculars, good recomendation letters, and, perhaps most importantly, good essays of your own. There are cases in which students with average grades have been accepted into very selective colleges due to the strength of the rest of their applications. The same applies to SAT scores.
Who should I ask to write my recomendation letters?
Some people think that if somebody famous or important writes a recomendation letter for them, their chances to be admitted to a university will be better. In fact, the most important thing is that your recomenders are people who know you well – they can be teachers you have established good relationships with, or people you have worked for who can testify to your qualities.
When should I start thinking about applications?
Most applications are due during the fall semester of your senior year. If you want to apply early, applications are due around September. If you plan on sumbitting a regular application, it will be due around November. You will need a few months to complete your application – you need to take the SATs, SAT II, and for come colleges, the TOEFL. Also, you need to ask for your recomendations with time, so the people writing them have time to write something worthwhile, and you need to write your own essays thoughtfully. Considering this it is wise to start thinking about your applications during your second semester in Bach II.
What does Early Application and Early Action mean?
An Early Application is one in which you send your application earlier, are notified sooner and have to attend the college you applied to if you are admitted. Early Action is similar, yet you do not have to attend a college you are admitted to. You should consider these options if you are sure what college you want to go to, because it will give you better chances of getting in.
How many AP courses should I take?
You should take as many as you want, but do not take them only because you believe this will make your application look better. Universities look for students who are well-rouned, and not necessarily for those who have taken all the hard courses.
How will I choose my major?
If you are admitted into a liberal arts program, you will not declare a major until your second or third year of college. During your first semesters, you will be allowed to experiment taking classes on subjects that interest you or that have a broad scope. A number of colleges offer only liberal arts – even for those going into the hard sciences. This is a good thing, since students very often change their mind on what they want to study as they go along. It is not unlikely that you will end up studying something you had never considered. There are also many colleges, however, that require you to specialize from the beginning, specially if you want to be an engineer.
What if I want to study Medicine or Law?
In most cases, you cannot earn a B.A. in Law or Medicine in the U.S.. You would have to major in something else, and then attend Law or Medical School (Law programs tend to be three years, and Medical programs are up to seven years). Also, most colleges advise students who want to pursue these majors to study where they plan to practice.
How can I pay for college?
A number of top universities in the U.S. provide international students with need-based financial aid. This means that you will say how much you can pay, demonstrate it to a financial aid committee (with your family's tax documents or equivalents), and the university will pay for the rest. In many cases, students pay just as much as they would pay if they studied in Mexico.
Unfortunatedly, this is not the case for every university in the United States. You can find specific information on financial aid policies in the website of every college. If your college does not provide financial aid for international students, you can pay your education with scholarships from other sources and with loans. Loans, however, will most likely leave you in great debt during the first five or ten years of your professional career.