By Linda Houts-Smith
Director American Language and Culture Program
University of Idaho

Are you interested in attending graduate school in the US? If so, there are three main areas you should pay attention to. First, you should understand the application and admissions process. Second, you should learn what you need to do in order to succeed academically, and finally, you need to know how to succeed socially in the US culture.

The first step, of course, is the application process. The most important thing to remember for admissions is to begin early. Plan to spend one year on the application process. If you are lucky, it will only take six months, but it can take a full year. You will have to contact the university in which you are interested in to find out all the requirements for that school because each university has different requirements. When you contact the university, contact both the graduate school admissions office and the academic department in which you plan to study in. You can expect that you will have to send official copies of all your transcripts (grade reports). You will also have to send a financial statement showing you have enough money to cover all your living expenses, tuition, and other fees. Many universities or departments require letters of recommendation. Some may also require GRE (graduate record exam) scores or GMAT (Graduate Management Admissions Test) scores for students interested in graduate business schools. Almost all universities require a TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score. Take these exams about nine months before the term you wish to enter the university. It will take about two months for your scores from these exams to arrive at the university. Finally, many universities have an application fee which you must pay.

When you complete all the paperwork, you should begin to prepare yourself for life at an American university. One of your concerns will be success in your academic studies. It is important to understand the American philosophy of graduate study: you will be responsible for your own learning and you will be expected to display analytical and integrated thought processes in your work and research. It is not enough to show that you have learned what an expert in your major has said. You must analyze the ideas and add your own. For this reason, it is important to understand plagiarism. Plagiarism means stealing or copying another person's ideas or writing, and it is absolutely forbidden in America. When you write a paper, you will want to show that you know an expert's ideas. When you do this, you must show exactly which ideas or which words you copied from a book or article. This gives honor to the expert who wrote the article. If you do not know the proper way to do this, plan to attend a language center where you can learn how. Ask if the university you will attend has a preparation program like this.

When you take responsibility for your own learning, it means that you do not wait for your professor to give you instructions. You must make an appointment to meet with your major professor to make your own personal study plan. Also, if you have any questions during class time, you should raise your hand to interrupt the professor and ask the question. It is important to ask the question at the time it is the topic of discussion. If you feel too shy to ask during class, you can go to your professor's office during his/her office hours or make an appointment. Do not try to talk to the professor after class because he/she may have another class or meeting to attend.
To succeed in your academic studies you will also need to learn how to use a computer. You will write your papers on a computer, look for information on the internet, maintain contact with professors and other students on e-mail, and depending on your major, you may have to learn how to create graphs and databases and statistical reports using computers.

Finally, to be successful in America, you will need to pay attention to your social needs. Make an effort to meet the other students in your field, American and international. Don't rely only on students from your own country and don't wait for Americans or students from other foreign countries to come to you. Get involved with study groups and with the graduate student association. If you are married and your family will come with you, they should try to get involved in American life, as well. Find out if the university you want to attend has any clubs for family members. Encourage your spouse and children to meet Americans. They will feel happier if they have friends, too.