Why do we need to start the process early?
The decision to go to study in the United States is something that has to be thought about with time if we want to be admitted to the universities we are interested in and also get good scholarships.
There are cases in which we have worked with students in the same year that they are going to start their studies at university and, honestly, in these cases the process becomes much more stressful for the student, who is also at the end of their school stage and this puts a lot of pressure on them.
There are a series of academic and athletic requirements that American universities will ask us to meet in order to be admitted. The better we prepare these, the better the chances of getting the college that best suits the student’s preferences.
We believe that by starting the process a year and a half earlier, will be able to prepare for both the exams required for admission to university, as well as to improve results and athletic performance.
SPORTS REQUIREMENTS:
By being clear about your objectives, you will be able to plan your season much better and focus on improving your marks, ranking or statistics.
If it is a team sport (basketball, soccer, field hockey, water polo…), there will be enough time to make a video of the best plays during the competition. It will be possible to record all the matches of the season and extract the best minutes from them.
For sports where the level is determined by marks, ranking or handicap, there will be time to plan the season and decide which important competitions to go to to lower the ranking.
ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS:
In addition to taking into account the grade point average (GPA) of 3rd, 4th ESO and 1st baccalaureate, the fundamental academic requirements for admission to most American universities are the SAT and TOEFL exams.
THE SAT
The SAT is the American college entrance exam. This is composed of two parts, a math part with calculator; and an English part.
The earlier you start preparing for this exam the better, as the better your chances of getting a better grade.
There are athletes who start the process late and do not have time to prepare well, which puts them at a disadvantage. If you don’t get the minimum required by the university, the coaches can’t give you a scholarship or add you to their team, no matter how good an athlete you are.
In addition, if you get a good SAT score, many universities give academic scholarships. These range from $5,000-$30,000 and are based on a scale between GPA and SAT.
TOEFL
Universities need to make sure that students have a sufficient level of English to understand the classes once they are there. For this purpose, each institution will set a minimum TOEFL score for admission. Normally, this score is 62/120 on the exam, which is equivalent to a B2 level.
Having a good Toefl score will not determine a higher or lower scholarship. This requirement is only necessary for admission to the university, not for determining the amount of scholarships.
At MAE we have at your disposal online SAT preparation courses as well as private teachers. We make sure that our students are as well prepared as possible to achieve their dream of entering an American university.
Preparing for this process in advance has other advantages:
- We know the student better:
The more we know the student the better we can advise. If we know the student’s character as well as his or her tastes and preferences, we can really look for universities where we know the student will fit in perfectly, both with the university and with the city and its culture. - Scholarship availability:
Coaches have a maximum number of scholarships available to be distributed. The sooner they know the student’s profile, the sooner they will assess it. Scholarships are running out, and it may be that if you arrive too late, the coaches have already distributed their entire budget and, even if you are better than other athletes, they can no longer offer you a better scholarship.
If you and your family need more information and would like to request a free first meeting, please write to us at
info@maeducationusa.com
and we will contact you as soon as possible.
