More and more Chinese students choose to attend high schools in the US after finishing junior high school. It is important to understand the admission criteria for each high school. General speaking, the admission committee not only look at TOEFL, SSAT or SLEP scores, they also access their overall quality such as level of independence, adaptiveness or individuality. They prefer students who are both academically strong and engaging in social activities. Students with strong leadership qualities and communication skills, or students with special talents in art or sports are also well sought.

Students and parents should research on the type of schools to attend, the location and living expenses, the college admission rates, the strength of the schools and the admission criteria. Lots of schools require a phone or Sky interview in spite of satisfactory test scores. Some schools will conduct a placement test upon arrival at the school to determine which class the student should attend. Other documents include an application form, school transcript, SSAT or ISEE score, and financial support. SSAT test is available in several cities in China, such as Beijing, Shanghai, Congqin, Guandong and Nanjing. You can go to www.ssat.org/test-center-search to find the complete list and their contact information.

Tuition varies greatly based on locations, school types, and school reputations. Generally speaking, you are looking at between $40,000 and $50,000 per year for private boarding schools. Schools with religious affiliations can be cheaper, e.g. between $20,000 and $30,000 per year for boarding schools.

Students usually get J-1 or F-1 visa to study in US high schools. A J-1 visa will be issued if the student is involved in culture exchange programs. Some restrictions can be applied to the visa, e.g. the student can stay in the US for only one year, and must return to the home country upon program completion. It is common that students do not need to pay tuition.

F-1 visa is issued to students who attend full time high schools and pay tuition. The visa is valid as long as the student is enrolled as a full time student. Many schools require students to study for at least two years for the high school diplomas to be issued.

SLEP stands for "The Secondary Level English Proficiency Test". It is administered by American middle and high schools to applicants whose first language is not English. The SLEP test was discontinued June 30, 2012 and replaced in the ETS catalog by the TOEFL Junior test. In addition, a large number of schools that formerly used SLEP began using the iTEP SLATE exam by Boston Educational Services after June 2012. The TOEFL Junior is intended for students aged 11 - 14. The tests are administered in two formats - TOEFL Junior Standard (paper-based) and TOEFL Junior Comprehensive (administered via computer). The TOEFL Junior Standard test has three sections: Reading Comprehension, Listening Comprehension and Language Form and Meaning. The TOEFL Junior Comprehensive test has four sections: Reading Comprehension, Listening Comprehension, Speaking and Writing. TOEFL Junior scores are mapped to the CEFR and test takers are provided with a certificate of achievement

The SSAT is the required admission test at many of the best independent schools in the US. It is designed for students in grades 3 through 11 and is administered on three levels - Elementary, Middle, and Upper??. Middle Level is for students currently in grades 5-7 and Upper Level are for students currently in grades 8-11.

TOEFL iBT test is an internet based TOEFL test that measures ability to use and understand English at the university level. It evaluates how well you combine your listening, reading, speaking and writing skills to perform academic tasks.

A military high school uses a military model in student management. Although the curriculum setting is not very different from other high schools, a military high school emphasizes greatly in leadership quality, discipline, working under pressure, time management, perseverance, attention to details and teamwork. Attending a military school does not mean a student will go into military after graduation, and does not guarantee that the student will be admitted into military schools for college study.

Obtaining health insurance while studying in USA is mandatory. A student can choose to purchase his/her own health insurance, or use the plan provided by the school. The annual insurance cost for international students can vary greatly based on the company and plan selection. It can be as low as $500 or as high as $3000.

In recent years, more and more undergraduate students from China are enrolled in US colleges each year. With the economic growth in China, many Chinese families are able to pay for the high quality education for their children. However, language barrier, lack of information, being unfamiliar with the US education system and the complexity of the admission procedure combined together made it difficult for students and parents to find that best fit. It is the duty of the educators and service organization like Pathway to build the gap and help the students to identify a program that best suits the students talent, interest, career goal and financial background.

Besides receiving quality education, it is the goal of many parents and students to gain overseas experience and culture exposure. Parents would like their children to have a broader view and global competency. Pathway helps students to participate in study-abroad programs, short-term student exchange programs or summer training programs. Pathway also helps students to transfer to US universities after 1 or 2 years of study in China.

Although each university has its own admission criteria, the following documents are usually required:

• High school diploma (final copy submitted upon registration at the university)
• High school transcripts (both Chinese and English version)
• TOEFL or IELTS score
• Financial support documents
• SAT or ACT score (optional for some universities if not seeking scholarship)

Many universities also require an essay or personal statement to be submitted. Students with special talents, deep civic involvement, valuable volunteer experience, honors or awards in provincial/national/international level competitions are highly welcomed in US universities. Thus a personal statement should expand these areas in great details and make sure to attach all the certificates with the personal statement.

If you transfer from a university from China, you should also include transcripts from the studies in the Chinese university.

Generally speaking, you should have all the materials ready 10 months before the semester you plan to enroll, especially if you want to apply for scholarships. E.g. if you plan to enroll in the fall of 2015, you should have materials ready to be sent out in October 2014. Watch for different deadlines posted by the universities you are interested in applying.

Tuition for international students varies greatly among universities. Generally speaking, tuition in public universities ranges from $20,000 to $40,000 per year and tuition in private universities can be $40,000 to $60,000 per year, or even higher. Some private universities may have lower tuition compared to public universities because their tuition charges for domestic and international students are the same. Tuition can vary from program to program , from year to year, even in one university. Students should drill down to the program level and the year level in order to find the accurate amount.

Obtaining health insurance while studying in USA is mandatory. A student can choose to purchase his/her own health insurance, or use the plan provided by the school. The annual insurance cost for international students can vary greatly based on the company and plan selection. It can be as low as $500 or as high as $3000.

The following are four types of scholarships commonly seen in the US colleges:

• Competitive Scholarships - this type of scholarship is merit based. Students need to demonstrate strong competency in certainly areas as stated in a scholarship, e.g. high SAT or ACT score, high GPA, strong leadership quality etc. The scholarship amount is usually high and the scholarship is usually granted to a limited amount of students each year. This type of scholarship is usually renewable each year if the student maintains good academic standing or meet other requirements.
• Admission Based Scholarships - this type of scholarship is automatically granted if a student is admitted. Students do not need to submit a separate application. There may be different levels of admission based scholarships in one universities and the level is determined by a certain criteria such as SAT or ACT score. The scholarship is usually renewable each year and the student must maintain good academic standing or meet other requirements such as volunteering for university events.
• Need Based Scholarships - some universities provide scholarships for students with talent but have financial difficulties. Students may need to provide proof of financial stress each year in order to renew the scholarship. A separate application is generally needed.
• Scholarships Provided by Foundations or Organizations - this type of scholarship is usually one time only. Sometimes the requirement is very specific, e.g. scholarships for women in technology fields. Typically the scholarship is awarded to students already enrolled in a university, thus students can look for scholarships like this after the first semester or the first year of study from the university or school website.

Conditional admissions are granted to students which deficiency in certain areas, such as language proficiency, required experience, or satisfactory course work. Students will get an admission letter but conditions attached, e.g. must provide proof of language proficiency or take some English classes and receive grades B or above. If the condition is not met, the admission status will be revoked.

Not all universities or programs grant conditional admissions. You must read the admission requirements carefully to understand if or what type of conditional admission is available.

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