Hi all
I'm a Yank (New Yorker) and just finished the two year process of looking at and applying to colleges in the US northeast with my son. His sister is about to start that process. We looked primarily in New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. He's going to attend a small college just outside of Boston that has everything he was looking for and offered him a good amount of merit aid.
We used a private college counselor, which was a huge help. He has some accommodations for his now mild ADHD. You can ask me about standardized testing, research websites, applying electronically, how aid is awarded, reputations of specific schools, etc.
I can't be of much help on how the process differs for international students or if particular schools have special scholarships for them. They do all have extensive coverage of the application process on their websites and the admissions staffs are generally excellent about replying to emails.
So have at it. 
Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.
Higher education
Applying to Colleges/Uni's in the US - Ask me Anything
MissConductUS · 30/06/2018 23:57
Hi CatNut - great handle, I'm a cat nut too. I have three at the moment.
Most of the college admissions process in the US is driven by the colleges trying to manipulate their way higher in the various college rankings that are published by US News, Forbes, etc. One big factor in those rankings is the average SAT and ACT scores of the students who attend the school. If your child will help raise their average they will probably be offered merit aid, which is really just a discount on tuition. The more challenging the standards are compared to your child's scores, the less likely it is that they'll get merit aid. The really elite schools that are already at the top of the ratings don't generally offer it at all.
At the less selective colleges my son applied to he was offered lots of merit aid (50% of tuition in one case), at the more selective schools he was offered less.
Do results matter? Or is it just where you go?
I'm not sure I understand the question. Can you clarify?
Hi! This probably isn't something you and your son will have looked at yet, but I'm asking in case you have more general knowledge about it than I do - totally fine if the answer is that you don't know.
Do postgraduate programs accept candidates without GRE scores if their academic records are otherwise very good? (First class degree, MA with distinction from top UK university, academic prizes/publications/conferences). I know that the more precise answer is probably that it'll depend on the individual university, but I'm curious as to whether it's something fairly widely accepted or not.
@AdoreAMoose - I do know this one, having applied to postgraduate programs myself.
It depends on a lot of factors, like the type of program you're applying for. Schools that require the GRE (which is pretty universal) can waive the requirement as they see fit, and often do. If you're going for a masters in fine arts, your creative portfolio will be more important. If you want an MBA, your business and work experience will be more important. It's usually the less prestigious programs that will waive the requirement.
I think that applying from outside the US would make it more important as they will be less familiar with the program you went to as an undergrad and the GRE will give them a standard point of comparison with other applicants. If you can possibly take it, do so. Not having it can only hurt you. That said, pick a few top graduate schools in your field and email the admissions staff about it. The answer will be very school and subject specific.
I hope this helps.
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