US Admissions Consultants in Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, Dubai

US Admissions

The United States is one of the most prized university destinations among students. It is the land of opportunities, home to prestigious institutions such as Harvard, MIT, Stanford amongst many others. University applications to the US is a daunting task though. Multiple application deadlines, requirement of standardized tests, essays that reflect your emotional quotient, are some of the aspects you may have to juggle along with your regular school work.

It is a lengthy convoluted competitive process that requires dedication and careful planning. Our counselors can help map the entire journey and break these into smaller, achievable tasks. UniHawk is just the right place for you to start this journey.

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Tips on how to excel academically

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Building a balanced college list

Test prep coaching

Essay brainstorming and writing

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Activity profile building

Researching majors in college

US visa application

US College Applications Overview

Depending on applicants and colleges, there may be additional requirements such as the IELTS/TOEFL which are English Language competency tests, video profiles, interviews, or arts portfolio or auditions.

Confused about where to get started on all this? Don’t panic, UniHawk will guide you at every step of this process. Our counselors provide a structured approach tailored to your specific needs and experience. We convert this arcane process into a transformative one, one that gives you the best of chances to attend a university that is just right for you.

Transcripts

Grades 9-12/Years 10-13 from high school.
Standardized Tests (SAT/ACT)

For more information on standardized tests, click here.
Extracurricular activities include

Sports, music, community service, school leadership positions, and other activities
Recommendation Letters

Typically, two teacher recommendations and one from the school counselor are required.
Essays

A variety of writing pieces covering a wide range of topics-intellectual curiosity, reasons for attending college, personal life story-and writing styles, such as narrative, descriptive, or sometimes argumentative essays.

FAQs

We've covered all the curated questions.

The sooner the better. We generally recommend around Grade 9/Year 10.

November 1st (Early Application or Early Decision) and Jan 1st (Regular Decision) during senior year.

EA is due by Nov 1st and is non-binding, i.e. you’ll receive a decision around Dec/Jan and you have till May 1st to decide whether you want to attend the university or not. ED is the same as EA except it is binding, i.e. if you get accepted to that university, then you are legally bound to attend that university. Also, you can apply to only one university ED. RD is due around Jan 1st and decisions come out around March; it is non-binding like EA.

Other than the binding aspect for ED, statistically, applying early gives you a slightly better chance of being admitted compared to applying RD.

You apply through the CommonApp, CoalitionApp, or UC Portal in the case of University of California. All of these portals are online.

We generally recommend between 12 to 16 colleges.

Yes, there are a variety of scholarships and financial aid packages that universities offer. Those can be categorized as merit-based scholarships, need-based financial aid, and need-blind financial aid.

Merit-based scholarships are partial grants that universities offer upon admission; they are based on the academic merit of the applicant. Financial aid is based upon both academic merit and financial need, i.e. if the family cannot afford the total cost of attendance. Need-blind financial aid does not impact the admission decision whereas need-based financial aid makes admissions more competitive.

It is the total cost needed to attend college per year in the US. It includes tuition fee, accommodation, personal expenses, supplies, insurance, air fares, etc. It is around $60,000-$90,000 per year, depending on the university.

No. Universities are aware of the different school systems. They will evaluate your application based on the context of your high school.

If you are in an American-curriculum school, we recommend you take some APs. There is no minimum. If you are in a non-American curriculum, APs are not required. However, if you want to have a more competitive application, you are welcome to take some APs; we generally recommend not taking an AP in a subject that you are already studying at school. For example, if someone is taking A-Level Math, Chemistry, and Physics, we do not recommend that they take AP Calc BC; rather, they can take AP Comp Sci or AP economics to complement their academic profile.

There is no minimum number, but the CommonApp allows you to enter up to 10 extracurricular activities between Grade 9-12/Year 10-13. The UC Portal allows you to enter 20 activities, including honors and awards.

Yes.

Yes, you can submit an optional additional non-academic letter of recommendation. This can be from a sports coach, a community member, a project supervisor, etc.

There is one personal statement and an average of 3 supplemental (college-specific) essays per university.

They vary in length between 30 words to around 800 words (2-page long).

It depends. Some universities require all international students to submit the TOEFL/IELTS. Others can give you an exemption if you have attended an English-medium high school for the last 3 years prior to your college applications. Alternatively, you can also take the DuoLingo test which some universities accept.

No. First, not all colleges will require an interview. For the few that do require an interview, it will be online or conducted in person by an alumni in your region.

US Admissions

Here Are Some of The Areas Where We Mentor You

US College Applications Overview

Transcripts

Standardized Tests (SAT/ACT)

Extracurricular activities include

Recommendation Letters

Essays

Our Students Study At

FAQs

Our Locations

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US Admissions Counselling

US Admissions

Here Are Some of The Areas Where We Mentor You

US College Applications Overview

Transcripts

Standardized Tests (SAT/ACT)

Extracurricular activities include

Recommendation Letters

Essays

Our Students Study At

FAQs

When should I get started on the US college application process?

When are the deadlines to apply to the US?

What is the difference between Early Application (EA), Early Decision (ED), and Regular Decision (RD)?

Is there a difference between applying early vs applying regular?

Where do I apply to US universities?

How many US universities should I apply to?

Do US universities offer scholarships?

What is the difference between merit-based scholarships, need-based financial aid, and need-blind financial aid?

What is the total cost of attendance?

I attend a non-american school; do I need to convert my grades into GPA?

Do I need to take AP tests?

How many extracurriculars do I need to do?

Does internship or work experience count as an activity?

Can I submit more than 3 letters of recommendation?

How many essays do I need to write?

How long are those essays?

Do I need to take the TOEFL or IELTS?

Do I need to fly to the US for college interviews?

Our Locations

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MMI Session 10 - Ethics