Study in the USA: your university application, step by step

It depends on the university. After the pandemic most universities went test-optional and many still are; but selective schools such as MIT, Harvard, Yale, Dartmouth and Brown have required SAT / ACT scores again since the 2025–26 cycle. For a student applying from Türkiye, a strong SAT score helps even at test-optional schools because it makes grades readable on an international scale. Each university's current policy is verified one by one when the list is built.

Early Decision (ED) is binding: if admitted you must withdraw your other applications, so it's used only for one clear first choice that is financially workable. Early Action (EA) is non-binding; you get an early answer but keep the right to decide until 1 May. Both rounds usually close on 1 November, and admit rates in early rounds are higher at most universities. For students who need aid, the ED decision is never made before the net cost is calculated.

A Turkish high-school diploma is accepted directly for a bachelor's application; no separate equivalence process is needed. Universities ask for the grade 9–12 transcript with the school's certified English translation and read the 100-point scale; some may ask for an evaluation by a service such as WES. Course rigour, the upward trend over the years and the counselor's school report matter more than the raw numbers; AP or IB courses make the profile comparable internationally.

Yes, but the route depends on the university. A small group — Harvard, Yale, Princeton, MIT, Amherst — meet an international student's full need, but admit rates there are very low. The more realistic path is a balanced list built from private universities that award merit scholarships ($10,000 – 30,000 a year) and state universities with comparatively lower tuition. In consultancy the list is built by weighing admission chances and net cost together.

It's a strong option for students with a limited budget or a profile that doesn't yet reach the target university. Two years at a community college ($8,000 – 15,000 a year) followed by a "2+2" transfer agreement — especially into the UC and CSU systems in California — lets you continue from year 3. The downsides are a more limited campus experience and aid, and no guaranteed transfer admission; we decide together based on the major and target university.

Yes. Graduates in F-1 status can work for 12 months in a field related to their major through OPT (Optional Practical Training); STEM graduates get a 24-month extension. Staying on after OPT requires an employer to sponsor an H-1B visa, which is allocated by lottery each year. That's why checking whether a major is STEM-designated matters when choosing a programme; see uscis.gov for the current rules.

Yes — coaching and application consultancy are paid services priced as packages. Only the initial consultation is free: in that call we listen to the student's goal and needs, then share the scope and the price clearly. There are no surprise extras.

Yes. All coaching and consultancy sessions are online, one-on-one and scheduled; you can join from anywhere in Türkiye or abroad. Documents and drafts are tracked in a shared workspace.

Parents are part of the process. The goal and plan are discussed together at the start; progress, upcoming deadlines and pending decisions are shared regularly. Key steps (country choice, university list, accepting an offer) are decided together with the parent.