STUDY IN THE USA!
Quarterly Newsletter for
Smart High School Students
Bucharest, January 20, 2014
Year VI, Winter Issue
FEAC CORE
EDUCATIONUSA NEWS
FEAC NEWS
WISDOM OF THE SEASON
FEAC CORE
• Close-Up on U.S. Study: American
Universities and the Power of a Mentor, by Chris Kajtor, U.S. Fulbright Grantee to Romania in 2013-14
• University Highlight: Middlebury
College, VT, by Matei Epure
• Student Highlight: Matei Epure,
sophomore at Middlebury College, VT
FEAC NEWS
Developments
• Giving Back: FEAC Friends from Three U.S. Universities Represent Their Schools
at FEAC • FEAC, the Hub for International Education
Week Events in Romania in November
• International Study Day Traveled to Suceava, Cluj, and Galati in Oct-Nov
• Educational Fair Time: World Education Fair, University Fair at Bucharest High School, RIUF in Bucharest, Constanta, and
Timisoara • U.S. Universities on Visit in Bucharest,
Sept-Oct • U.S. Study Highlights in Transylvania:
Presentations and Workshops in
Targu-Mures and Sighisoara, with local American Corner, in Sept
• U.S. Study Prominent in Bacau: FEAC’s U.S. Admissions Summer School in Sept
• U.S. Study at American Corner
Resources
• Excellent Resource: New Fulbright Site, New FEAC Content
• New Fulbright Site: Feedback from Bacau • From the Students to the Students: FEAC
Internships for High Schoolers
• Virtual Advising: What’s Your Stand?
Upcoming Events • Reaching for the Stars: Application Updates
from FEAC Friends and Advisees
• Ace Your Undergrad Application: Admissions Training in Jan-Feb
• Special FEAC Sessions Coming Up at American Corner Bucharest: Feb Calendar
• U.S. Study Prominent at RIUF in March:
Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, and Iasi • Inside U.S. Admissions: The TOEFL
Test—Dedicated Session in April • FEAC Invites Suggestions: Which High
Schools to Visit This Spring? • International Study Day. New Season in
Spring
Website Section of the Season:
For Logged-In Users
EDUCATIONUSA NEWS
• FEAC’s Online Outreach Campaign
Continues • EducationUSA Participates in Upcoming
UPenn MOOC: “Applying to U.S.
Universities”
WISDOM OF THE SEASON
If you wish to subscribe or cancel your subscription to this newsletter, please contact [email protected].
This Newsletter is produced by the Fulbright Educational Advising Center in Bucharest, Romania.
1
Contents
www.fulbright.ro/
educational-advising-center.html
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Bucharest, January 20, 2014
Year VI, Winter Issue
Close-Up on U.S. Study
American Universities and the Power of a Mentor
By Chris Kajtor, U.S. Fulbright Grantee to Romania in 2013-14
American universities offer far more than grades, credits and degrees. The opportunity to
get to know your professors and establish close relationships with them is part of what
makes attending an American university so special. For a few short years, students get the
opportunity to work closely with a plethora of great men and women who want to see them
succeed and reach their goals. They have a chance to ask them questions that could
impact the rest of their lives. Questions such as: What are the most important lessons you
have learned in life? What is one thing you know now that you wish you had known
earlier? What kind of wisdom can make our lives better? Take advantage of this
opportunity to ask really bright people the things you have always wanted answered. Many
young people today attend university just because they see it as a ticket to a well-paying
job, or perhaps because of pressure from parents, and they rush toward graduation. But, as my mentor
says, “Higher education isn’t just about learning how to make more money…it’s about enriching your life.”
One way for Romanian students who attend universities in America to enrich their lives is by finding
mentors on campus.
The British writer Isaac D’ Israeli once said, “The wisdom of the wise, and the experience of ages may only
be preserved by sharing.” Our lives and human knowledge have greatly improved because people have
generously taken the time to share their wisdom with others. Throughout history, people have obtained
wisdom from teachers, friends, and parents. Nowadays, universities are an ideal setting for mentorship. At
universities students can find dedicated, caring people from a number of fields in one place. I invite all
current and future students to take advantage of the remarkable professors at their campuses. Take the
time to sit and talk with them outside of the classroom. Invite them to lunch or coffee. It may be
nerve-racking at first, but I can assure you that these experiences are what many professors love most
about their work. Those familiar with the famous story of the Odyssey will remember that Odysseus left his
son, Telemachus, in the hands of his friend, Mentor. Odysseus chose Mentor for his maturity, compassion,
and wisdom. From my experience, it is people with these traits that most often pursue careers in education.
Dictionaries define mentors as “wise and trusted counselors or
teachers of guidance and advice”. This is true, but their power
can extend far beyond that. Someone who really knows you,
loves you, and cares for you has the ability to impact your life
forever. In my own experience, my mentors have helped me to
see how my old, outdated modes of seeing the world and
myself hurt my future, and they helped me adapt to new ways
of being. Through my mentors, I have learned the power of
listening to my heart, of serving others, and of doing
something greater than myself. Through them, I learned what
resonates with me, and I learned what I love to do. They helped me to find my gifts and my passions, and
they taught me how to use these attributes to benefit not only myself, but the greater good. If it were not
for my mentors, I would not have obtained my masters degree in non-profit management, joined the Peace
Corps, or become a Fulbright Lecturer right here in Romania.
Your university experience is a time dedicated to yourself and the world around you, and mentors can be an
integral part of that. But I have one favor to ask of you. It is one that requires great responsibility. Upon
your return, share what you have learned from your mentors with other people. Thanking your mentors is
nice, but to help spread what they gave you is to truly honor them. Continued on page 3
FEAC CORE
Chris alongside other U.S. Fulbrighters teaching
and doing research in Romania in 2013-14
www.fulbright.ro/
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Bucharest, January 20, 2014
Year VI, Winter Issue
You will now possess the wisdom and power to improve people's lives. It is your responsibility to pass on
that wisdom. One way you can do that is by becoming a mentor for someone else. Your journey does not
end when you complete your education in the USA. It can and should continue as you partake in an ongoing
cycle to transfer your newfound wisdom to others.
We rarely get chances in life to thank those who have helped us along our way. So I would like to take this
chance to thank all my mentors who helped me to become the man I am today. I can honestly say that I
owe the best things in my life to them and to all that they have taught me.
University Highlight
Middlebury College, Vermont
By Matei Epure, sophomore at Middlebury and former FEAC intern
Whether regarding its history, academics, facilities, arts, events
calendar, language schools, campus, or sports, Middlebury can simply be
described as remarkable. Founded in the year 1800, Middlebury College
is one of the 30 oldest universities in the United States, one of the first
universities to become coeducational (in 1883), and the first American
school to have awarded a degree to an African-American student (in
1823).
Throughout its many years of existence, Middlebury has earned a reputation for its academics and rigor,
constantly sending students to the best graduate schools out there, including Harvard, Cambridge, Oxford,
or CMU, and having programs together with schools like Oxford, Columbia University (a dual-degree
engineering program in which any Middlebury student with a GPA above 3.0 is directly accepted), and
Dartmouth College. Every year, Middlebury students win Fulbright, Marshall or Rhodes scholarships, they
intern and work at companies like Twitter, Apple, Google, HBO, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, found
companies like New Balance, bands like Dispatch, invent the GPS, or write the Dexter series.
The most fantastic thing about it, however, is that Middlebury does all this
without the intention of teaching you a profession. Attending Middlebury is not
about being taught how to do a job later in life; it is about becoming an
intellectual. Here, you will meet professors and schoolmates that will thoroughly
challenge the way you think, and force you to figure out what your passion is and
drive you to pursue it for the rest of your life. And in that environment, with
passion, excellence comes naturally.
Attending Middlebury definitely increases the tempo of your life – you will have to work
hard, most probably harder than you ever worked before in your life. However, there is
a characteristic of the school’s workload that makes it extraordinary, and missed
whenever you don’t have it: your workload is made up of whatever you want to learn;
here you will pick your classes, you will pick your projects, and you will work with
people who will amaze you every single time. All this makes your work something to
look forward to. Besides that, there will always be visiting professors, or experts in the
field you study that will come and discuss the subject with you, both in class and
personally. For example, in my first year I personally met and discussed with a highly
appreciated game music composer, an electronic music producer, a Columbia University professor of Music
Related Artificial Intelligence, and a theologian from, probably, the most respected theological institute in
the United States.
Continued on page 4
FEAC CORE
Guess what the cap says :)
www.fulbright.ro/
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Bucharest, January 20, 2014
Year VI, Winter Issue
Outside of the classroom, Middlebury is as active as inside of it. From the
names that appeared in last year’s schedule come to mind the Dalai Lama,
fun. (which was just nominated for 6 Grammys, the highest number of
nominations that year), and the Takacs and Emerson String Quartets (two of
the most highly regarded string quartets in the world). Outside of the concert
halls, Middlebury can also give you the chance to play sports, from learning
beginning Tennis or Fencing, to playing Quidditch in the 7 times world
champion team, to playing intramural or NCAA level sports.
Having one of the most wonderful campuses in the world, more than 200 years of history in education,
having an extremely diverse group of students and professors that follow in the footsteps of the old
professors like Robert Frost, Middlebury College is definitely a place that would change your life.
Student Highlight
Matei Epure, sophomore at Middlebury and former FEAC intern
By Matei Epure
Studying in the United States has been a dream of mine since I started high school.
Since my physics teacher’s son was attending Princeton, I started hearing a lot about
it and about how the college experience in the US is different from that in Europe.
People choosing what they want to study, interacting personally with professors and
even majoring in multiple subjects at once? I most definitely was intrigued.
I first started browsing the Internet to make sure that what I was hearing about was
true, and the more I read, the more I started falling with love with the American
school system. I decided to take action, and sometime before my 10th grade I heard
of the Fulbright EducationUSA center and decided to pay them a visit.
I became a Fulbright regular that year, and I started to figure out what the
application process is, to choose colleges, to attend meetings and trainings organized
by the people there (one of which introduced me to the concept of Liberal Arts education, and the Liberal
Arts Colleges), and a bit more than a year later, I became an intern there. I then spent more and more time
preparing for the SATs and the Common Application, and picking schools. In the process, I ended up
changing 7 “that’s definitely the one” colleges.
One of these 7 schools (specifically, my latest addition to the “most wanted” list) accepted me with a great
scholarship. I was not all that confident about my chances to get into one of these schools, and this news
was fantastic and incredibly exciting. Seven days before the deadline for accepting an offer, came time for
me to make up my mind, and… I turned it down!
Earlier that year, I had applied to Middlebury College, which I had heard of
from Fulbright’s Group Advising Meetings; it did not get on that 7 wonder
schools list, but I still applied. At the interview with that school, however,
Middlebury became from that one cool liberal arts school, the school that
graduated Gruia, my interviewer. This guy talked to me in that one hour about
art, sociology, science, theology and whatever else came into discussion and
he was shockingly knowledgeable about every single one of those subjects,
while still being a really nice and approachable guy.
Continued on page 5
FEAC CORE
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Bucharest, January 20, 2014
Year VI, Winter Issue
My decision came down to these two schools – Middlebury and the
wonder school. I did not know what to decide, and so I sent an email to
the Chairs of the Computer Science Departments at both schools. The
professor from the Wonder School answered me, congratulating me and
answering my questions in about two days. With his email, I was
introduced to two other professors who sent me almost identical emails.
All was good with these answers, but half an hour from sending the email
to the professor at Middlebury, I received a 2-page email from him telling
me about how excited he would be if I decided to enroll there, about my
opportunities at Middlebury, about how there was a professor in the
department that had been to Romania and knows a little bit of Romanian,
about how he, like me, is a musician, and about how cool the research I
could do there would be. Less than two hours later I also received an email from the chair of the Math
Department (a one page email about every little detail the first professor might have missed).
This episode made up my mind and I decided to attend the fantastic
Middlebury College, and Middlebury has changed my life and my view of
the future in the most fantastic way. From the typical European guy who
wanted in his second semester to have four classes in his already declared
majors (Computer Science and Music), I became the guy who at the end of
his second year, in one semester has a math class, a computer science
class, a music class, a film class, and a literature class, and is madly
excited about his literature class.
I have focused my schooling here on becoming as broad minded as possible, and strengthening my culture,
and along the way, I have done an internship at Twitter, that changed my perspective on Computer
Science, sang in a gospel choir, composed a suite of modern music compositions (still hate it, but turns out
I now can do it), wrote a program that figures out what musical genre an MP3 file has, impressed my
literature professor with a pretty acid criticism of one of the most respected atheist apologists alive, seen
fun. play live, heard the Dalai Lama talk, became really invested in American politics, led Middlebury’s
competitive programming team, met fantastic people, building new relationships, led a Christian music
organization, and meanwhile kept alive and well my relationships with my friends and family at home.
I have no doubt that I chose the right school to attend, and none of it would have been possible without the
Fulbright Team introducing me to the concept of Liberal Arts, helping me with my application, and all
throughout being there every step of the way.
FEAC CORE
At the U.S. Ambassador’s Residence
for Flag Day with Alex,
freshman at NYU Abu Dhabi
Sporting a Twitter T-shirt
at a Giants game
www.fulbright.ro/
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Bucharest, January 20, 2014
Year VI, Winter Issue
Developments
Giving Back: FEAC Friends from Three U.S. Universities Represent Their Schools at FEAC
U.S. study and liberal arts education made many new friends in Romania during a series
of sessions that FEAC offered over December-January: three presentations at the Advising
Center and a webinar during which former advisees, now students at U.S. schools,
connected with future applicants and shared U.S. campus experiences and admissions
advice.
We were thrilled to have with us Alex, freshman at New York University, Abu Dhabi
campus; Catalina and Alexandra, juniors at University of Richmond, VA; and Iulia and
Corina, junior and senior, respectively, at Grinnell College, IA. All of them are enjoying
full need- and merit-based financial aid from their universities.
After enjoying FEAC support during their applications to U.S.
universities, these thriving FEAC friends provided inspiration and
helpful tips to local students. Participants were won over by the
beauty and benefits of U.S. college life, so much so that after the last
session one student rushed home to apply to that school before the
deadline, which was the next day. Video interviews and more news
from our friends on U.S. campuses are coming up on the FEAC site.
FEAC, the Hub of International Education Week Events in Romania in November
According to FEAC tradition, in November 2013 we organized a collection
of exciting online and face-to-face events celebrating Int’l Education Week
and sharing the joy of international exchanges and U.S. study with
students, parents, and educators across Romania. Pics at http://on.fb.me/
FEACPics. Int’l Education Week/IEW is a yearly joint initiative of the U.S.
Department of State and U.S. Department of Education.
Undergrad events included a globally-transmitted FEAC webinar - part of the EducationUSA series - on
pre-departure planning, as well as a joint digital video conference/DVC with the American Corners in
Bucharest and Bacau. During the web seminar FEAC engaged audiences in four Romanian cities and outside
the country. FEAC was one of four Advising Centers in Europe that offered a global webinar during Int’l
Education Week. We were excited to recognize, among the participants, alumni of our two most recent
summer schools in Bacau and Alba Iulia.
The DVC allowed us to bridge two groups of U.S. study fans and made for a fun,
bubbly conversation among high schoolers in Bucharest and Bacau. The participants
shared their reasons for wanting to study in the USA as well as their questions
about the application process. Stay tuned for more webinars and DVCs in the
future!
International Study Day Traveled to Suceava, Cluj, and Galati in Oct-Nov
The Fulbright Educational Advising Center’s outreach program outside Bucharest
included Int’l Study Day events in Suceava, Cluj, and Galati. In all three cities, the
events were hosted by the local public university and attracted high school and college
students and graduates, as well as teachers and university staff interested in bringing
their students closer to study abroad opportunities.
Continued on page 7
FEAC NEWS
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Bucharest, January 20, 2014
Year VI, Winter Issue
During Int’l Study Day FEAC attracted a wide range of visitors to the
educational opportunities in the USA. We shared information at our booth
and answered the audience’s detailed questions during the two dedicated
presentations we offered.
In Cluj, the U.S. study message was further reinforced by the
representative of the local American Corner who joined the event in order
to inform the participants on the relevant resources and services available
at the American Corner.
Educational Fair Time: World Education Fair, University Fair at Bucharest High School, RIUF in
Bucharest, Constanta, and Timisoara
In October, FEAC offered a well-attended presentation on U.S. study during the World Education Fair in
Bucharest, met over 250 students from 15 Bucharest high schools at our booth during a full-day int’l
university fair hosted by “Iulia Hasdeu” Natl College, and took part in the most prominent educational fair in
SE Europe, the Romanian Int’l University Fair/RIUF, in Bucharest, Constanta, and Timisoara.
According to the organizers, RIUF attracted around 5,000 students in Bucharest, an audience of over 1,100
in Constanta, and more than 1,500 visitors in Timisoara. Visitors learned about US study opportunities and
FEAC services at our booth and during the presentation on U.S. undergrad studies we offered at every
location. In Bucharest we enjoyed the support of two U.S. Fulbright grantees at our booth, in Constanta we
also had a U.S. Fulbrighter with us, and in Timisoara the American Corner joined us at the booth.
As for media coverage, after Int’l Study Day the FEAC rep gave a 30-min. radio interview on U.S. study and
FEAC U.S. admissions services and during RIUF Bucharest and Constanta we were interviewed by local TV
stations. More pics: http://on.fb.me/FEACPics.
U.S. Universities on Visit in Bucharest, Sept-Oct
Fall was marked by an intense face-to-face and online outreach campaign
organized by FEAC with our guests from prestigious U.S. universities. We got
visits from Wellesley College, University of Pennsylvania, New York University,
Abu Dhabi campus, the George Washington University, Babson College, and
John Cabot University, a U.S.-like school in Italy.
In Bucharest, FEAC organized seven high school presentations to highlight our
guests and their institutions, dedicated sessions at the Fulbright Commission,
and also traveled to Ploiesti and Pitesti to meet around 500 students at four high
schools in the two cities, alongside the NYU rep.
More pics: http://on.fb.me/FEACPics.
FEAC NEWS
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Bucharest, January 20, 2014
Year VI, Winter Issue
U.S. Study Highlights in Transylvania: U.S. Study Presentations and Workshops in Targu-Mures
and Sighisoara, with Local American Corner, in Sept
FEAC conducted an intense outreach program in central Transylvania in
late September. The presentations offered to the top three high schools
in Targu Mures and two in Sighisoara involved Romanian and
Hungarian students and teachers. The high school-hosted sessions
were followed by two workshops on the admissions essay and
recommendation letters housed by the American Corner in Targu Mures
until late at night.
Each school visited got copies of our undergraduate booklet – produced this spring with U.S. Embassy
funding – for their libraries, together with our Newsletter for undergraduate applicants. More pics at http://
on.fb.me/FEACfb.
U.S. Study Prominent in Bacau: FEAC’s U.S. Admissions School in September
In early September FEAC was in Bacau to conduct the fourth U.S. admissions summer school supported by
the U.S. Embassy to Romania. 49 high school students from Bacau county entering grades 9-12 at eight
high schools in five cities as far as 100 km away from Bacau took part in the intensive three-day program
hosted by the “Gh. Vranceanu” Natl College, the foremost high school in Bacau.
The program engaged the participants – divided into two groups, Princeton and Harvard – in a series of
interactive activities around the U.S. school selection process, identifying universities that offer generous
financial aid, and putting together a competitive application package with powerful essays and
recommendations. Every evening EducationUSA Romania took the participants closer to the U.S. culture
through culture clubs built around movies representative of the U.S. educational system and its values:
“The Perks of Being a Wallflower” and “Dead Poets’ Society”.
This fourth U.S. Admissions Summer School was graced by the Public Affairs Officer at the U.S. Embassy,
who shared his own U.S. academic and career experience with the students. The team at the local American
Corner also joined the event. Our support group also included two FEAC high school interns from Bucharest
who shared stories of their U.S. admissions preparations and provided administrative help. The event was
extensively covered in the local press. More pictures on Facebook at www.on.fb.me/FEACfb.
U.S. Study at American Corner Bucharest
Starting September, FEAC launched a new outreach campaign
designed to bring interested students and graduates closer to U.S.
study. Our new sessions held at American Corner Bucharest provide
comprehensive information on U.S. study, share insights into U.S.
education, and attract students to learn about all the exciting
opportunities available to them on a U.S. campus. The sessions
proved eye-opening to the participants who followed up by visiting
FEAC for in-depth discussions and access to our vast resource library.
FEAC NEWS
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Bucharest, January 20, 2014
Year VI, Winter Issue
Resources
Excellent Resource: New Fulbright Site, New FEAC Content
In November, we were thrilled to launch the new
website of the Fulbright Commission, which
includes a completely revamped, updated, and
much enhanced FEAC site too. We love it. Do you
love it, too? Send your suggestions for new or
enhanced content to [email protected].
New Fulbright Site: Feedback from Bacau
What do you think of our new site? See what Elena, our friend in Bacau, fondly known
as Natasha Fulbright, has to say about it. Elena took part in our U.S. Admissions
Summer School in Bacau, where she discovered her alter-ego, fictitious Natasha
Fulbright, a witty university admissions officer who loves Romanian applicants.
“Why I love your website. Well, firstly, I love it because it has a friendly aspect. The
combination of blue and white inspires serenity and it makes me stay online for a
looooong time. Secondly, it is so easy to do my research on the FEAC website.
Everything is so organized and it is very easy to find what I’m looking for. It is a
pleasure to read stories from Romanian students about their U.S. experience. It makes
me think that America is the place where I must go study. Furthermore, I found out about the FEAC
Summer School on the website and it has been one of the greatest experiences I have ever had. Probably if
I had done a research about studying in the U.S., it would’ve taken me a lot of time to find out all that
amazing stuff that I found out from you in only 3 days. Finally, you convinced me that America is the place
that suits me better and your website is very useful to keep me in touch with the U.S. study. Watch out,
America! Next year I’m coming!”
Looking forward to your feedback, too!
From the Students to the Students: FEAC Internships for High Schoolers
Starting in fall, we have been working with a new team of interns from
Vianu, ICHB, Viteazul, and Lazar high schools in Bucharest. Our interns
bring to FEAC their very own variety of skills and a common passion for
U.S. study. They’ve been involved in research projects on U.S.
universities, in EducationUSA promotional activities, educational video
editing and production, and more. Meet our interns at RIUF, during FEAC
events, and in our study room, and stay tuned for a new internship
program that will start in April!
Virtual Advising: What’s Your Stand?
Thanks to recent developments in online event organizing, the world – and
U.S. admissions – are now literally at our fingertips. EducationUSA and FEAC
have been active in offering online training and advising opportunities, in the
form of webinars and digital video conferences that allow the advising
expertise available at the Fulbright center to reach multi-tier audiences
throughout the country, and other IT-based outreach methods that match
your learning preferences.
The Fulbright Educational Advising Center has offered a number of webinars so far to domestic audiences as
well as to international ones – for instance as part of International Education Week 2013 and College Week
Live in 2012. Did you take part in webinar offered by a FEAC or EducationUSA? Did you enjoy the
experience? What kinds of online training would you like us to offer and on what topics? Looking forward to
your answers!
FEAC NEWS
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Bucharest, January 20, 2014
Year VI, Winter Issue
Upcoming Events
Reaching for the Stars: Application Updates from FEAC Friends and Advisees
Congratulations to our advisees around Romania who’ve sent in their applications this
fall! For Early Decision candidates, we’ve had students admitted to Cornell (two!),
Harvard, and Princeton. Many of our other applicants are now in the interview stage
with the universities offering such an option as part of the admissions package. Good
luck on your face-to-face and online interviews and a special shout-out to Cristina, our
former intern who is now in New York City auditioning at Julliard in New York City!
Ace Your Undergrad Application! Admissions Training in Jan-Feb
A new Undergraduate Admissions Training program will start on Jan 21. The
eye-opening sessions scheduled on Jan 21-28 and Feb 11-25, Tuesdays
3:00-5:00 PM, will highlight U.S. application tips and strategies leading to
success: admissions with funding.
Join us and learn how to select U.S. study programs and connect with
American universities. How to master the art of negotiating strong
recommendation letters. How to develop a competitive edge. At the end of
the program your well-rounded application will show that you are a great fit for the U.S. campus of your
choice. Details at http://bit.ly/FEAC_Events and on Facebook.
Special FEAC Sessions Coming Up at American Corner Bucharest: Feb Calendar
Are you preparing your U.S. application and in need of urgent advice on filling
in your financial aid application form – the CSS form – or on your admissions
essay? Or maybe you have more time on your hands to figure your application
strategy out, but what are the first smart steps you need to take, you wonder.
Or maybe you’re curious about U.S. study and would like to hear from other
students on the benefits of traveling to the States for your university
education…
For the above dilemmas and not only FEAC is offering a series of newly-minted sessions at the American
Corner. Meet us Mondays 4-6 PM and Fridays 10:30 AM – 12:00 noon for interactrive sessions, workshops,
and individual advising! Full details at http://bit.ly/FEAC_Events.
U.S. Study Prominent at RIUF in March: Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, and Iasi
Come meet us at the Fulbright Commission booths at the Romanian Inter-
national University Fair/RIUF on March 15-16 (Bucharest), March 18 (Cluj),
and March 20 (Iasi)!
We will be there with fresh information on U.S. study opportunities and
scholarships, Romanian success stories, SAT and TOEFL tips, and so
much more: booth, dedicated presentations, FEAC interns, native
speakers, and all of the multiple resources that EducationUSA and FEAC
offer free of charge to those dreaming of pursuing their studies in the
United States or at accredited U.S. universities anywhere in the world. Will you meet us there?
FEAC NEWS
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Bucharest, January 20, 2014
Year VI, Winter Issue
Inside U.S. Admissions: The TOEFL Test – Dedicated Session in April
The TOEFL test is accepted by over 9,000 universities, agencies, and other
institutions in over 130 countries, and required for admissions purposes by
nearly every top university in the USA.
But what is the strategic value of the TOEFL test? How should you tackle this
exam so that it adds value to your application? Join us on April 8, 5:00-6:30
PM for an in-depth discussion that you’ll surely love. Featuring a U.S. Fulbright
grantee!
FEAC Invites Suggestions: Which High Schools to Visit This Spring?
According to the latest statistics released by the Institute of International
Education, over 820,000 international students, including Romanians, are
currently studying in the United States. Want to join their ranks and thrive on a
U.S. campus? In January-March, FEAC will continue its intense outreach
program and will interact with students from a wide range of high schools from
Bucharest and beyond.
If you are interested in U.S. education and would like to learn more about the American university system
and the scholarships available for international applicants, assume leadership (so relevant on a college
application!), tell your teachers about FEAC, and contact us at [email protected] or on Facebook http://
on.fb.me/FEACfb to discuss a FEAC presentation in your high school. We look forward to visiting you!
International Study Day. New Season This Spring
This year, more cities will be added to the International Study Day map. The joint outreach
programs will introduce high school and university students and graduates to the benefits and
study opportunities abroad and will offer information on the IELTS exam. Prospective destina-
tions: Ploiesti, Targu Jiu, and Targu Mures. Confirmations and full details are coming up on
our site: http://bit.ly/FEAC_Events.
Website Section of the Season: For Logged-In Users
One of the enhancements that our new website offers is a U.S. admissions treasure chest – the “For
Logged-In Users” section.
Getting an account on our site is free and fast. After that, you will have access to a buzzing section that
already offers insider tips on filling out the Common App, asking for recommendations and samples of
successful recommendation letters, and an overview of the entire admissions process with countless stories
from Romanian applicants who’ve already completed the process successfully.
In late January, the section will be enriched with
translation samples for financial aid application docs
and transcripts, a list of colleges that offer generous
scholarships to international applicants, sample fee
waiver requests and high school profiles, and more.
Check in every week for new resources!
FEAC NEWS
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Bucharest, January 20, 2014
Year VI, Winter Issue
FEAC’s Online Outreach Campaign Continues
2014 promises to offer tons of online sessions and seminars to those of you who
can’t make it to our advising Center on a regular basis. On top of
EducationUSA’s “5 Steps to U.S. Study” – with Step 3: Financing Your Studies to
be highlighted in Jan-Feb, you will also be able to take part in TOEFL Talks
offered by ETS Global and on FEAC-specific web seminars. Are you in? Full info
at http://bit.ly/FEAC_Events.
EducationUSA Participates in Upcoming UPenn MOOC on "Applying to U.S. Universities"
EducationUSA is proud to be part of the free "Applying to U.S.
Universities" MOOC – massive open online course - designed by the
University of Pennsylvania's English Language Program and offered free
of charge to international students on the Coursera platform.
This course will help you understand how the U.S. university application
and admission process works for international students and non-native
English speakers applying to undergraduate (i.e., bachelor's degree)
programs. Classes start in March. Register now http://bit.ly/1aBmWsf!
“When you know better you do better.”
Maya Angelou,
American poet, memoirist, actress and an important figure in the American Civil Rights Movement
Naresh Ramchandani, Creative Partner at Pentagram
(design studio with offices in the States and worldwide)
EDUCATIONUSA NEWS
WISDOM OF THE SEASON
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Bucharest, January 20, 2014
Year VI, Winter Issue
Need more info?
Contact us!
Public hours at the Fulbright Educational Advising Center/FEAC:
Tue: 1:00 - 7:00 pm Wed-Thu: 1:00 - 5:00 pm
Phone no: 021-231 9015
Website: http://www.fulbright.ro/educational-advising-center.html
Facebook fanpage: http://on.fb.me/FEACfb
Address: No. 2, Ing. Costinescu St., Sector 1, Bucharest 011878, Romania
Comments?
Suggestions?
E-mail us at:
All articles are contributed by FEAC staff Mihaela Arsene and Sinziana Medvetchi,
unless otherwise stated.
Advising at American Corner Bucharest:
Visit the American Corner to get U.S. admissions advice from an EducationUSA adviser:
Mon: 4:00 - 6:00 pm Fri: 10:30 am - 12:00 noon
Phone no: 021-311 03 23
Website: http://romania.usembassy.gov/resources/ac_bucharest.html
Facebook fanpage: http://facebook.com/ACBucharest
Address: American Corner Bucharest, National Library of Romania, 22 Unirii Blvd