Back to college after gap decade

Student Lounge International Students
1

<p>First, let me say hi to the forum and introduce myself. </p>

<p>I’m in my late twenties and currently residing in the European Union. When I was younger I lived in the US for five years, throughout highschool and a freshman year of college. Afterwards I dropped out, started university anew in the EU, and graduated with a business degree. Now I want to return to the US and study arts as an undergraduate.</p>

<p>I understand I’ll be an international student but, having credits from my first college year and some AP classes from highschool, this will also make me a transfer student. So I will be an international student transferring from a US school after a decade off. Please correct me if I’m wrong.</p>

<p>The questions I have concern the factors that play into the admission process for this particular case. I’ve organized them to facilitate browsing and answering.</p>

<p>1) I have a 31 on the ACT but never took the SAT or TOEFL. From what I read online TOEFL is a universal requirement for international students, however my first college didn’t require it (of me at least). Should I take TOEFL now?</p>

<p>2) Would taking the SAT and getting a high score be likely to weigh much in my favor?</p>

<p>3) To what degree will my age work against me?</p>

<p>4) Will my bachelor degree from EU, grades, etc., play a role in the admission process?</p>

<p>5) After all this time does it matter anymore that I graduated from a US highschool with a high GPA?</p>

<p>6) Is there a simple rule for gaging whether I have a realistic chance of getting into a school or not?</p>

<p>7) Which do you think are the most important things colleges will look for in my case?</p>

<p>Let me mention that what drives me back to school is love of learning and a passion for art, and only secondarily the prospect of a career or furthering my material condition. </p>

<p>Anyhow, all help in figuring out where I stand will be most welcome.</p>

<p>Cheers!</p>

2

<p>Can’t answer your questions but I’m curious; you say you want to return to the US and study art as an undergraduate, but do you intend on staying after completing the degree? I ask because if the answer is no, wouldn’t it be a much cheaper to study at a European university?</p>

3

<p>Absolutely. The reason I want to return is to study creative writing in an English speaking environment. As you can see this limits my options. I’m also looking into schools in the UK, Canada and Australia, but US has the greater diversity by far and I’m also thinking that since I already have some academic history there, it might be easier to get into a good school than elsewhere.</p>

4

<p>If you don’t need the credential, what about an online program? Gotham Writers Workshop has classes in New York and online. They’re much cheaper than regular college classes. Online classes do include students from other countries. The NYC ones I’ve taken have been excellent, and the school closely monitors the quality of the teaching. You can get a certificate, and the classes do offer continuing education units, although I don’t know of any institution that would accept them.</p>

5

<p>Thank you for the suggestion Wordworker. I’ll consider it as an alternative. However a regular college program would be best since I might want a MFA later on.</p>

6

<p>staying on in the US and getting a job with a degree in arts ? i doubt that’s gonna be easy. if you wanna work in the US, technical degrees are the best way to go…</p>