<p>i just finished my O-levels in a private school, 5 subs, all A2.
planning to continue studies in the US
what exactly are my options ? interested in computer or maybe mechanical engineering
what exams will i have to take ?</p>
<p>but more importantly (assuming i have to take other exams as well), is an O-level cert sufficient to apply for a US college ?? most of my friends have gone after A-levels. i understand that colleges in the US do not use O-levels for applications, instead using SATs or something ?</p>
<p>any comments would really be appreciated,
thks</p>
<p>Depends on the colleges you are aiming for. If you want to get into the Ivies and all, you pretty much have to take A-levels (and score very well in them).</p>
<p>i’m definitely not aiming for the Ivies, just somewhere in the middle i guess. any idea what test(s) i’ll have to take ?? and btw what about staying there after i finish college ? how does that work ? i’m currently holding a PR status in singapore, will probably have to give that up since i’m not willing to do NS.</p>
<p>You need A Levels at most ‘named’ places because you need a qualification equivalent to the HS Diploma which for this purpose is A Levels. In <em>addition</em>, you will likely need SAT I/ACT and maybe subject tests. </p>
<p>Staying in the US after graduation is VERY difficult. There is a cap of 65K people each year who can stay with their degrees (on the H1B visa), and companies have become very reluctant to even sponsor you for this visa because of the high fees and cap. Even if you are sponsored in most years there is only a 50-30% chance you will actually get this H1-B visa (this year was an exception with lower competition for the visa, but the job market was less than pretty, so actually finding an employer was…), and then there is years of dealing with the USCIS trying to get a green card (permanent residency) after that. Don’t plan on being able to do this. Always have a backup plan in your country of citizenship.</p>
<p>Where were you born? If you aren’t from a high immigration country (China mainland, India, Philippines, I think a few more, USCIS has a list) you could try for the green card lottery every year after you’re 18 and have A Levels/IB/HSD, but seriously - don’t plan on staying in the US after graduation. And don’t skip out on NS unless you don’t plan on going to SG, ever, for the rest of your life (i.e. if you have close family living there this will not be a good idea) - they won’t just let you give up PR status and forget about it at this stage, and even leaving the country for a slightly longer period seems to involve a monetary deposit - I know, I know, but that’s how the policy swings, unless you’re female or have been NS-exempted (ask your parents, but if you’re second-generation PR this is VERY unlikely).</p>
<p>If you just want to immigrate elsewhere Canada and Australia seem to have more ‘open’ post-graduate immigration plans for people who went to university there. Aussie universities also seem to have foundation year schemes for post-O Level applicants where you study FY for a year before going to university.</p>
<p>actually, i’ve got friends who’re PRs who’ve already left the country for further studies with no intention of coming back. no monetary deposit was involved. and i’m pretty sure they gave up their PR. and one of them also came to visit earlier this year, didn’t seem to have any problems at the airport, they just let him through. and he left directly after his A-levels, didn’t do NS ie took A-levels in nov 07, SATs in dec 07 and left for his sch in jul 08. there’s pretty much no way i’m going to do NS, for one thing i have no interest in returning to this country so i don’t really get any of the so-called “benefits” of having done NS. there’s absolutely nothing here that’s vaguely interesting and the cost of buying a miniature HDB flat is ridiculously high.</p>
<p>i was born in india btw, shifted to singapore when i was 4 coz my dad got a job here</p>
<p>also, would it be possible to give examples of ‘named’ places that you mentioned ? i’m not looking at harvard or princeton or anything, just a decent college somewhere in the middle. purdue perhaps ? apparently they also take O-level scores into consideration during admission. btw which SAT papers am i supposed to sit for ? i understand there’s something like a SAT1 paper that consists only of english and maths, total score is 2400 from what i’ve heard. and there’re science papers also ? what are those about ? i’m hoping to gather all this information on my own before speaking to my parents about it.</p>
<p>Actually if you give up on your PR, you could still get tourist/social visit passes for entry into Singapore (they don’t mind you spending your money here) - but you just can’t work/study here any more. I am probably not going back to China to work (except HK maybe) so I decided to stay and serve my NS through.</p>
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<p>Think through this carefully. If you do not get a H-1B visa to stay and work in the US, then you pretty much have to go back to India to find a job (competing with the graduates from IITs and other Indian universities). You must be mentally prepared for this eventuality - which I might add, is unfortunately somewhat likely.</p>
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<p>Basically, every university in the US News Top 60 national university ranking and Top 50 LAC ranking would be very hard for you to get into. Purdue may be somewhat easier - they have been known to accept O-level candidates from Singapore.</p>
<p>they don’t actually make you leave the moment your college education ends right ? they give some time i’m guessing, maybe 30 to 60 days ? its plenty time i guess and i plan to do internships during holidays to maximize my chances of getting a job directly after. you’re from singapore too ? so you’re staying in the US now or have you returned ?? or are you still in college ?? and i’m guessing H-1B visas are only valid as long as you’re employed by the company ?? assuming i get one of those, how long will it be before i can apply for and receive a green card ?? i’ve also considered canada as i’ve got relatives there, but nothing beats the good ole’ US of A.</p>
<p>beeteedoubleyou, i never knew it was this difficult to get into the US. i’ve heard of people migrating on a whim, ie they go there and THEN begin their search for a job. and they didn’t really return or anything. and i’m not talking about highly qualified people, i’m talking about people with diploma’s from the local polytechnics, 24 Y.O. or around there.</p>
<p>purdue? maybe you can try those larger state schools or LACs? I don’t know if they will accept O Level (w/o A Level) but you must definitely take your SATs - they might even cut you some slack if you do exceedingly well for SATs. Also, how are you going to fund your US education?</p>
<p>As far as I know it’s damn hard to stay on after your studies cos of the limited work visas available, i.e. high demand low supply. It’s easier for Singaporeans though due to the existing US-Spore FTA.</p>
<p>sorry i’m not really familiar with those, could you perhaps give me examples ? i’m planning to in for engineering. mechanical probably. actually all this while i was under the impression that you couldn’t apply for US universities using O/A-levels, all the applications were based on SATs/ACTs since O/A-levels aren’t done in US high schools. what would say a good SAT score is ? maximum is 2400 right ?</p>
<p>fees and all will be paid for by my parents first, i’ll pay them back slowly after i begin working. its their hard-earned money, i shouldn’t have to burden them with my education costs.</p>
<p>Your best chance would be interning at very big companies (IBM, Google, GE, Goldman and the like) - they are probably the only ones with the will and financial means to get individuals through the frankly harrowing H-1B visa process.</p>
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<p>You could technically switch jobs provided you are in the same “role” in the new company as you were in the old. However, you are de facto “bonded” to that one company which is your H-1B’s sponsor. Waiting times for a green card can be up to 5 years for high-immigration countries like China and India.</p>
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<p>But the US-Spore FTA provides for an additional quota of H-1B1 visas, which are not dual-intent, which means that you cannot apply for a green card while on an H-1B1 visa. However, Singaporeans can still get H-1B visas if they so wish (and find a sponsoring company, and win the lottery if any, etc…).</p>
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<p>Your O and A-levels are equivalent to a typical American’s high school transcript - which is probably the most important part of your application (not saying that CCAs, essays and all are not important).</p>
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<p>You should be scoring at around 75th percentile of your target universities’ score ranges. That would be a relatively safe score for international students.</p>
<p>Sorry about the misinformation about NS for PRs >.<</p>
<p>You have to leave 60 days after you graduate from university. Do Indian companies have a tradition of giving internships? You’d probably need to start small to move big, and many small firms either don’t want/cannot pay the fees associated with using an OPT student (only way you can work off-campus for money) or cannot take a non-GC/citizen for government contract jobs. This is assuming you want to be a (non-computer) engineer though.</p>
<p>You were born in India? Then it will take a LONG time to get a green card because of per-country quotas and the high amount of Indian H1Bs. Google around, but it is LONG if you only have a bachelor’s. We’re also talking about the USCIS, which is notoriously slow, bureaucratic and expensive with ever-changing policies. The ‘easier’ way to get in is to have a US citizen spouse/parent/sibling/21+ kid; I don’t think there are any education requirements on those and once you pass through the waiting lists (for parents/siblings) you get a green card kaboom. Or the diversity lottery, which only requires a high school diploma. Being born here, through whatever means, also grants US citizenship. So, not all immigrants to the US are ‘highly qualified’ because there are other ways to get here.</p>
<p>You need both O/A Levels and SATs. The same way a US student needs to have high school-equivalent qualifications to get into the named places, a SG student needs O/A Levels. Also consider if your degree here will be recognised in India.</p>
<p>On a separate note, I think you can extend the H1B1 many times and possibly attempt to switch statuses from H1B1 to H1B while you are working. Canadian citizens also have their own NAFTA-based work visa which is easier to get than the H1B, and there is always the chance to switch statuses into H1B after you’re here (there’s still the sponsorship/lottery crap though).</p>
<p>wait so let me get this straight, i cannot apply for a green card as long as i’m on a H-1B visa ?? then how am i supposed to even apply for one in the first place ? from singapore/india ? i was thinking get a job and apply for PR status while on a H-1B visa. helpppp</p>
<p>sorry, what’s the difference between the two ?? and what’s the normal waiting period and the chances of me actually getting one (green card i mean) ?? using a work visa to stay feels kinda risky, especially in the current economy…</p>
<p>H-1B1 visas applies to only Singaporeans. Read my posts above for more information.</p>
<p>The normal waiting period for individuals born in China or India can be up to 8-10 years - unless you are categorized as “persons of extraordinary ability” (think senior management of Fortune 500 companies, potential Nobel laureates, etc…). You are de facto “bonded” to the company first sponsoring your H-1B visa for that period of time - unless you can find another company willing to accept and sponsor you through the transfer process (instead of just hiring a fresh H1B or local employee).</p>
<p>If you leave your US company and re-apply for your H-1B visa under another company (instead of going through the frankly ugly “transfer” process), you will lose your place in the queue and will have to start again from the back. Unfair? Yes, but it is their country.</p>
<p>but what are the chances of actually getting one, even after waiting ? i mean say you’re working properly, no criminal record, credit rating good, etc. you wait 10 years and they reject you and it starts all over again. its a stupid question, i know, but frankly waiting for 10 years, getting rejected and having to wait again is really frustrating. and what about property, cars and mobile phone lines ?? can those be bought on a H-1B visa ?? the scary part is the economy and not every fresh grad student can stick to their first job for that long.</p>
<p>thanks again for being so patient with my questions, you guys have been more than helpful!</p>
<p>edit: and how long does a H-1B visa last ?? as long as you’re employed or in specified time periods ??</p>
<p>but what are the chances of actually getting one, even after waiting ? i mean say you’re working properly, no criminal record, credit rating good, etc. you wait 10 years and they reject you and it starts all over again. its a stupid question, i know, but frankly waiting for 10 years, getting rejected and having to wait again is really frustrating. and what about property, cars and mobile phone lines ?? can those be bought on a H-1B visa ?? the scary part is the economy and not every fresh grad student can stick to their first job for that long.</p>
<p>thanks again for being so patient with my questions, you guys have been more than helpful!</p>
<p>edit: and how long does a H-1B visa last ?? as long as you’re employed or in specified time periods ?</p>
<p>@1234d, i’ll be taking them probably this coming december…</p>