<p>I will send you a PM. There are just a few things I would like to address here though because they might be interesting for more people:</p>
<p>-
I think we misunderstood each other. “Study” means “lernen” in German and not “studieren” (= going to college). If you look back, you said that students from non-college educated parents are less likely to study (= sit down and do their homework) and I wanted to point out that that’s incorrect. Either way it’s not going to help you because that’s a statistic about a general phenomenon, not a personal obstacle you had to face. (If you were treated for cancer while working 30 hours a week to pay your medical bills and trying to keep up with school work, <em>that</em> might give you an advantage.)</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Double-check with your health insurance that you have coverage in the States because most health insurances won’t cover you outside of Europe. A greater number of German insurances will pay for repatriation, but you might want more coverage than that… FYI, health coverage in the States runs at $1000-$2000 a year and most insurances for international students do not cover dental visits and have deductibles and co-pays (e.g. you have to pay the first $100 of every medical bill yourself and then the insurance will cover 80% of the remaining bill).</p></li>
<li><p>Make sure to be extra careful about finances. 2000 Euro a year will cover personal expenses (travel, books, entertainment, toiletries etc) but nothing beyond that. Also be aware that housing and food costs are a lot higher in the States: Expect to pay around 3 times as much for food as you would in Germany. Housing costs will vary a lot by location but it is safe to assume that rent plus utilities in East cost cities will be significantly more than $300 a month, which would have been my college housing budget in a medium-sized city in Southern Germany. </p></li>
</ul>
<p>Most American cities do not have public transportation, so you either have to live in college dorms (with room and board as much as $10,000 a year, and you have to move out during breaks), within walking/biking distance from campus (where rooms are more expensive due to high demand) or you need a car (expensive as well). Campus jobs typically pay $7 to $10 an hour before taxes and you may not work for more than 20 hours a week (most students work less than 10). In particular, don’t expect to cover housing and food with a campus job because chances are it’s not going to happen… </p>
<p>If you get financial aid or a scholarship be aware that money beyond tuition is taxed at a 14% rate. For example, if a college gives you a free room in a dorm and a free meal plan when room and board would have been $10,000 a year, you will have to pay $1400 in taxes at the end of the year.</p>
<p>I am telling you all of this not to discourage you, but because I think it is very important you know the financial circumstances of your endeavor. Quite frankly, I was surprised by the astronomical prices for “basic” items like food, housing and health care. (On the other hand, “luxury” items are a lot cheaper in the States than they are in Germany!)</p>