February 5 – 11, 2017, Islamabad
“I have participated in many EducationUSA events and done quite a few tours, and nothing compares to (EducationUSA Pakistan at) USEFP. School visits were superb, schedule was full and exact, and fairs were well advertised.”
Nancy Elizabeth Currey – Northern Arizona University
The first leg of the 10th South Asia Tour 2017 brought together one of the largest groups of U.S. university and college administrators to Pakistan! Twenty-three representatives from universities across the U.S. traveled to Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad for a series of activities and events aimed at helping Pakistani students, parents and school counselors better understand and navigate the enrollment processes at U.S. higher education institutions. The week long, biannual tour – hosted in the fall and spring each year – allowed the representatives to visit approximately 29 different educational institutions, resulting in engagement with over 4000 students across Pakistan.
U.S. university and college representatives pose with Pakistani high school counselors at Islamabad Club.
“I’m pleased that Pakistani students had the opportunity this week to learn first-hand about so many highly regarded and diverse U.S. universities,” said U.S. Embassy Cultural Affairs Officer Dr. Daniel S. Mattern. “I hope to see many students take advantage of the opportunity to obtain a first-rate education in the United States while sharing their rich cultural heritage with American classmates.”
The Spring 2017 tour comprised of a revitalized agenda of numerous school visits, university outreaches, in-house sessions, college fairs, and the ever-popular High School Counselors’ Academy. The graduate in-house session was re-structured as “Graduate Camp,” where representatives from DePaul University and Arkansas Tech University – in addition to providing information about their institutions – also facilitated an insightful discussion on graduate admissions from an insider’s perspective. Prospective students and visiting representatives discussed the different stages of writing a statement of purpose, and for those seeking research degrees, the representatives shared best practices on planning and writing a literature review and refining research methodologies.
Pakistani students taking turns to speak to a U.S. college administrator at the EdUSA College Fair held in Islamabad as part of the 10th South Asia Tour.
The High School Counselors’ Academy – a consistent highlight of the South Asia Tour – this year, introduced a specially-tailored workshop on how to write an effective letter of recommendation. While visiting representatives at the workshop were given mock student profiles to “role play and act out,” counselors were required to extract relevant information from each “student,” by interviewing them about their academic skills and personal qualities, an approach many counselors already use when writing a letter of recommendation for potential college students. The “role play” activity was designed to establish rapport with students; glean comprehensive information about the student in an oral questionnaire; and comment on the student’s strengths and weaknesses in a safe environment, thereby adding value to the student’s college application.
U.S. Embassy Cultural Affairs Officer Dr. Daniel S. Mattern. “I hope to see many students take advantage of the opportunity to obtain a first-rate education in the United States while sharing their rich cultural heritage with American classmates.
Finally, the South Asia Tour also hosted a College Fair in each city, which drew scores of prospective students, providing them with a platform to interact directly with the visiting representatives and learn more about admissions, academic and campus life at each institution. The visiting delegation featured representatives from Ohio Wesleyan University, DePaul University, Colorado State University, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott Campus, Arkansas Tech University, Berkeley College, Central Washington University, Northern Arizona University, Furman University, Hiram College, Luther College, Minerva School at KGI, Northern Kentucky University, Old Dominion University, St. Cloud University, Savannah College of Art and Design, Siena College, State University of New York (SUNY) Buffalo, SUNY Plattsburgh, Troy University, University of Bridgeport, Valparaiso University, and Wichita State University. Of the 23 U.S. universities, seven were participating in the South Asia Tour for the first time.
EducationUSA at USEFP offers free advice and assistance to students interested in applying to or learning about U.S. colleges and universities. Register here and an EducationUSA Adviser will be assigned to speak to you about your path to a U.S. higher education.
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