U.S. Universities: Seeking the Best and Brightest in Pakistan.
Since its inception in 2011, the biannual South Asia Tour organized by EducationUSA has kept gaining momentum, becoming bigger and better with each passing year. In Spring 2018, the 12th South Asia Tour boasted the largest contingent of U.S. university and college administrators to ever visit Pakistan. Twenty-seven representatives from across the U.S. travelled to Karachi, Islamabad, and Lahore, where they visited approximately 29 different educational institutions, reaching out to over 5,400 students across Pakistan.
“We were thrilled with the number of Pakistani students who attended the college fairs and met with representatives from U.S. universities visiting Islamabad, Karachi, and Lahore. We strongly encourage Pakistani parents and students to consider the opportunities that a U.S. education represents for graduates. With more than 4,700 institutions of higher education, the United States has options that fit every career goal and pocketbook. We hope to see more Pakistani students studying in the U.S. and sharing their cultural heritage with their American classmates,” said Arlissa Reynolds, country Cultural Affairs Officer at U.S. Embassy Islamabad.
Like previous years’ tours, in Spring 2018, the representatives participated in multiple high school visits, university outreaches, in-house sessions, and college fairs organized by the EducationUSA team in Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi. All these events were geared towards encouraging Pakistani students and their parents to consider U.S. higher education by familiarizing them with the application process, opportunities for financial aid, and the variety of academic programs on offer. These events, especially the college fairs, gave students and parents the opportunity to have one-on-one discussions with college representatives, and to ask them questions in an informal setting.
Recognizing the important role counselors play in shepherding students to apply and pursue a U.S. degree, EducationUSA believes that it is vital to facilitate interactions between them and the university representatives. Therefore, each year, a key segment of the Tour is the High School Counselors’ Academy, which focuses on educating high school counselors on the different stages of the U.S. admission process. The event provides these counselors with a unique opportunity where they can talk with the representatives and pick their brain on how universities and colleges in the U.S. evaluate applications, and grant admission.
“The number of U.S. universities represented in this tour continues to grow. This shows that U.S. universities appreciate how talented and well-prepared students are in Pakistan. They are looking for people with potential and EducationUSA offices in Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi can help such students through the admission process. USEFP is pleased to be able to help good students get to their dream of a higher education in the United States,” said USEFP Executive Director, Rita Akhtar.
The visiting delegation included representatives from University of La Verne, University of Iowa, University of Colorado-Boulder, St. Cloud State University, California State University, Hiram College, DePaul University, Augustana College, State University of New York-Plattsburgh, Wabash College, Southern New Hampshire University, Winona State University, Kansas State University, Valparaiso University, Western New England University, Western Kentucky University, Creighton University, Colorado State University, Minerva Schools at KGI, University of South Dakota, State University of New York-Buffalo, Northern Kentucky University, Pima Community College, Berkeley College, University of Bridgeport, Stony Brook University and Merrimack College.
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 U.S. higher education.
