The EducationUSA Opportunity Fund (OF) program helps students overcome seemingly unsurmountable odds to realize their dream of an American education. The brightest, most talented students who lack the financial resources to cover even up-front costs of obtaining admission (such as testing, application fees, and airfare) work closely with EducationUSA advisers for two years to put forth top-notch applications. Our end goal: to have them attend college in the United States with full (or significant) funding. This quarter, we are proud to share five success stories from our recent cohort.
Raakin Ali Shah – University of Pennsylvania
Shah received a full-ride to the University of Pennsylvania, one of his three big scholarship offers. He cannot wait to experience the independence, diversity, inclusivity, and academic rigor on this Ivy League campus as he prepares to commence his environmental engineering undergraduate program.
“Students frequently lack understanding of the complexities of the application process. To ensure that we are effectively presenting ourselves in our application profiles, guidance is required, and EducationUSA does an amazing job of that. I could contact my adviser at any time – I was never made to feel like my thousands of questions were a bother. Now, I’m pumped to experience the feeling of independence that comes from handling everything on my own, whether it be deciding meal plans, additional course costs, or simply choosing a dorm for myself.”
Muhammad Rayyan Afzal Maan – Minerva University
Maan credits his multiple acceptances and scholarship offers to the guidance he received from his EducationUSA adviser. Having decided on Minvera University, from where he has bagged a full scholarship, he is ready to live his American dream.
“My adviser was always just one text/email away. She always wanted the best for me, so I could be open about anything I was going through. Honestly, EducationUSA is the only free-of-cost counselling service that provides excellent advice on applying to the States. I was able to arrange one-on-one meetings, discuss college lists, and plan out my SAT schedule with their support. They are extremely consistent with their work and the regular sessions are immensely helpful.”
Famia Humayun – Northwestern Qatar
Humayun, who won over $72,000 in annual funding to attend Northwestern Qatar, credits not just her EducationUSA adviser but also her fellow cohort members for supporting her during the entire application process.
“Our OF cohort became a little family and we encouraged each other throughout. Our adviser was a guiding light and also like a big brother. The college application process became a smooth journey. With most expenses for our college applications covered, we had the chance to focus fully on our essays and writing supplements. A huge shoutout to EducationUSA for making all this possible!”
Faryal Fatima – Berea College
Fatima worked tirelessly for two years to secure a complete scholarship to Berea College and is ready to take off.
“Being a part of OF provided me with a significant advantage in my college admission process. EducationUSA assisted me every step of the way and made the journey fun. The high costs for the college application process can be a major concern, but as a member of the OF cohort, I didn’t have to worry about any of that. I’m grateful for the full scholarship and so exited to begin my new adventure.”
Mutahir Mahmood – Minerva University
Although Mahmood has chosen Minvera University (with a 93% scholarship), he received scholarship offers from ten other U.S. schools, including Baylor University, Drexel University, and NYU Shanghai.
“Our cohort had a family dynamic and that really helped. The group advising allowed me to bypass the various obstacles in applications such as lack of knowledge, high costs, no proper counselling, etc. It was honestly because of my EducationUSA adviser that I was able to put together good applications and be accepted by various prestigious institutions.”
