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Evaluating Academic Agents
Agents can help you navigate the application process
More and more families with U.S.-bound students are finding it highly beneficial to enlist the help of an academic agency in their home country. Agents—who work either independently or as representatives of a specific institution—are trained to understand the U.S. educational system and its various admissions criteria. Agents assist students in gathering the necessary paperwork and completing the application process for their chosen institution.
Choosing the Right Agent
Before selecting an agency, prospective students should do their research. Most reputable agencies will assist students for a fee, and services will vary from agency to agency. When selecting an agency, you should ask the following questions:
More on Fees
Most agencies charge a fee, so it is important to know exactly what your money covers. If an agent is representing a college or university, they normally do not collect payments on that school’s behalf. However, if you are asked to make a payment to your chosen institution through an agent, make sure that the payment is made out in the name of the institution. If you are accepted to a U.S. institution and your I-20 and admission letter is mailed directly to the agency, please note that there should be no fee for you to pick up your documents. U.S. institutions do not charge for these documents. Once you’ve paid all applicable fees, you should not be charged again.
It is also important to note that institutions make admissions decisions and scholarship awards, not agents. You should always expect to receive specific details about your acceptance and funding directly from your institution, printed on their official letterhead. While the vast majority of agents are legitimate professionals, there is the occasional unscrupulous agent who will accept funds that they are not entitled to, so the more informed you are, the safer you will be.
Get Involved
Remember that you can also find and research institutions yourself. Visit www.USAEducationGuides.com or each prospective institution’s Web site, where you can review its offerings and request information about admission criteria, academic programs, and applicable fees.
By gaining valuable information about the types of schools you would like an agent to assist you with in advance, you can be more informed about the institutions and their requirements. It is also very important that you confirm the validity of the information that your agent is submitting to the educational institutions you are applying to. Any omissions or misrepresentations in your application, record, and accompanying documents are taken very seriously and could cause you to be dismissed even if it was your agent who prepared and submitted the inaccurate information.
Working with an academic agent can help you in the application process and ease any reservations you may have about studying in the United States. Reputable agencies assist students just like you every day. They are familiar with the U.S. educational system and most of them have individuals on their staffs who have studied in the United States. If you choose to use an agency, remember that selecting an agent who represents your best interests is the key to a successful U.S. study experience.
Penny L. Gerdeman is the director of international admissions and services at The University of Findlay.
By Penny Gerdeman
Choosing the Right Agent
Before selecting an agency, prospective students should do their research. Most reputable agencies will assist students for a fee, and services will vary from agency to agency. When selecting an agency, you should ask the following questions:
- How long has the agent/agency been in business?
- Does the agent belong to and work within an organized, trained network of agents, or do they work alone?
- How long does the process normally take from start to finish?
- How many students has the agent successfully helped to enroll in a U.S. institution?
- What types of fees, if any, do they charge?
- Who pays the agent’s fees?
- Do they represent a particular school or group of institutions?
- Has the agent visited the schools or have the schools visited the agent’s office?
- Does the agent assist students in the visa interview process?
- What is their visa yield success rate?
- Does the agent provide an orientation session on American culture prior to departure?
- Do they assist with travel arrangements?
More on Fees
Most agencies charge a fee, so it is important to know exactly what your money covers. If an agent is representing a college or university, they normally do not collect payments on that school’s behalf. However, if you are asked to make a payment to your chosen institution through an agent, make sure that the payment is made out in the name of the institution. If you are accepted to a U.S. institution and your I-20 and admission letter is mailed directly to the agency, please note that there should be no fee for you to pick up your documents. U.S. institutions do not charge for these documents. Once you’ve paid all applicable fees, you should not be charged again.
It is also important to note that institutions make admissions decisions and scholarship awards, not agents. You should always expect to receive specific details about your acceptance and funding directly from your institution, printed on their official letterhead. While the vast majority of agents are legitimate professionals, there is the occasional unscrupulous agent who will accept funds that they are not entitled to, so the more informed you are, the safer you will be.
Get Involved
Remember that you can also find and research institutions yourself. Visit www.USAEducationGuides.com or each prospective institution’s Web site, where you can review its offerings and request information about admission criteria, academic programs, and applicable fees.
By gaining valuable information about the types of schools you would like an agent to assist you with in advance, you can be more informed about the institutions and their requirements. It is also very important that you confirm the validity of the information that your agent is submitting to the educational institutions you are applying to. Any omissions or misrepresentations in your application, record, and accompanying documents are taken very seriously and could cause you to be dismissed even if it was your agent who prepared and submitted the inaccurate information.
Working with an academic agent can help you in the application process and ease any reservations you may have about studying in the United States. Reputable agencies assist students just like you every day. They are familiar with the U.S. educational system and most of them have individuals on their staffs who have studied in the United States. If you choose to use an agency, remember that selecting an agent who represents your best interests is the key to a successful U.S. study experience.
Penny L. Gerdeman is the director of international admissions and services at The University of Findlay.
By Penny Gerdeman
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