problems with application form

[zindi]

Today I tried to fill in an on-line application form for graduate studies at the Pratt Institute in New York and I have come up with something I don't quite understand: apparently they want me to list chronologicaly all the schools I have ever attended in my life. If I have correctly understood it, they mean even kindergarten. And not only to they want the schools entered in their form, but they want each grade separetly.

Now I do not really understand when does my education begin? I have first gone to "jaslice" when I was three years old, then moved on to "obdaniste" when I was four, "predskolsko" when I was five, and started elementary school at the age of six. Now, elementary school has 8 grades, high school has four and my Faculty lasted 5 years + "apsolventski rok". Alltogether, it makes 21 years of schooling... Their form has only 16 places... Even if I start with elementary school it makes a total of 18 years!

In the instruction for filling the form they say we should type the names of grades and level of schools in their original and they give examples in German and French. But those that apply for Serbian?

Those enyone have any experience with such requirement?

Thank you.

[zindi]

oh, and another thing... they say it may be necessary to have my diploma evaluated by the WES www.wes.org

should I enter that procedure too?

In the instructions for applying to the Pratt Institute it is writen that international students can not receive financial aid, but are eligable for merit-based scholarships. What does this mean - do they give money or not?

thanx

[elz]

Give us the exact link and let me see if I can look on both questions. Have you been to advising yet? I ask because it is probably not a good idea to apply to just one school.

Elz

[zindi]

Yes, Elizabeth, I've been to advising, I've been to your personal statement seminar and the GRE course... I have received my TOEFL results and they're good: 118/120 and I'm still waiting for my GRE results. I've written to your e-mail a few days ago, but you haven't replied...

I am not applying to only one school, but I have tried to fill in that one on-line application and encountered problems. I don't think I can send you the link for the on-line application form because it requires a log-in. However, here's a link to download the application http://www.pratt.edu/newsite/backgroundOpt..._GR_266_276.pdf

I hope you can give me some explanations on how to fill it in. i have written to the school's admission office, but they also haven't replied

Thanx

[elz]

Zindi, do you remember the email communication instructions that I gave you for personal statement students? I am going to need to see your personal statement very soon - prior to an appointment. I know it has been a long time since we met on the seminar, but this is how I separate my mails so that I am aware that you are from the seminar. I have set up filters to organize my mail in an attempt to prioritize. The next few weeks are the most critical for students from the Personal Statement seminars and the undergrads that we are working with. However, without that header, your mail will not filter as a priority.

These questions are best and easiest if they come through the forum. It is so easy for me to find new posts, just a click and there you are...rather than buried in what on some days is 100+ emails. But I did find you starred...along with other huddled masses However, it is important that I see your personal statement and for that you need to use the subject line for the filter.

I can see where the Pratt application can be very confusing and even as I looked through it, I wondered how I would have filled it out prior to all this advising experience! However, there are a few very subtle clues that can guide us as we sleuth through their application

First I can tell you straight up that they only want to see your undergrad credentials. Every school reporting area has the blank for college GPA. They only ask for transcripts from undergrad institutions. Thus, they want to match what you wrote in with the transcripts and so on - American cross-reference.

Now they are uequally "nuanced" about WES:

Students who have studied outside the

U.S. in an educational structure different from that in the U.S. (three

year degrees, for example) are asked to submit a World Education

Services (WES; www.wes.org) evaluation (or an evaluation from any

other reputable educational evaluation service, e.g., your embassy) to

expedite the processing of your application.

They allude to degree programs that are different than the typical four year degree - read: "Bologna Process". Therefore, if you have the traditional four year degree - which is considered a straight across the board equivalency to the US Bachelors structure in the USA - you can skip the WES.

I hope this helps.

GREAT TOEFL RESULTS ! ! ! ! Our record is 119/120...but you are definitely in 2nd place....Svaki Cast!

Elz

[zindi]

Zindi, do you remember the email communication instructions that I gave you for personal statement students? I am going to need to see your personal statement very soon - prior to an appointment. I know it has been a long time since we met on the seminar, but this is how I separate my mails so that I am aware that you are from the seminar. I have set up filters to organize my mail in an attempt to prioritize. The next few weeks are the most critical for students from the Personal Statement seminars and the undergrads that we are working with. However, without that header, your mail will not filter as a priority.

These questions are best and easiest if they come through the forum. It is so easy for me to find new posts, just a click and there you are...rather than buried in what on some days is 100+ emails. But I did find you starred...along with other huddled masses However, it is important that I see your personal statement and for that you need to use the subject line for the filter.

I can see where the Pratt application can be very confusing and even as I looked through it, I wondered how I would have filled it out prior to all this advising experience! However, there are a few very subtle clues that can guide us as we sleuth through their application

First I can tell you straight up that they only want to see your undergrad credentials. Every school reporting area has the blank for college GPA. They only ask for transcripts from undergrad institutions. Thus, they want to match what you wrote in with the transcripts and so on - American cross-reference.

Now they are uequally "nuanced" about WES:

Students who have studied outside the

U.S. in an educational structure different from that in the U.S. (three

year degrees, for example) are asked to submit a World Education

Services (WES; www.wes.org) evaluation (or an evaluation from any

other reputable educational evaluation service, e.g., your embassy) to

expedite the processing of your application.

They allude to degree programs that are different than the typical four year degree - read: "Bologna Process". Therefore, if you have the traditional four year degree - which is considered a straight across the board equivalency to the US Bachelors structure in the USA - you can skip the WES.

I hope this helps.

GREAT TOEFL RESULTS ! ! ! ! Our record is 119/120...but you are definitely in 2nd place....Svaki Cast!

Elz

Thanx Elizabeth I will be sure to follow your instructions next time I write you. And thank you for your encouraging words, it's just what I need right now.

Let me just see if I got it right. Since my school lasted 5 years, just like an American architecture school, I will not need a WES evaluation. That's great!

Next, the form, which is much more complicated. Well, acctualy, it seems that the on-line form and the paper, dowloadable form are a bit different. I will do the following, I will try to extract that one page from the on-line form somehow and send it to you by e-mail. If it doesn't work, I will wait for our meeting to show it to you. If it still remains a mistery, I will send them a paper application. I supose it won't make a big difference...

Thank you very much.

[elz]

I can also become an aspiring applicant to grad studies in architecture Actually there are other ways for me to get a peek at the form. We will be in touch about that...

Also in giving the names in Serbian, go ahead and do that. Here is why they ask - Very often, especially since Serbian credentials are rare birds compared to German, French, the admissions department may not have seen these before. So in many cases they will write to us, they will copy the exact Serbian words that you provided, they may scan documentation such as seals and so on...to ask us if this is what the seal is supposed to look like. This is why they want to see those words in Serbian...because those words represent the most official aspect of your credentials, the English translations are generally for the purposes of helping them understand the content of your program. Believe it or not, once you get a grip of the philosophy behind the whole process, everything starts to make sense - however, by that time, you will probably have already received your offer of admission

On the other, once you understand the philosophy of these steps, you will also be able to use that understanding when you go through other areas of official life in the USA - drivers license, taxes, rental agreements, and so on.

That is why I tend to press students to at least try to get in touch with the drill - it will help you follow the other workings of other bureaucracies while in the USA - there is a certain logic to all, though it may seem evasive at times.

Elz

[zindi]

I have another question, this time it's about the letters of recommendation. If it is stated that the recommender should send the letters himself, which you understand they probably won't do, can I send them instead? I understand that this means they want the letters mailed separetly, so I'll mail them for my professors.

what do you recommend: that I use regular mail or a delivery service such as FedEx?