Arturo from Spain writes about his year so far attending the Georgiana Bruce Kirby School in Santa Cruz, California. 

"My favorite memory was having Thanksgiving with my host family, because it was my first time, and meeting all the other members of the family was really pleasant. What surprised me about the U.S. was the huge traffic in California, and I did not expect them to be so similar to Europeans (in many aspects) which made it way easier for me to adapt.

I chose Georgiana Bruce Kirby School because the location is great, and I wanted to try going to a small school. Indeed, it's a preparatory school, and I wanted to go to a hard school in order to prepare myself for college.

My favorite class is economics, and my favorite activity here is basketball.

Maria decided to spend a semester somewhere completely different from her home country of Brazil. She chose Falmouth High School in Maine because she “wanted to go to a cold place, and when I saw Falmouth High School, when I saw the pictures I was enchanted and I knew that coming here would be a good idea.”

When Weijia was choosing where to go for her second year in the USA with CIEE, she knew she wanted to go somewhere warm! As a High School Exchange USA student in 2015, she was placed in Pennsylvania. Now she attends Calvary Christian Academy in warm Ormond Beach, Florida.

Calvary Christian is a good fit, she says, “because it's a small school and the teachers are really willing to help you be sure you understand and can make good grades in the classes.” Her favorite class is American History.

Weijia has tons of fun with her two host sisters and enjoys jumping on their trampoline and celebrating their birthdays.  Weijia’s Local Coordinator, Kristi, works at the school and gets to see her often. Kristi says, "Weijia loves animals and is even considering a career as a veterinarian in the future. Living in a home with several pets has been a joy to her as well!”

​Calvary Christian Academy recently held their annual prom. Weijia attended with her friend John. 

Public high school athletics are a serious pastime in many places around the U.S: some American families even to move to certain districts or cities just because the public schools boast particularly strong athletic programs! From there, participation on a winning team can lead to athletic careers or even college scholarships.

But something important to note for High School Study USA students applying to public schools: many public schools around the U.S. prohibit students with F-1 visas from participating at the varsity level.

This was done in part to promote and preserve competitive athletic opportunities for domestic student populations. Also, some public schools have tried increase and pad their competitive ranking by recruiting international students in the past, leading to rules that prohibited participation by students with F-1 visas at the varsity level.

Public school varsity-level restrictions can vary, so it’s important to check the regulations for the state and school you are applying to.

However, while athletes with F-1 visas are subject to these rules, it doesn’t mean they can’t have the top-level athletic experience they want. Here are a few solutions we can offer our students to ensure they  are on the right track: 

1. Apply to a private school. Private schools in some states do not have the F-1 visa varsity restrictions  since  they enjoy more independence  from the state regulations that govern public schools. It’s important to confirm this though:  some states,  like Arizona,  do not allow F-1 students to participate on varsity teams at any school (public or private).
2. Encourage students to join a city or regional club team.  If a high school’s athletic team is exceptional, there are often many clubs in the surrounding area where students can hone and practice their skills outside of school. Students can also supplement this by participating at the junior varsity (JV)   level.

Setting a student’s expectations before they come on their study abroad experience is key. By knowing when certain sports are held (spring vs. fall), when try outs are, and if they can play at the level they want, we can help guide students to schools that are the best fit.  Let's get the ball rolling! 

ELTiS: English Language Test for International Students
The English Language Test for International Students (ELTiS) is a standardized test designed to measure the listening and reading comprehension skills of high school age English language learners. It is a shorter test, only 1 hour and 10 minutes long, and it evaluates students’ ability to understand academic classroom language.

Essentially, it tests if the student can manage the English language requirements of secondary school classes where English is the language of instruction. The scores are available immediately.

TOEFL: Test of English as a Foreign Language
The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) has a paper version or an online version, called the TOEFL IBT. Many U.S. universities require the TOEFL IBT for international student admissions at the university level. TOEFL scores take about three weeks to get to the student or school. This test is generally more difficult because it is used for university entrance as well as for high school. In contrast to the ELTiS, the TOFEL and tests only general English abilities.

Because the TOFEL has been around longer, schools that have been accepting international students for many years often require the TOFEL test. This is most common with boarding schools and prestigious private schools, but not always. Most schools that CIEE partners with accept ELTiS scores because it is the test recommended by CSIET, the regulatory standards council that releases guidelines for running international F-1 visa programs.

SSAT: The Secondary School Admissions Test
The Secondary School Admissions Test (SSAT) is another test that some U.S. high schools require, and it is a popular admission requirement for exclusive private schools. Schools rely on the SSAT to assess a student's overall academic abilities, rather than knowledge in specific subjects. The SSAT is 3 hours and 5 minutes long and covers 167 questions including an unscored essay that is sent to schools. It evaluates quantitative skills, reading comprehension skills, and writing skills.

While this test is difficult, it gives the prospective schools a holistic assessment of the student’s academic strengths and weaknesses. Taking this test also provides a predicted Grade 12 SAT score.

ISSE: Independent School Entrance Examination
The Independent School Entrance Examination (ISSE) is used for admission to some private high schools. The test is given several times throughout the year, but the majority of the testing dates fall during the fall and early winter and the number of available test dates depends on your location. This test includes sections for verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, reading comprehension, mathematics achievement and an unscored essay.

​Schools that use this test have found that have found that the ISEE test scores are the most consistent indicators of predicting success for students for their rigorous academic programs. The test is 2 hours and 40 minutes long and covers 161 questions including a scored essay.

Many private schools will require a second standardized test along with the English test. Because private schools in the United States are so selective, many schools use a secondary test, such as the ISEE or SSAT, to allow them to compare students from very different educational backgrounds. Very rarely, schools will set limits to these scores. Often times they are used to help the student instead of hurt their chances of gaining admission to a school. Most boarding schools require the SSAT, while some independent schools accept either the SSAT or the ISEE. While it makes the application process longer and more difficult, these tests are used to help determine which students are very serious about applying to the school, compared to those that are applying because it is easy.

Originally from China, Albert (his English nickname) is a  High School Study USA student at Hopkinton High School in Massachusetts.

As a member of Hopkinton’s Robotics Club he recently competed in the state championships against other high school in  Massachusetts.
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In a recent video, Haiping mentions he loves his school in the United States "because it provides so much different courses, lots of AP classes, and higher level classes."  His advice for making new friends in America includes joining different clubs, meeting host siblings’ friends, and talking to and asking for help in classes.

Learn more about Hopkington High School, and all it has to offer for international students.

Initially a High School Exchange USA  student, Bang returned on the High School Study USA program this year because he “had always desired to learn about the American culture. I wanted to study in America whose education system is among the best in the world.”

At Trinity-Byrnes Collegiate School, Bang says his favorite class is Comparative Government, "because it broadens my knowledge about the various political systems in the world.”

Bang has made lasting memories with his host family, including a trip to Disney World. Bang's advice for students looking to study in the United States is “to be open and be willing to learn and emerge into the culture that might be different from their own.”
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