5 Steps to U.S. Study: Everything You Need to Know

EducationUSA can help you every step along the way.
5 Steps to U.S. Study
1.Research Your Options
2.Finance Your Studies
3.Complete Your Application
4.Apply for Your Student Visa
5.Prepare for Your Departure

Every little piece counts. And every university is different.
The “Application Package” for the U.S.
• Application Fee and Form – Your answers to questions and lists.
• Statement of Purpose and other Essays
• 2-3 Recommendation Letters
• Official Academic Records/Transcripts
• Exams (SAT/ACT, GRE, GMAT)
• TOEFL iBT (or IELTS) Results sent from testing agency.
• Writing Samples, Research Papers, Portfolio, Other
• Curriculum Vitae or Resume
• Financial Aid Form and Documents as Proof
• Interview

What is TOEFL?
Test of English as a Second
Language.
About 3 million people from
around the world have sat for a
TOEFL test. It is an important test
when it comes to study in an
English-speaking country.

Which TOEFL Test
Should I Take?

TOEFL ITP (Institutional TOEFL)
• Paper-based test, used by many exchange programs.
• Consists of 3 sections:
• Total score is from 310 to 677
• Valid for two years
Section Number of Questions Admin. Time Score Scale
Listening
Comprehension
50 35 minutes 31–68
Structure and Written
Expression
40 25 minutes 31–68
Reading
Comprehension
50 55 minutes 31–67
TOTAL 140 115 minutes 310–677

Preparation
• For registration, contact AMIDEAST Egypt on 19263
TOEFL ITP online preparation courses
• Familiarizes participants with the institutional TOEFL examination
including test-taking strategies, analysis of question types,
vocabulary building strategies, grammar review, and listening
strategies
Online Test Prep ITP Test
Preparation
Test Prep, 24 hours 1,700
Online Test Prep ITP Test
Preparation Crash Course

Registration
• Fees: 1,250 LE
• Digital Test Fees: 1,490 LE
• Documents Required: A valid national ID, driving license or a valid
passport is a must.
• For more information during COVID-19 times, contact AMIDEAST
Egypt on 19263.

Section Time Limit Questions Tasks
Reading 54–72 minutes 30–40 questions Read passages and
respond to questions
Listening 41–57 minutes 28–39 questions Answer questions about
brief lectures or classroom
discussions
Break 10 minutes — —
Speaking 17 minutes 4 tasks Talk about a familiar topic
and discuss material you
read and listened to
Writing 50 minutes 2 tasks Read a passage, listen to
a recording, type your
response
TOEFL iBT
• Internet-based test, often required by U.S. universities.
• Consists of 4 sections:
• Total score is from 0 to 120.
• Valid for two years.

TOEFL iBT Reading Section
• First section in the test.
• 54 or 72 minutes to answer 30-40 questions.
• If you get 72 minutes, it means that you will get an extra reading
passage with an additional set of questions. This extra section is
not graded, but it is used by the test center to determine how such
questions function under actual testing conditions. There is no
way for you to know which set of questions is the
experimental one, so you have to do your best in each
section.

TOEFL iBT Reading Section
• It includes 3 or 4 reading passages, each approximately 700
words long, with 10 questions per passage.
• Excerpts from university-level textbooks
• Don't worry if you're not familiar with the topic of a passage.
All the information you need to answer the questions will be
included in the passage

Tips for the TOEFL iBT Reading Section
• Use skimming and scanning in order to
answer questions.
• Time yourself well. Divide time equally
between reading passages and answering
questions
• When hesitant, do not waste too much time
on any one question. Make a decision,
answer, and move on.

TOEFL iBT Listening Section
• Second section of the test.
• Consists of 2 parts (+ 1 experimental).
• 41-57 minutes
• Can listen to each recording only once
• The Listening section includes native-speaker English accents from
North America, the U.K., New Zealand or Australia to better reflect
the variety of accents you might encounter while studying abroad
• Conversations between speakers that last for 3 minutes. This is
followed by 5 questions per conversation.
• Academic lectures by a professor that last from 3 to 5 minutes.
This is followed by 6 questions per lecture.

Tips for the Listening Section
• Practice note taking.
• Divide your time equally
among questions.

TOEFL iBT Speaking Section
• 4 tasks. 17 minutes total.
• You'll get 15–30 seconds of preparation time
before each response, and your response will be
45 or 60 seconds long.
• Question 1 is called an "independent speaking
task“. It requires you to draw entirely on your own
ideas, opinions and experiences when you
respond.
• Questions 2–4 are called "integrated speaking
tasks" because they require you to combine your
English-language skills i.e: listening and speaking,
or listening, reading and speaking.

Tips for the Speaking Section
• Practice this section well before you sit for the exam.
• Note taking is crucial.
• Remember that the room may become loud.
• Prepare a speaking template for yourself. Know what you are going
to say.

• 2 tasks. 50 minutes total.
• Integrated writing task (20 minutes): : Read a short
passage and listen to a short lecture, then write in
response
• Independent writing task (30 minutes): Write an essay
based on personal experience or opinion in response to
a writing topic/prompt.
TOEFL iBT Writing Section

General Tips to Prepare
for the TOEFL iBT
• This is an introductory presentation and by no means sufficient in
preparing you for the test.
• Give yourself at least a month to prepare and familiarize yourself
with the types of questions you will encounter on test day.
• Thoroughly review the “Prepare for the Test” section on the ETS
website. It has a wealth of resources such as: interactive questions,
sample questions from old tests covering all four sections, and free
webinars and tips on how to excel on the test.

Preparation
TOEFL iBT online preparation courses
• Familiarizes participants with the TOEFL iBT examination including
test-taking strategies, analysis of question types, vocabulary building
strategies, grammar review, and listening strategies
Online Test Prep iBT Test
Preparation
Online Test Prep iBT Test
Preparation Crash Course

Registration
Dates and Places
• Register at least 2 month in advance.
• Pick a test date that's at least 2 to 3 months before your earliest
deadline.
• For COVID-19 times, check https://www.ets.org/s/cv/toefl/europe-
middle-east-africa/
• Fees: 185$
• Documents Required: A valid passport as a primary ID or a national ID
along with a valid driving license.
• For more information, contact AMIDEAST Egypt on 19263

GRE: What is it?
• Graduate Record Exam: Tests your readiness for graduate level
studies.
• Measures verbal, mathematical, critical thinking and analytical
writing skills.
Measure Number of Questions Allotted Time
Analytical Writing
(One section with two separately
timed tasks)
One "Analyze an Issue" task and
one "Analyze an Argument" task
30 minutes per task
Verbal Reasoning
(Two sections)
20 questions per section 30 minutes per section
QuantitativeReasoning
(Two sections)
20 questions per section 35 minutes per section
Unscored¹ Varies Varies
Research² Varies Varies

GRE: Analytical Writing
• Essay 1: Analysis of an Issue. You will be given an issue, and
your task is to form an opinion (whether you agree or disagree
with the statement), and defend that opinion.
o All possible essay prompts are publically available on the ETS
website.
• Essay 2: Analysis of an argument. You will read an argument,
and you should provide a critique of that argument.
o All possible essay prompts are publically available on the ETS
website.

GRE: Verbal Reasoning
Three types of questions:
1. Text completion: You will read a 1 to 5 sentences passage. The
passage will have 1 to 3 blanks, and you have to choose words or
phrases that can complete the passage.
2. Sentence equivalence: You will see one sentence with one blank. You
have to choose 2 words or phrases from the choices you get, that would
complete the sentence, and the two resulting sentences must give the
same meaning in the end.

GRE: Verbal Reasoning
3. Reading comprehension:
o Half of the verbal reasoning questions consists of this type of question.
o You read a passage that consists of 1 or more paragraphs, then
answer a number of questions. There are three types of questions in
the reading comprehension:
a. Multiple choice- choose 1.
b. Multiple choice- choose 1 or more.
c. Select in passage. Click on a sentence within the passage that
answers a given question.
https://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/about/content/verbal_reasoning

GRE: Quantitative Reasoning
• Tests mathematical problems that you would have studied at
elementary and secondary school.
Five types of questions:
1. Quantitative comparison: You are given two quantities, and you
determine which is greater
2. Multiple choice: Choose one from five other options
3. Multiple choice: Select all correct responses to the question
4. Numeric entry: No choices
5. Data interpretation: Answer questions related to graphs, charts,
diagrams, etc.
https://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/about/content/quantitative_reaso
ning

GRE: Exam Design
• Preview and review capabilities within a section
• "Mark" and "Review" features to tag questions, so you can skip them and
return later if you have time remaining in the section
• The ability to change/edit answers within a section
• An on-screen calculator for the Quantitative Reasoning section

Preparation
GRE General online preparation courses
Course Online Test Prep GRE (Verbal)
Test Prep, 12
hours
1,800
Course Online Test Prep GRE (Math)
Test Prep, 12
hours
1,800

Registration
Dates and Places
• Register at least 4 to 6 weeks in advance.
deadline.
• For COVID-19 times, check https://www.ets.org/s/cv/gre/europe-middle-
east-africa/
• Fees: 3847 L.E (205$ + 40$ admin fees)

GMAT
• Graduate Management Admission Test: mba.com
• Measures ability to succeed in business schools.
• You may NOT change, return to, or skip any questions.
• Approximately 25% of all the questions on the GMAT are experimental
questions.
Section Duration Number of questions Score Range
Analytical writing 30 1 Essay 0-6 in half-point increments
Integrated
Reasoning
30 12 1-8 in one-point increments
Quantitative
Reasoning
62 31 6-51 in one-point increments
Verbal 65 36
6-51 in one-point increments

GMAT:
Analytical Writing Assessment
• Analysis of an Argument
• 30 minutes

GMAT: Integrated Reasoning
• Analyze information from different sources (charts, tables,
texts, etc…).
• Graphics Interpretation, Table Analysis, Multi-source
Reasoning, Two-part Analysis.
• 12 questions, 30 minutes

GMAT: Quantitative Reasoning
1. Problem solving questions (⅔ of all questions):
o You get a question with 5 choices.
2. Data sufficiency questions (⅓ of all questions):
o Determine whether two different statements provide enough
information to answer a given question.
o The answer choices are always the same in these questions.

1. Sentence correction questions (⅓ of questions.): These are
grammar questions, and you need to select the choice that creates
the best sentence.
2. Critical reasoning (⅓ of questions): You are going to analyze an
argument and choose the best answer.
3. Reading comprehension (⅓ of questions): Answer questions
based on information in a passage.
GMAT: Verbal Reasoning

How to prepare for
the GRE or GMAT?
• This is an introductory presentation and by no means sufficient in
preparing you for the test.
• Give yourself at least 3 months to prepare and familiarize yourself
with the types of questions you will encounter on test day.
• Cramming does not work. There is no way you will memorize all the
unfamiliar vocabulary nor the math concepts and bizarre questions.
The key is to find a way to work around these problems that
works for you. Actually, this is the point of the test.

How to prepare for
GRE or GMAT?
• GRE: Download a software called Powerprep II from the official
ETS website. This software is available for free and it helps you
get familiar with the types of questions in all the different sections
of the test, and to get familiar with the test layout that you are
going to see on test day.
https://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/prepare/powerprep2
• GMAT: You can find a software on mba.com that provides you
with two tests to answer. You pay to get more (about $8 for 20
more tests).

Preparation
GMAT General online preparation courses
Course Online Test Prep GMAT
(Verbal)
Test Prep, 12
hours
1,800
Course Online Test Prep GMAT (Math)
Test Prep, 12
hours
1,800

Registration
Dates and Places
• Register at least 4 to 6 weeks in advance.
deadline.
• For online registration, check https://www.mba.com/exams/gmat/before-
the-exam/register-for-the-gmat-exam
• Fees: 4870 L.E

Take your research seriously. You have many free tools to help.
Global network of centers & information on the
5 Steps of US Study
EducationUSA
AMIDEAST
Information on testing, test prep, and
fields of study.
College Board, Petersons & Niche
College Board/Magoosh
Fantastic tools and resources for
undergraduate study, incl. SAT & GRE
College search Engines
College Confidential/ QUORA
Student Blogs.
The Princeton REVIEW
Student Reviews.
CHEA
Database of accredited American education
institutions.
Search Tools and Resources
US EMBASSY CAIRO
Information on Student Visas and list of exchange
programs.
NUMBEO, FOREIGN CREDITS,
Cost of Living comparison, GPA calculator, and more.

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Thank you and Good Luck!
Cairo@educationusa.org
Alexandria@educationusa.org
19263
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5 Steps to U.S. Study: Everything You Need to Know

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