Why Applying to American Universities is Annoying (as an international student)

Here are a couple things you need to know before applying to an American University

I am a French 17 year old, that has just started the application process, and has incredibly bothered by the difference between American applications and others such as Canada and the UK. Here are a couple things I found:

1. You need to pass the SAT. Apparently American Universities don't care much for you national diplomas. I, like you, have worked very hard to obtain a good grade at my exams, the French baccalaureate, but they don't care. They can't be bothered to acknowledge your test results. Only the SATs are acceptable. 

2. You need the TOEFL . If you have any other diploma demonstrating your English level, they don't care. I happen to have scored an A* on the International GCSE and a 8.0 on the IELTS, which are both acceptable English certifications in Canada and the UK. But Americans being Americans, the only thing they care about is their own test: the TOEFl.

3. They ask a lot of questions. If you want to apply to an American University, settle in and get comfortable. Your application will take you about 10h, while McGill for example will take you 5h. Americans are so suspicious: they enquire about your parents' education, their jobs, and even the company they work for. In fact, that is usually a whole page of the application process.

All in all, applying to an American university can be quite frustrating when compered to applying to a Canadian or British University. That being said, what I have said above should definitely not hold you back from pursuing your aspirations and going to the University that you feel is right for you.

Good Luck,
The Young Traveler