Applying to US Universities

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This post is about the bicycle which is referred to as ‘bike’ in the USA.

After you land in USA and settle down in your apartment, one of the first things to buy is a bike. You may buy a new bike in less than $ 100 at a Wal-Mart or Target store. Do not go to shops that sell only bikes those are very expensive.

You may also buy used bikes for $10 or $20 but remember that repairs can be very expensive - many times more than the cost of a new bike. So investing in a new bike is a good idea. You must buy three accessories with your bike - A helmet, a set of front and rear lights and a lock.

The helmet will save you from serious head injury, the light will save you from a serious traffic violation ticket (fine) and the lock will obviously save your bike from being stolen.

It is mandatory in most states to have the lights on after sunset. All traffic rules apply to the bikes. A cyclist must stop at all STOP signs. Fines may range from 50 to 300 dollars.

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An appeals court has upheld a ruling that the University of California owes $33.8 million to past students whose fees were unfairly raised. The three-judge, San Francisco-based court ruled unanimously on November 2 that UC broke promises to about 35,000 graduate and undergraduate students - mostly at UC-Berkeley and UCLA - in 2003.

Click here to read the full story by Matt Krupnick

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This post is first in the series about culture and life at US Universities. Adjusting to a new culture is an important part of success at US Universities. There are norms in every culture about what is acceptable and what is not. Even within USA, hugging may be appropriate in some settings and totally inappropriate in some other. Shaking hands is almost always a appropriate behavior. A good thumbrule is to ask or find out before indulging in any behavior that may be offensive for someone.

For more insights read this article by Ruth Mantell

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Applicants from many countries including England, India, Pakistan, Srilanka, Bangladesh, South Africa are used to the British style of English. There are many words and usage in American English which are very different as compared to the British English. We list some of the most common words which are very frequently used in the University application process. Feel free to suggest more by adding your comments.

BRITISH - AMERICAN
graduate - undergraduate
post-graduate - graduate
course - program
subject - course
guide - advisor
first year - freshman
second year - sophomore
third year - junior
fourth year - senior
hostel - dorm
passing out - graduation
head (of department) - chair