About My Experience in New York and Language School Education

Greetings, my friends! I often receive inquiries from you regarding my education in America. As such, I have taken the liberty of crafting a piece on this very topic. I hope you find it informative and enjoyable to read.

My primary goal for traveling to New York was to fully enhance my English proficiency. Unfortunately, things did not go as planned. But instead of giving up, I adapted to the situation and found myself becoming increasingly comfortable with the city. In fact, I fell in love with it and even managed to increase my income. Therefore, without a doubt, I highly recommend visiting this amazing city to improve yourself and expand your worldview.

The Beginning of the Story..

Before heading to New York, I excelled in the Sales-Finance department at Eczacıbaşı. I confidently made a bold decision when I recognized my worth and became dissatisfied with my salary, and the lack of challenge and stimulation in the private sector and business life.

I pursued business and English language education while completing my master's degree. I balanced work and school during the week and attended English classes at American Culture on weekends. After completing the English grammar foundation in Turkey, which took about a year, I decided to travel to New York in my early twenties. My decision surprised everyone, but it was the perfect time for me.

How I Found a Language School in New York

In September 2015, I visited the overseas language school consultancy office in Kadıköy.

Given my school budget, I confidently decided on ASA College, a highly affordable school. While there are schools that offer even lower prices than ASA College, it's worth noting that the less expensive the school, the more challenging it can be to secure a visa.

How a Foreign Language School Consultancy Firm Helped Me: Could I Do This Whole Process Myself?

If you possess sufficient time, you can confidently oversee and accomplish the entire process of studying at a language school in the USA independently, without the need for educational consultancy. However, if time is a constraint and you wish to ensure flawless execution, seeking the assistance of a consultant may be a more convenient option. Those who have previously attended language schools in other countries and currently seek to study at a language school in the USA may not require a counselor's services.

What are the F-1 Student Visa Stages and Fees?

• Find your school and contact, decide.
• Pay I-901 SEVISI Your I-20 should have a SEVIS ID, so you must do this before the school's I-20 will be issued. $200 Click
• Get your certificate of admission and enrollment from the School $50 Express Shipping (I-20)
• Fill out the DS-160 form. Click
• Make an appointment for visa. $160 Click

To calculate the total cost, simply add the tuition fee to the fees mentioned above. As an example, I personally paid $3000 for a 6-month IEP program at ASA College, resulting in a total cost of:

The total cost for your trip amounts to $3510, which covers $3000 for school fees, $410 for transactions, and $100 for Trojan. You may also consider adding 1200-TL for a departure flight ticket. I recommend Ukraine International Airlines as it offers the most affordable rates. The flight includes a layover in Kiev before heading to New York, with a total flight time of around 14 hours.

Naturally, the exchange rate was 2.91 TL per dollar at that time. You can confidently verify historical exchange rates on the CBRT website…

How Much and How Is Accommodation in New York?

There are countless portals and Facebook pages available for finding rooms, but if you want to stay with Turks, look no further than the Turkish portal www.usailan.com. Here, Turks in America generously share all their ads, and I was able to find rooms with ease. Initially, a friend helped me and I stayed in Upper Manhattan for the first 4 months. While the Harlem side is mostly populated by blacks and Hispanics, I urge you to seize the opportunity if you find a place in Downtown Brooklyn. The B train is an express train, and the best trains in New York are the B and Q. If you come across a house in close proximity to these two trains, don't hesitate!

At a minimum, you can expect to start paying $950 per month for a single room. However, because I am passionate about ensuring that my clients have comfortable and livable spaces, I also offer the option of arranging accommodation in double or triple rooms for $500 - $600 per month. If you require even more flexibility, I also have weekly rooms available for your convenience.

About ASA College

The school has a fluctuating number of Turkish students, but it also boasts a substantial population of foreign students, mainly from Asia. Whether or not you are Turkish, rest assured that you will have plenty of company!

At ASA, I developed some strong Turkish friendships. While you advised me to focus on learning English and avoid spending time with Turks, it's only natural to want to connect with people from your own country after a while. And when those friendships are meaningful, they can make New York an even more enjoyable and vibrant place.

At ASA, we proudly offer two top-notch language training programs: the Intensive English Program (IEP) and English as a Second Language (ESL). While ESL is the more cost-effective choice, I was unfortunately unable to register for it during my time in Turkey. Thankfully, I was able to kickstart my language education in New York with the unparalleled quality of IEP. After six months of hard work and dedication, I felt confident enough with my language skills to make the switch to ESL, knowing that I would continue to receive the same level of excellence in education from ASA.

At schools, attendance is an absolute requirement at 80%. If you fall below that threshold, the school has the authority to cancel your I-20, which holds the same importance as your visa. Even after your visa has expired, you can still remain in the United States on your I-20, as long as you continue to study until the end of the I-20 validity period.

I took IEP, ESL, and TOEFL training at ASA College for approximately 1.5 years.

Is it possible to travel to other countries or to Turkey while studying at a language school?

Absolutely. I have had the pleasure of traveling to Turkey three times in the last 1.5 years. It is crucial to note that a valid visa is required. If your visa is still valid, you can discuss with your school during holidays, get your I-20 signed, and travel to your home country or even to other countries. The I-20 enables you to stay in the United States and is not dependent on the visa duration. A visa grants you access to enter and leave the United States. An F-1 student visa is valid with an I-20.

Why New York?

New York is an incredibly diverse state, rich with people from all nationalities. You can rest assured that you will be embraced and welcomed, without any fear of discrimination or feeling like an outsider. What's more, you'll have the chance to meet and make friends with people from a wide variety of countries, including some that you may not have had the pleasure of encountering before.

Looking for a job in New York? No problem. Whether you're seeking full-time or part-time work on weekdays or weekends, your options are plentiful. And if you happen to have expertise in areas like computers, software, or digital marketing, your prospects are even brighter. You could even pursue freelance opportunities to expand your horizons.

If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment in the field below. I will promptly provide an answer so that everyone can benefit from the information.