Stories From our Students

Meet international students currently studying in the US through Cogito.

Monika K/ Polan/ Thornton Academy

I am absolutely delighted by my school Thornton Academy! It is definitely school very demanding academically especially because I chose lots of difficult subjects. Now I am also super happy that I chose dorm accommodation vs. host family. It gives far more opportunities to fully immerse yourself with campus and I just make more friends here. It is also as warm as being with real families because teachers with their spouses and kids live in our dorms but in their own apartments 4 families per dorm. Truly this is the best choice and thank you for convincing me! I still have lots of privacy with my friends and yet get to hang out with teacher families, eat with them now and then – love it! Also, Thornton Academy has a very smart location – outside of the city so we have our own community here but at the same time, we can make it to Portland on weekends! So far I love my school and I will be happy to recommend it to other students who want a bigger school with great academics!

Aleksandar D/ Croatia/ Santa Barbara City College

I’ve been enjoying my time here to the fullest. My friends and I have been traveling a lot. I just recently visited LA for the first time and it’s probably the greatest place I’ve ever been to. We saw all of the touristy parts and on our way, we met some cool people that took us to all these cool, urban, vintage LA cafes and restaurants… It was awesome. I’m gonna try my best to transfer to a school there because I can’t get enough of it. My GPA should be around 3.8 at the end of the semester if my math is right. I’ve put a lot of effort into it but it wasn’t hard because I’ve been enjoying the whole process. Most importantly, I found a new passion which is a music production and that’s been going swell. My friend introduced me to a couple of producers so hopefully, I can learn and make something out of that. Santa Barbara is beautiful, the mountains, downtown, and the beach, they’re all wonderful. The apartment is huge, it’s well equipped and it looks good. So the experience so far has been amazing, and unexpectedly, I don’t miss home at all. 

Chakara O/ Thailand/ Carnegie Mellon University

1) What is your favorite part about studying in the USA?

There are many opportunities to explore your interests in any area. There is a variety of clubs and organizations. For example, I joined a fraternity on campus, as well as the Thai Students Association, badminton club, and archery club.

2) How did you select your school?

I selected this school mainly based on the environment and how good the school is in my particular major. It has a good balance between academic and social life.

3) What is your best advice for students interested in studying abroad?

Start early. The earlier you start, the more time you have to improve your application profile. Every school is competitive, so you should try your best. I really regret procrastinating a lot, but luckily I had Cogito World Education to help me finalize essays and applications.

4) What do you like most about Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania?

It is a calm and peaceful city. It is never too chaotic. Nevertheless, I can still find fun activities to do around the city if I want to.

5) What surprised you the most about the US?

Everyone is so friendly. I didn’t expect that people would be this generous and considerate. What surprised me more is the weather! Pittsburgh was so hot in August, probably as hot as my home country (Thailand)! During the day, it might be so sunny, just a few hours later, it could be pouring, then freezing during the Night.

Vy N/ Vietnam /Mississippi State University

I am a Vietnamese student at MSU, majoring in Communication. It has been nearly 2 months since the day I left my country to fly here. As days go by, I realize MSU has officially become my US home (both physically and mentally), so y’all, WELCOME TO MY HOUSE!!!! Okay, unless I am wrong, food is always a good topic to start any stories or conversations, so let’s talk about it. In this first blog, I will take you to my favorite dining hall at MSU – the Perry. The first time I came here, I immediately fell in love with this building. Just get inside and you will find out it somehow looks like a royal dining room. (Some people even feel it is similar to Hogwarts in Harry Potter). But whatever it looks like, it’s still perfectly beautiful.

Link to her blog: http://mississippistateinternational.tumblr.com/post/151089024949/welcome-to-my-beloved-msu