“Honestly speaking, it will be very difficult for you to be awarded a Fulbright scholarship, so I recommend spending your time on test scores instead. The reason I say it will be difficult is because the Fulbright committee in Japan looks for applicants whose goals can benefit society in direct and creative ways. My clients who were awarded Fulbrights in the past aimed to: open a new type of school in Japan, continue building a healthcare related NPO, help commercialize Japanese space technology, improve NGO-government relationships to improve education in developing countries, etc. These applicants all had direct and significant experiences in these fields as well. Working in Private Equity (your current goal) does not really meet these criteria. Yes, you could change goals and say you wanted to start an NPO or something similar, but without background experience or education in that field, the committee has no evidence of your experience, commitment or capability.”

I consulted with my colleague Michele Rabin, who was a Fulbright Program Advisor, and she added:

“My experience working with successful Fulbright grantees (though they have all been Americans going overseas) is that usually the grantees had a very precisely thought out proposal and most had already had contact with a faculty member at a host institution(s) or organization(s) supporting the goals of the project.   In addition, all of them had outlined exactly how they would share what they learned with other educators and/or professionals, both in the host country and once they returned to the U.S.  And as you said, most of them had experience studying or working in the field of their proposal prior to applying for the program.”

At the same time, the essays used in the Fulbright application process can usually be adapted directly to personal essays and statements of purpose/goals essays for graduate school/MBA applications, so even if you don’t receive the golden ticket, your efforts will not be completely in vain. However, before you commit to the Fulbright application process, be sure you are not sacrificing time and energy that would be better spent on the big picture of getting admitted to your top choice schools. 

I should have known! Every year I’m contacted at the last minute by clients whose consultants have vanished at crunch time, and the problem must have been particularly bad last year given the number of people asking this year.

The answer is: OF COURSE!

Both Michele and I are committed to the success of all of our clients, regardless of test scores, target schools, career experience, etc., and our promise to our clients is to provide the same high level of service and communication throughout the application process and especially during the most difficult deadline periods.

We always try to respond within a few hours of receiving an email, notifying our clients of when we’ll review and return their materials to them. If we can’t fulfill that goal, we’ll always try to send a follow-up note. Taking a longer-term perspective, we encourage our clients to actually begin the essay-writing process as soon as possible with a “90/10″ approach. By doing so, we can manage the intense pressure of deadline season more smoothly and with more well-developed materials.

If you would like to know more about our services and approach, please contact us.

Before I began working with him, I was obsessed how to come up with stories best appealing to adcom or stretch my career achievements. Bryan told me to realize that my baby (and adcom also) would not want to know about my company or achievement lists but love to find out “who I am” – the important things are what I thought in struggling situations, how I took actions to overcome the difficulties, and what I learned from the experiences and how much I grew up as a person. It was not so easy to deeply reflect on oneself, but in that process (and even after writing up the 2,000 word letter), we continued looking for my life stories and digging, digging, and digging my actions in each and every situation of both personal and professional careers, which further strengthened our essays and gave us the invitation from almost all schools I applied for.

This story is just one part of our long collaborative work days, but you can find how much Bryan is creative and flexibly provides his counseling depending on each client, and more importantly, how much he seriously – sometimes with passion – gives his full attention to our life. If you asked if I would love to work again with Bryan, my answer is a clear “yes”. I definitely recommend you work with Bryan then you will have a brilliant future!

As a university sponsored J-1 student, you’re eligible for employment authorization while in the U.S. but if you’re sponsored by an outside organization (including the U.S. or your home government), you need to confirm your eligibility before applying to work.

On-Campus:

On-campus employment is work that takes place either at your school or at an off-campus location that is educationally affiliated with your school. This work could even be for an on-campus commercial business, like a bookstore or cafeteria, as long as the work directly provides services for students.  You can work up to 20 hours a week during the academic year and up to 40 hours a week during the summer and vacation periods.  Do note that these jobs can sometimes be hard to obtain and the institution is required to give first consideration to a qualified U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident.  You may want to start looking in places where your skills and experience are highly valued:  in your International Student Office or as a teaching assistant for a foreign language department.

 Should you find an on-campus position you’ll be required to apply for authorization from your International Advisor. As this is not a USCIS application, there is no fee. Once your work permit is issued, you can present it to your on-campus employer and begin working.

Off-Campus:

• You must be in lawful J-1 status and in good academic standing if still enrolled.
• Health insurance coverage for you and your dependents must be maintained for the duration of the Academic Training period.
• You can accept paid or unpaid employment or internships but if you are doing unpaid work, you will likely be asked to show proof of financial support for the authorization period.
• You can work part-time during the academic year, and full-time during vacation periods and/or after you complete your program.
• You must have a job offer in hand when you apply.
• Employment must begin within 30 days of the program completion date however total time authorized will be counted from your program completion date.
• Academic training must be done with a specific employer.
• The amount of Academic Training available is as follows:
• PhD students are eligible for up to 36 months of Academic Training.
• Students other than PhD students are eligible for up to 18 months, or for the period of length of the study program, whichever is shorter.
• All Academic Training is counted as full-time (i.e., three months of part-time work is the same as three months of full-time work).
• Academic Training can be authorized for consecutive or overlapping periods with more than one employer but a separate application must be filed and approved for each employer / job.

The Social Security Number (SSN):

A social security number (SSN) is required for everyone who works in the United States, even non-immigrants. However, a social security card is not a work permit and you must apply for work authorization separately.   For more information about when and how to apply for your SSN, please visit the U.S. Social Security Administration website.   

Taxes:

In general J-1 students who have been in the U.S. for five years or less are exempt from social security taxes (also known as F.I.C.A. tax). You should be sure to bring this to the attention of your employer because many employers are not familiar with this provision of the tax laws. Students in J-1 status are subject to all other taxes that may apply, including federal, state and local. For more information, consult with a tax professional and/or Publication 519 of the Internal Revenue Service.  

After your Program:

• Thank you very much Bryan for the motivating words. I really really am grateful to you for all your solid support and outstanding help in outrageous hours (Accepted at Ross)
• I am too excited and still cannot believe got accepted in Kellogg.  Thank you for all your special support. Now I have the luxury of choices – it was because of your wonderful guidance. Thanks a million! (Accepted at Kellogg and Ross)
• Thank you so much for the support you have been giving me through the whole application process. It was really difficult for me to keep my motivation and energy at a high level at certain times, but I was able to keep myself going forward with your sincere support. I will definitely have a big celebration this weekend! (already had one last night, but who cares?) (Accepted at Tuck)
• I finished Wharton interview yesterday and my long MBA journey! It was clearly my best interview. With your great advice to connect my past experiences to B-schools’ something, I connected examples of my “challenging DNA” to Wharton’s innovation culture, which drew adcom’s excitement and this “Iron Prof” story.  Anyway, I greatly appreciate your great consulting this year. Without you, it was difficult for me to make these strong essays. I hope to report more excellent outcome soon! (Accepted at Darden)
• Thank you for introducing me an ideal person! It is really helpful for me to get advice from the successful person with the same experience.  I am impressed that you have a strong network based on your professional career. (Accepted at Kenan-Flagler)

Again, the answer is yes and the program is called Optional Practical Training (OPT).  The application process is quite a bit more involved than the CPT (Curricular Practical Training) authorization process as it requires submitting an application to the United States Immigration and Citizenship Service (USCIS).   

Requirements

• The work must relate to your major or course of study.

• OPT can be used before and/or after you complete your program of study but you must have been in valid F-1 status for at least one academic year before applying.  Do note that the amount of time you use for pre-completion OPT will be deducted from your 12-month allowance and that you may not work more than 20 hours a week while you are enrolled in classes.

• You cannot start working until you have received your work permit from the USCIS and your selected start date has arrived.  (The permit is called the Employment Authorization Document (EAD).)

• You must work a minimum of 20 hours a week.

• A job offer is not required to apply for OPT but once you receive a job offer, you must notify your International advisor so that they can enter this information into SEVIS.

• Unemployment is allowed for no more than 90 days (or 120 days if you have received a STEM program extension.) If you are having trouble finding a job within that period, I recommend finding volunteer work (at least 20 hours a week) until you can secure paid employment.

Important Notes:

• The employment may occur anywhere in the U.S. 
   
• No special permission is required to change employers or terminate your employment but you must always notify your advisor of these changes.
   
• During OPT, you are still considered to be in F-1 status, since OPT is considered to be part of your program of study.
   
• You can apply for 12 months of OPT after each education level (i.e., you would be eligible after completing an undergraduate degree and if you decide to go on for a graduate degree, you would be able to apply for authorization for another year.

Types of Permissible Employment

As I mentioned earlier your work must be related to your field of study.  Whatever you do, it’s a good idea to keep a record including the dates of the work, the job title, the name and contact information of your supervisor and a detailed description of the work you did.  You may be asked to present this at a later date.

In addition to standard full-time paid employment, these types of situations are allowed:

• Multiple employers: You are allowed to work for more than one employer but the total hours must be more than 20 a week.
   
• Volunteer / Unpaid employment:
You are also able to volunteer or do an unpaid internship, provided it does not violate any labor laws and that you are working at least 20 hours a week.
   
• Short-term multiple employers: This usually pertains to performing artists (musicians, dancers, etc.)  You are allowed to use the time to perform for different organizations/places.  It’s a good idea to keep a list of all “gigs” as you may be asked to show this in the future.
   
• Contract/Consultant work: Also called 1099 employment.  You are allowed to take on multiple assignments as a contractor or consultant but again it’s a good idea to keep a list of all employers, dates of projects, etc.
   
• Self-employment/Entrepreneurial work. 
Let’s say you’re an MBA student and during your program you developed a business plan.  During approved OPT, you are able to start your own business and be self-employed. In this case, you are required to show that you are working full-time and that you have the proper business license(s).  If you do choose to take this path, I strongly recommend consulting an immigration attorney before you get started.  The USCIS is wary of these sorts of situations and you need to prove that you have an exit plan at the end of the year.

Application Process

To receive authorization to work, you are required to submit the USCIS application (called the I-765 form) and in many cases, you are also required to complete a second school-specific application. Your advisor will recommend approval but the application is ultimately reviewed by the USCIS and final authorization comes from their office.   Each university handles the application process differently, so be sure to check in with your advisor about your school’s specific requirements, application process and timeline for processing.   To get an idea of what is needed on the application, you can visit the USCIS website.   The processing fee is currently USD $380.00.

Timing

Timing is tricky with the OPT application; the application processing time can range from two-five months and you cannot control how long it takes. (In some parts of the U.S., applications may be processed more quickly and wait times are always longer in the late Spring / Summer months when most students apply.) 

Keep in mind that you cannot start working until you receive approval and get your Employment Authorization Document (EAD) in the mail and if you already have a job offer, your new employer must be somewhat flexible about your start date.   On the other hand, if you do not yet have a job offer, you don’t want to risk exceeding the maximum unemployment period of 90 days.

The earliest you can apply is 90 days before your “completion” date, or the day you complete your final degree requirements—usually the last day of final exams or if you are filling a thesis or dissertation, your final due date. And the latest you can apply is 60 days after that same date.

When you fill out your Form I-765, you’re also required to select a start date for employment (and this is when the clock starts ticking in terms of your employment status).  This can be a difficult decision as you don’t know how long it will take to get your application approved and you may not yet know when you will have a job offer. Keep in mind that once you submit your application to the USCIS, it’s impossible to change your selected authorization dates or to cancel the application.  I recommend consulting your advisor before selecting your start dates as he may have a good idea of the general waiting times for processing in the region.   

STEM Program extension

OPT is limited to 12 months unless you are a student in a STEM program (see below).  If you are in a STEM program, you can apply to extend your OPT beyond 12 months (for up to 17 additional months, or 29 months total) provided you meet these conditions:

• Your OPT is based on a degree in a STEM major (Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics).  For a  list of currently accepted programs, visit the NAFSA website.
• You are currently authorized for OPT and are working in a job related to your field of study.
• Your employer subscribes to E-Verify, the USCIS database that employers use to determine the eligibility of their employees to work in the U.S.

Travel Considerations While on OPT

If you’d like to travel outside of the U.S. while on OPT or while waiting for your approval from the USCIS, proceed carefully and be sure to consult your international advisor before you depart.  You will need the proper authorizations and if you have a job offer or are already working, be sure to get a letter from your employer.  If you are still job hunting, again I would strongly recommend speaking with your advisor so that he or she can recommend what documentation to prepare to support your re-entry. In most cases you will not have a problem, but there is no guarantee that you will be allowed to re-enter, and for students who have been subject to the National Security Entry-Exit Registration System (NSEERS) or who are from certain countries deemed “high-risk” by USCIS, travel outside the U.S. during this period may not be advisable.

Then What?

After you complete your authorized OPT, you have 60 days to make a decision about your next steps, including:

• Returning home (be sure to notify your International advisor of your date of departure so that they can update this information in SEVIS)
• Changing your immigration status, by either starting a new degree program or continuing to work in the U.S. as a sponsored H-1B employee.  For more information about the (even more complicated!) H1-B petition process, visit the USCIS website.

Final Advice

It’s important to remember that you are not alone finding this a complicated process…and this doesn’t even include the daunting experience of job-hunting in a foreign country!    Keep in mind that these regulations change relatively often so it’s very important to check in with your International advisor early in your program.

** Please note that USCIS regulations are subject to change and you should always check with the International Student Advisor at your school for the latest information and requirements. **

Next Week: Employment Options for J-1 students. 

Sometimes you just need a little help getting started or some guidance along your application journey. 

Price: USD500/JPY50,000

Details:

• Each session is 50 minutes and can be used for consultation or editing
• Service is good for 6 months from the date of the first session

The package is now listed above in the “Services & Prices” menu. If you’re interested in this or any of our other services, please get in touch through the Contact page. 

Once your program begins, you’ll have plenty to do and not a lot of time to think about much other than studying so here’s a cheat sheet for how to avoid trouble with the USCIS while you are a student in the United States.   Your eligibility for employment, transfers, program changes and reentry depends on maintaining lawful status so this is not something to take lightly.  

Most campuses will have an International Student Office and at least one International Student Advisor/Designated School Official.  When in doubt, always be sure to check in with this office for the most up-to-date information and specific school/program requirements.

To maintain lawful status: 

• Check in with your International Student Advisor each term/semester to be registered in the SEVIS system.
  All of you will likely take part in a new student orientation but if not, be sure to visit your advisor within 30 days of beginning of your program and at the beginning of each new term/semester.

• Pursue a full-time course of study at the school listed on your Form I-20 or DS-2019 during every academic term/semester except during official school breaks or unless approved under a specific exception.                          
  The USCIS requires that all international students be enrolled in a full-time academic program while in the U.S.   Keep in mind that “full-time” means different things depending on your school/academic program/visa type so do be sure to check in with your advisor to find out how many courses you must take each term.    There are usually two official school breaks, a shorter one in the winter and a longer one over the summer months and during these periods you do not have to enroll in courses.

  There are certain cases when an exception can be made, but again, you will need to get proper authorization from your advisor for these exceptions before dropping any courses.   Exceptions include a medical condition/illness, initial difficulty with studying in English, or if it’s your final semester/term of study before completion of your degree.

• Consult your advisor before making any changes to your academic program (change of major/school transfer/change of degree level).

• If you are an F-1 student and are bringing your spouse and/or children with you, they may not work and spouses may only enroll in a vocational or recreational course of study. 

• If you are a J-1 student, you are required to maintain medical insurance for yourself and your dependent(s). 
  Most F-1 students are also required to maintain such insurance coverage, but the school, not the USCIS, usually enforces this regulation.

• Do not travel outside of the U.S. without proper authorization.
  Should you want/need to leave the U.S. (including going to neighboring Canada or Mexico), be sure to get the proper travel authorization signatures from your advisor before you depart. In order to re-enter the U.S. after a trip abroad, you will need a valid passport, a valid visa stamp, and a valid I-20 or DS-2019 with the recent signature from your advisor. 

• Do not accept work (paid or non-paid, on or off campus) without proper authorization.
  With prior authorization from an advisor, both F-1 and J-1 students who are in good status and who have finished at least one academic year of coursework are eligible to work in a field of study related to their major.  During the summer months and winter break, students can work up to 40 hours a week and during the academic year, students can work up to 20 hours a week. 

  In some cases, your academic department can have additional limitations on the number of hours you can work, so in addition to meeting with your advisor, also check with your department about any restrictions.

  More information about work authorization options for both F and J students will be posted in the coming weeks.

• Always inform your advisor of any address changes within ten days of your move.
  Should you move or get a new phone number, always give this information to your advisor within ten days so that they can update this information in SEVIS.

• If you know you will not be able to complete your program by the expiration date on your I-20 or DS-2019, at least four-six weeks before, you must consult your advisor and apply for a program extension.

• Keep your passport valid. 

• If you are not transferring to another program or doing authorized training, after completing your academic program, J-1 students must leave the U.S. within 30 days of the end date on the DS-2019 and F-1 students must leave within 60 days of the end date on the I-20. 

** Please note that USCIS regulations are subject to change and you should always check with the International Student Advisor at your school for the latest information and requirements. **

Next week:   Employment Authorization during your degree program (F-1 students)

As people say, MBA apps could become one of the toughest challenges we face in our lives, but I am confident to say that Bryan is at the highest caliber in guiding you through that journey. For reference purposes, I have listed here just a few of the many points that I felt especially beneficial in working with him.

1. Experience / Past Performance

In choosing the right consultant, experience and past performance were important factors for me. As you can see in his testimonials page, Bryan has been building a very strong track record, and there is a reason for this. If you work with him, you will find out that he knows exactly what he is doing. There are MANY things that have to be done before you can finally apply to a school, but he guided me through each step and clarified any questions or doubts I had during the process. He keeps track of where you stand during each phase, and leads you in the right direction at the correct pace. I believe that if it wasn’t for Bryan, I could not have applied to all these top schools (with satisfying essays) in Round 1.

2. Essay Counseling

As many others have written already in their testimonials, Bryan’s journalist approach during essay counseling, in my opinion, is one key aspect that other consultants cannot mimic. His unique way of digging deeply into your experiences in many cases led me to find the right solution for each essay question. Looking back, he always asked “sweet-spot questions” that made me think, think, and think about whom I really am, and he does this from every angle so that you are absolutely confident in what you are writing in your essays. If something I wrote is shallow, again he digs, digs, and digs until we both reach satisfaction. This approach, I believe, is what led me to write convincing essays that really came from the bottom of my heart.

3. Interview Training

I found Bryan’s interview training to be exceptionally valuable. He can do either mocks or brainstorming, and I did about half each. Writing and speaking about yourself are not equivalent; for instance when an admissions officer asks you to walk through your resume, you obviously don’t just simply read the lines. There is clearly technique involved, and he will go through this with you step by step. During mocks, he gives you precise advices on how to make your performance better, and having been through this made me feel much more confident prior to entering the real show.

4. Personality / Fairness

These two traits are crucial, really. If you think about it, an MBA consultant becomes your “partner” from day one till the end, and you obviously do not want to be in a situation where you are not getting along with your partner. From that perspective, I think Bryan is the type of person who can work with anybody, and for me, I found it really interesting and enjoyable working with him. He threw in his “rib-tickling” jokes here and there during our e-mail exchanges, and we always laughed out loud during Skype calls. Even though MBA apps is serious business and can always become stressful, he was able to make me feel more relaxed and comfortable on a number of occasions throughout. Furthermore, he is fair. I believe his Comprehensive Consulting service is of the highest quality yet at the most reasonable price relative to other similar services. And last but note least, he never prioritizes one client over the other, and really cares about each and every one of his clients.

I want to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude and highest respect to him, who led me all the way to success. Thank you so much, Bryan. I will never forget the call we had when we toasted each other after my acceptance from your desktop! I wish you the best of luck for next year and very much look forward to seeing you in New York.

And to all the applicants: you can’t go wrong with choosing Bryan!