1. Create Account
  2. Login
StudyUSA
Match Me
  • Create Account
  • Login
  • School Search
  • Resources
    • All Resources
    • Articles
    • Student Voices
    • Videos
    • Magazines
    • Podcasts
  • Services
    • All Services
    • Accommodation
    • Support
    • Career
    • Financial
    • Insurance
    • Testing
    • Other
  • Chat
  • Success Stories
  • TOEFL Testing

New Student Blogger Maria Eduarda Tarré from Brazil Shares the Values of St. Francis College

New Student Blogger Maria Eduarda Tarré from Brazil Shares the Values of St. Francis College

Mar 20, 2021

Last year, I was asked by St. Francis College (SFC) to write an essay answering the following question so I could compete for a scholarship: “Headlines from news organizations have called into question the value of higher education. If someone were to argue that ‘there is no point in going to college,’ how would you respond? How would joining St. Francis College help you get the most value from your college education?” Answering that, even with my prior experience at a college in Brazil, was a hard task, because while I studied there, I could not see the point in going to college. However, I wrote about how I expected St. Francis College to be the tool needed to create change for myself. A year after that, I am in my second semester at SFC, and I am more than sure that I made the right choice. 

If you have ever done research about colleges in New York, you probably know how difficult it is to find an affordable good school and even harder it is to find one in which people can really tell who you are. Because all my prior schools have been small ones in which everybody, from teachers to janitors, knew one another, I wanted a college very similar to that, where I could feel that I belonged to a community and that I was not only another student. However, these two factors combined — affordability and network — are very hard to find in any higher education in New York. Therefore, when I heard about St. Francis College for the first time, I immediately fell in love, even though I had never been there in person. 

As an international student from Brazil, my expectations for college were very high. Not only because I would have to deal with a different culture, country, and language, but also because the educational system was very different from the one I knew in my home country and I was finally going to live near the city of my dreams. However, life is not always that simple — COVID-19 came and ruined all my plans to move to the States. This whole remote study experience has been hard for many students, I know, and it was hard for me too, but I believe that if I hadn’t chosen St. Francis College, it would have been a lot worse. The reason for that is due to the fact that, even being an ocean away from the school, I was able to be part of a community, I felt embraced because people cared for me. The school staff knew me, and I was able to learn so much during this time. 

Two semesters at SFC are already enough to make me understand the purpose of going to college. I was able to understand that it is through school that we become global citizens, we build relationships, we discover ourselves, we make mistakes and learn with each and every one of them, we create networks, we get responsibility, and we gain knowledge. I have never expected to be changed in such a short time while so physically distant from my school, but I was.

I believe that St. Francis College was able to do that with me and with so many other students — from domestic to the ones who are in their home countries and have never physically been at school — because of its five unique characteristics: location, affordability, personalized education, transformative faculty, and networking of a lifetime. I intend to go over each one of them in the next few weeks so you can be truly aware of the incredible school you are about to discover.


I am Maria Eduarda Tarré, an international student from Brazil at St. Francis College. I am an undecided major, but I am leaning towards political science. I am also part of the Amnesty International Chapter USA at SFC. I am a very communicative person, and I really like to get to know different people, so I guess this blog is a great opportunity to do that!

Follow us:
Written by

Maria Eduarda Tarré

Get matched to the best program for you

Let us know what you're looking for so we can find the best school for you.

Get matched
Call to action background image. Decorative.

Useful Articles

Main image for the blog post titled American Experience Club — UW Huskies vs Utah Utes
American Experience Club — UW Huskies vs Utah Utes
Main image for the blog post titled Rise Up to the Challenge
Rise Up to the Challenge
Main image for the blog post titled Visiting Mount Rainier with Green River College
Visiting Mount Rainier with Green River College
Main image for the blog post titled A Day in the Life: A Bookseller and International Student at HCC
A Day in the Life: A Bookseller and International Student at HCC
Read more

Check Out These Schools

Hillsborough Community College

Hillsborough Community College

$10,000 — $15,000 Year

Certificate/Short Term Bachelor Degree 2yr/Community College - 2+2 Programs
Contact
Evergreen Valley College

Evergreen Valley College

$5,000—$10,000 Semester

Undergraduate 2yr/Community College - 2+2 Programs Bachelor Degree
Contact
University of Southern California - International Academy

University of Southern California - International Academy

$5,000—$10,000 Semester

Bachelor Degree Secondary/Boarding Masters
Contact

Related Stories

Check out the IELTS ‘1001 Ways’ app!

Main image for the article titled Check out the IELTS ‘1001 Ways’ app!
6 Ways to Prep for Your First Year at University

Main image for the article titled 6 Ways to Prep for Your First Year at University
5 Ways TOEFL Prep Prepares you for a U.S. University Experience

Main image for the article titled 5 Ways TOEFL Prep Prepares you for a U.S. University Experience
5 Ways to Prep for the IELTS While Traveling

Main image for the article titled 5 Ways to Prep for the IELTS While Traveling

Start your U.S. adventure with Study in the USA

What's your dream? We can guide, advise, and connect you with your perfect U.S. school. We can also help you with the application process.
More about us
Partner Services

Learn About U.S. education financing, housing, and more

Partner service logo for TestDEN Ultimate TOEFL Test Prep Online Course

TestDEN Ultimate TOEFL Test Prep Online Course

TestDEN's Online TOEFL Test Prep is just what you need to quickly and effectively prepare for the TOEFL test. Since 1998, TestDEN has helped tens of thousands of students raise their TOEFL scores.

Read more
Partner service logo for Student loan for international students? Yes, it is real!

Student loan for international students? Yes, it is real!

MPOWER Financing is the top-rated lender offering international student loans without cosigners, collateral, or credit history for global citizens, PLUS international student scholarships & career coaching! Fully online application, 96% customer...

Read more
Partner service logo for A cheaper, faster way to send money abroad

A cheaper, faster way to send money abroad

Join over 6 million people and businesses who get a better deal when they send money with the real exchange rate.

Read more

Resources

Learn about American culture and education direct from our experts at Study in the USA. Read more

Achieving Your Goal
Admissions and Placement Testing
Beyond the Basics
Education System in the USA
Financing Your U.S. Education
Frequently Asked Questions
Life in the USA
Resources
Student Experiences
For students age 10-18
Study in Canada
Podcasts
Magazines
Videos
Student Voices
Ask StudyUSA.com

Subscribe to get the latest from Study in the USA

You can unsubscribe at any time.


StudyUSA
Explore

  • School Search
  • Resources
  •   Articles
  •   Student Voices
  •   Videos
  •   Magazines
  • Partner Services
  •   Accommodation
  •   Career
  •   Financial
  •   Insurance
  •   Other
  •   Support
  •   Testing
  • TOEFL Testing
  • Apply
  • Chat
Information

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Course Index
  • Featured Programs
  • Article Index
  • Create account
  • Sign in
  • For Educators & Institutions
Match Me
  • English
    English العربيـة Español Français Bahasa Indonesia 日本語 한국어 Português Русский ภาษาไทย Türkçe Tiếng Việt 简体中文 繁體中文

  • Privacy & Policy
  • /
  • Terms

Study in the USA logo

© 2023 Study in the USA. All Rights Reserved.

Global Study logo
A member of the Global Study network

When you visit or interact with our sites, services or tools, we or our authorised service providers may use cookies for storing information to help provide you with a better, faster and safer experience and for marketing purposes.