July 28, 2025
Not only planning, but also taking action!
Article prepared by Nikola Princova, student leader of CCC Latvia
Hi, dear friends!
We’re more than halfway through the summer and our CCC Latvia 2025 program, and the SAT, IELTS, and TOEFL tests are drawing closer. This month, we had the pleasure of listening to Casandra Slocum, who shared tips on financing U.S. education. We also had inspiring conversations with Michael Gulino, Columbia University’s admissions officer for Latvia; Tessa Perry, a representative from Capital University; and one of our own CCC Latvia success stories—Ralfs Iesalnieks, who received a full athletic scholarship to study in the U.S.
So what have we been up to this month, and how’s our SAT prep going? Keep reading to find out!
We kicked off with a conversation featuring Casandra Slocum, who is about to begin her PhD studies in biomedical sciences. I highly recommend watching the full recording on our EducationUSA Virtual YouTube channel (link below). Casandra not only shared her personal experience and how she researched schools and connected with professors, but also gave us incredibly helpful tips. Here are some key takeaways:
Michael provided valuable insights into how financial aid works. With so many financial terms involved, it can be confusing—but he helped us break it down. He emphasized that before applying to universities, it’s important to consider both direct and indirect costs.
I can’t believe today (I’m writing this blog on June 28) was our final SAT prep session with Vera. I’ll definitely miss our evening Zoom calls! By the way, Vera highly recommended the Khan Academy SAT prep course, which is free and developed in collaboration with the College Board—the organization behind the SAT. If you’re planning to take the SAT and want a solid, free resource, it’s a fantastic place to start and track your progress. I’ll drop the link below!
We also have some exciting news: One of our CCC Latvia students, Sonora Liepa, is going to study in a U.S. high school! Here she shares her experience: “I’m really excited to be heading to the U.S.! My journey started when I was invited to a training session with a coach while visiting the U.S. During the session, he recommended a few schools and offered to connect me with their team coaches. Things moved super fast from there — I got in touch with the schools, started the admissions process, and had less than 48 hours to decide whether I wanted to take the opportunity. It’s been a hectic and exciting few months, but I’m really grateful for how everything came together!”
We’re super happy for Sonora and wish her luck on her new journey in the U.S.!
What will we do and experience next month? Let this stay a little mystery for you :)
Make sure to stay tuned!
Yours sincerely,
Nikola Princova
Student leader of CCC Latvia
Here are the links I promised:
Conversation with Casandra Slocum
How to use Khan Academy SAT prep
We’re more than halfway through the summer and our CCC Latvia 2025 program, and the SAT, IELTS, and TOEFL tests are drawing closer. This month, we had the pleasure of listening to Casandra Slocum, who shared tips on financing U.S. education. We also had inspiring conversations with Michael Gulino, Columbia University’s admissions officer for Latvia; Tessa Perry, a representative from Capital University; and one of our own CCC Latvia success stories—Ralfs Iesalnieks, who received a full athletic scholarship to study in the U.S.
So what have we been up to this month, and how’s our SAT prep going? Keep reading to find out!
We kicked off with a conversation featuring Casandra Slocum, who is about to begin her PhD studies in biomedical sciences. I highly recommend watching the full recording on our EducationUSA Virtual YouTube channel (link below). Casandra not only shared her personal experience and how she researched schools and connected with professors, but also gave us incredibly helpful tips. Here are some key takeaways:
- Check whether schools offer the same financial aid to international and domestic students.
- Ask questions to admissions officers.
- Reach out to current students.
- Start researching scholarship opportunities about a year before the deadline.
- Don’t hesitate to contact professors directly.
Michael provided valuable insights into how financial aid works. With so many financial terms involved, it can be confusing—but he helped us break it down. He emphasized that before applying to universities, it’s important to consider both direct and indirect costs.
- Direct costs include tuition, housing, and essential living expenses.
- Indirect costs might include things like coffee, snacks, and social activities.
- Capital University is located in Columbus, Ohio—one of the fastest-growing cities in the U.S.
- It’s only 20 minutes from the airport.
- There is no application fee.
- You can apply whenever you're ready.
- 97% of students complete an internship during their studies.
- Work hard.
- Don’t give up.
- Don’t be afraid to share your achievements on social media.
- Keep your grades up.
- Set clear goals.
- If you’re aiming for an athletic scholarship, reach out to coaches.
- Don’t focus on what others think—believe in yourself.
I can’t believe today (I’m writing this blog on June 28) was our final SAT prep session with Vera. I’ll definitely miss our evening Zoom calls! By the way, Vera highly recommended the Khan Academy SAT prep course, which is free and developed in collaboration with the College Board—the organization behind the SAT. If you’re planning to take the SAT and want a solid, free resource, it’s a fantastic place to start and track your progress. I’ll drop the link below!
We also have some exciting news: One of our CCC Latvia students, Sonora Liepa, is going to study in a U.S. high school! Here she shares her experience: “I’m really excited to be heading to the U.S.! My journey started when I was invited to a training session with a coach while visiting the U.S. During the session, he recommended a few schools and offered to connect me with their team coaches. Things moved super fast from there — I got in touch with the schools, started the admissions process, and had less than 48 hours to decide whether I wanted to take the opportunity. It’s been a hectic and exciting few months, but I’m really grateful for how everything came together!”
We’re super happy for Sonora and wish her luck on her new journey in the U.S.!
What will we do and experience next month? Let this stay a little mystery for you :)
Make sure to stay tuned!
Yours sincerely,
Nikola Princova
Student leader of CCC Latvia
Here are the links I promised:
Conversation with Casandra Slocum
How to use Khan Academy SAT prep
EducationUSA is a U.S. Department of State network of over 430 international student advising centers in more than 175 countries and territories.
EducationUSA Virtual
EducationUSA is a U.S. Department of State network of over 430 international student advising centers in more than 175 countries and territories.