November 19, 2025
Expect the Unexpected, as They Say
Article prepared by Nikola Princova, student leader of CCC Latvia
Hi, friends!
Did you miss our monthly blog posts? We can surely say that we missed you!
These past two months have been full of new experiences, emotions, and friendships—and of course, we can’t forget that school has started!
Now that school is back in session, we’ve returned to early mornings, long hours of studying, and then rushing back home to join our CCC meetings. These past two months have been filled with experiences, emotions, and new friendships that programs like CCC make possible. So, let’s dive into what we’ve been up to recently!
September was all about deepening our understanding of the U.S. university application process and the CSS Profile—both essential for international students who want to study in the United States.
We had a wonderful session with Zsuzsanna Kovacs, a representative from NYU Abu Dhabi, who spoke about Application Requirements from a University Perspective and, as always, shared some valuable tips:
Did you miss our monthly blog posts? We can surely say that we missed you!
These past two months have been full of new experiences, emotions, and friendships—and of course, we can’t forget that school has started!
Now that school is back in session, we’ve returned to early mornings, long hours of studying, and then rushing back home to join our CCC meetings. These past two months have been filled with experiences, emotions, and new friendships that programs like CCC make possible. So, let’s dive into what we’ve been up to recently!
September was all about deepening our understanding of the U.S. university application process and the CSS Profile—both essential for international students who want to study in the United States.
We had a wonderful session with Zsuzsanna Kovacs, a representative from NYU Abu Dhabi, who spoke about Application Requirements from a University Perspective and, as always, shared some valuable tips:
- Create an account on Common App to get familiar with it.
- The bigger the city where you study, the more opportunities you’ll have to explore the country’s culture.
- List your most relevant extracurricular activities at the top.
- Research in detail the universities you plan to apply to.
Another highlight was the session “Understanding the CSS Profile: Applying for Financial Aid at U.S. Colleges”, led by Dr. Matthew Chovanec. He explained how the process works and what to prepare when completing the CSS Profile. Some key takeaways from his session:
- The CSS Profile is a comprehensive financial aid application.
- It is used by about 300 colleges in the U.S.
- You can complete it using your own country’s currency.
- Be as honest and transparent as possible in your responses.
We kicked off October with a CV workshop led by Agnese Trofimova—and believe me, even if your CV looks good, there’s always room for improvement! I’m truly grateful to Agnese for helping me refine mine; now it looks much more professional and structured, giving readers a clearer understanding of my achievements.
Here are a few of Agnese’s helpful tips and tricks:
Here are a few of Agnese’s helpful tips and tricks:
- A photo in your CV can capture the reader’s attention.
- Divide your CV into clear sections for different types of achievements.
- Keep your CV to one or two pages.
- Tailor your CV to each position or opportunity.
- Your CV should not sound arrogant.
We wrapped up October with a session by Kaspars Mezerins and Linda Sinka, who discussed AI tools in academic environments. This is such a relevant topic today, with so many tools available and decisions to make about how and when to use them. The session was fascinating—we learned about a variety of AI tools (some I hadn’t even heard of!) and how they can be used effectively. I definitely plan to explore some that can help make studying faster and more engaging.
Being a CCC Latvia member also opens doors to opportunities beyond the program itself. One such opportunity came through our wonderful advisor Asnate, who shared information about the “Aspiring Diplomats Workshop” organized by FLEX alumni. I immediately sent the link to our CCC Latvia group chat and encouraged everyone to apply—and of course, I applied too!
The workshop was amazing! I learned so much about diplomacy and international relations and heard inspiring stories from people like Tomas Pildegovičs, advisor to Latvia’s Foreign Minister, and Gints Jegermanis, an ex-diplomat and lecturer at Riga Graduate School of Law, among others.
My advice to you: don’t think inside the box—take part in different programs and experiences. You never know what kind of opportunities might come knocking on your door!
As always, here are some interesting EducationUSA Virtual Webinars you can tune into:
Understanding the CSS Profile: Applying for Financial Aid at U.S. Colleges
Recommendation Letters & Extracurricular Activities: Strengthening Your U.S. College Application
Statement of Purpose: Telling Your Academic Story
Stay tuned for the November updates and interesting stories!
Yours sincerely,
Nikola Princova
Student leader of CCC Latvia
Being a CCC Latvia member also opens doors to opportunities beyond the program itself. One such opportunity came through our wonderful advisor Asnate, who shared information about the “Aspiring Diplomats Workshop” organized by FLEX alumni. I immediately sent the link to our CCC Latvia group chat and encouraged everyone to apply—and of course, I applied too!
The workshop was amazing! I learned so much about diplomacy and international relations and heard inspiring stories from people like Tomas Pildegovičs, advisor to Latvia’s Foreign Minister, and Gints Jegermanis, an ex-diplomat and lecturer at Riga Graduate School of Law, among others.
My advice to you: don’t think inside the box—take part in different programs and experiences. You never know what kind of opportunities might come knocking on your door!
As always, here are some interesting EducationUSA Virtual Webinars you can tune into:
Understanding the CSS Profile: Applying for Financial Aid at U.S. Colleges
Recommendation Letters & Extracurricular Activities: Strengthening Your U.S. College Application
Statement of Purpose: Telling Your Academic Story
Stay tuned for the November updates and interesting stories!
Yours sincerely,
Nikola Princova
Student leader of CCC Latvia
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.