Smarlson “Stat” Solis says that the staff at CSI was extremely helpful in getting him legal status as an international student in the US.

Applying to study in the US can be intimidating. There is a lot of paperwork involved and the process can take time. Schools want a variety of students from different backgrounds and countries, but not all of them are very helpful when it comes to the student. It’s important that everything is accurate.

CSI is not the first school in the US that Smarlson Solis, who prefers to go by the nickname “Stat,” has attended. Coming from the Philippines, he said that the F1 visa process was difficult with them, “I came from a different school and had a horrible experience there. The processing of my F1 visa was hard,” he says. 

CSI is authorized by the US government to enroll non-immigrant alien students. Our international student admissions office understands that sometimes there are challenges so we provide support services to help make the process of getting an F1 student visa much easier. 

Since Stat had already attended another school, he was able to transfer to CSI. He said that the intake process the second time around was a lot better, “When I applied to CSI, the representative, Leo, was really helpful. It was so easy. He made sure every document was filed properly.” 

Achieving Goals

Once the paperwork was taken care of and Stat had his student visa, he was able to take classes at CSI. He is currently enrolled in the Business Fundamentals concentration as part of the hybrid program. His classes are Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 until 1:45. He attends class in person on the Skokie campus one day a week and the other day is done online. 

The business program at CSI is helping Stat work toward a big career goal, “I’m a physical therapist. Sometime in the future I want to open a clinic. I saw that this would help me with business and I decided to do it.”

Although he has worked in his home country, he hope to eventually expand, “I’m a licensed physical therapist and have practiced in the Philippines. I’d like to practice in the USA in the future.”

Applying for OPT

Since Stat is almost done with his coursework, he is taking steps to work toward his goals, “I’m in my last quarter,” he says, “I’m planning to do the OPT and recently applied.”

OPT or Optional Practical Training is a program that allows international students to gain practical experience in their field of study. It is done after a student completes their courses. Students are involved in real-world training in the US for up to 12 months. In order to do this, international students need OPT authorization. They work with a Designated School Official (DSO), and the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to complete additional documents in order to get employment authorization. 

Stat has enjoyed his time at CSI and says he may take more courses when he is finished with OPT, “I might do others. I’m still waiting on the OPT. When that’s done I’ll see how that goes.” 

He has really enjoyed the people, “I’ve met a lot of students from different parts of the world and I’ve made many new friends.” Of course the academic side is why he is in school, “I’ve learned a lot in the course I applied to.” He said he hasn’t had a lot of challenges as a student, “Initially, there is an adjustment period. That has been the biggest challenge,” he says. “But the rest of the quarters I haven’t had any problems. I’ve really enjoyed what I’ve learned with my business fundamentals courses.”

In his free time, Stat is into fitness, reading, and just relaxing. He says that it’s definitely possible for an international student to succeed, “I think it takes proper time management. With good time management, everything is bearable.”

If you’re curious about the F1 visa application process, CSI can help guide you. Contact us to learn more about how to get started today.