Stepping Stone to Top U.S. Universities: The 2+2 Pathway at Community Colleges! | UP-STUDY Educational Center

Today, let's take a look at the different types of supermarkets in the United States, their unique features, and how to shop in a way that saves some costs for your study abroad life.

Eating out in the United States is expensive, and you also need to tip the service staff a certain percentage after dining, which many international students find overwhelming. With such high living costs, it's essential to save where possible! Therefore, many international students who come to study in the U.S. choose to cook their own meals at home, making supermarkets an essential part of their daily life in the U.S.

Supermarkets in the U.S. are generally very large, more like big box stores than what we typically think of as supermarkets. They occupy a vast area, with a wide variety of goods. Every time I visit a U.S. big box store, I can satisfy all my daily needs at once! For example, every time I go to the supermarket, I grab a variety of American snacks, such as original Lays, Doritos, Häagen-Dazs, and Ben & Jerry’s, all of which are very cheap in the U.S. Students who love snacks must not miss these! Some supermarkets offer their own private labels, and products under these labels are usually cheaper. Additionally, you can participate in membership point programs for discounts, which are all great ways to save money!

There are many types of supermarkets in the U.S. that are hard to list exhaustively, but this article will introduce the more common supermarket brands across the U.S. for international students to refer to.

1. Walmart

Walmart is the largest chain supermarket in the U.S. and the largest retailer in the world. The sizes of their stores range from Walmart Supercenters (largest) to Walmart Discount Stores (similar to a Costco-sized store) to Walmart Neighborhood Markets (large convenience stores). Walmart offers a wide range of products at affordable prices, maintaining a strategy of always providing the lowest prices. From clothing to electronics, Walmart has almost everything you can imagine, making it a well-known chain supermarket.

#Membership Card System: No membership card required, everyone enjoys the same lowest prices

2. Target

Target's product structure is similar to Walmart's, but whether it is the store layout, product quality, or prices, Target feels a bit more upscale and younger compared to Walmart, which seems more suited to middle-class needs. Target does well in fashion and beauty as well, collaborating with major designers to launch Target Fashion, and many of their off-the-shelf beauty products rival big-name brands. What’s unique about Target is that on Black Friday, it opens early in the morning and offers numerous discounts.

#Membership card system: Target's red card, the REDcard.

3. COSTCO

Costco should be very familiar to Taiwanese students. Costco is a warehouse-style wholesale supermarket that advocates large quantities, simple packaging, and low prices, which are very popular with Americans. The price of products in the U.S. is about one-third to half of the price in Taiwan, with a significant difference. The dining area, however, does not differ much. In the U.S., Costco is divided into Costco Business Center and Costco Wholesale. The former caters to business needs, selling products for commercial use, while the latter offers a wider variety of goods, smaller packaging, and more daily essentials, making it more suitable for general households.

#Membership card system: As in Taiwan, it is membership-based, and you can use your Taiwan-issued membership card in the U.S.

4. Trader Joe's

Trader Joe's is a natural and environmentally friendly chain supermarket, known for its organic ingredients and a variety of rare and delicious snacks. The shelves are filled with unique snacks from around the world, making it perfect for students who love to hunt for treasures. About 80% of the products at Trader Joe's are their own private labels, and in terms of fresh food, their products are fresher than those in regular supermarkets, although they are slightly more expensive. Even so, it has been a favorite supermarket of Americans for many years. Moreover, they offer small snacks for tasting every day, and the staff is very friendly. Overall, it provides a very comfortable shopping experience.

#Membership card system: No membership card or coupons

#Trader Joe's recommendation: Private label chocolate bars and dairy products

5. Whole Foods

Whole Foods is one of the most popular organic food chain supermarkets in the United States, and the products inside range from food to daily necessities, even clothing, all of which are organic. The organic foods sold here must pass certification from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) before they can be sold, otherwise, they are not even qualified to enter the store. It is also the first organic food retailer in the United States to be certified by the government. The products sold include fresh fruits and vegetables, dry goods, seafood, natural daily necessities, as well as prepared foods, desserts, drinks, vitamins, and more. As expected, the prices are not very affordable.

#Membership Card System: There is no membership card, but occasionally there are promotions such as $20 purchases earning a $5 gift card.

6. Kroger

Kroger is the second-largest retail chain in the United States, after Walmart, and is a century-old supermarket. Kroger belongs to the grocery store category, specializing in food and daily consumer goods, and sometimes the sale prices are even cheaper than Walmart. Also, almost every Kroger store looks very similar, making it particularly cute and easy to recognize.

#Membership Card System: A free membership card can be applied for.

# Kroger Recommendations: Fresh fruits

7. Safeway

Safeway'sproduct prices are slightly higher, but the store's decoration is bright, and the shopping experience is much better. It is usually located near residential areas, making shopping very convenient for residents. Safeway has different brands in different regions, such as: Carrs-Safeway (Alaska), Pak'n Save (California), Pavilions (Southern California), Randalls (Texas), Tom Thumb (Texas), Vons (Southern California and Nevada).

#Membership Card System: Free membership card, with member prices

8. ALDI

ALDI is the only German supermarket brand that has made its way into the U.S. supermarket industry, and it even acquired Trader Joe’s. Its biggest feature is the low prices of fresh products, because the company saves many costs and passes the savings on to consumers. As a result, its products are much cheaper compared to other regular supermarkets, but there are relatively more private labels, and sometimes big-name products are unavailable. They also created their own organic food brand. Geographically, ALDI stores are usually located near residential areas or college towns.

#Membership Card System: None

*Other general merchandise supermarkets, pharmacy supermarkets

1. CVS

CVS is the second-largest pharmacy supermarket in the United States by sales, and has the most stores. In addition to pharmaceuticals, it also sells food and daily necessities. The self-branded products are also very useful. Typically, CVS stores are located in bustling commercial areas and high-traffic regions, with many locations open 24 hours a day, making it convenient to find urgent supplies at any time.

#Membership System: Free membership card,

US Community College Application

A community college in the United States is a two-year college where students can earn an Associate Degree upon graduation. If a student has less-than-ideal high school grades or TOEFL scores, or has not yet prepared for the SAT or ACT, they can apply to a community college to adjust to the American educational system before transferring to a four-year university. For international students, community colleges have lower admission requirements, relatively lower academic pressure, and more affordable tuition, making them an ideal stepping stone for applying to top U.S. universities.

Community College Application Timeline

Generally, community colleges have enrollment periods for January (winter), April (spring), and September (fall), with summer being a term without new enrollments but only course offerings. Applicants must complete their school applications 1-2 months before the start of the term. So, if you want to start in January, the application deadline is in November; for April, it’s February; and for September, the deadline is in July.

US Community College Application Documents Checklist

Compared to applying to a four-year university, the application documents for U.S. community colleges are less complicated. Students simply need to prepare the required documents and meet the school’s entry requirements.

1. High School Transcript

Provide the English version of the transcript or a transcript in both Chinese and English. Some schools may require international students to have their transcripts verified.

2. High School Diploma or Enrollment Proof

Provide the English version of the high school diploma or enrollment proof. For students who have not graduated or graduated a long time ago, the school may accept an application with equivalent educational qualifications depending on the situation.

3. Language Test Scores

Provide TOEFL or IELTS scores

4. Proof of Funding / Financial Statement

The amount must be sufficient to cover one year of tuition and living expenses in the United States.

5. Letter of Recommendation

Most community colleges do not require letters of recommendation, but in special cases, they may be asked for. It is recommended to prepare 1-2 letters in advance.

6. Personal Statement

A few community colleges may require a personal statement or study plan to understand your career plan, educational background, and personal traits.

Advantages of US Community Colleges

Lower Admission Requirements

Most community colleges have lower admission requirements and do not require SAT or ACT scores. TOEFL scores generally only need to be 60 for admission, or even lower. This is just the admission requirement. After admission, students will need to take additional English courses to meet the school's expected English proficiency. The advantage of this is that students do not need to delay their study abroad plans due to not preparing for exams or not achieving ideal scores. While improving their language skills, students can also take university-level courses, making it a dual approach.

Flexible Application Time

The application deadlines for fall and spring terms at most four-year universities are fixed, with fewer spots available for spring. However, community colleges have more flexible application periods. Generally, both fall and spring terms are available, and it is still possible to apply as late as one month before the semester starts.

Relatively Lower Tuition Fees

As an international student, the credit fee at a community college is about $300 per credit, such as at Santa Monica College. Compared to the $1,000-$1,500 per credit at a four-year university, this is significantly cheaper. The tuition for a semester at a community college is approximately one-third of the tuition for a semester at a U.S. public university and one-quarter of the tuition at a U.S. private university.

Stepping Stone to Prestigious Universities

Some students may not have good high school grades, may not have time to prepare for the SAT or ACT exams, or may not meet the English proficiency requirements. In such cases, it can be difficult to apply to a four-year university in the U.S. However, after studying at a community college for two years, if the student's grades improve, their English proficiency improves, and they gain extracurricular experience, their chances of successfully transferring to a four-year university increase. Additionally, most community colleges have transfer agreements with four-year universities, making it easier for students to transfer. For example, the University of California system has signed TAG (Transfer Admission Guarantee/Agreement) with many community colleges, which guarantees a high chance of transfer to a UC school if students meet the requirements.

Required Documents for Transferring to U.S. Community Colleges

1. Community College Transcripts

The grading scale is generally as follows: 90-100 is A, 80-89 is B, and 70-79 is C.

2. Proof of Financial Support

The amount must be sufficient to cover one year’s tuition and living expenses in the U.S.

3. Recommendation Letters

It is recommended to prepare 1-2 recommendation letters in advance.

4. Other Documents

The documents required for transferring to a community college are relatively simple. Typically, only a Personal Statement is required.

US University Applications vs. US Community College Applications