Searching for scholarships to study at an American college or university can be daunting enough if you're an American student. If you live on the other side of the world, receiving financial assistance to go to college in the United States may seem next to impossible.

Don't give up hope. If you're an international student with your heart set on studying in America, there are some excellent resources out there for you, too.

The Statement of Purpose required by grad schools is probably the hardest thing you will ever write. (Incidentally, the statement of purpose may also be called an Application Essay, Objectives for Graduate Study, Personal Background, Cover Letter, or some comparable title.)

I would guess virtually all grad-school applicants, when they write their first draft of the statement of purpose, will get it wrong. Much of what you have learned about writing and also about how to present yourself will lead you astray. For example, here's an opening to a typical first draft: