International Student to Join Virginia Military Institute.?

The question

I am a 18-year-ancient student from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. I just completed the standard Malaysian high school education, and I am aiming to pursue my higher education in the United States. To summarize my interests, I have a fervent passion in the field of military science and strategies, and I have spent quite a lot of my high school days reading and studying books, documentaries and accounts on military history and military related stuff.

As a result, I’ve chose to pursue a military style university education while studying business or politics related subjects in my higher education years. My current primary choice is the Virginia Military Institute, as it offers majors that suit my demands, offers a highly rigorous and challenging military training program, and boasts a number of outstanding students and well-known alumni. I have just applied as a RD fall 2012 intake student. Despite feeling excited at attending one of the oldest and most well-known military institutes in the USA, I still have my doubts, because no one in my country has ever taken such a bold step in his or her higher education, and if I do get in, I will most probably be the first case in Malaysia to pursue a military style education.

What I am doubting, as a matter of fact, is whether graduates from the VMI can easily transition to an increasingly competitive international workforce. My hope is that when I graduate, I don’t mind to remain and work in the USA, but it will also be nice if I can have the credibility as a business graduate who is educated in a military context, to go overseas and work in other nations/companies. One of my friends from China, and who graduated from West Point, told me that should I graduate from VMI, I will be viewed as a graduate with a special background, and it will be simpler for me to gain employment in the business world, and if I choose to do my MBA in a exalted business school in the future, I will also stand a better chance. Of course, all these are possible only if I do really well in my VMI days, but that’s another tale. What I generally want to know is whether my friend’s statement is right in the opinions of others.

So my two questions are:

1. If I graduate from VMI, will it affect my plot to work or be employed in other nations, or will it just confine me to a few limited employers or companies?
2. What do you reckon of the statement of my friend?

Anyone who has a background in business or military are urged to provide answers for this question. For those who have studied in VMI or other military institutes before, please also do provide your respective opinions and thoughts.

Thank you very much.

The question

I pulled my 3 credit reports, and my three scores range anywhere from 490-502.

I have had many credit problems in the past, and I am working to rebuild my credit and raise my score.

With inquiries and other accounts falling off my report, can I somehow raise my score by 100 points within the next year? I am wanting to buy a home within the next few years ( 2011-2012) and want to raise my score to 700 or more. Is that possible?

1.– I have many inquires from 2007 when searching for a car loan… will these drop off this year? I also have many inquires for 2008, so will those drop off next year? I want alot of these inquiries to drop off before I go house-hunting in the next few years. ( 2011-2012 )

– The only “new” credit I will be seeking soon is to apply for a secured credit card. Will that show up as an inquiry as well?

2.– I’ve been reading that collection accounts are keeping people from getting mortgages. I have collection accounts in the past, but they have all been paid. Is it the unpaid accounts that prohibit people from getting mortgages, or the collection accounts all together?

3.– I have an ancient Express store credit card that I thought was closed… it is showing “closed” but that the status of the card is “current” on my credit report, but I don’t have the card anymore or use it. Should I call to make sure it’s closed, or leave it alone since it isn’t anything negative. This is my oldest card, from back in 2003.

4.– My Maurices account is still showing up, even though it is from 2001. Can I question to have that removed?

5.– I have three charged off credit cards from 2003-2004… will those fall off in 2010 and 2011?

6.– I am looking at obtaining a Secured Mastercard through Bank of America… I would only deposit $ 500 for my limit, and charge gas to it each month (that’s my most frequent expense) and then pay it off each month as well. I called the bank, and they said that it would show up on my credit report as a credit card, and that the account would be reviewed after a year and I could possibly get an unsecured card, and receive my deposit back. Will opening this credit card hurt me? I have no other credit cards currently, but have in the past.

7.– I am currently paying on a bank loan since January, and I’ve been current will all of my payments and even made extra payments on the loan. I also currently pay on my student loans, which are current and never late since October 2008. I have paid all of my other credit card accounts off, and some of them did have late payments. By paying regularly and on time on my two loans, as well as on my secured card that I want to get, will this help my score improve significantly?

8.– A collection agency made three inquiries on my report… for three different accounts they had. I have paid them off, and they said that these inquires will come off after 30 days of the account being closed. Is this right? A credit counselor I talked to said he had never heard of this.

Thanks in advance for all of your answers!
I already had an Orchard Bank card in the past. Not pleased with them. I want to go with something that is more customary, like a secured card through Bank of America or Capital One.

The question

Hey guys! For college bound, high school seniors, October starts a period of stress, stress, and more stress. I am currently
applying to colleges right now for the Fall 2012 semester and I’m certainly feeling the pressure. I’ve visited UCSB several
times and UCI once, and these two are right at the top of my list; UCSB being first and UCI being second. I was hoping you all
could tell me what my chances are of getting into these schools (preferably those REALLY knowledgeable in the UC admissions area). I am
seriously IN LOVE with UCSB, so even if you at least tell me what you reckon my chances are of getting into just there, that would
be fantastic! Thanks to everyone who answers. (Please be honest).
GPA: 3.85
SAT: 1710 (if superscored, it goes up significantly)
Going to take SAT II’s in 2 weeks for math 2, u.s history, and eng lit. I am plotting on getting relatively high scores on these b/c
I took the AP tests and passed with 4′s in these subjects.
ACT: 24; took my second one last saturday and I feel as if my score will go up. If not, I am stuck with the 24
Top 5 percentile of my graduating class and I was granted ELC.
I am from California’s Central Valley(Merced)
I have taken 11 AP’s or honors and classes at Merced COllege as well.
My current senior schedule is: Academic Decathlon(interdisciplinary studies), AP Calculus, AP Eng Lit, AP Euro History, AP Gov, Econ Honors, and Computer Brainwashing

Extras:
-Have been a cheerleader for many years
-Cheer coach, and cheer camp advisor
-Various cheer awards: squad got a bid to nationals, all american cheer, attended different cheer camps
-Former gymnast
-CSF member
-Honor student
-designated ELC student
-AP student (passed most with 4 or better)
-250+ hours of community service
-Have been volunteering at the the hospital for several years
-Worked in the Health In rank Management department
-Tutor
-Nanny
-Active member in the OM club
-Member of FBLA, as well as commissioner of activities and Parliamentarian(lawmaker)
-Link Leader for every year it was possible
- Member of the Academic Decathlon club/Class/and Team
-Worked in the school library
-Member of Habitat for Humanitarian
-Involved in other community service activities(i.e helped run a carnival, floatmaking, parades for school and community, etc.)
-I am hoping to write incredible personal statements; I have to say, writing is my forte, and in addition, I have compelling personal tales I wish to tell
-I have gone through hardships which I believe are part of the reason for my low-ish GPA which I will probably clarify in my essays
-I am of Laotion and Thai descent; but English is my primary language
-I’ve been in advanced classes since the 1st grade (if that accounts for anything)
-I will have letters of recommendations as well
-For UCSB I plot to major in economics and quantitative economics for UCI
-I am also applying to pretty much all of the other UC’s as well, so if you want, you can chance me for other schools too, but I am most interested in these two.

Well, this is all I can reckon of right now.
Thank you to all who answer!!