Even if the colleges do not require it, sending your application a month ahead of time is a good idea if you are using regular mail, says Sheppard Shanley, Senior Associate Director of Admissions at Northwestern University . This extra cushion of time helps ensure the application will arrive before the deadline and allows admissions officers plenty of time to notify you if your application is incomplete. Be sure to send translations of any application materials not written in English such as transcripts and recommendations. Notarized translations are preferred since their accuracy is more reliable. When you send your application materials, do not forget to send the original documents in addition to the translated copies.
Some undergraduate schools require no further test scores.
Other schools may require SAT or ACT scores but do not assign the same weight to your verbal scores as they do to your math scores. Nevertheless, make an effort to do your best. At the most selective colleges, the competition to get in is fierce, and international applications are often flawless. Therefore, when applying to top schools, don't expect any breaks on your test scores. Ask teachers and guidance counselors who know you and your school work well to write letters of recommendation for you.