18 Years Old, In 7 Months I'm On My Own

[MnParaPalermo]

UPDATE #5

Just got back from the school again. I was told this time that I need to have a piece of paper to bring to the school from the ministry of education. They said it has what I need to pass for my equivalency on it. I was never told this... I think the called it the articles of studies.

However, I did head to the room called "fotocopias" and got copies of the 3 materials I have to study/pass. (Yes 3, not like the 6 I had previously anticipated) They are- "Ciencias Sociales", "Formacion Etica y Ciudadana" and "Lengua y Literatura". The documents are titled on top, "Asignatura de Formacion Nacional". According to the Argentine education website, this is what I need to pass.

Tomorrow I go to the ministry again and will sort this out. I am also meeting with my friend's boss of an english school here.

 

[MnParaPalermo]

UPDATE #6

Went to the ministry today. They told me that I have to study the 3 materials only (I guess the test reciently changed from 6 to what it is now). I can find the books/study material at the high school that I went to, and I can talk with a professor if I have any questions.

Also, I got a job at my friend's english school today! The pay starts at 70 pesos per hour but increases after I am trained. This place provides me with all that I need for TEFL certification! Also, it is located in the same building as a gym and I can get a discounted membership there.

Everything seems to be going alright

 

[steveinbsas]

Andrew, regarding this sentence from your previous post:

"They told me that I have to study the 3 materials only (I guess the test reciently changed from 6 to what it is now)."

Cecil Fox Palmer posted this in the other thread you recently started:

OP, about the high school equivalency test: it is not just one test. They are high school classes that you must take and pass. I tried doing this years ago with the same goal to get my DNI, so your case might be the same as mine. I had to take Cívica Argentina, Geografía Argentina, Literatura Argentina, and Historia Argentina. They were two-part and even three-part classes and the institute would only give you 3 classes at a time, so it would take me at least a year and a half to get all of that done.

Though he "tried doing this years ago" and, while it is possible that the "tests recently changed for six to what it is now" I wonder if you were told that you can only attend three classes at a time (as opposed to just taking three tests), but the total could still be five (listed by CFP) or six (as you originally thought).

I know from experience how easy it is to misunderstand what you have been told by someone in Castellano and either get some or even all of what they have said wrong or missed an important detail in what they were saying (this happens frequently to expats at migraciones). Obviously, having to enroll in three classes at a time (with a total of five or six classes) and then pass the exams is going to be much more time consuming than studying on your own and taking equivalency tests.

I am glad that you have made these threads and continue to post in them. I hope you don't actually have to enroll and attend the "high school classes" for 18 months. Either way, these threads are going to provide useful information for others regarding what documents are needed for the student visa and what steps must be taken to enroll in a university in Argentina.

El Queso just posted this in the other thread and I'm adding it to this one so it can be found by anyone using the search feature to find info on the student visa and enrolling in a university:

I'm surprised that they wouldn't allow someone to take adult high school classes for the equivalency requirements of taking the classes at least. I know a number of people who have taken it for years of school (adult classes - people here who never graduated high school either from Argentina or other SA countries) who went at night for a year or two to get as much as 5-6 years of school equivalency (including a year or two of primary in one case). The classes can be "intensive" so they can be completed quickly and you your hours, days, etc.

Colegio Mariano Moreno was the one I know of where people have gone. Adults, most of them took classes at night, rapid study and supposed to be good for entering university.

 

[MnParaPalermo]

Well, after going to the ministry and school 4 times total, 2 with my native girlfirend- a med student in UBA, I have a feeling that I haven't misheard anyone on the topic. The anecdotes from other expats are "years ago" and not 100% in my situation. Both the high school and ministry have told me that there were 6 materials, and now 3. Documents + Test = Diploma.

For most current informaion (though still a few months old), I was given these links
http://estatico.buenosaires.gov.ar/areas/educacion/gestion_privada/docs/guia-alumn-extr.pdf
http://eter.com.ar/Guia%20tramites%20utiles%20para%20extranjeros.pdf

 

[steveinbsas]

Both the high school and ministry have told me that there were 6 materials, and now 3. Documents + Test = Diploma.

Examples of anything getting easier in Argentina (such as obtaining a DNI today as compared to years ago) are always welcome.

 

[jantango]

UPDATE #6

Went to the ministry today. They told me that I have to study the 3 materials only (I guess the test reciently changed from 6 to what it is now). I can find the books/study material at the high school that I went to, and I can talk with a professor if I have any questions.

Also, I got a job at my friend's english school today! The pay starts at 70 pesos per hour but increases after I am trained. This place provides me with all that I need for TEFL certification! Also, it is located in the same building as a gym and I can get a discounted membership there.

Everything seems to be going alright (all right)

The city's web site has a job listing. This is the link for teaching English in homes and businesses: https://trabajo.buenosaires.gob.ar/oferta/profesoresas-de-ingles-en-todo-bs
The minimum age requirement is 18. It's another source for work. Check the list of categories and see if there is something else that interests you.

The closest Argentine Consulate office to Minnesota is Chicago. You could probably present your papers there, but you'd need to have everything translated in the US which costs more.

 

[steveinbsas]

The closest Argentine Consulate office to Minnesota is Chicago. You could probably present your papers there, but you'd need to have everything translated in the US which costs more.

I got the impression from posts in threads on the subject that a student visa can only be issued by migraciones in Argentina. Even if a student visa could be obtained in Chicago, what advantage would there be by even trying to get it there, especially if it took more than one trip to Chicago from Minnesota (which it probably would)?

It looks like Andrew will have everything lined up to get his student visa in Argentina sin problemas..

 

[steveinbsas]

I find it hard to believe that I can make a steady profit by flying cowboy shirts from the US to BsAs. If I was going to push something internationally, it would definitely be of greater value than clothing.

Here's an example of a used short-sleeve Levi's brand cowboy shirt from the US that is for sale on mercado libre for $450 pesos:



http://articulo.merc...os-posturas-_JM

If purchased in a US thrift shop the cost would be somewhere between five and ten dollars.

It's worth noting that short sleeve shirts are far less "valuable" than ones with long sleeves.

Here is a used long sleeve Levi's brand cowboy shirt that is for sale on mercado libre for $1200 pesos:



http://articulo.merc...is-original-_JM

If purchased in a US thrift shop the cost would be somewhere between five and ten dollars.

While long sleeve shirts take up more space in a suitcase, the greater profit margin more than compensates for the difference.

PS: Of course these are asking prices. Unfortunately, mercado libre does not have a feature in which you can search for completed listings and see a list of items that were actually sold and their final sales price.

 

[MnParaPalermo]

UPDATE #7

Not a big update. Just gathering my study materials for the test in December. If anyone is interested, I can post copies/scans online.

I talked with a colleague of my dad's, an Argentine public accountant, and I was advised to look into a private school like UCA. It's not free, but still cheaper than the Uni's in the US. It's also organized with a 4 year plan on the degree. Finally, the campus is located in Puerto Madero. This means that I can work in the city and not have to commute an hour outside (unlike some private uni's here).

 

[sleslie23]

Steve and Andrew, what Cecil posted is way out of date. I actually looked into taking classes rather than the exams because I thought it might be easier/more social. I was told that to take classes, I would have to enroll in an official program for adults which takes 2-3 years and requires a formal curriculum.

It is definitely good news if there are only 3 exams instead of SIX!