first steps studing use

7/25/2019 First Steps Studing Use

1/30

An Introduction

his is the VOA Special English EDUCATION REPORT.

A listener in Poland recently sent us an e-mail. Slawek Loboda writes: !here are many American uni"ersities

and colleges that pro"ide long distance education to the world. !he trouble is that each uni"ersity says that it is

the best. A#ter an hour o# searching and reading what they ha"e in their o##er$ one gets a headache. %ou simply

don&t know whom to trust and what to choose.

Slawek goes on to say$ ' ha"e been listening to VOA #or years and ' would trust you i# you made an interesting

program about American uni"ersities #or #oreigners. 's there a uni"ersity that you could recommend(

)ell$ choosing a school is an indi"idual decision. *ut we may be able to help in#orm that decision.

Slawek&s letter happened to come at +ust the right time. 't gi"es us the per#ect opening #or not +ust one program$but a series -- our ,oreign Student Series. )e update the series e"ery two years to pro"ide #resh in#ormation #or

anyone interested in higher education in America.

!he nited States has more than #our thousand colleges and uni"ersities to choose #rom. !hey come in all sies-- #rom a #ew hundred students to enough to populate a city. And students may not e"en ha"e to be in the nited

States to take classes. Some uni"ersities ha"e campuses in other countries. And$ as Slawek pointed out$ many

programs are o##ered o"er the 'nternet.

O"er the coming weeks$ we will talk all about the American system o# higher education. Our reports will take

you inside some o# the nation&s colleges and uni"ersities. )e will e/plore programs o# study and report on

student li#e. )e will talk about #inancial aid and employment$ and about admissions tests and English language

re0uirements.

)e will also e/plain the process #or becoming an international student in the nited States. And we will talk

about how the terrorist attacks o# September ele"enth$ two thousand one$ changed some o# the rules.

1any o# the sub+ects in our ,oreign Student Series are based on your 0uestions and suggestions. So keep them

coming2 Send e-mail to special3"oanews.com$ or click on the 4ontact s link at "oaspecialenglish.com. Orwrite to VOA Special English$ )ashington$ 5.4.$ two ero two three se"en .S.A.

'n case you miss any o# the programs$ our ,oreign Student Series will be archi"ed at "oaspecialenglish.com.

And that&s the VOA Special English EDUCATION REPORT$ written by 6ancy Steinbach. '&m Ste"e Ember.

First Steps!his is the VOA Special English EDUCATION REPORT.

!his week in our ,oreign Student Series$ we discuss the #irst steps #or students interested in higher education in

the nited States.

One place to go #or ad"ice and in#ormation about American colleges and uni"ersities is an EducationSA

center. 1ore than #our hundred o# these educational ad"ising centers are located around the world.

!he ad"isers at EducationSA centers do not charge any money #or their ser"ices. !hey help students #ind

schools and get in#ormation about #inancial aid$ admissions tests and "isa re0uirements.

!he centers are supported by the State 5epartment. %ou can #ind the nearest one on the State 5epartment&s )ebsite #or international students. !he address is educationusa.state.go". Again$ it&s educationusa.state.go".

Another place to get in#ormation is at an educational #air. 7epresentati"es o# American colleges and uni"ersities

present in#ormation and answer 0uestions #rom students and their parents.

!he 'nstitute o# 'nternational Education has been organiing nited States 8igher Education ,airs in Asia sincenineteen eighty-two. Last year$ more than #ourteen thousand students attended these #airs in 4hina$ 'ndia$


2/30

'ndonesia$ 9apan$ !hailand and Vietnam.

!he ne/t higher education #airs in Asia are in October. ,or e/ample$ more than se"enty colleges and uni"ersities

will ha"e representati"es in 8ong ong on October ele"enth.

Other organiations hold similar e"ents in other parts o# the world. 'n#ormation about educational #airs in your

country can be #ound at the same )eb site$ educationusa.state.go".

One important piece o# ad"ice -- gi"e yoursel# plenty o# time to plan your studies in the nited States.Educational ad"isers say you should begin planning at least two years be#ore you want to start classes.

'# you ha"e a 0uestion #or our series on American higher education$ send it to special3"oanews.com. Or use the

4ontact s link at "oaspecialenglish.com. 1ake sure to tell us who and where you are. )e might answer your

0uestion on our program in the weeks ahead.

And that&s the VOA Special English EDUCATION REPORT$ written by 6ancy Steinbach. !ranscripts and1P;s o# our ,oreign Student Series$ and a link to the EducationSA )eb site$ are at "oaspecialenglish.com.

'&m Ste"e Ember.

College, University or Institute?

!his is the VOA Special English EDUCATION REPORT.

Americans use the term college students to mean students either in colleges or uni"ersities. 6ot only that$

Americans almost ne"er say going o## to uni"ersity or when ' was in uni"ersity. !hat sounds *ritish.

'nstead$ they say going o## to college and when ' was in college.

4ollege$ uni"ersity: what&s the di##erence( )e answer that this week in part three o# our ,oreign Student Serieson American higher education.

4olleges and uni"ersities ha"e many things in common. *oth o##er undergraduate degrees in the arts and

sciences$ #or e/ample. And both can help prepare young people to earn a li"ing.

*ut many colleges do not o##er graduate studies. Another di##erence is that uni"ersities are generally bigger.

!hey o##er more programs and do more research.

Another place o# higher education$ especially in technical areas$ is an institute$ like the 1assachusetts 'nstitute

o# !echnology. %et e"en an institute o# technology can o##er a wide choice o# programs and acti"ities. 1.'.!.

says that se"enty-#i"e percent o# #reshmen come there with a strong interest and in"ol"ement in the arts.

1odern uni"ersities de"eloped #rom those o# Europe in the 1iddle Ages. !he word uni"ersity came #rom theLatin uni"ersitas$ describing a group o# people organied #or a common purpose.

4ollege came #rom collegium$ a Latin word with a similar meaning. 'n England$ colleges were #ormed to

pro"ide students with places to li"e. sually each group was studying the same thing. So college came to mean

an area o# study.

!he #irst American uni"ersities di"ided their studies into a number o# areas and called each one a college. !his

is still true.

A college can also be a part o# a uni"ersity. ,or e/ample$ 8ar"ard 4ollege is the undergraduate part o# 8ar"ard

ni"ersity.

Programs in higher learning can also be called schools$ like a school o# engineering or a medical school within acollege or uni"ersity. %ou know$ learning all these terms is an education in itsel#.

And that&s the VOA Special English EDUCATION REPORT$ written by 6ancy Steinbach. Our reports are at

"oaspecialenglish.com.

)e in"ite your 0uestions #or our ,oreign Student Series. )e cannot o##er any personal ad"ice or assistance. *utwe might be able to answer a general 0uestion during our series.


3/30

*e sure to tell us your name and where you are. )rite to special3"oanews.com or use the 4ontact s link at

"oaspecialenglish.com. '&m Ste"e Ember.

Pulic or Priv!te?


!oday$ in week #our o# our ,oreign Student Series$ we discuss di##erences between public and pri"ate inAmerican higher education.

A big di##erence in"ol"es money. Public colleges and uni"ersities charge #or an education +ust like pri"ate

schools. *ut state schools cost less because they get money #rom the states that started them to educate local

citiens. As a result$ out-o#-state and international students usually pay more than state residents$ at least the

#irst year.

!he state with the most residents$ almost #orty million$ is 4ali#ornia. 'ts systems o# two-year and #our-year

colleges and uni"ersities are among the largest in the world.

*ut the e/ample we are going to #ocus on today is to the north o# 4ali#ornia$ in a much smaller state on the )est4oast: Oregon.

!he ni"ersity o# Oregon$ located in Eugene$ is one o# the campuses in the Oregon ni"ersity System. !he cost#or undergraduates this year is si/ thousand dollars #or state residents. 8ousing is an additional eight thousand.

6onresidents pay the same #or housing -- but almost twenty thousand dollars #or tuition and #ees.

Let&s see how these numbers compare to a pri"ate college in Oregon.

Lewis and 4lark 4ollege in Portland has #our thousand students$ compared to twenty thousand at the ni"ersityo# Oregon. 8ousing costs eight hundred dollars more than at the state school. *ut the big di##erence is tuition.

!he published price at Lewis and 4lark is almost thirty-#our thousand dollars.

%et Lewis and 4lark is one o# the #ew American colleges to o##er #inancial aid #or international students. Each

year it awards #inancial aid to twenty students #rom other countries. And it says the a"erage award last year wasnineteen thousand dollars. !hat would make Lewis and 4lark cheaper #or international students than the

ni"ersity o# Oregon.

*ut$ o# course$ prices alone do not say anything about the 0uality o# a school or the "alue o# an education.

And that&s the VOA Special English EDUCATION REPORT$ written by 6ancy Steinbach. Our ,oreignStudent Series is online at "oaspecialenglish.com. '# you ha"e a general 0uestion about American colleges and

uni"ersities$ we might answer your 0uestion in our series. !ell us your name and where you are. se the 4ontacts link at "oaspecialenglish.com or write to special3"oanews.com.

Colleges !nd Degrees


)e answer 0uestions #rom two students this week in part #i"e o# our ,oreign Student Series on American higher

education.

Sylla 8amed in


4/30

,or e/ample$ a student may #irst attend a two-year school$ also called a community college or +unior college.

Students who complete a two-year course o# study earn an associate degree.

Starting at a community college can sa"e a lot o# money i# students want to go on to a #our-year college or a big

uni"ersity. 1any #our-year schools will accept this work as the #irst two years toward a bachelor&s degree.

!o earn a bachelor&s degree$ students usually take general sub+ects during their #irst two years. A#ter that they

take classes in their ma+or area o# study.

Students who ma+or in a scienti#ic area recei"e a bachelor o# science degree$ known as a *.S. Students in thearts and humanities get a *.A. -- a bachelor o# arts. Schools may also o##er specialied degrees$ like a bachelor

o# music.

A#ter students ha"e a bachelor&s degree$ they may go on to earn a graduate degree -- either a master&s degree or a

doctorate.

A master&s degree generally takes two to three years o# #ull-time study. A master o# business administration$ #or

e/ample$ takes about two years to complete. A doctorate can take much longer. 't is the highest degree o##ered

in graduate school. Some programs re0uire si/ years o# study or e"en longer a#ter college.

A student may earn a doctor o# philosophy degree$ known as a Ph5$ or a pro#essional degree in an area likemedicine$ law or education.

)e will talk more about graduate programs later in our series.

And that&s the VOA Special English EDUCATION REPORT$ written by 6ancy Steinbach. Our ,oreignStudent Series can be #ound online at "oaspecialenglish.com. '# you ha"e a general 0uestion$ write to

special3"oanews.com or use the 4ontact s link at "oaspecialenglish.com. Please tell us your name and where

you are. )e might answer your 0uestion in our reports. '&m Ste"e Ember.

Accredit!tion E"pl!ined


6ow$ we continue our ,oreign Student Series #or those o# you considering an American college or uni"ersity.

One o# the things you should make sure o# is that the work you do will be recognied in your own country.

Employers and schools are more likely to accept your American education i# it came #rom an accreditedprogram.

Accreditation is a process used #or 0uality control. Across the nited States$ there are eighty accreditingagencies #or higher education. !hese are pri"ate$ nonpro#it organiations. !hey de"elop educational goals$ then

e/amine schools to make sure the goals are met.

!he #irst step is #or a college or uni"ersity to ask #or accreditation. !he school then measures its per#ormance

against the re0uirements.

A#ter that$ the accrediting agency sends a team o# specialists to decide whether or not the school meets the

standards. Accredited schools are obser"ed e"ery #ew years to see how they are doing.

Accrediting organiations must be recognied by either the #ederal go"ernment or the 4ouncil #or 8igher

Education Accreditation. Almost hal# o# all the agencies are recognied by both 48EA and the nited States5epartment o# Education.

8igher education groups created 48EA in nineteen ninety-si/. *ut students who want to recei"e #ederal studentaid must attend a school accredited by a go"ernment-recognied agency.

,oreign students might wonder why they should care much about all this. A#ter all$ #oreign students in most

cases do not recei"e aid #rom the nited States go"ernment.


5/30

*ut accreditation is also meant to tell employers that your studies met a set o# 0uality standards. And

accreditation can make it easier to mo"e credits #rom one school to another.

Se"en thousand institutions and more than nineteen thousand programs were accredited by American

organiations last year. Among them were almost #i"e hundred #oreign colleges$ as well as #oreign campuses o#

American uni"ersities.

All accredited schools and programs can be #ound on the 48EA )eb site$ chea.org. 't also has ad"ice about

how to a"oid worthless educational programs and accrediting agencies. )e will talk more about that sub+ectne/t week.

And that&s the VOA Special English EDUCATION REPORT$ written by 6ancy Steinbach. Our ,oreign

Student Series is online at "oaspecialenglish.com. '&m Ste"e Ember.

Diplo#! $ills


!his week$ in part se"en o# our ,oreign Student Series$ we talk more about accreditation o# American collegesand uni"ersities.

!o become accredited$ programs ha"e to meet 0uality standards that are set by an accrediting agency. 'n thenited States$ pri"ate organiations around the country handle this process.

Schools must be reaccredited e"ery ten years$ or sooner. !hey can lose their accreditation i# they ha"e problems

that are not corrected within a gi"en period o# time.

,or e/ample$ the


6/30

!his week in our ,oreign Student Series$ we talk about getting an American education online. A student named

8endra has written to us #rom 'ndonesia asking about a good online uni"ersity.

,inding the right online program re0uires research$ +ust like a traditional education. !alking to ad"isers and

recruiters can help. eep in mind$ though$ that they might ha"e a #inancial interest to direct you to certain

programs.

A"oid a diploma mill. )e talked about this last week. 5iploma mills$ also known as degree mills$ are nothing

more than businesses. !he education is poor 0uality$ i# they e"en re0uire any class work to get a degree.

!he 4ouncil on 8igher Education Accreditation =48EA> recognies a group in )ashington$ 5.4.$ to accredit

schools that o##er distance learning. One hundred ten programs in the nited States and si/ other countries are

accredited by the 5istance Education and !raining 4ouncil.

)e asked the e/ecuti"e director$ 1ichael Lambert$ #or ad"ice on choosing a distance learning program. 8e saysthe #irst thing is to go on the 48EA )eb site to #ind i# a school is accredited. !he address is c-h-e-a dot o-r-g.

6e/t$ make sure the school o##ers what you need. 5o you need a degree$ or will a certi#icate or license be

enough(

Another consideration is cost. O#ten the published price does not include all the costs -- like books. !echnologyre0uirements can also add to the costs. )ill you need to get new so#tware or a high-speed 'nternet connection or

e"en a new computer to take the classes you want(

Also$ consider the le"el o# interaction that an online program o##ers. %ou might ne"er meet the teacher or other

students in person. %ou need to be able to work without the super"ision that you might #ind in a traditionalclass.

,inally$ and this is our own ad"ice$ #ind out what others say. %ou might search on the 'nternet #or comments or

ratings or news stories about schools that interest you. 9ust remember that what people say is not always #air or

true.

So now we ha"e talked about getting an American education online. 6e/t week$ we begin e/plaining the steps

to getting an American education in the nited States.


Student Series is online at "oaspecialenglish.com. '&m *ob 5oughty.

%etting ! US 'is!!his is the VOA Special English EDUCATION REPORT.

!his week$ in part nine o# our ,oreign Student Series$ we talk about getting a student "isa to come to the nited

States.

9ust getting accepted to an American college or uni"ersity does not guarantee that you will get a "isa. And

getting a "isa +ust lets you arri"e in the nited States. 't does not guarantee that an immigration o##icer will

permit you to enter the country.

!ra"el documents come #rom the 5epartment o# State. *ut immigration is the responsibility o# the 5epartmento# 8omeland Security.

!he State 5epartment has a )eb site with all the rules #or getting a "isa. !he address is unitedstates"isas.go".

nitedstates"isas is all one word.

'# you are re0uesting a "isa #or the #irst time$ you will probably ha"e to go to an American embassy orconsulate. %ou will need to bring a go"ernment #orm sent to you by your American school that shows you ha"e

been accepted.


7/30

%ou will also need banking and ta/ records that show you ha"e enough money to pay #or your education. And

be prepared to pro"ide e"idence that you will return to your home country a#ter your studies end.

All o# this is important in satis#ying the re0uirements to get a "isa. A consular o##icial will also take your picture

and your #ingerprints.

,oreign students must contact their local embassy or consulate to re0uest an inter"iew and to get other

in#ormation. !his includes directions about how and where to pay the "isa application charge. !he cost is two

hundred dollars.

%ou should apply #or the "isa as soon as you ha"e been accepted to a school in the nited States. !he

go"ernment needs time to per#orm a background in"estigation.

%ou cannot recei"e a "isa more than one hundred twenty days be#ore the start o# your program. And i# you are

coming as a student #or the #irst time$ you cannot enter the country more than thirty days be#ore classes begin.

Once you come to the nited States$ you can stay #or the length o# your period o# study. %our school is re0uired

to pro"ide the 5epartment o# 8omeland Security with reports on your status as a student. )e will talk more

about what that means ne/t week.

And that&s the VOA Special English EDUCATION REPORT$ written by 6ancy Steinbach. Our ,oreignStudent Series is online with transcripts$ 1P;s and help#ul links at "oaspecialenglish.com. '&m Ste"e Ember.

()!t SE'IS $e!ns to *ou


)e are now ten weeks into our ,oreign Student Series on higher education in the nited States. So #ar we ha"etalked about planning #or school and about sub+ects like online education and diploma mills.

Last week the sub+ect was getting a tra"el "isa. !oday we discuss something else that e"ery #oreign student

needs to know about: SEV'S. SEV'S is the Student and E/change Visitor 'n#ormation System.

1ore than nine thousand American colleges$ uni"ersities and e/change "isitor programs are re0uired to use thiselectronic system. 't links them with 'mmigration and 4ustoms En#orcement$ or '4E$ in the 5epartment o#

8omeland Security.

!he terrorist attacks in two thousand one led to the creation o# the department. *ut SEV'S was being de"eloped

e"en be#ore the attacks as a way to impro"e record keeping on #oreign students in the nited States. Some o#the September ele"enth hi+ackers entered the country on student "isas.

)ith SEV'S$ a school enters in#ormation about a student. !he system lets the school know when the student has

arri"ed. !he school must then pro"ide reports on whether or not the student is attending classes. Students who

"iolate the terms o# their "isa can be e/pelled #rom the country and may be denied #uture entry.

!wo e/amples o# "iolations are #ailing to begin classes by the re0uired date and working at a +ob withoutpermission. Other "iolations are not attending classes #ull time and not lea"ing the country a#ter completion o#

studies.

SEV'S currently lists more than one million acti"e$ nonimmigrant students and e/change "isitors and theirdependents.

Students and e/change "isitors are charged #ees to help pay #or the system. !he #ee #or students increased to two

hundred dollars in September. !his is the "isa application charge we talked about last week.

'mmigration and 4ustoms En#orcement says the #ee must be paid be#ore going to an embassy or consulate #or

the "isa inter"iew.

All the in#ormation you need to know about SEV'S can be #ound on the 'nternet at ice.go". !hat&s i-c-e dot g-o-

".


8/30

And that&s the VOA Special English EDUCATION REPORT$ written by 6ancy Steinbach. 6e/t week: how to

begin applying #or admission to an American college or uni"ersity. All o# our reports are online at"oaspecialenglish.com. 4lick on the ,oreign Student Series link at the bottom o# the page. '&m Ste"e Ember.

T)e Applic!tion Process


!his week in our ,oreign Student Series$ we talk about applying to an American college or uni"ersity.'nternational admissions o##icers ad"ise students to apply to at least three schools. %ou may be able to apply

online and pay the application charge with a credit card$ or by mail.

%ou should study the )eb sites o# schools that interest you. %ou can #ind in#ormation about how and when to

apply$ how much it will cost and whether any #inancial aid is a"ailable. And you can probably e-mail theadmissions o##ice with any 0uestions.

At )hitman 4ollege$ the admissions )eb site has an area where people can send 0uestions to current

international students. )hitman is a small pri"ate college in )alla )alla$ )ashington$ in the Paci#ic 6orthwest.

't has about one thousand #i"e hundred students. ,i#ty-two o# them this year are international students #rommore than thirty countries.

*y comparison$ almost #our thousand international students #rom more than one hundred countries are at Ohio

State ni"ersity. Ohio State is in the 1idwest$ in the city o# 4olumbus$ Ohio$ and is one o# the largestuni"ersities in the nited States. 't has more than #i#ty-two thousand students.

)here"er you apply$ you should start the application process at least two years be#ore you want to begin your

studies. 4ompleting the applications and any re0uired admissions tests will take time. 6on-nati"e English

speakers will most likely ha"e to take the !OE,L$ the !est o# English as a ,oreign Language. )e will bediscussing the !OE,L and other tests in the coming weeks.

So #ar in our series$ we talked about choosing schools. )e suggested getting help at the nearest Educational

Ad"ising 4enter. !he State 5epartment has ad"ising centers around the world.

)e also talked about online education programs and sub+ects like accreditation and diploma mills. And we

talked about student "isas and the +ob o# SEV'S. SEV'S is the Student and E/change Visitor 'n#ormationSystem operated by the 'mmigration and 4ustoms En#orcement agency.

6e/t week will be part twel"e o# our ,oreign Student Series. '# you missed any$ our series is online with

transcripts$ 1P;s and help#ul links at "oaspecialenglish.com. %ou can also send us e-mail through the site. Orwrite to special3"oanews.com$ and be sure to include your name and tell us where you are.


T)!n+sgiving in t)e US


!his !hursday is !hanksgi"ing 5ay in the nited States. Americans traditionally gather #or a large holiday mealwith #amily and #riends. 1ost schools are also closed ,riday #or !hanksgi"ing break. Some students get all

week o##.

So where does this lea"e international students( )e asked a #ew colleges and uni"ersities around the country #or

this week&s report in our ,oreign Student Series.

'n the 6ortheast$


9/30

'n the Southeast$ Lelia 4raw#ord is director o# international student programs at Emory ni"ersity in Atlanta$


10/30

!he #our-hour test costs #orty-#i"e dollars. !he international processing charge is twenty-si/ -- plus an e/tra

twenty-three dollars in 'ndia and Pakistan.

Students may also need to take sub+ect tests. 'n#ormation about the SA! can be #ound online at

collegeboard.com.

6e/t time$ we will talk about the other ma+or test$ the A4!-- and about schools that do not re0uire either. And

we will discuss the !OE,L$ the !est o# English as a ,oreign Language.


T)e SAT !nd t)e ACT


!his week in our ,oreign Student Series$ we continue our discussion o# college entrance tests in the nited

States. !here are two competing admissions tests at the undergraduate le"el: the SA! and the A4!.

)e talked last week about the SA!. !he reasoning test in"ol"es mathematics and language and includes writingan essay. %ou can also take SA! sub+ect tests.

!he A4! is designed to measure what a student learned in high school. !here are 0uestions in #our skill areas:math$ English$ reading and science. !he A4! takes +ust o"er #our hours. 't costs #i#ty-si/ dollars to take outside

the nited States. A writing test -- which is not re0uired -- adds thirty minutes and #i#teen dollars. 5etails about

the A4! can be #ound at act.org.

A4! used to be short #or American 4ollege !esting? SA! once meant Scholastic Aptitude !est. *ut today the

letters no longer stand #or anything.

1ost American colleges and uni"ersities re0uire applicants #or a bachelor&s degree to take one o# the tests. Somestudents take both.

!he A4! is ad"ertised as America&s most widely accepted college entrance e/am. !he SA! is ad"ertised as

the one most widely taken and$ combined with high school grades$ the best predictor o# college success.

%et acti"ists ha"e long debated the #airness o# these tests and what they really show. !he issue has intensi#ied as

the test preparation industry has grown.

6ow$ some colleges and uni"ersities ha"e stopped re0uiring the tests. A group called ,air!est has #ound almost

eight hundred schools where students may be able to gain admission without the SA! or A4!. !he list is at

#airtest.org.

,or graduate-le"el programs$ applicants o#ten ha"e to take the


11/30

,or the past two weeks$ we ha"e talked about the SA! and A4! college admissions tests and the


12/30

An organiation o# business schools$ the


13/30

And$ #inally$ we ha"e 0uestions #rom 'ran$ A#ghanistan and 'ndonesia about how to pay #or an education

through loans or +obs. !here are rules that restrict the kinds o# +obs that #oreign students can ha"e while studyingin the nited States. *ut stay tuned. 'n the ne/t #ew weeks$ we will discuss #inancial aid as we talk about the

costs o# an American education.


P!ying .or Sc)ool in t)e US!his is the VOA Special English EDUCATION REPORT.


14/30

'nternational students can work twenty hours a week while attending classes? more during school breaks. %ou

can work until you complete your studies.

,oreign students normally cannot take a +ob that has no connection to their school. *ut the go"ernment may

gi"e permission i# students are suddenly #aced with a situation that is out o# their control. E/amples include

large medical bills$ the loss o# #inancial aid or an une/pected change in the #inancial condition o# their source o#

support.

Students must also meet other conditions. !hey must ha"e attended their American school #or at least one year.


15/30

Another help#ul site about American higher education and #inancial aid is educationusa.state.go".

About hal# o# international students are in graduate school. !he 'nstitute o# 'nternational Education in 6ew %orksays thirty-one percent during the last academic year were undergraduates. !he others were studying English or

in training program.

'n all$ the nited States has around eighteen million students in higher education. Last year$ more than si/

hundred twenty thousand$ or three and a hal# percent$ were international students.

!he nited States$ though$ has the largest market share$ about twenty percent o# all the international studentsin the world. *ut e"en as more and more students come to the nited States$ more and more are also going to

other countries. So e/perts say the American share is likely to go down in the #uture.

!he nearest competitor is *ritain$ with thirteen percent at last report. Other top countries #or international

students include ,rance$


16/30

And that&s the VOA Special English EDUCATION REPORT$ written by 6ancy Steinbach. !his was program

number twenty-one in our ,oreign Student Series on higher education in the nited States. !he series can be#ound at "oaspecialenglish.com. '&m Ste"e Ember.

Four 1inds o. Fin!nci!l Aid


!his week in our ,oreign Student Series$ we look at #inancial aid that comes in ships. Scholarships$ #ellowshipsand assistantships.

*ut #irst we talk about #inancial aid o# another kind: grants. A grant$ unlike a loan$ does not ha"e to be repaid.

One o# our e/amples this week is the ni"ersity o# 1issouri-4olumbia$ known as 1iou =pronounced mah-

@OO>. 1iou is a public uni"ersity with more than one thousand #i"e hundred international students thisschool year. !he total student population is more than thirty thousand.

1iou has a grant program #or international students. !he 4urator&s


17/30


18/30

Al"erno 4ollege in 1ilwaukee$ )isconsin$ is a small women&s school that does not use grades. athleen

O&*rien is the chie# academic o##icer. She says letter grades do not e##ecti"ely document learning or pro"idegood direction to students. She says e"en at big schools there are classes small enough to gi"e e"aluations. *ut

she says the American uni"ersity system is not organied to accept this kind o# change.

)e will talk more about grades ne/t week. *ut #irst$ let us know how you #eel about grades. %ou can submit

comments on this story and #ind earlier reports in our ,oreign Student Series at "oaspecialenglish.com.


&ig) $!r+s 2ust .or Trying?


!his week in our ,oreign Student Series$ we continue our discussion about grades.

)ould you want a doctor who got high marks in medical school +ust #or trying really$ really hard( Apparentlymany college students would ha"e no problem with that. !hey belie"e students are owed a good grade simply

because they put a lot o# e##ort into a class. Or at least that is what they told researchers last year at theni"ersity o# 4ali#ornia$ 'r"ine.

!he researchers asked more than eight hundred undergraduates i# they agreed or disagreed with somestatements. ,or e/ample: '# ' ha"e completed most o# the reading #or a class$ ' deser"e a * in that course.

And: A pro#essor should not be annoyed with me i# ' recei"e an important call during class.

9ust si/teen percent thought it was O to take that phone call. *ut si/ty-si/ percent agreed that a pro#essorshould consider e##ort and not +ust the 0uality o# a student&s work when deciding grades. And #orty percent

thought they should get a *$ the second highest mark$ +ust because they did most o# the reading #or class.

!he #indings appeared in the 9ournal o# %outh and Adolescence. !he students were ages eighteen to twenty-#i"e.

Some e/perts are not surprised that students o#ten see no di##erence between e##ort and results. Social critics

like to say that in children&s acti"ities these days$ e"eryone gets an award +ust #or trying$ so no one will #eelre+ected. Or so it may seem.

%et competition to get into the best colleges is #iercer than e"er. Students may worry that low grades will keep

them out o# graduate school or a good +ob.

And there may be another e/planation: pressure #rom parents to get a good return on the #amily&s in"estment.!hese days$ college can cost more than a house.

A #ormer teaching assistant recently wrote to the 6ew %ork !imes about his e/perience with grade e/pectations.

8e would try to e/plain it this way when students asked #or a top grade +ust #or studying hard in chemistry

class:

)hat i# a baseball player came to spring training and worked harder than all the others$ but still could not playwell. )ould the team accept him anyway$ +ust because he tried so hard(

!he students would say no. *ut most o# them would still ask #or an A.

And that&s the VOA Special English EDUCATION REPORT$ written by 6ancy Steinbach. !ell us what you

think about grades$ and read what others ha"e to say$ at "oaspecialenglish.com. 4lick on ,oreign Student Series.'&m Ste"e Ember.

&elping Foreign Students Feel !t &o#e


*eing a new student in school can be a little scary. *eing a new student in a new country can be e"en scarier.


19/30

A college or uni"ersity&s international student o##ice is a good place to start getting to know the school and the

country. !his week in our ,oreign Student Series$ we talk about support ser"ices #or international students in thenited States.

Our e/ample is the ni"ersity o# Southern 4ali#ornia in Los Angeles. .S.4. has had the most international

students o# any American college or uni"ersity #or the past se"en years. So says the 'nstitution o# 'nternational

Education in 6ew %ork.

.S.4.&s O##ice o# 'nternational Ser"ices says the number o# students this year is about se"en thousand #i"ehundred. !he ni"ersity o# Southern 4ali#ornia has more than thirty-#i"e thousand students total.

!he O##ice o# 'nternational Ser"ices helps e/plain student li#e at the uni"ersity. 't also organies programs to

help #oreign students #eel more at ease in their new surroundings. ,or e/ample$ there are trips to e/plore the LosAngeles area.

1ost American colleges and uni"ersities ha"e a similar o##ice that helps international students. !hese o##ices

look #or ways to get students in"ol"ed in school li#e and make American #riends. !heir +ob is not always easy.

'nternational students o#ten want to spend their #ree time with #riends #rom their own country or group.

'ndia$ 4hina$ South orea$ 9apan and 4anada sent the most students to the nited States during the last schoolyear. 6e/t came !aiwan$ 1e/ico$ !urkey$ Saudi Arabia and !hailand.

!he o##ice at .S.4. also assists #amily members who come to the nited States with international students. !he

#amily members can take English classes and go on trips to places like museums.

!he O##ice o# 'nternational Ser"ices also organies other acti"ities. ,or e/ample$ a State o# the )orld Seminartakes place each semester. A group o# international students and a pro#essor discuss current social and political

issues and take 0uestions #rom the audience. !he most recent seminar$ held earlier this month$ dealt with the

'sraeli-Palestinian con#lict.

And that&s the VOA Special English EDUCATION REPORT$ written by 6ancy Steinbach. Our series onstudying in the nited States will continue ne/t week. Earlier reports are at "oaspecialenglish.com. 4lick on

,oreign Student Series. %ou can write comments and read what other people are saying. '&m Ste"e Ember.

()ere To ive?


1arch 1adness is the name #or the busy championship season in American college basketball. *ut 1arch alsomeans another kind o# madness -- the ner"ous wait #or admissions letters #rom colleges and uni"ersities.

!his week in our ,oreign Student Series$ we +ump ahead to the sub+ect o# where to li"e. 8ousing policies di##er#rom school to school. Some schools ha"e limited housing or none at all.

5ormitory buildings might house a small number o# students or many hundreds. Some dorms ha"e suites. A

suite has se"eral bedrooms$ a common area and a bathroom. Other dorms ha"e rooms along a common hallway.

!wo$ three or #our students might share a room.

1ales and #emales o#ten li"e on di##erent #loors o# the same building. Or they might li"e on the same #loor$ or in

some cases e"en share a suite i# permitted. *ut single-se/ housing is usually also a"ailable.

5i##erent groups and organiations such as #raternities and sororities might ha"e their own houses where their

members li"e. And there is o#ten housing #or married students.

Some dorms are nice$ others are not so nice. *ut many students say they like the chance to make #riends and benear their classes.

4ost is another consideration. 5orms can cost less than o##-campus housing. *ut school-owned housing can also

cost more$ though the price may include meals.


20/30

8ere are some 0uestions to ask be#ore making a decision: 8ow much pri"acy can a student e/pect( )ill the

school pro"ide a single room i# a student re0uests one( )ill the school pro"ide a special diet i# a student needsone( And are any dorms open all year so international students can ha"e a place to stay during long "acations(

irsten ennedy$ housing director at the ni"ersity o# South 4arolina in 4olumbia$ says all #irst-year

undergraduates there ha"e to li"e in a dorm. A#ter that$ they are #ree to seek other housing.

Students can apply to become resident assistants a#ter li"ing in the dorms #or a year. 'nternational students can

also apply to become resident assistants a#ter a year in the dorms.

)orking as a resident assistant in student housing is one way to help #inance an education. At many schools$

7As earn money as well as get their room and meals #or #ree or at a reduced price.


Student Series is online at "oaspecialenglish.com. '&m Ste"e Ember.

Alco)ol on C!#pus


1ost American colleges and uni"ersities take a spring break. Students might go home to their #amilies -- or

spend a week partying on a warm beach with no parents around. !hat is the popular image$ at least.

'n the nited States$ the legal age to drink alcohol is twenty-one -- one o# the highest in the world. Americans

debate whether it should be lowered$ or whether young drinkers would only drink more. 'n parts o# Europe$ the

legal drinking age #or beer$ and sometimes hard li0uor$ is si/teen. %et ,rance may raise the age limit #or beerand wine sales to eighteen$ the same as #or hard li0uor there.

7ules on alcohol di##er #rom college to college in the nited States. 1any schools re0uire all #irst-year students

to take an alcohol pre"ention and education program$ o#ten gi"en online. Some ha"e a ero tolerance policywhere alcohol is banned #rom all buildings. Parents are in#ormed o# "iolations and students may be suspended.

At the ni"ersity o# Virginia in 4harlottes"ille$ permission is needed to ser"e alcohol at any e"ent on campus.*ut alcohol is banned in #irst-year dorms -- where most students are under twenty-one anyway.

Susan 5a"is$ a uni"ersity lawyer$ says campus police and local police report underage drinking "iolations to

administrators. !he uni"ersity +udicial committee decides punishment on a case by case basis. ,or e/ample$ the

committee might suspend or e/pel a student. 't might re0uire an alcohol education program. Or it might +ustgi"e a warning.

9on @ug is a prosecutor in Albemarle 4ounty$ where the uni"ersity is located. 8e says international studentswould #ace the same punishment as American citiens #or underage drinking in Virginia. !hat includes a #ine o#

#i"e hundred dollars or #i#ty hours o# community ser"ice. *ut #irst o##enders might be gi"en a chance tocomplete an alcohol education program instead.

Schools ha"e to report legal "iolations by international students to the 5epartment o# 8omeland Security.

'nternational ad"iser 7ichard !anson at the ni"ersity o# Virginia says e"en minor "iolations stay on a student&spermanent immigration record. 8e says international students should know that this can a##ect them in the

#uture i# they try to re-enter the nited States.

And that&s the VOA Special English EDUCATION REPORT$ written by 6ancy Steinbach. Earlier reports in

our ,oreign Student Series can be #ound at "oaspecialenglish.com. '&m Ste"e Ember.

Co#ing to Ter#s (it) Ac!de#ic Titles



21/30

6ot all college teachers are #ull pro#essors. 1any are assistant or ad+unct pro#essors. !his week in our ,oreign

Student Series$ we discuss academic titles in American higher education.

Pro#essors usually ha"e doctorate degrees. *ut college students may be taught by instructors who ha"e not

completed their doctorate degrees. A#ter that$ the instructor could become an assistant pro#essor. Assistant

pro#essors do not ha"e tenure.

A pro#essor with tenure cannot be easily dismissed. Such appointments are permanent. !hose hired with the

understanding they will seek tenure are said to be on the tenure track. Assistant pro#essor is the #irst +ob onthis path.

Assistant pro#essors ha"e #i"e to se"en years to get tenure. !hey must teach$ carry out research and publish their

#indings. Other pro#essors then study the work. '# tenure is denied$ the person usually has a year to #ind another+ob. An assistant pro#essor who recei"es tenure becomes an associate pro#essor and may later be appointed a #ull

pro#essor.

Pro#essors on the tenure track teach classes$ ad"ise students and carry out research. !hey also ser"e on

committees and take part in community acti"ities.

Other teachers are not e/pected to do all this. !hey are not on a tenure track. !hey are called ad+uncts.

An ad+unct pro#essor is hired to teach #or a limited time$ usually one semester. Ad+unct pro#essors may ha"e a

doctorate. *ut they recei"e lower pay than those on the tenure track and ha"e no +ob security.

!he American Association o# ni"ersity Pro#essors says si/ty-eight percent o# all teacher appointments at

American colleges today are ad+uncts. 4ollege o##icials say one reason is low budgets. Another is ha"ing the#reedom to change teachers as courses become more or less popular. !hey also say part-time ad+uncts can

pro"ide real world e/perience #or their students.

*ut the AAP and other college o##icials say too many ad+uncts mean lower educational 0uality. !hey say

ad+uncts do not ha"e the time or support to help students outside class. And they say #ewer tenure trackpositions mean #ewer people to work with students$ create new courses and ser"e on committees.

And that&s the VOA Special English EDUCATION REPORT$ written by 6ancy Steinbach. !ranscripts$ 1P;s

and podcasts o# our programs are at "oaspecialenglish.com. '&m Shirley


22/30

Accidental plagiarism can sometimes result #rom cultural di##erences.

At 'ndiana ni"ersity in *loomington$ si/ty percent o# students who use the O##ice o# )riting !utorial Ser"icesare non-nati"e English speakers. !he director$ 9oanne Vogt$ says some ha"e no idea that copying #rom published

works is considered wrong. She says students #rom 4hina$ #or e/ample$ may think they are insulting readers i#

they credit other sources. !hey belie"e that educated readers should already know where the in#ormation came

#rom.

!he more you gi"e credit$ the less you risk accusations o# plagiarism. Any sentences taken directly #rom asource should appear inside 0uotation marks. And e"en i# you put those sentences into your own words$ you

should still gi"e credit to where you got the in#ormation.

And that&s the VOA Special English EDUCATION REPORT$ written by 6ancy Steinbach. 1ore aboutplagiarism ne/t week. )e will also discuss other rules #or academic writing in the nited States. Earlier reports

in our ,oreign Student Series are at "oaspecialenglish.com -- along with links to some writing resources at

American uni"ersities. '&m Ste"e Ember.

-e/!re o. Ess!y $ills


)e continue our discussion o# plagiarism. Last week$ we said colleges and uni"ersities in the nited States

de#ine plagiarism as representing another person&s work as your own. 't is considered a kind o# cheating.

Pro#essors at American colleges ha"e tried many ways to stop student plagiarism.

Some use online detection ser"ices. !hey also may discuss plagiarism with their students at the start o# e"ery

term. Some re0uire their students to turn in early "ersions o# term papers$ research papers and essays they are

writing. !his makes it more di##icult #or students to buy papers #rom companies that some call plagiarism

mills or essay mills.

A recent report in !he 4hronicle o# 8igher Education described such businesses. 1any can be #ound on the

'nternet. !hey sell newly written papers on many sub+ects. !he cost depends on the di##iculty o# the sub+ect and

how soon the paper is needed. !he cost could be #rom twenty to #orty dollars a page.

Such companies say their writers ha"e ad"anced degrees$ and will target the papers to any educational le"el.'n"estigators say the writers may be working in countries like 'ndia$ 6igeria or 'ndonesia and are poorly paid.

1ost o# these companies say their work should only be used as models and should not be turned in as a #inished

work. *ut students do it anyway.

Some students claim that they order such papers as a way to organie their research. *ut many also say they donot ha"e enough time to do the work themsel"es and are under great pressure to do well in school.

ni"ersity o# 6otre 5ame anthropology pro#essor Susan *lum wrote about this in a new book$ 1y )ord2

Plagiarism and 4ollege 4ulture. She writes that academic cheating is a result o# communication #ailure

between students and pro#essors. And she says international students must be sure they know the rules o# thecollege they are attending.

Plagiarism may also be a problem in other countries. A recent e-mail to us #rom 'ran described an incident in an

English class. Students were supposed to research tourist places in 'ran. *ut one student copied in#ormation

#rom a book. !he student changed 4hina to 'ran but #orgot to change the names o# the places. )hen the

teacher asked about his research$ he said: One o# the most beauti#ul tourist places in 'ran is Shanghai.

And that&s the VOA Special English EDUCATION REPORT$ written by 6ancy Steinbach. '&m *arbara lein.

(riting College P!pers



23/30

!oday in our ,oreign Student Series we discuss writing college papers. )riting a term paper$ research paper or

essay #or a college class is a kind o# academic writing. Academic writing among pro#essionals is a way tocreate new knowledge.

A pro#essor assigns students to write a paper. !he students e/amine an issue$ re"iew what is already known$

think about what they ha"e learned and come to some conclusion.

!his means that each student-writer must present in#ormation and also take a position. !he student might

support an idea$ 0uestion it or e"en dispro"e it. Or the writer could show how the sub+ect may be understoodbetter or in a di##erent way than it has been. And the student must support the position with e"idence.

4ultural di##erences may inter#ere when international students try to write this way. )riting teachers say

students in many countries ha"e learned to write beauti#ul descriptions about something without e"er stating themain idea. American college students are e/pected to state their main idea at the beginning o# the paper.

'n other cultures$ paragraphs may be organied to build toward the main idea$ which is re"ealed at the end. *ut

in the nited States$ the main idea o# each paragraph should be in the #irst sentence. Another di##erence is

about writing style. Other cultures may use lots o# descripti"e words. *ut American English "alues short$ strongsentences.

!eachers at the writing center at Purdue ni"ersity in )est La#ayette$ 'ndiana work with students to impro"e

their writing.


24/30

!he 4ollege o# Agriculture and 6atural 7esources at 1ichigan State ni"ersity o##ers si/ty programs o# study.

7ichard *randenburg is the associate dean #or graduate programs. 8e says #oreign agriculture students this yearare #rom countries including 9apan$ the 6etherlands$ 7wanda$ El Sal"ador$ !urkey$ Sri Lanka and 'ndia.

'n all$ the college has #our hundred thirty-three #oreign students in East Lansing. 't also has ele"en students at a

campus in 5ubai$ in the nited Arab Emirates. !he only agriculture program currently o##ered in 5ubai is

construction management.

1ichigan State opened its 5ubai campus in August. 't has only about #i#ty students now$ but the uni"ersity saysit has recei"ed about ninety applications #or admission this #all. )e&ll talk more about #oreign campuses o#

American uni"ersities ne/t week.

And that&s the VOA Special English EDUCATION REPORT$ written by 6ancy Steinbach. Our series is onlineat "oaspecialenglish.com. '&m *ob 5oughty.

Studying !t !n A#eric!n University, 2ust Not in t)e

US


!his week in our series on American higher education$ we discuss programs that are a"ailable in the 1iddle

East.

)e talked last week about 1ichigan State ni"ersity which opened a campus in August in the nited ArabEmirates. 1S 5ubai o##ers undergraduate degrees in areas including business$ engineering$ education and

telecommunications. 't also o##ers some graduate programs.

!his October$ 1ichigan State plans to open a pre-college program -- the 1S 5ubai Academy. !he aim is to

help #oreign students prepare to attend an American school.

Other American uni"ersities with campuses in the 1iddle East include 4arnegie 1ellon$ 4ornell$


25/30

Correction3


26/30

6ominees #or these academies must be se"enteen to twenty-three years old$ unmarried and with no children.

4andidates are usually nominated by members o# 4ongress. 'nternational candidates are nominated by theirhome go"ernments$ which pay #or their education.

Each go"ernment has its own re0uirements #or military ser"ice a#ter students graduate. Americans who attend

these #our-year colleges must ser"e at least #i"e years o# acti"e duty.

!he 5e#ense 5epartment chooses more than one hundred countries e"ery year and in"ites them to nominate

students to the academies. As many as si/ty #oreign students may attend each school at any one time.

,or e/ample$ the ne/t class at the 6a"al Academy will include eighteen #oreign students$ #our o# them #emale.

!his will bring the total number o# #oreign students at the 6a"al Academy to #i#ty- three.

!im 5isher$ head o# international programs$ says those interested should contact the agency that includes their

own na"al department. Plus$ all o# the academies ha"e admissions in#ormation on their )eb sites.

'nternational students can also attend the 4oast


27/30

!he 4ouncil o#


28/30

9ob cuts ha"e slowed in some industries. *ut the economic downturn has cost millions o# +obs and reco"ery will

take some time.

,oreign graduates need a +ob o##er to get an 8-F* "isa. !his is a non-immigrant "isa #or work in the person&s

area o# specialty. !he employer is the one who applies #or it. !he "isa is good #or three years and may be

e/tended #or another three years.

4heryl


29/30


30/30

first steps studing use

Documents