The Economic Impact of International Students on American Schools and Their Surrounding Communities

NAFSA (National Association of Foreign Student Advisors) recently released it's annual economic impact statement on the financial contributions that international students in USA make to the American economy - by their estimates, a staggering $18.8 BILLION dollars! The real number is probably far greater once "mulitpliers" are factored in. Click on this link to read NAFSA's 2009-2010 economic impact statement: http://www.nafsa.org/_/File/_/eis2010/usa.pdf

The NAFSA report provides schools struggling with ever-shrinking budgets with a reminder that their international student programs, from a purely financial perspective, should remain an important and well-funded part of their overall operating expenditures. Schools should also keep in mind that international students' financial contributions extend throughout the surrounding communities. At the very minimum, they fill vacant residential spaces and buy local goods and services, help create jobs, and increase spending power within the communities they live in.

For schools that are seeking to increase their international student enrollment in 2011 or merely to explore more cost-effective recruiting strategies, American Education Partners (AEP) can provide a variety of solutions. Contact AEP's School Outreach Team at: info@americanedpartners.com for more information.

Choosing Where To Attend School in the USA

Dear students planning to study in the USA in 2011:
The process of trying to choose which of the USA's 4000+ colleges and universities is the right one for you can be a long and exhausting experience. As you compare school facts and figures, be sure to learn all that you can about the school's location. The best school is one that is also in a location that you will like and be comfortable living in. You will spend a lot of your time at school, but you will probably be spending even more time outside of school so your school's location and what it has to offer should also be a very important factor when making your school decision.
If you have never lived outside of your home country or have never visited the USA, you may not realize how important living in a comfortable place that fits your lifestyle is. Studies show that happiness with your living environment is directly linked to school success. If you are happy where you are living, other aspects of your experience, including your studies will be positively affected. If you are not happy where you are living, your experience and studies will be negatively affected.
When you are going through the process of choosing the best college or university, also carefully consider the types of weather you like, what hobbies you have, and what kind of local attractions and activities you would like to experience after school and on holidays.
Most school websites help you learn about the local area by including information or links that describe the climate, local area events and attractions, and how to get to them the school.
For example, if you want to study business, get a personalized education experience, have the opportunity to participate in a post-studies work program, like to live in warm weather, play outdoor sports and have a lot of different cultural and social experiences, you may want to select a small, private university that's located in or near a large city in California, Texas, or Florida. If you have different goals and preferences, you may want to consider different places.
With so many schools to choose from in so many different types of locations, the perfect combination of school and location can be found for just about any student.
If you need assistance in starting or completing the process of finding the school that's right for YOU, contact one of American Education Partners' school placement advisors at: info@americanedpartners.com

Conditional Admission Pathways to Great Universities Throughout the USA

American Education Partners enables academically- and financially-qualified international students who need to improve their English skills to get conditional admission to great colleges and universities throughout the USA. Students who successfully complete approved Intensive English Programs do not need to take the TOEFL or IELTS exam to gain full admission to these schools' bachelors or select masters degree programs.

Our conditional admission partner schools include the following:

Top 100 National Universities - 8 schools
Top 200 National Universities - 17 schools
Top 300 National Universities - 7 schools

Top 100 Liberal Arts Colleges - 5 schools
Top 200 Liberal Arts Colleges - 15 schools

Top 100 Midwestern Universities - 32 schools
Top 200 Midwestern Universities - 6 schools

Top 100 Northern Universities - 15 schools
Top 200 Northern Universities - 14 schools

Top 100 Southern Universities - 25 schools
Top 200 Southern Universities - 4 schools

Top 100 Western Universities - 19 schools
Top 200 Western Universities - 8 schools

To learn more about how American Education Partners can help provide a conditional admission pathway to great colleges and universities throughout the USA, email our school placement advisors at: info@americanedpartners.com

Meeting the English Proficiency Requirement - Standardized English Test or Intensive English Program?

Before being fully accepted to an American associate, bachelor, or masters degree program, international students must demonstrate that they have the necessary English proficiency skills needed to succeed. Most colleges and universities give students the option of demonstrating their English skills by either taking a standardized English test like the TOEFL or IELTS exams or successfully completing an Intensive English Program.
Which option is best?
Depending on your current English skills, your budget, and how much time before you want to begin your degree program, one option may be better than another. If you decide to take the TOEFL or IELTS Exam, you will have to make an appointment at an approved test center, pay for the test fee, take the 3-hour test, and wait a couple of weeks to receive your official score. Many students who take these tests spend a month or more beforehand studying in a test preparation course or studying on their own with test preparation books. If you do not get the minimum test score needed for full admission to your chosen degree program, you will need to re-take the test again until you do. Each re-test requires making an additional test appointment, paying an additional test fee, and spending additional time preparing for the test.
Although the TOEFL and IELTS exams are relatively inexpensive to study for and take, there are a couple things to be aware of. First, they do not determine how well you understand American culture or are able to effectively function in different living and social situations outside of school. Second, a great TOEFL or IELTS score does not guarantee that you will not have to take additional English classes at your college or university. Before you can register for classes at your new college or university, you must take their own English placement test. The score you receive on the English placement test, not your TOEFL or IELTS exam score, determines whether you will need additional English classes before enrolling in classes for your degree program. 
The other option, Intensive English Programs, are offered by most colleges and universities. These programs are designed by the school's professors to help students learn the English skills needed to succeed in their degree programs as well as learn about American culture and functioning confidently in everyday situations outside of school. They also help you become familiar with the school that you will be spending the next few years studying at.
A significant benefit that many Intensive English Programs offer students is "CONDITIONAL ADMISSION" to their degree programs. With conditional admission, the Intensive English Program helps you apply to the degree program and get an acceptance letter that states you will be fully accepted once you successfully complete the Intensive English Program. Students who successfully complete the Intensive English Program usually do not need to take the TOEFL or IELTS exams to get accepted to the college's/ university's associate or bachelor degree (and some masters degree) programs. Conditional admission letters give you the assurance that you will be accepted to the school of your choice as soon as you complete the Intensive English Program. Showing a conditional admission letter during your student visa interview demonstrates that you are a serious student and have a definite long-term plan to study in the USA.
If you enroll in an Intensive English Program you will usually study in class for 4-5 hours a day and have many opportunities to further improve your English skills outside of class. Depending on how much time is required to meet the English proficiency requirements of the college or university you are planning to attend, studying in an Intensive English Program may be more expensive than preparing for and taking the TOEFL or IELTS exams, but students you will generally be better-prepared for success in your degree program.

American Education Partners (http://www.americanedpartneers.com/) works closely with many Intensive English Programs at great colleges and universities throughout the USA that can offer conditional admission to academically and financially-qualified students. If you are considering enrolling in an Intensive English Program before starting your associate, bachelor or masters degree program, contact our school placement advisors at: info@americanedpartners.com for personalized assistance.  

New Programs and Services Coming in 2011

In an ongoing effort to provide international students with the most comprehensive set of services and program choices, American Education Partners (AEP) will be adding several new highly-regarded high schools and universities and introducing some exciting new services.

New Schools:
AEP is partnering with several new public and private high schools, colleges, and universities in safe locations throughout the USA. Most of our new partner universities have earned top tier-rankings on a national or regional level. 

New Services:
Getting into the most competitive universities requires expert advice and personalized support. Beginning in January 2011, AEP will begin offering the "Ivy League Pathway Service". This service matches current international high school students with mentoring services from experienced Ivy League graduates who design customized plans to help each student succeed on the SAT and ACT tests as well as prepare successsful applications to Ivy League schools. Short-term aand long-term plans can be created for each student, depending on their needs and college preparation timeframe.

Look for more details on AEP's new schools and services in the coming weeks.

Begin The New Year At An American College or University!

Colleges and universities across the USA are getting ready to welcome a new group of international students beginning in early 2011. If you were not able to begin your studies in the USA in the Fall, no problem. Classes that started in the Fall will end in December and brand new classes will start in January.
Beginning your American college or university program in the Winter or Spring has at least a couple of advantages over starting in the Fall. First, there are fewer new students starting in the Winter and Spring than in the Fall. This makes it faster and easier to get through the orientation, placement testing and class registration process. Second, you will be starting your program with more experienced international students who have already been through at least one term at the school. Their experience and knowledge about the school and its facilities and services will help you get adjusted and comfortable with your new environment more quickly and easily.

Depending on how prepared you are for your studies in America, there are many options available to you. If you still need to improve your English, there are many good Intensive English Programs that provide the kind of training needed to succeed in your academic studies and can secure your "conditional admission" to the college/ university before you arrive in the USA. If you successfully complete these Intensive English Programs, you may not need to take the TOEFL or IELTS exams.

If you are not ready to begin your program in January when most new school terms begin, there are many schools that offer later starting dates in March and April.

American Education Partners has successfully helped students from around the world find the American education programs that best meet their educational goals. We work on a personal level with each student and also work closely with each school to make sure the admission process goes quickly and smoothly.
If you are considering an American college or university program in early 2011, there is still time to apply to many schools. Contact our school placement team today to learn how we can help at: info@americanedpartners.com   

Choosing The Right American School - What Are The Real Students Saying?

American schools spend a TREMENDOUS amount of money each year to create and maintain the image that they offer potential students a great place to live and study. To accomplish this, most hire professional marketing consultants, photographers, graphic designers to create professional, attractive-looking brochures and websites.
There's nothing wrong in doing this, but if you are an international student living thousands of miles away and have never visited the school, how can you find out if the schools claims are true and if it is really the right school for you? One good way is to find out what actual students say about their experience.
A good website to read about what real students have to say about their schools - both good and bad - is http://www.unigo.com/.* This website provides student comments about hundreds of colleges and universities throughout the USA. You can search student comments by school name, number of comments per school, or popularity. Students provide comments on such things as the school's academic and social life, and what they consider to be the best and worst things about the school.
The good thing about these comments are that they are made independently of the school. Students are not paid to post their comments and they are not edited by the school's public relations department. The bad thing is that these comments do not necessarily reflect a true overall representation of all of student opinions from the school - just the ones who felt strongly enough to post good or bad reviews.  Keeping these things in mind, it is important for any international student reading the comments to keep them in the proper perspective and to not rely upon them too heavily in your overall decision of which school to apply to in the USA.

Another thing to keep in mind is that most of the comments on the Unigo website are made by American students, rather than international students. Their experiences and opinions may differ from those of international students. If you attended an American college or university as an international student, adding your comments on this website will help future international students gain a better perspective about what they can expect to experience at your school.

American Education Partners makes a special effort to visit schools throughout the USA each year to gain a first-hand perspective from an international student's point of view. During AEP schools visits, we look at the facilities, programs, and international student support services they have to offer. Once we are satisfied that the school meets all of our high standards, they become a "Partner School" and are recommended to future students. To learn which schools might be a good match for your education goals and needs, contact the AEP School Placement Team today at: info@americanedpartners.com

*NOTE TO READERS: American Education Partners has no affiliation with the organization(s) behind the Unigo.com website. We provide the information about this website simply to inform future students about an information resource they can use in their school planning research.   

How To Pick A Good Overseas Education Advisor

If you're an overseas student planning to study in an American college or university, you have many things to decide on and prepare for:
- Choosing the best school from over 4000 choices.
- Finding a safe, comfortable place to live before your arrival.
- Getting safely from the airport to your new school/ home.
- Getting $100,000 or more to earn your American diploma or degree.

With such a huge committment of time and money and so many options and factors that go into planning the best education program possible, many students seek the guidance and support of an overseas education advising service in their local area.
Choosing the right advising service is almost as important as choosing the right school. Here are some things to look for when you are deciding which education advisor to work with:
Government License - Does the advising service have a current government license? They usually have to have it displayed in their office so ask to see it. Government licenses show that the service has the necessary financial support to operate and the experience and resources necessary to provide good advising services. If the company does not have a government license, be careful!
Education Background and Advising Experience - Find out if the counseling staff you will be directly working with have the education and experience needed to give you the kind of good advice you need. Ideally, the counselors should have attended an American college or university and have at least 3-5 years of experience in helping students get accepted to American schools. They should be able to provide a long list of schools they have helped students get accepted to, especially the kind of school you want to apply to.
Office Facilties/ Location - The office should be located in a good area and be well-staffed and equipped with the necessary printed and online resources needed to get you quick answers to your school placement questions.
Type of Schools and Services - You should work with an advising service that specializes in placing students in American schools. American schools and the American school system is different from other countries so it's important to work with a service that focuses mostly on placing students with American schools rather than schools in many different countries. American school specialists will be able to provide you with better information and better preparation for the experiences you are going to encounter in the USA.
Price - Compare the service prices of at least a few advising services, but don't necessarily choose the one that offers the cheapest prices. If you try to save money by working with a less-experienced advisor, you may end up paying much more in the end if they make mistakes or your decisions are based upon inaccurate or incomplete information they provide.
References and Reputation - Don't believe the claims or success stories that an advising service states in their promotional material or tells you until you can verify them from independent sources. Try to find out the school placement results from former clients from online sources. Look at which schools the advising service is an official representative for. Most American colleges and universities are very selective in who they will allow to represent them so if you see certificates from a lot of good schools posted in the advisor's office, that is a good sign.
Pre-Departure Services - Getting a school acceptance letter is just a small part of the process of starting your American education program. A good advisor will be able to help you apply for your student visa and prepare for the visa interview, give you lessons on what to expect in an American classroom, successfully dealing with everyday living situations in the USA, making travel reservations, purchasing the necessary medical insurance, providing on-going support services, etc.

STUDENTS - What was your experience working with an overseas school advisor? Do you feel they helped you make the right decisions? Do you feel they were worth the money you paid them?

SCHOOLS -  What has been your experience working with overseas school advisors? How do you decide which advisors to work with? How important are these advisors to your international student recruiting efforts?

American Education Partners works with a number of experienced and carefully-selected American school placement advisors throughout the world. For help in finding a good education advisor in your local area, contact our School Placement staff at: info@americanedpartners.com

University Extension Programs for International Students - Fast-Track to a Better Career

In today's challenging and rapidly-changing global economy, many people are seeking ways they can gain the best advantages in the job market. The solution for many international students may be enrolling in an extension program offered by many prestigious universities throughout the USA.

What are "Extension Programs"?
Extension programs are focused education programs taught by regular university instructors that help students develop specific types of practical knowledge and/ or skills they can apply to current or future jobs. There are extension programs designed for recent high school and university graduates, as well  as experienced professionals. Extension programs offer students the opportunity to earn a certificate from the university after successful completion of a certain set of courses. Many certificate programs can be completed in less than one year, some in as little as 2 months.

What are the Main Benefits of Extension Programs?
University extension programs offer many important benefits for students seeking additional knowledge, skills, and training:

• Low Cost - Because of their shorter length, the school and living expenses for extension  certificate programs are far less than for traditional university degree programs. 
• Practical Training - Extension program courses teach students current, relevant knowledge and gain experience in applying it to real-life situations. Certificate programs lasting at least 9 months will qualify students for the Optional Practical Traiuning (OPT) program that provides the opportunity to get paid work experience with an American company for up to one year.
• Flexibility - Most university extension programs offer multiple starting dates each year to accommodate different students' schedules.
• Accessibility  - University extension programs offer students who are academically inadmissable to traditional degree programs the opportunity to earn valuable education and training from regular university instructors.     
• Professional networking opportunities - Students work closely with classmates, instructors, and outside businesspeople during their program and naturally develop connections with them. These connections can become important parts of a student's professional business network and sources for future business opportunities. 
• Prestige - Completion of a university extension program provides students with the prestige of having earned an education certificate from a good American university. This accomplishment can be added to students' resumes and help them advance their careers.

What are the Admission Requirements for University Extension Programs?
Most students considering a university extension program will need to meet the following requirements for admission:

1. Strong English skills - Most programs require students to submit a minimum IBT TOEFL score of 80. Students who do not yet have strong English skills may first enroll in intensive English courses offered by most Extension Programs. 
2. Bachelors degree (for post-graduate programs) - Students must have earned the equivalent of at least a bachelors degree in order to be accepted to post-graduate-level Extension programs.
3. Sufficient financial support - Students must be able to demonstrate that they have enough money from personal, family, business, or government funds to cover all of the expected school and living costs during the program. Financial requirements will vary depending on the length of the program, school, location and housing type selected.  

Some programs may have additional requirements, depending on the nature of the program and the prior knowledge required for successful participation.

AEP works closely with several prestigious university extension programs throughout the USA that offer a wide variety of programs in art, business, education, hospitality, information technology, sciences, and many other fields. To learn more about which programs may be best for your students and how AEP can help them get accepted, contact our School Placement Team at: info@americanedpartners.com

Educating Overseas Advisors About American School Programs - "It Depends"

AEP staff recently conducted a series of training meetings with our newest Global Network Partners in Beijing, China. These meetings provided opportunities for our Asian partners to learn the latest news about AEP programs and effective delivery of AEP school advising and placement services. It also offered a forum in which they could get answers to their most frequently asked questions about admission requirements, course content and delivery, and housing options. One of the main things highlighted during the Q&A sessions was the distinctive nature and large variety of American school programs. It seemed that the answers to most questions had to be prefaced by the phrase, "it depends". Some of the many questions asked included: "What kind of housing do American universities offer?", "What is the minimum GRE/ GMAT score for masters degree programs?", "What kind of student support services are available?", etc.

While American high schools, colleges and universities share many things in common, their vast numbers, compounded by the slight and not-so-slight differences unique to each, mean that even generalizations are difficult to make. For this reason, AEP invests significant effort in developing detailed, up-to-date information about each of our American partner schools. AEP's U.S. Headquarters then provides this information to our global network of advisors who, in turn, share it with potential students. Students who wish to enroll in AEP programs are guided through the school application and visa process through the coordinated efforts of AEP's overseas Global Network Partners and our U.S.-based school placement team.
AEP welcomes inquiries from overseas agents seeking expert school advising and placement support for programs starting in early 2011. Please contact our placement advising team for assistance at: info@americanedpartners.com

"Best Value Schools" To Look at for Spring 2011

The old saying, "You get what you pay for" tends to be true in most cases. When it comes to American colleges or universities, however, it's possible to find many institutions that provide great education programs, great campus facilities and student support services at prices that are far lower than other schools that provide much less.

In this week's message, we take a look at what a "Best Value School" is and introduce you to one of them.

What Is A "Best Value School"?

A "Best Value School" is one that provides students with a high quality educational experience at a reasonable cost. Schools can provide these experiences in several different ways:

1) Offer small classes and a small student-to-faculty ratio.

2) Offer a wide variety of academic programs and student support services.  

3) Have clean, modern campus facilities that utilize the latest learning technologies.

4) Have easy access to computers, wi-fi connections, and research/ study facilities.

5) Have highly educated and experienced instructors.

6) Have a dedicated international student office with experienced staff committed to helping each student succeed.

Featured "Best Value Schools" For Spring 2011  

Here is just one example of what American Education Partners has found to be a "Best Value School" here in the USA:

Cascadia Community College- Cascadia is the newest community college in Washington state, but has quickly risen to become one of the best in the United States (Ranked #2 in the USA by Washington Monthly magazine).

Cascadia students receive many benefits not available at most other schools. First, Cascadia shares its campus with the University of Washington. Students not only get access to University of Washington's vast research archives and publications, but many Cascadia instructors are also University of Washington instructors. Second, the college has a student enrollment of just 3,000 students. This means small class sizes and a much greater amount of student-teacher/ faculty contact time than possible at larger schools. Third, students benefit from Cascadia's corporate partnerships. Cascadia classrooms use the latest learning technologies developed by Microsoft and students have internship opportunities at this and other well-known local technology companies. Fourth, Cascadia has the highest percentage of students transferring to the University of Washington (Ranked #41 in the USA).
Considering all of these features and the fact that tuition fees are typically $10,000 - $20,000 less each year than most 4-year universities, Cascadia Community College is truly a "Best Value School".

Cascadia Community College is accepting applications for Winter 2011 beginning in early January. American Education Partners' placement team can help international students through the application process to Cascadia Community College and other carefully-selected schools and provide other services like airport pick-up, housing placement and on-going student support service. Please contact the AEP placement team for more information at: info@americanedpartners.com  



New East Coast University Partner - University of Connecticut

American Education Partners (http://www.americanedpartners.com/) is pleased to provide qualified students with admission and housing placement to the University of Connecticut's Torrington campus in Northwestern Connecticut.

Why UConn?

University of Connecticut and several of its individual departments have consistently received top-rankings by several publications including U.S. News and World Report, Forbes, Kiplingers, and many others. University of Connecticut was recently ranked the top public university in the Northeastern United States and a Top 50 school in the entire United States. Students can choose from over 100 majors in fields such as business, education, engineering, health sciences, aand many others.

Students who apply to UConn through American Education Partners will study their first year at the Torrington campus. This small, 100-acre campus provides first-year students with a number of important benefits:
- Less competitive admissions requirements.
- Small classes with a 10:1 student-to-faculty ratio
- Full-accesss to UConn's extensive online research materials
- Safe, small-town living environment
- Comfortable living accomodations in a beautifully-restored nearby dormitory

Why Connecticut?

Connecticut enjoys four distinct seasons, each of which offers beautiful natural scenery, opportunities to enjoy outdoor sports and activities and participate in a wide variety of cultural events.

Among Connecticut's many great features is its safe living environment. Connecticut has one of the lowest crime rates in the United States. In Northwestern Connecticut, home to UConn's Torrington campus, serious crime is almost non-existent.
Connecticut also has a strong tradition of providing world-class education. Connecticut high school students have some of the best test scores in the country and most of the state's universities are nationally or regionally-ranked.
Adding to these important features are Connecticut's beautiful natural scenery and convenient location - two hours or less to New York City and less than three hours to Boston. Both of these cities, as well as many other places in between, are easily reached by commuter or long-distance trains.

Featured Public High Schools for Spring 2011

American Education Partners is pleased to be able to offer international students with the opportunity to spend a semester at several top public high schools starting in January 2011.

Each of our partner public high schools are located in very safe, smaller towns in Northwestern Connecticut, less than 2 hours from New York City. Connecticut public high schools are widely recognized for their high academic standards and student achievements. Each of our partner public high schools offers a wide range of Advanced Placement (AP) and Honors classes to qualified students. Additionally, students will be able to join a number of student clubs and sports that are offered at each school.

Students enrolling in these schools will live in dormitory-style housing in charming, renovated houses. The dormitory will be supervised by a full-time live-in house parent who will prepare 3 home-cooked meals each day, provide transportation to and from school each day, homework assistance and more.  

Students will enroll in these programs on the F-1 visa program which will allow them the option of continuing their high school education in the USA and entering college or university without having to return to their country to apply for a different visa.

Read below for an introduction to our public high schools that are accepting applications for Spring 2011.

Canton High School – Founded in 1854, it is located in Northwestern Connecticut, just 90 minutes from New York City. The school has approximately 540 students with an average class size of just 21 students. It was recently named a Silver Medal School on U.S. News and World Report magazine’s “Best Schools” list for the quality of its academic program.

Farmington High School – Also located in rural Northwestern Connecticut, Farmington High School has consistently received recognition for its education program, teaching staff and its students’ high test scores. It was recently ranked as the top public high school in Connecticut by Newsweek magazine and #271 in the entire United States.

Killingly High School – One of Connecticut’s most modern and progressive schools. The school recently completed a new campus building that utilizes the most modern learning facilities and technology available. Each student at Killingly is provided with his/ her own Mac laptop computer to use for class homework and research projects throughout the school year,

Northwest Regional High School – A comprehensive public high school that provides a solid college preparation curriculum combined with elective courses in practical subjects such as business, culinary arts, technology, and many others.

Woodstock Academy – Woodstock Academy is a public/ private school, partially supported by local government funding.  The school is committed to providing a safe, supportive educational environment that encourages students to pursue learning opportunities inside and outside of the classroom.

American Education Partners is currently seeking out good public high schools in other areas of the USA to recommend to international students in 2011.

Read our weekly blog updates to learn the latest news and information about education opportunities in the USA!

Latest Midwestern and Western University Rankings

American Education Partners is proud to offer students the opportunity to apply to many nationally-and regionally-ranked colleges and universities throughout the USA. This week, we introduce some more of our partner schools in the Western and Midwestern USA and the most recent rankings they received in U.S. News and World Report magazine's annual school rankings issue. Each of these schools' rankings improved once again, demonstrating their committment to providing students with a good education and a good experience.


Midwestern USA Schools


Bradley University - #6 Midwestern USA University - Bradley is a private independent university, located on a beautiful 85-acre campus in Peoria, Illinois. Bradley University offers more than 100 academic programs of study. The University's Foster College of Business is AACSB-accredited and its undergraduate program has been ranked the 11th best in the United States.



Western USA Schools

California State University - Northridge (Tseng College) - 1st Tier Western USA University - The Tseng College at Cal State University - Northridge provides students with Intensive English Programs or career certificate programs . Academically-qualified students successfully completing in the Intensive English Program can get conditional admission to the University's bachelor or masters degree programs.


San Diego State University (College of Extended Education) -1st Tier National University - San Diego State University's College of Extended Education offers students a variety of Intensive English Programs or career certificate programs . Academically-qualified students successfully completing in the Intensive English Program can get conditional admission to the University's bachelor degree programs.


University of California - Riverside (Extension Program) - 1st Tier National University - UC Riverside's Extension Program offers students a variety of Intensive English Programs or career certificate programs for individuals or groups taught by experienced university professors. Students that successfully complete the Intensive English Program can get conditionally- accepted to nearby Riverside Community College where they complete the first 2 years of a bachelors degree program.

Latest School Ranking Information for AEP Partner Schools

American Education Partners is proud to offer students the opportunity to apply to many nationally-and regionally-ranked colleges and universities throughout the USA. In this newsletter, we introduce some of our partner schools in the Eastern USA and the most recent rankings they received in U.S. News and World Report magazine's annual school rankings lists. Each of these schools' rankings improved once again, demonstrating their committment to providing students with a good education and a good experience.

AEP Eastern USA Partner Schools Get Higher Rankings for 2010-2011!

 Long Island University - CW Post - 2nd Tier National University. Located in a quiet area of Long Island, less than 1 hour from New York City. This university offers a wide range of bachelors and masters programs as well as an on-campus ESL program.

Sacred Heart University - 1st Tier Northern USA University - Located in upscale Fairfield, Connecticut near New York City, the university offers a wide variety of popular bachelors and masters degree programs in a small, friendly campus environment.
University of Connecticut - Torrington - #66 National University - The University of Connecticut's small Torrington campus provides undergraduate students with a friendly and supportive campus environment. Students can complete their bachelors degree program at the Torrington campus or transfer to the main campus in Storrs after completing at least one full year at the Torrington campus.

University of Hartford - 3rd Tier National University - The University of Hartford is a residential school located on a large 350-acre campus in suburban Connecticut that offers almost 90 undergraduate programs and more than 30 graduate programs.


Each of these schools have spaces available for undergraduate and graduate programs starting in Spring 2011.
For information about applying to AEP Partner Schools, please contact us at: info@americanedpartners.com



Sincerely,

American Education Partners' School Placement Team

University-based Intensive English Programs & Featured Intensive English Programs

An American college or university education provides international students with many great benefits and opportunities, but the American school system may be very different than the one in their home country. To succeed at an American university, students need to have not only great English skills, but also other skills and knowledge needed to succeed in an American university degree program. College and university-based Intensive English Programs are specifically designed to help students acquire those skills quickly and naturally in a university setting.
In this week’s message, we introduce some of the many programs, courses and opportunities provided by American Education Partners' Western USA college and university-based Intensive English Programs.

Special Features and Benefits of University-based Intensive English Programs

University-based Intensive Programs provide students many benefits that they cannot get by studying English in their home countries:

- Classes taught by highly-trained and experienced university instructors.

- Access to many university facilities and services.

- Conditional admission to the bachelors and/ or masters degree programs without a TOEFL exam.

- Concurrent enrollment in university classes for higher-level students.

- Opportunities to practice English outside of class in a variety of everyday situations – using campus facilities, participating in local activities and field trips, joining the American conversation partner program, staying with anAmerican homestay family, etc.


AEP’s Featured Western USA University Intensive English Programs:

Arizona State University – AECP – A top-ranked, large university located near sunny Phoenix, Arizona. Programs include: A 6-Level Intensive English Program(10 starting dates per year), professional English certificate programs, TOEFL Preparation, “No TOEFL” requirement for graduates of Advanced Level 2 course.

City University of Seattle – ESL Program – Located in the fashionable Seattle suburb of Bellevue, Washington. Programs include: A 6-Level Intensive English Program (4 start dates per year), “No TOEFL Exam required admission to bachelors and the Language-Assisted MBA program for ESL Level 6 graduates.

California State University – Northridge – Intensive English Program – Located in the suburbs of Los Angeles, California. Short-term and long-term programs include: A 6-Level Intensive English Program, that includes 20 hours of core and elective classes each week; Semester at CSUN program for high-level English students, TOEFL/ IELTS Exam preparation classes; Summer English and Culture Programs; Conditional admission to CSUN bachelors and masters degree programs.

San Diego State University - American Language Institute – Located in the sunny Southern California city of San Diego. Short-term and long-term programs include: English for Academic Purposes, Pre-MBA/ Graduate Business Program, Test Preparation Programs (TOEFL,IELTS, GRE, GMAT,etc.), Intensive English for Communication, Business English, Business for Global Practices, ESL Teacher Training, Semester at SDSU, Hospitality/ Tourism/ Recreation Management Certificate Program, Sustainable Tourism Management Certificate Program, customized group programs, and others.

University of California – Riverside – International Education Programs - Ideally located near Southern California’s beaches, deserts, and mountains. Programs offered with several starting dates each year include: Intensive English Program, English for International Business, Improving Oral Fluency, Conversation and American Culture Program, Customized Academic Certificate Programs, and others.

University of Southern California – Language Academy – Located in the heart of Southern California’s business, entertainment and sports world on the campus of one of the top universities in the USA. Language Academy programs include: Intensive English Program, TOEFL Preparation, and Business English

Distance Education Programs – Intro/ Highlights & Featured Distance Education Programs

Advances in online communication and software technology have made access to an American college or university education possible for a greater number of people than ever before. Along with these advances, a greater number of schools are now able to provide a greater variety distance education programs to a greater variety of students from around the world.


Accredited distance education programs from American schools offer many great benefits:

- A high-quality American-style education taught by instructors with high-level expertise in their subjects.

- More frequent course starting dates (some schools offer starting dates every week)

- Study anytime and anywhere with an internet connection.

- No need to quit working or move to the United States.

- No need for a student visa.

- Reasonable course fees

- Opportunity to network with people from around the world.

- Most course credits may be transferrable to other American and overseas universities.

This Week's Featured Distance Education Program:

California Intercontinental University

Starting Dates: Any Monday

Degrees Offered: Bachelors, Masters, Doctoral

Most Popular Programs: Business, IT, Leadership,


For more information on other distance education programs available through AEP Partner Schools, please contact our Placement Advisors at: info@americanedpartners.com