Tuesday, December 21, 2010

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.

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

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

Sunday, December 5, 2010

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