How English Learning Ties into the US Admission Process
International students face many challenges when they decide to study abroad in the United States for a higher education. They have to leave their homes and families and have to totally immerse themselves in a completely new culture. One of the toughest challenges for international students can be learning English and becoming proficient enough in English to be able to study abroad in the United States. Almost every school requires an English proficiency score (TOEFL or IELTS) from international student applicants in order to measure their English proficiency. These same schools typically have minimum acceptable scores for the TOEFL and IELTS. However, if you are an international student applicant and do not meet the English proficiency requirements, there are still options for you.
Pathway Programs
If you do not meet the English proficiency requirements for your desired school, that school may have a pathway program that they may require you to take before granting you full admission. A pathway program is either a semester or full academic year, and it does not result in a degree. Pathway programs are considered preparatory courses. They help international students learn necessary skills and knowledge that they will need in order to successfully complete the program they desire to enter into.
Perhaps the main skill that international students build while completing a pathway program are English proficiency skills, which are necessary to successfully receiving a degree in the United States. A pathway program will allow an international student to study in the United States while learning English. This can be extremely useful to learning English because not only will the pathway program help your English proficiency but immersing yourself in the culture of the United States will also help these skills improve.
Most schools that have pathway programs may offer conditional admission upon completion of the pathway program. This means that if the school you applied to has a pathway program, they will tell you that you will be admitted to the program you applied to upon the successful completion of the pathway program.
Please note, however, that not all schools offer conditional admission. They may require or suggest the pathway program before they fully admit you to the school, but that does not mean that your admission is guaranteed upon completion of the pathway program. They may tell you that completion of the pathway program will improve your chances of admission, or they may offer you college advising. Make sure you are clear on what will happen after you complete the pathway program.
If the school that you are applying to does not have a pathway program, there are standalone pathway programs that an international student can take to help increase their chance of admission. There are many pathway programs that are available that are not affiliated with a specific school or university. Their purpose is to help international students build the skills and knowledge they need to successfully receive a degree in the United States. While these standalone pathway programs may be helpful, please note that it may be more difficult to receive an international student visa.
Please note that even if you do get accepted into a pathway program, this does not guarantee that a visa officer will grant the visa. Most of the time, it may depend on the country that you are from. For example, Indian international students often face difficulties receiving the necessary visa to get accepted into pathway programs.
While pathway programs are a great tool and can help international students increase their English proficiency skills, it is not guaranteed that the completion of one of these programs will get you admission into your desired school or help you receive a visa. Please make sure to research the pathway program you would do to understand the specific information.
Let Nomad Credit Help You with Admissions
Applications to United States universities can be extremely stressful and difficult, as well as deciding if you should complete a pathway program or not. Nomad Credit can help you determine a potential fit for you and potentially expedite the admissions process so that you can get a speedy decision – all at no additional cost to you. Services that we provide include profile evaluation, application essay editing and revision, and express document shipping. Please don’t hesitate to email us at admissions@nomadcredit.com if you have any questions.
