By Randall Burger
California State Polytechnic University

There are now more than 450,000 international students studying in the United States of America. Each one of these students represents a dream, a dream that inevitably involves investing in a better and more secure future. Studying in the United States has long been a way of achieving that goal. It is only in the last few years, however, that this particular dream has become accessible to more than just a few privileged people have. The increasing strength of international economy has presented students and their parents with new and much wider opportunities in higher education. No longer are students limited to a few exclusive colleges or universities in their own countries; now, the choice of an appropriate school has become international.

The figure mentioned above clearly indicates that the United States is the destination of choice for these students.

There are a number of reasons why the US continues to hold this prominent position.
Currently, the importance of English as the international language and - more importantly - access for all students to an enormous amount of technological knowledge and training have added immensely to the prestige and quality of an American education.

Given the opportunities now available to so many international students, a serious note of caution must be raised: very often, there is a real and potentially dangerous gap between student expectations and the reality of studying in the US

A growing number of students, with their parents' approval, set off confidently to obtain a degree in the United States with little or no understanding of what will be required of them. It seems that students believe they will very quickly learn the minimum amount of English necessary to enter a school, and, after that, things will take care of themselves.

The "minimum amount of English" usually means a score of between 450 and 500 on the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), a test which does not necessarily measure a student's actual academic ability.
To the exclusion of every other language skill, students become obsessed with this test and its magical role in the college admissions process. Unfortunately, as can be seen internationally and in the US, there are schools which thrive on this "TOEFL obsession," promising students the key to mastering this proficiency test, yet offering little else the way of preparation.

The reality of the situation is that the TOEFL lasts only about two hours, while college will take up four to six years of a student's life.

The survival skills necessary for that period of time go far beyond the elementary test-taking skills needed on the TOEFL. Language schools often find themselves in an uphill struggle when emphasizing such skills as note-taking, paraphrasing, essay writing, research methods, elements of oral presentation, computer applications and just basic good grammar.

Students listen politely to repeated admonitions and warnings, seeming to agree, then go right back to their TOEFL books. Some even tell their instructors that they will "learn" these academic skills later when they are actually in college. Chances are, they are the same students that professors loudly complain about, blaming language schools for inadequate preparation and cursing the TOEFL as a means of evaluation.

The sad fact is that the students are not alone in this desperate rush to enter a university. Increasingly, it is their parents who intensify the problem by creating unreasonable pressure to get into a school as quickly as possible.
It is difficult for students to justify spending so much time and money on "learning" a language they were already supposed to have learned in schools. Also, the parents see or hear about students who have successfully completed their studies in the US, and there is very little talk about any obstacles or problems.

So, parents ask the question: Why is our child taking so long to get into college and on the road to that degree? It is just this type of continuous pressure that causes students to abandon their language studies and enter any school with the name "college," usually a school that has lower requirements and a lesser reputation than the one they originally desired to enter. It is at this point that they "sink or swim." For many, it is a discouraging experience; most find themselves back in an ESL class.

How, then, can a student avoid these frustration? How can parents best help their children get a viable education in the United States?

The answers to both these questions lie in careful preparation and research before coming to the US There are many publication and annual education fairs which can help a student find the school which can help a student find the school that fits his or her specific needs.

Among other things, students should begin by considering the geographical location of a school since there are extreme climatic differences in the US

In addition to tuition structure, students must carefully review a school's admissions process and requirements such as the minimum acceptable grade point average (GPA) and which official documents need to be submitted by mail; and of great importance is whether or not a student's high school or college background is recognized by the desired university in the US

Finally, do not underestimate the importance of good, academic English-language training. The time a student spends in a reputable ESL program may save that student from months of confusion and possible failure. And that can only be seen as another wise investment.