Programming Note…

by Jessica Stahl - Posts (411). Posted Friday, June 29th, 2012 at 3:01 pm

I’m going on vacation! For two weeks!  Very exciting (…for me. I can’t imagine you care much whether I go on vacation or not).  It’ll be the longest we’ve ever gone without posting something (I’m going through withdrawal already), but here are some things to read and do in the meantime, so you don’t miss us too much.

1) Help us decide what we should write about!

» Submit a word for us to define in the Glossary of Confusing Words

» Ask a question or suggest a topic that you would like us to cover or find someone to talk about

2) Chime in!

» If you’ve studied in the U.S. or hope to some day, share your story with us and with all the other students who can learn from your experiences

3) Check out some of our favorite recent posts

» Watch Qian fail, fail and fail again in this moving video looking back on her 4 years studying in the States (don’t worry – she finally succeeds)

» What do Americans secretly think of their international classmates? We do an anonymous survey to find out the truth

» In pictures: The #1 lesson each of us have learned this year

» Simba takes down American stereotypes of Africans, one by one

New in the Glossary of Confusing Words: Curriculum

by Jessica Stahl - Posts (411). Posted Thursday, June 28th, 2012 at 4:41 pm

dictionary and thesaurusToday’s addition to the Glossary of Confusing Words: curriculum

This is a particularly great word, because explaining it will invoke many other words that we’ve already put into our Glossary! So thanks to whoever submitted it (you didn’t say your name, but hopefully you know who you are).

A curriculum is the set of courses [definition] offered by a university or program.  It’s essentially the word to describe the listings in a university catalog [definition].

You’ll most often hear it used in describing a school or program’s educational philosophy; for example, “this school teaches a liberal arts [definition] curriculum,” or “the curriculum mixes theory and practice.”

Many schools also use a “core curriculum,” which is a set of subjects you must study in order to graduate.  Schools that have a core curriculum don’t always require students to take specific courses; often they are required to study specific subjects but can choose from several courses within that subject.
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A Day in an American High School

by Jessica Stahl - Posts (411). Posted Tuesday, June 26th, 2012 at 1:37 pm

We found this video on YouTube from an Australian girl who spent several months at an American high school. In this video she takes a camera with her on a typical school day, from getting on the bus in the morning to arriving home in the afternoon. Of course there’s no such thing as a “typical” American high school, but this is pretty close.

Finding Inspiration in Unexpected Places, and People

by Thuy Pham - Posts (6). Posted Monday, June 25th, 2012 at 10:27 am

First, let me quickly update you about my decision whether to transfer to the California College of the Arts (CCA). I decided it would be impossible for me to go to CCA without any grants from the school. So I will finish my MBA program at CSUF within the year, and then my plan is to find a job with this MBA degree where I can earn money to pursue my desire in art.

In the meantime, I am researching one-year design programs at good art schools to prepare applications for next year’s rounds. I believe that as long as I keep my passion alive and fight for it, I will reach my final destination, though I have to walk in a longer and narrower road. I hope the plan will be smoothly achieved.

Me, Olena and Huyen meeting at a coffee shop

Me, Olena and Huyen meeting at a coffee shop

Second, I want to tell you about a short trip to Ohio University (OU) that I took as a treat for myself before starting the summer semester. I got to visit a friend of mine who was studying journalism at OU. And I also got the chance to meet Olena, one of the other VOA bloggers, who also goes to OU!

Olena was facing many school papers that needed to be submitted before graduation, and she was anxiously waiting to hear about a job interview she had a couple of weeks before.  But despite how busy they were with graduating, we were able to have a meaningful time in updating and sharing how our lives have been going so far.
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Americans are Self-Centered but Friendly? 60 Opinions from International Students

by Jessica Stahl - Posts (411). Posted Thursday, June 21st, 2012 at 10:31 pm

Over the past few days we’ve learned more than we ever wanted to know about how Americans see their international classmates.  Thanks to an anonymous survey, we’ve been able to get the honest truth – the good, the bad, and the unexpected.

If you missed it:
- Part 1: The Truth – What Americans Really Think of International Students
- Part 2: Why Aren’t Americans and International Students Becoming Friends?

But about half the students who took our survey were international students, and they had plenty to say about their American classmates as well.

Thuy and American classmate Alex debate who should do more to overcome the cultural differences

While 50% of international students told us that they relate to Americans as well as or better than they do to other international students, most also seemed acutely aware of the cultural barriers between themselves and their American classmates.
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60+ Opinions From American Students About Their International Classmates

by Jessica Stahl - Posts (411). Posted Wednesday, June 20th, 2012 at 10:21 am

So you want to know what American students really think of international students?  You’re in luck! We did a survey to answer just that question, asking over 50 Americans to answer anonymously with their honest opinion of their international classmates.  If you haven’t read our analyses of the survey results, take a look at these articles first:

Part 1: The Truth – Americans Reveal What They Really Think of International Students

Part 2: Why Aren’t Americans and International Students Becoming Friends?

But if you’ve already read those and are still dying to know more, this post is for you.

The Americans who took our survey wrote long form answers to two questions: (1) Why do you think you do or do not relate to international students; (2) Why do you or do you not try to get to know international students? Here, in their unedited entirety (with names removed for privacy), is every single comment we received.

Why do you think you do or do not relate to international students?

Do relate
(60% of Americans responded they relate to international students as well as or better than they relate to other Americans)

I think I relate to international students mainly because of our environment. We are all here to learn, have fun, and make new friends. We have some of the same views because they know quite a lot about America (which only makes me feel extremely ignorant considering how I do not know much about their countries other than what they tell me themselves.). This being said, I think our constant thirst for knowledge is another thing that brings us all together, along with our curiosity to hear each other’s experiences.
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Why Aren’t Americans and International Students Becoming Friends?

by Jessica Stahl - Posts (411). Posted Tuesday, June 19th, 2012 at 1:28 pm

Yesterday we learned that American students like having international students on campus. Only 10% of the American students who took our anonymous survey (a survey designed to find out what Americans really think about their international classmates) told us that they wouldn’t want more international students at their school.

» Read part 1 of this series, in which we explore what Americans had to say about international students

How well do American students relate to international students

Click for full-sized image

But what we didn’t discuss yesterday is that this positive attitude towards international students isn’t necessarily translating into friendships.

Although 85% of American students who took our survey reported having at least one international friend, only about 50% said they have more than two international friends.

The international students in our survey had a slightly different experience. 75% said they have more than two American friends. But 10% told us they have no American friends at all.

And that may be an optimistic estimate. A recent study by Baruch College professor Elisabeth Gareis found that more than one in three international students have no close American friends.

Why the separation?

Some American students in our survey acknowledged they don’t do as much as they could to get to know international students.

“When I was a student I didn’t make an effort to get to know international students because they weren’t in my classes or in any of the organizations I was in,” said a graduate from the University of California, Berkeley.

Randy from the University of Kansas explained, “I am a natural introvert, which may have made communication between myself and other international students even more difficult.”
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The Truth: Americans Reveal What They Really Think of International Students

by Jessica Stahl - Posts (411). Posted Monday, June 18th, 2012 at 9:55 am

Admit it, you’re secretly dying to know what other people think of you – what they say behind your back that they would never say to your face. Do they really like you, or are they just being nice?

After some of our international student friends told us they’d love to know what their American classmates really think about them, we devised a way to find out – an anonymous survey.

Over 50 American students responded to our online questionnaire, sharing their most honest thoughts about international students.   Not to let the Americans off the hook, we also gave the survey to over 50 international students, and we’ll be discussing the responses in a series of posts all this week.

So, what did they have to say?

Let’s start by “ripping the Band-Aid off” (getting something painful done quickly). Here’s the worst comment we heard: “They smell bad and don’t speak English,” said an American student at North Dakota State University. “They are annoying.”

Take a deep breath. Are you still here? Are you okay?

American students at Ohio University talk to our blogger Olena about what they and their classmates think about international students

We also heard a lot of really positive things, like this comment from Noa* at Oberlin College, who said, “I think the international students on my campus are really interesting and wonderful people and a lot of times I feel that they are more grounded and well-rounded than American students.”

Or this one from Jacob at Washington and Lee University, “International students add so much more to a college campus. They have experiences that you could not possibly have, and make some of the best friends. The negatives are negligible.”

As is often the case, the reality of how Americans feel about international students is somewhere in between these two extremes.
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Events for International Students: June 18-22

by Jessica Stahl - Posts (411). Posted Friday, June 15th, 2012 at 10:08 pm

After last week’s event bonanza, we’ve got a lighter week coming up this week.  But don’t worry – there are some jam-packed weeks coming up later in the summer.

As always, if you attend any of these events, report back and let us know what you learned! (Use the comments, the Facebook page or just email me – jstahl@voanews.com). And please share any online events you’ve found that we haven’t.

Coming up next week:

June 20

EducationUSA: Adjusting to American Culture
9 am US eastern time
More details: http://www.educationusa.info/edusa_connects/
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New in the Glossary of Confusing Words: Transcript

by Jessica Stahl - Posts (411). Posted Thursday, June 14th, 2012 at 11:20 am

dictionary and thesaurusToday’s entry into the Glossary of Confusing Words: transcript.

According to the person who submitted it:

Schools ask for transcripts and this is an unfamiliar word to many students.

A transcript is an official record of the courses you took and grades you received in high school, college or graduate school.  For students from South Asia, mark sheets may be considered equivalent.
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Trying, Failing and Growing: A Look Back at My College Journey

by Qian - Posts (7). Posted Tuesday, June 12th, 2012 at 1:29 pm

Qian just graduated from Syracuse University with a degree in journalism. She put together this amazing video documenting her personal and academic growth over the past few years, and sharing some of the lessons she learned as she struggled with language, professors, and talking into a camera.

All My Plans Fell Apart, and That’s a Good Thing

by Anna Malinovskaya - Posts (14). Posted Monday, June 11th, 2012 at 12:37 pm

Creative commons photo by Flickr user Chapendra

To plan or not to plan? (Creative commons photo by Flickr user Chapendra)

One thing I have learned over the past school year is the importance of being flexible. Before I even landed in the U.S., I knew what I would be majoring in, what classes exactly I would take each of my five semesters at Mount Holyoke, and what extra-curriculars I would pursue. However, now, one year later, I am moving in a totally different direction.

Before coming to Mount Holyoke, I thought I would major in international relations. I was very confident in my choice since that was what I had been dreaming about for the last few years.

When I actually took classes in the IR department though, I realized that this field is too broad and vague for my mind, which was asking for something more concrete, provable, and science-based. So I chose to major in economics with a minor in public policy.

But I didn’t realize that getting into a graduate program in economics is very much dependent upon my preparation in math. When my professors made me aware of this, I switched to a double major in economics and math. I am not only enjoying my classes but I also feel that I am moving in the right direction.
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Events for International Students: June 11-15

by Jessica Stahl - Posts (411). Posted Friday, June 8th, 2012 at 2:11 pm

After taking a week to clarify the meaning of the word “webinar” (well, and because there were no events to be found), we’re back with our regular Friday roundup of webinars, online events and virtual fairs for prospective international students. And the upcoming week is a big one.

As always, if you attend any of these events, report back and let us know what you learned! (Use the comments, the Facebook page or just email me – jstahl@voanews.com). And also please share any online events you’ve found that we haven’t.

Coming up next week:

June 11

EducationUSA: US Campus Life – Rural Settings
2 pm US eastern time
More details: http://www.educationusa.info/edusa_connects/

June 12

CollegeWeekLive: Expert Presentation – Student Visas with Rick O’Rourke
12 pm US eastern time
More details: http://www.collegeweeklive.com/en_CA/guest/college_events
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Putting Aside What’s Comfortable to Do What’s Meaningful

by Jessica Stahl - Posts (411). Posted Thursday, June 7th, 2012 at 2:49 pm

If you speak Chinese, this video that came across our Twitter feed today is well worth watching. An American Fulbrighter in China, Daniel Tedesco, speaks (to an audience including Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and State Councillor Liu Yandong!) about the challenges of building connections in another country.

“…too many of us spend time mostly with our country-mates,” he says.  ”It’s easy for a Chinese student in the U.S. to eat Chinese food and go karaoke.  It’s comfortable for an American in China to eat pizza and hang out in cafes.”

He explains:

Spending time with local people throws us into a world of potential misunderstanding. We struggle to explain simple things. We don’t know when to laugh at jokes. It’s often hard just to keep up with the conversation. We might look silly and get laughed out.

But concludes:

Chinese and Americans abroad are putting aside what’s comfortable in order to do what’s meaningful. And we’ve reaped big rewards for doing so.

A single friend can change an experience abroad. A few more can change a life. But a great many can fortify and enrich U.S.-China relations for decades to come.


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Need Information About Grad School? Start Talking

by Dandan - Posts (11). Posted Wednesday, June 6th, 2012 at 5:11 pm

Before you apply to graduate school, you have to do a lot of research to figure out where to apply.  What schools offer the courses you want?  Where will you have the best rapport with the professors?  What program will set you up for the best career?

I’m going through this process right now, as are some of my friends.  We’ve all been approaching it in different ways, so I thought I would share our experiences with you so you can learn about different strategies and find one that will work for you.

Above all you can see that you should not be shy about contacting people who may be able to give you information about various programs.  Just make sure that you approach them in a professional way that indicates you are serious about pursuing your studies.

Student 1: Contacting program coordinators for official information

One friend is currently pursuing her studies in communication and hopes to attend graduate school in TV production.  She is an outgoing person who is good at networking, and had no problems reaching out for information.  She chose to contact program coordinators, hoping to learn more details about the campuses and programs.

The contact information for program coordinators is almost always available on the program’s website. She emailed several program coordinators for graduate programs she is interested in. In the email, she had a general description of herself and expressed her eagerness to meet with them. Coordinators replied to her very soon and set up appointments with her, offering to have a face-to-face talk and share some information materials.

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Glossary of Confusing Words

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