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two-year community college option is becoming an increasingly
popular choice for foreign students, with more enrolling
in two-year community colleges throughout Texas than
ever before. The aim of this article is to provide international
students with a better perspective of Texas two-year
community colleges.
Texas
is the second largest state in America in geographic
size, bordering Louisiana to the east and New Mexico
to the west. For generations, Texas has been known for
its friendly hospitality, modest living cost, variable
climate, great standard of living, cultural diversity
and above all, its internationally recognized reputation
and standards of academic excellence in higher education.
There
are approximately 50 two-year community college districts
with more than 70 publicly supported community college
campuses in Texas. The majority of these colleges offer
two kinds of associate degrees, granted after two years
of successful study. The Associate of Applied Science
degree (AAS) is designed for students considering certain
career programs, while the Associate of Art (AA) is
designed for students planning to either transfer their
credits to a four-year college or university, or seek
employment for which the AA degree has prepared them.
Students
planning to earn a bachelor’s degree should consider
the AAS program, which is designed to parallel the first
two years of study in most four-year institutions. Academic
credits earned through successful completion of basic
required courses are normally accepted by Texas colleges
and universities, both public and private. After earning
an associate’s degree, the transfer student will
enter the four-year college or university as a third-year,
or ‘junior-level’ student. To assist these
students, many of the two-year Texas community colleges
have established a high degree of coordination with
four-year institutions in the state, thus enabling eligible
AA degree holders to make a smooth transition from a
two-year to a four-year institution.
Many
foreign students select a two-year college because of
its affordable tuition. Due to community-based financing,
two-year colleges allow students to work toward bachelor’s
degree programs at a relatively low cost when compared
to a four-year institution. Low tuition is the most
important advantage for international students, as the
substantial savings will expand a student’s opportunity
to work toward a bachelor’s degree at a four-year
college/university.
But
this is not the only advantage. Two-year colleges provide
small class sizes, personal attention, and support that
cannot always be found at larger universities. In the
smaller classes, students can get immediate assistance
from instructors, who are themselves able to identify
students with special needs for individual attention.
This is an ideal learning environment, which encourages
students to feel free to ask questions and participate
in class activities.
One
of the first priorities among foreign students is to
enhance their proficiency in English. It is, therefore,
extremely important to locate a reputable language school
or program. Most international students would regard
this as a basic preliminary consideration before enrolling
in any American college or university, as they recognize
that possessing a good command of both spoken and written
English is the key to successful completion of their
US college courses. Therefore, students who are unsure
of their English proficiency are encouraged to enroll
in an intensive English as a Second Language program
in a good two-year college. Intensive ESL courses are
designed to improve the English skills of students whose
native language is not English – in some schools,
computer and comparative culture insights are also part
of the core program. Many intensive ESL programs are
conducted on a year-round basis with frequent starting
dates, with several levels of instruction per cycle
– a factor that is not always available at large
universities.
Full-time
international students holding F-1 visas usually attend
intensive ESL programs of about 25 hours a week, and
will find that tuition costs are generally much lower
at community colleges than at state universities. Many
international students realize that enrollment in intensive
ESL courses before entering regular university classes
gives them an opportunity to improve their English,
become better acquainted with the new culture and new
environment, and above all, to build confidence. Some
intensive ESL programs at two-year colleges in Texas
do not require TOEFL scores for admittance, but students
can take the TOEFL test anytime before they transfer
to four-year colleges or universities – most institutions
require a minimum of 500 to enroll in undergraduate
programs.
Many
international students realize that attending a two-year
college is the best way to begin their American higher
education. The low cost of tuition, small class sizes,
intensive ESL programs, and personal attention guaranteed
from instructors are just a few of the many benefits
available to ease the transition from a foreign university
to higher education in the United States. Foreign students
looking for a college in the US should consider the
many fine community colleges throughout Texas –
once they enroll, they will surely find that they have
made a rewarding and fulfilling choice.
Students
interested in Texas two-year colleges can visit www.aacc.nche.edu/member/members.asp
for more information.
Author
Mary Ma
ESL Instructor, Americana Language Program
El Paso Community College
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