The higher the university's ranking, the higher the requirements. For example, Stanford University sets the following admission conditions: SAT scores of at least 650 (last year's applicants overwhelmingly demonstrated between 600 and 800 points), TOEFL – 260 in the computer-based test or 109 in the internet-based test. Converting to IELTS scores, we get 7.5.
The SAT exams are quite challenging. They consist of three parts: math, critical reading, and essay writing. The math section (Math) is based on material from algebra and some elements of geometry and includes set functions, absolute value, equations with radicals, exponents and functions. Critical Reading consists of questions on text comprehension and sentence completion. The third section (Writing) is divided into questions testing grammar and word choice, and writing an essay on a given topic that must be either refuted or supported.
The college entrance exam (ACT) consists of multiple-choice tests and an essay. The test questions are directly related to the American high school curriculum and assess knowledge in English, mathematics, reading, and science.
Also, leading US universities will prefer those who have additionally studied under an Advanced Placement program over high school graduates with ordinary diplomas.
Each subject (currently 31) is studied over the course of a year, at the end of which a written exam is conducted, evaluated by an international commission on a five-point scale. The exam results in June are sent to the student, the school, and the higher education institutions the student plans to apply to after school.
As we can see, the path to an American university is quite thorny. However, for international students, there is an opportunity to bypass these complex requirements by studying at community colleges. Let's look at this using the example of Foothill and DeAnza colleges.
The colleges are located in California's Silicon Valley, between San Francisco (45 minutes drive) and San Jose (20 minutes drive). It can be assumed that their location contributes to the dynamic academic development of the colleges. It is necessary to maintain a high standard while being near such high-tech companies as Apple, Yahoo!, Google, HP, Oracle, Cisco, eBay, Adobe, as well as Stanford University and the campuses of the University of California at Berkeley and San Francisco.
By status, Foothill and DeAnza are two-year colleges. They are part of the prestigious League for Innovation in the Community College. The main task of this association is to develop and maintain educational standards that underlie the colleges' activities. It creates new curricula and programs, especially in new teaching areas related to information technology, biotechnology, and new media. The League also regularly reviews existing curricula to ensure they meet modern requirements.
Foothill and DeAnza are quite large colleges in terms of student numbers. The first has 18,000 students, the second has 24,000 students. Of these, 2,000 are international students who come from 70 countries. The colleges offer a wide range of academic programs, both traditional – history, modern languages, geography, economics – and the most modern, related to bioinformatics, nanotechnology, and video game creation. In total, the colleges have more than 100 fields of study.
Upon completion of two-year study, graduates are awarded an Associate degree. It allows them to transfer directly to the third year of university and after two years of study obtain a full bachelor's degree at one of the American universities, including the most prestigious. The colleges have transfer agreements with 100 US universities. This list includes such famous universities as the University of Southern California, University of California, Los Angeles, University of California, Davis, San Francisco State University, University of California, Irvine, Stanford, Pepperdine, Cornell University, and Pennsylvania State University.
To ensure that their most deserving students transfer to the best universities in the country, the colleges created the Institute of Advanced Study. Its main task is not only to teach some disciplines at a higher level, but also to train leaders capable of skillfully conducting a discussion and thoroughly exploring a given topic.
Also, students who choose additional advanced courses have a better chance of admission to the University of California, Los Angeles, because Foothill and DeAnza colleges are members of the Transfer Alliance Program organized by this institution. Statistics show that the transfer rate to the university for students from Alliance colleges is 85-95%, while for those coming from other colleges or high schools it is 40-45%.
To apply to one of the colleges, young people who have graduated from a local school need to provide a secondary education diploma and an English language proficiency certificate (TOEFL 61 in the internet-based version or 173 in the computer-based version).
For those whose English language proficiency is below the required level at the time of admission, the colleges provide the opportunity to take a preliminary summer language course at the institution itself or at nearby language centers.
The summer language course at colleges runs from the end of June to mid-August. To get in, you need a TOEFL score of 52-60 on the internet-based version or 151-172 on the computer-based version. With lower scores, applicants need to take a six-month course at one of the linguistic centers. After successfully completing the language courses, no additional TOEFL is required.
Colleges have flexible start dates. Documents can be submitted three times a year – by July 31 for the full academic year, by October 31 for the winter semester, and by January 31 for the spring semester. Tuition is $6,030, including $1,170 for insurance services. Estimated living expenses are $10,500. Thus, total annual costs will be approximately $16,530.
Colleges do not have their own dormitories, so students studying at Foothill and De Anza live either with host families or in rented apartments.
However, student life is not limited to just studying. Colleges have not only a rich material and technical base for academic classes, including a terminal with 350 of the latest model computers, as well as a business technology center and separate computerized laboratories for working on math and science assignments.
For athletes, the campus has a pool, gyms, a fitness center, and an all-weather stadium. Art lovers have access to two theaters, music, dance, and drama studios.
Colleges also have a large number of various interest clubs. Membership in them provides an additional entry on a resume, which is important when transferring to a university, which wants students who are not only smart but also active.
Based on materials from TsMK «Parta».