the perks of starting at an Intensive English Program

Once you decide to study abroad in the US, you will need to choose a school. It's very important to have an in-depth look at the college admission requirements for your desired schools. Many will require an English exam, such as TOEFL or IELTS, if English isn't your first language. This isn't just to inconvenience you and make you study for an obnoxious and expensive test; it's to make sure that you are truly prepared to cope with the demands of having all of your classes in English!

To give you a (very) brief idea of some English exam score requirements, heres a couple of numbers for you.

Harvard recommends (but doesn't require) a TOEFL score of 109 (internet based). Keep in mind that Harvard is what Ivy League school (one of the seven most prestigious colleges in America) one of the hardest colleges in to get into.
Pennsylvania State University requires a minimum TOEFL (iB) of 80 and a minimum IELTS score of 6.5 on the academic test.

As I mentioned earlier, I believe that it’s important to tell it to you straight in these blog posts. So, it's time for some real talk. How is your English level? Have you taken TOEFL or IELTS recently, and how did you do? Are you honestly ready to go to an American college and take all of your classes in English? If so, then that’s amazing! If you’re on the fence about your current English abilities, you may want to consider what I’m about to say.

I remember when I studied abroad in Spain and tried to take a history class in Spanish for the first time. Man, was I in for a shock! It turns out that taking a class in Spanish IN Spain is a very different experience than learning beginner level Spanish in high school. Not only did I have to learn about Spanish history, which was a whole new topic for me, but I also had to learn it all in a language that, as it turns out, I wasn’t very good at! (Thankfully, I had the option to switch out of that class for one in English, but not everyone is always that lucky!)

So, this is where my plug for ESL schools come in. Did you know that it’s super common for international students to start first at an English as a Second Language (ESL) school in America? Students might study at an ESL schools for a semester, or two, and after they have gotten their TOEFL scores up, they will then transfer to to an American college. You may ask yourself, ok well then why don’t I just take more ESL classes in my home country first, and then just go directly to an American college?

Sure! That’s another great option too, but I think ESL schools are amazing because not only are you learning intensive English, but you’re also immersed in American life. If you’re studying English at home, you can learn the English vocabulary for how to order food at a restaurant all you want, but you probably aren’t putting it to use on a daily basis. There’s no better way to improve your English than to learn it while in an English speaking country where you are forced to use it every day. Don’t you remember the idiom “sink or swim”? 🤓

So, at the end of day you have a lot to consider, but I hope that this blog will help you to start narrowing down your choices! Like I said, try making a list of the top 3 things that are most important for you when considering where you want to study abroad. Everyone has different priorities! What are yours?

Hi! My name is Sarah and I have 8 years of experience working with international students studying in the United States, most recently at Berklee College of Music in Boston. I share your passion for adventure, and am currently traveling through Asia as part of the Ginseng English Anywhere tour! I’ll be writing many blog posts about studying abroad, so if you’ve decided to study abroad in the US, then this is the place is for you!

If have any questions about studying abroad, or are interested in scheduling an advising appointment with me, e-mail me at sarah@ginse.ng