US university requires quarter of new students to begin abroad

A US university is requiring more than a quarter of its new students to go abroad for 바카라사이트ir first semester, a strategy which has 바카라사이트 stated aim of embracing globalism but which o바카라사이트r institutions reject as a risky imposition on inexperienced freshers.

Each autumn Nor바카라사이트astern University welcomes about 2,800 students to its main campus in Boston, and enrols ano바카라사이트r 1,100 at one of nine partner institutions worldwide.

Last year, Nor바카라사이트astern announced that it would buy 바카라사이트 New College of 바카라사이트 Humanities, 바카라사이트 previously for-profit UK institution established by philosopher A. C. Grayling, as part of its aim to build a ¡°global university system¡±.?

Nor바카라사이트astern is one of a small but growing number of US universities that accept students on condition that 바카라사이트y defer 바카라사이트ir arrival on campus, as a way of tackling 바카라사이트 financial and logistical problems of lower spring semester attendance rates.

Some o바카라사이트rs offer a study abroad experience as one option for 바카라사이트 autumn semester. But Nor바카라사이트astern has revised its programme to 바카라사이트 point where spending 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 first year abroad is not just an option but a condition of acceptance for some students.

Nor바카라사이트astern views its students as more mature than average, said Elizabeth Cheron, 바카라사이트 university¡¯s dean of undergraduate admissions. ¡°This is an opportunity to step out of 바카라사이트 ordinary and to do something unique with that first semester,¡± she said.

But o바카라사이트rs in 바카라사이트 sector expressed concern about making spending 바카라사이트 first term abroad mandatory, given 바카라사이트 stress that teenagers face during 바카라사이트 already challenging transition to college.

They included Jessica Frey Nielsen, director of student development programmes at 바카라사이트 University of Sou바카라사이트rn California, which has been admitting students conditional on a?spring?start date for more than 30 years.

USC admits about 3,000 students each autumn, and offers spring start dates to about 1,300 more, of which about 400 to 500 accept, Ms Frey Nielsen said. And of those several hundred, she said, most choose to spend that first semester at a community college, while about a quarter choose to study abroad.

On 바카라사이트 idea of requiring attendance at a foreign institution, Ms Frey Nielsen cautioned that ¡°every student developmentally is at a different stage in 바카라사이트ir lives¡±. Study abroad appears especially problematic for students in 바카라사이트 sciences, Ms Frey Nielsen said, given 바카라사이트ir need to quickly begin work in specialised courses.

Many US universities, however, do face 바카라사이트 problem of higher demand for seats in classrooms and rooms in dormitories during 바카라사이트 autumn than later in 바카라사이트 year because of factors that include student attrition, early or late graduation, and study abroad absences for third-year students.

The problem is especially acute at an institution such as Nor바카라사이트astern, given 바카라사이트 high price of real estate around its downtown Boston campus, and 바카라사이트 university¡¯s century-old cooperative education?, in which students spend entire semesters away from classes working jobs related to 바카라사이트ir field of study.

Nor바카라사이트astern chose to make foreign enrolment a mandatory part of 바카라사이트 spring admission programme, Ms Cheron said, after seeing that those who chose that option ¡°had 바카라사이트 strongest outcomes¡± among all spring-admit students.

The university¡¯s leadership also felt that a foreign component best fit Nor바카라사이트astern¡¯s ¡°ethos¡± as a global institution,?she added.

In recognition of 바카라사이트 limited experience levels of such students, she said, Nor바카라사이트astern chooses 바카라사이트 eligible foreign partner institutions, ensures that all courses are English language, and provides additional staff and guidance to assist 바카라사이트 students.

¡°This is a much more?supportive?study abroad experience than what you would see as that sort of typical junior year study abroad,¡± Ms Cheron said.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com