Special Student Populations International Students   International students pose a special problem in academic advising. Their needs are different from those of American students.   TOEFL Guidelines Non-immigrant applicants, whose native language is not English, must submit a minimum TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score of 500 (173 on the newly formatted on-line TOEFL exam) for admission to USA. Applicants holding a baccalaureate or graduate degree from a regionally accredited American institution are exempt. Students transferring from an American community college or four-year institution are exempt if their transfer credits total a minimum of 64 semester hours (96 quarter hours) and they have completed English Composition I with a grade of "C" or higher.   Any international student with TOEFL scores between 400 and 500 (97-173 on the on-line TOEFL exam) are conditionally admitted to USA and placed directly into the Department of English as a Second Language and assigned an ESL advisor. Students complete an English Placement Examination and based on the results are placed in one of the following four levels: • admission to USA with no English restrictions • admission to USA with minor English restrictions (one or two ESL courses) • admission to USA with permission to take one academic course per semester • admission to USA with full-time commitment to ESL course work; no other academic course work is allowed until student satisfactorily completes ESL program   Note: International students are given the results of their placement in ESL courses prior to orientation and advising. The advisor should ask the student for this information.   Academic Adjustment Problems* Whatever their academic backgrounds, most international students are going to experience some academic adjustment problems. Some of the most common include: • having to select from among a number of possible courses rather than following a completely prescribed curriculum • being assigned an academic advisor rather than simply reading about courses that must be taken • specializing later rather than sooner in an undergraduate program and having to take general education courses • having to take objective type tests rather than, or in addition to subjective type tests • dealing with a sometimes complex registration system • having relatively frequent assignments and examinations and quizzes rather than being left to work more independently and at a leisurely pace • encountering classmates who seem ill-prepared for college-level work and not very highly motivated to succeed • being expected to raise questions and participate in class discussions rather than sitting quietly and accepting the teacher's word on all matters • encountering competitiveness among students, especially in professional and graduate programs • having to analyze and synthesize the material • being expected to use the library extensively • having a great deal of importance attached to grades • having to do what they might consider menial tasks in laboratory courses • being liable to punishment for activities deemed to be "cheating" or plagiarizing".   *from The Handbook of Foreign Student Advising, Gary Althen (Wichita State University)   Strategies for Communicating with Non-Native Speakers* Trying to communicate effectively with newly arrived international students can be frustrating. The student's goal is to improve his/her communication skills, but the immediate task of understanding and being understood is shared by advisor and advisee. The following strategies may be helpful: • Speak slowly and clearly. This will help the student develop an "ear" in English. Volume, contrary to belief, is actually more distracting than helpful. • Formal English is easier to understand.   • eliminate slang and informal expressions   • limit the use of two and three word verbs (run into, get across, etc.)   • use Latin-based root words rather than more casual choices   • remember that it is impossible for the student to compensate for 20 or 30 years of Americanism • Use the "understanding response". Restating the student's points can be helpful. It allows the native speaker to clarify what has been said and reinforces a grammatically correct way to express the thought of the student. • Repeat ideas that have not been understood. Use equivalent neutral expressions. If the statement "You need to take that course" produces a blank look from the student, restate the idea with "That course is required for you". • Ask the student to summarize the discussion. This serves as a check and can avert frustrations and misunderstandings by assuming the student has understood. • Write down information.   *from The Handbook of Foreign Student Advising, Elizabeth A. Usovicz (Wichita State University)   Patience is the key word in advising international students. Assuming an attitude of patience is crucial. You can expect that what would take 10 minutes to explain to a native student may take 15 or 20 minutes to explain to an international student.   For assistance with International Student questions and issues, contact Brenda Hinson at (251) 460-7979.