International Summer Camp

Still making summer plans? International Student Placement recommends MB Scambi’s international summer camp located in Lignano, Italy (near Venice).
There are three programs available: children, ages 8-12, teens, ages 13-16, and young adults, ages 16-20.
The camp has an onsite pool, private beach access, dormitory-style housing, and on-site ESL and Italian as a Second language instruction.
Optional tennis and soccer lessons can be selected. Each week participants will go on a cultural excursion.
For more information, contact us at info@intl-studentplacement.com or visit MB Scambi at http://www.mbscambi.com.
See also our article from last year’s participant.

Japan, Korea: Academic/Cultural Exchange

International Student Conferences will hold month long academic and cultural exchanges this summer.

College students selected from 1st year in university to the Ph.D level in the U.S., Japan, and South Korea will have the opportunity to meet. The program’s goal is to promote mutual understanding, friendship, and trust. See the following website for information about the

Japan-America and the Korea-America programs. The program deadline is Feb. 22.

Facebook…Social Media, Internet Tech Challenges Fellowships

Social media giant Facebook announces a generous fellowship program created to help its developers solve social media and Internet tech challenges. Recipients receive travel funds, plus a $30,000 USD stipend.
For more on the fellowship, see article in Chronicle for Higher Education or view fellowship application info directly on Facebook.

International Exchange Program–Video Contest

Time is running out to participate in the U.S. State Department’s “ExchangesConnect” video contest. Click here for rules (minimum age is 14). Four grand prize winners will receive an all-expense paid international exchange program.

Get Ready for 2010

Happy New Year from ISP. It’s the time of year where we reflect on the past year and look forward to the new year ahead. Here’s an interesting article from Global Coach Center, 2009 to help you prepare for the new year.

To a healthy, happy, and prosperous New Year.

Happy Holidays from ISP

Keeping warm by the fire...

We wish everyone around the world Happy Holidays (whichever you may celebrate). Here’s to a healthy, happy, and peaceful New Year!

For many, the holidays are a joyous, but stressful time of year. If you need help dealing with stress, see the Mayo Clinic’s article at Stress, depression and the holidays: 10 tips for coping. For another take on getting through the holidays, see 10 Way to Beat the Holiday Blues.

The holidays can be a difficult time of year for international students who are not able to return home to their families.

What does your college/university do to help international students make the most of the holidays/winter break? ISP wants to hear from international students to find out if their schools reach out to them during the h oliday season. If yes, what specifically do they do to make the holidays less stressful for you?

Chronicle’s Report on the 50k Club

See the Chronicle’s report on The $50K Club: 58 Private Colleges Pass a Pricing Milestone to find out which US colleges and universities have now reached $50,000 USD and beyond for tuition/room/board. According to the report, last year five higher education institutions were in the $50k + club, but this year a whopping 58 are in this price range.
Humm, maybe it’s time to rethink Making College Affordable.

ISP Visits…New York University (NYU)

NYU

ISP recently paid a visit to New York University (NYU) and can say that it truly offers a world class educational experience in a world class city! Set in the heart of Greenwich Village in New York City, NYU offers students the chance to live, learn and grow in one of the most exciting places on earth.

NYU is not the school for every student. However, it is definitely a place that offers unparalleled opportunities and experiences for mature and independent students to grow and prosper.

Academics & Admissions
Academically, NYU is a wonderful place for the cosmopolitan, independent, and motivated college student. Offering 160 major courses of study in eight different undergraduate schools, NYU strives to cultivate and support well-rounded students that possess a strong grounding in the liberal arts.
NYU is perhaps best known for its Tisch School of the Arts. Here, students can pursue degrees in the performing and media arts (things like acting, directing, television and film production, photography, etc.). Their academic instruction can be supplemented by the seemingly endless internship opportunities offered by the school, as well as by the school’s ideal location in what many consider the best city in the world for the arts. Students are able to take advantage of special accommodations to many world-class events in New York City and beyond, and have been known to mix and mingle with major stars in and around campus.
The Stern School of Business at NYU is also particularly strong. One of the oldest and most respected business schools in the country, it offers students a rigorous curriculum, innovative programs and a very strong international focus designed to produce effective leaders.
Admission to NYU is very competitive. In Fall 2009, the university received approximately 37,000 applications and offered admission to only about 29%. Applicants are expected to show very solid academic and extracurricular accomplishment, maintaining top grades (most new students come to NYU with an A- to A+ average) and developing themselves beyond academics in sports, music, art, or otherwise. The school’s extensive website offers detailed information on the requirements for new international student applicants.

All NYU students must apply directly to a specific school. This means that they must decide on their major from the beginning (although it is possible to apply to the College of Arts and Sciences with an “Undecided” major).

Campus Housing and Services
NYU’s urban setting means that the university offers an alternative to the traditional American college campus. The main school buildings and freshman dormitories are all located within a 5 city block area. This allows new students to get familiar with their surroundings and develop a sense of community with their peers.

All NYU students are guaranteed campus housing for 4 years, as long as they do not voluntarily leave the system. There are 21 residence halls; and the 7 freshman dormitory buildings are closest to all classes. Most freshmen live in traditional, dormitory-style housing with each room equipped with its own bathroom and shower. Students are assigned roommates based on their answers to a short questionnaire. NYU has a first-year residential education program to acclimate students to living in NYC and on campus.
Campus safety is a priority at NYU. An NYU ID card is required for entry into any NYU building. Dormitory buildings are all secure, requiring a keycard and code to enter, and there are security guards stationed at all NYU buildings to ensure students’ safety. Call boxes are prevalent throughout main campus area; and a Safe Ride program offers a shuttle service from 12 am – 7 am between any NYU buildings. In addition, all dorms have attached dining halls, many of which are open 24 hours a day, so students do not have to venture far when they want to grab a bite to eat.

Students say that NYU’s food is pretty good for campus food. There are different choices in meal plans depending on the number of meals desired per week. Campus cash (meal plan money) can be used in campus dining halls and in various stores and restaurants in the area, giving students more options.

NYU Cafeteria

Diverse Student Body
NYU celebrates diversity. The Fall 2009 freshman class included about 400 international students, representing about 48 countries. In the 2005/2006 academic year, NYU ranked 4th in the U.S. for international students.
NYU’s Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS) provides comprehensive support, advisory services and programs for New York University’s international students. The OISS is there to assist and support international students as they transition to life at NYU and in New York City – from sponsoring workshops and seminars regarding academics and immigration and visa support, to walking tours and other recreational events around New York.
All NYU students—not just international students—are encouraged to study abroad for at least one semester and are given many opportunities to take part in the rich cultural diversity at NYU and in New York City.
NYU’s diversity is strengthened by the eight International Houses established by the university as centers of academic scholarship directed at certain geographical areas of the world. These International Houses sponsor academic conferences and colloquia, host visiting international scholars and prominent guest lecturers, and coordinate activities across related programs and institutes at NYU.

• Africa House
• Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò
• China House
• Deutsches Haus
• Glucksman Ireland House
• Kevorkian Center for Near Eastern Studies
• King Juan Carlos I of Spain Center
• La Maison Française

NYU La Maison Française

NYU Deutsches Haus

NYU has so much to offer that it is difficult to summarize in a few words. To learn much more about NYU, please visit http://www.nyu.edu.

For one-on-one, individualized college placement services, please contact International Student Placement to discuss your international higher education goals.

Special thanks to S. Simonian for providing a detailed campus visit report…

Where the green is…eco jobs and education

For a great resource on green collar jobs,　read Green Jobs: A Guide to Eco-Friendly Employment by Llwellyn, Hendrix, and Golden.

For Sierra Club’s cool colleges/eco-friendly higher education institutions, see its 2009 cool schools survey. Number one is University of Colorado, Boulder.

Cooking in English (Free Online Event); Win a Flip Video Camera

Visit ExchangesConnect, the U.S. Dept. of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs social network for international exchange participants and providers.

In addition to a free online cooking with English event to be held Sunday, Sept. 13th
(http://connect.state.gov/profiles/blogs/exchangesconnect-highlights-19), ExchangesConnect is also sponsoring a contest to find its mascot, iDrop.

See http://connect.state.gov/profiles/blogs/exchangesconnect-highlights-19 for rules and contest details. Grand prize: Flip Video Camera…