A Guiding STAR for International Students

Attending a U.S. university can be the experience of a lifetime for adventurous international students. Exposure to different cultures and customs can be a priceless component to a world-class education. Exploring new communities, brushing up on English and participating in activities with peers can lead to lifelong friends as well as networking opportunities.

But there are significant challenges, as well, starting with an unfamiliar and complicated university admissions process that can be one of the biggest obstacles to academic success, said Megan Moriarty, Program Coordinator, Success Through Academics and Research.

“Generally, the students in our program come from countries where heavy reliance is put on grades and proficiency test scores,” she said. “Universities in the U.S. review students in a more qualitative, holistic manner, which can be daunting. In many of the countries we serve, students are mandated to take a university entrance exam. The results of this exam, along with their GPAs, often dictate which universities and majors students are eligible for.”

While a strong GPA is certainly a baseline for admission to top American schools, a variety of other factors are considered such as academic difficulty of prior courses and involvement in activities, as well as internships and even work experience. Personality traits such as leadership and persistence also can factor in.

“International students often find it difficult to understand the weight given to some of these more subjective factors,” Moriarty said. “They’re looking for the guaranteed numbers, activities, or essays that will get them into their dream school, but that guarantee most often does not exist, despite the overall better chance at higher education that all students have here.”

That’s where UCI DCE’s Success Through Academics and Research (STAR) program comes in, offering a wide range of courses and resources to help undergraduate and graduate students acclimate and excel in American universities. STAR guides them through the admissions process to make the best choices for their education while offering comprehensive support to enrich students’ lives and experiences during their studies with us.

Moriarty recently took the time to speak with us about the challenges facing international students at UCI and elsewhere, and the trove of supportive resources offered by the STAR program.

“STAR provides a series of courses to help students hone academic skills in reading, writing, research methods and citation…”
Megan Moriarty, Program Coordinator

What common problems do students face dealing with such an unfamiliar admissions process?

Students, regardless of their backgrounds, can question denials, especially when they have been top students in their schools. While U.S. schools share the factors they look at to be transparent to applicants, the holistic review approach can create some ambiguity and confusion for students who are looking for concrete reasons.

That’s why in STAR, we educate students from the start about these different expectations and how they can best move forward in the application process.

How does STAR help prepare students for their university and graduate school applications?

One of the most essential aspects of our program is our ACTS-based (Authentic, Comprehensive, Targeted, Strategic) approach when assisting our students with their university and graduate school applications. Our courses offer individualized counseling on how students can choose the most appropriate schools, make the best choice of major and share authentic, compelling narratives of their experiences in their own voices to shine most effectively on their applications.

Tell us about some of the academic benefits offered by the program.

One key benefit is that we offer a wide range of course options and customize study plans for our students to help them meet their goals. STAR students who have demonstrated their English proficiency and academic readiness have the opportunity to concurrently enroll in approved UCI credit-bearing courses, study alongside matriculated UCI students, and potentially apply their units to their future degree programs. Our graduate-level students can also meet their desired graduate programs’ prerequisites by finding qualifying courses through DCE’s Accelerated Certificate Programs which includes participation in the Internship Experience.

Additionally, STAR offers academic research classes that focus on research principles and acculturation courses that practice skills such as communication etiquette for in-person and electronic communication, time management and classroom engagement and participation.

Is there a focus on strengthening English proficiency and acclimating to everyday life in America?

There is a strong focus on both areas. STAR provides a series of courses to help students hone academic skills in reading, writing, research methods and citation, as well as classroom and professional presentations. Our instructors have extensive ESL experience, and they are familiar with the common issues that international students need to know to succeed in their studies in the U.S. Besides the fact that most schools require a certain level of English proficiency demonstrated through an exam, we have noticed that students who develop academic communication in English are more confident and better prepared to succeed in classes and campus life.

What are some of the cultural challenges STAR students face?

Students that come here expect to encounter some culture shock, but it’s often a surprise how deep the differences can run. It’s natural for students to cope by congregating within their cultural communities, but students who take refuge in their cultural standards struggle the most. On the other hand, students who approach us from the outset with questions, involve themselves in activities, and attend classes and advising appointments regularly tend to progress well through the program.

Are there activities that allow international students to engage with the UCI community?

Outside of the classroom, there are multiple opportunities for STAR students to join in activities and conversation through opportunities offered by the DCE Student Life and Activities Office. Those activities support skills and opportunities that are useful for our students and help them construct a sense of belongingness within the DCE and larger community, especially since many STAR students are far from their families and friends.

Does STAR assist its students with personal issues?

DCE has a team of international student support staff who are there from the beginning to help students talk through various issues, including some that are not academic. Recently, a couple of our advising staff lent a hand in repairing a student’s bike, and when the student needed additional help, I steered the student towards some free and low-cost repair places in the community. As a whole, STAR and supporting teams in DCE want the students to know we care about their progress on multiple levels.

Learn more about the Success Through Academics and Research (STAR) Programs.