International Students 1

Marcel Hall
Anthony Flores
Alexis Cortes
STACC English 100
Professor Rosales
20 November 2014
Greater Avenues for International College Students
Entering college can be an exciting new adventure for some students, it can also be a
nightmare where whatever seemed attainable to the traditional student in the U.S. is out of grasp.
Currently international students are encountering this nightmare face to face. Students in the U.S.
are accustomed to the life, culture, and schooling, whereas international students need to start
from scratch. International students are facing a whole new way of life in general and may
struggle tremendously not just academically but socially, and financially. What may of already
seemed new to the average beginning PCC student is a new world to international students in
which they need to successfully gain entrance to an academic discourse community for a less
burdensome path in achieving an education. The process of entering a new academic discourse
community isnt easy for some international students and they get stuck due to many
circumstances. There are many obstacles international students can face that may interfere with a
successful entrance to an academic discourse community, the main challenge however includes
adapting to the new culture which requires learning all the basic everyday language, overcoming
academic difficulties, and establishing social networks within the community. Although there are
an abundant challenges that may hinder a foreign students entrance to an academic discourse
community, there are resources and programs at PCC that not only point students in the right

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direction by providing orientations and counseling, but aid students in adapting to the new
culture by offering one on one help, providing social events, and workshops that will ensure a
smooth transition assimilating to the academic community.
Colleges in the U.S. have different demands for students compared to foreign schools and
really create additional stress for international students having trouble making adjustments. For
example plagiarism is a new term for some international students and without sufficient
knowledge regarding it can lead to detrimental consequences. An Article titled For Some
International students Plagiarism is a foreign word By Kia Farhang describes a situation in
which a University of St. Thomas student named Zizo Amro originally from Saudi Arabia
imbedded another students work in his analysis without knowing he was at fault. According to
the Lori Friedman, the schools director of international student services, Students from eastern
cultures are generally used to working in groups toward a common goal in ways that can run
counter to the American tradition of independent scholarship. International students like Amro
have been accustomed to the ways of their homeland and struggle to adapt and learn all the new
rules of education in the U.S. Amros experience really illustrates the problems international
students can come across if they unknowingly violate a schools rules. It is really up to the
students to educate themselves on everything regarding policies and have to put their old ways of
learning behind them because schools dont have guidelines for giving international students
slack for not understanding the rules.
On top of the different demands from colleges international students are thrown into a
classroom with totally different teaching styles. They have to conform to different ways of
learning that they have never experienced before in their lives. An academic Article by Kanae
Takeya titled Culture Shock: Schools In The U.S. and Japan explains how much the schooling

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experiences differ from one another and how it is like entering a different dimension. Teachers in
Japan thoroughly direct their students what to do and how they should be, while in the U.S.
schools tend to be a lot more independent. For example Takeya points out one difference is that
teachers in Japan expect students to be quiet in classes. In general, teachers explain the content of
textbooks, handouts, and other materials. But in American schools, teachers think class
participation is very important, and they require students to give their opinions or ask questions
in classes. The contrast between the different styles causes a major shock to students when
studying in the U.S. Takeya was a international student from Japan herself, and describes how
scary the classroom experience can be for Japanese students. She admitted for the first few
months I studied in an American school, I was tense because my teachers asked me questions
very often used to turn my eyes away from teachers' eyes immediately after they asked
something of students. This fear can really affect an international students grade in a classroom
and cost them to fail their class.
Here at Pasadena City College international students have resources in which they can
use to help achieve their academic goals. There is an international student center in campus,
which informs these students with basic concepts of what it takes to be a successful college
student here in the United States. This student center created specifically for international
students, it provides them with an orientation that includes an explanation of the rules and laws
students have to follow. They educate these students on the Dos and Donts in school such as
copyrighting and plagiarism. But in order for International students to be part of the Pasadena
discourse community first they have to go through a process. For international students to be
accepted into the college they must first comply with some requirements. Students must first
apply to PCC online and provide a high school diploma, which could be from their school from

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their homeland. Second, they must show that they know sufficient English by taking a test called
the TOEFL in which students are required to score 450 or higher. They must also prove that they
have sufficient funds to attend school, which is roughly around twenty thousand U.S dollars.
Once accepted students are given many opportunities that help them thrive towards high goals.
This resource center supplies students with advice and information about the school campus and
its regulations. Students could simply walk in for basic questions or emergency meetings; they
can also schedule an appointment if they want to get into more specifics.
International students are not as prepared for college as a traditional student is; thankfully
there are resources they can benefit from to help keep them on track. The International Student
Center helps students with advice and work together with counselors to help provide the right
classes for them such as English as a second Language. The Pathways program is filled with
tutors that are ready to help students with their homework or with any issue they are having.
They are also assigned a coach in whom they can talk to and receive advice or support with any
problem they have.
To successfully become part of academic discourse community students need to interact
socially with one another which is tough for international students. The two major factors that
hinder an international students social experience in college include language diversity and
cultural differences pointed out by Jan Guidry Lacina, the author of the academic journal titled
New Directions for Higher Education. Lacina asserted that the intolerance of language
impedes many international students from adapting to a new social environment (22). An
example would be an American student who is bilingual and doesnt really want to take the time
to converse with somebody who has heavy accent that sounds completely different from theirs.
International students have very little control of their accent therefore they must become aware

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of a broad list of vocabulary to interact in efficient manner. Other challenges for international
students include slang and idioms. Lacina addresses that many international students acquire
academic English so they can function successfully in their college classrooms but have little
acquaintance with the language used in social situations (22). With only knowing Basic English
many international students get confused or irritated when people use slang words. For example
an American student may react to a song by calling it sick. The international student might not
understand that they are showing admiration towards the song and misinterpret as hatred against
it. Without understanding other students international students face a hard time relating to others
and creating friendships. In an interview with a student from Syria named Angelina, It was very
understandable that comfort ability around others plays a big part. Angelina explained how back
when she was in Syria she had lots of friends and would be very social, but ever since she had
came to the United States she had only about three to five friends and keeps her circle very
small. She addressed that she does not trust people in the U.S. because she does not know the
type of character people will have and back in Syria she had known the qualities of which people
already displayed and felt comfortable approaching strangers. The international student might
not understand that they are showing admiration towards the song and misinterpret as hatred
against it. Without understanding and being comfortable around other students international
students face a hard time relating to others and creating friendships.
The stressful circumstances in which International students go under can lead to
depression, which can cause detrimental side effects. While all students in general face many
hardships, international students face certain academic and social challenges that increase the
stress they facing. Also, in some countries the shame of mental illness is much greater than it is
in the U.S. Due to this perception an international students culture may halt them from getting

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help. International students are much less likely than students originally from the states to go to
counseling or take medication for mental health issues, putting them at extreme risk for mental
health problems, including depression and suicide. An academic article titled Health Stigma In
The Muslim Community by Ayse Ciftci, the training director of he Counseling Psychology
program at Purdue University, along with Nev Jones and Patrick W. Corrigan focuses on the
mental stigma in Muslims. Stigma is defined as the situation of the individual who is
disqualified from full social acceptance (Goffman, 1963, p. 9). A study made with thirty-five
individuals from Arab communities was conducted and majority of them pointed out that stigma
was the most significant barrier to getting mental health services due to the shame of disclosing
personal and family issues to outsiders (Youssef & Deane, 2006). With this being stated foreign
students will need to overcome this blockade in order to be a successful student in college.
The Pasadena City College International Student center is also collaborated with the
Pathways program, a program that provides services for students by offering them lots of
resources. As an international student you have to attend iJAM, which is a 2 week course where
international students become prepared for their classes, learn about American college life, and
are able to build friendships with other students coming from all parts of the world. This helps
students become more social and interact with other students going through the same experience
they are. Relating to each other really benefits them whenever they have an issue and could ask
each other for help. The Pathways program puts together events such as movie and game nights,
which help students socialize with one another. The program also consists of a learning center,
which is filled with not only international students but with many other groups of students, which
international students could mingle with. Students are also require to take College 1, an elective
class for first semester college students, which just as the learning center is filled with a mix

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group of students in which they could interact with during group activities. From prior
experience of taking college 1, I saw that that it was a great experience to make new friends.
Unlike the ordinary classroom environment at a community college, where students tend to only
focus on themselves and not interacting, college 1 breaks students out of their comfort zone and
acquires them to open up and interact with others.
When it comes to solutions to the many challenges an international student can
experience PCC has them covered. With all the resources available foreign students can adjust
with a lot more ease and get a great experience learning in the United States. With programs such
as Pathways and the International Student Center, these students will not have to bear any of the
pains of being lonely, not knowing the rules, or becoming depressed alone. They will have
greater avenues at reach and prosper greatly as international student. It will be a long journey,
but what is a journey without obstacles, and at PCC, there are resources which can help students
get around those barriers and on to success as a new member of the academic discourse
community.

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Work Cited

Farhang, Kia. "For Some International Students, 'plagiarism' Is a Foreign Word." Minnesota
Public Radio News. N.p., 8 Oct. 2014. Web. 27 Oct. 2014.
Zhou, Lulu. "Foreign Students Face Challenges | News | The Harvard Crimson." The Harvard
Crimson. N.p., 17 Dec. 2004. Web. 27 Oct. 2014.
Lacina, Jan Guidry. "Preparing International Students For A Successful Social Experience In
Higher Education." New Directions For Higher Education 117 (2002): 21. Academic
Search Premier. Web. 27 Oct. 2014.
"Journal OfMuslim Mental Health." Mental Health Stigma in the Muslim Community. N.p., n.d.
Web. 01 Dec. 2014.
"Culture Shock: Schools in the U.S. and Japan." Culture Shock: Schools in the U.S. and Japan.
N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Dec. 2014.