GENERAL

The Pre-Arrival Program is an online 2-week intensive program is designed to successfully transition international students to studying and living in the United States.

It consists of two foundation courses and one-on-one advising sessions with the option to take courses in special topics to meet individual interests and needs for an additional fee. Students take the program in the comfort of their homes BEFORE arriving in the United States.  

Both foundation courses meets for a total of 10 hours per week, with an additional 5 hours of individual advising, resulting in 25 contact hours over the course of the program.

• Understand the process of adjusting to a new culture and develop strategies in order to better adapt to the challenges of living in a foreign environment

• Understand academic expectations in the US and how they differ from those in the home country.

• Transition from academic, social, and psychological dependence on others to independence through guided support, engagement, and reflection

• Become familiar with immigration requirements to maintain one’s F-1 student visa and demonstrate satisfactory academic progress

• Achieve a basic understanding of common legal situations that students will face regarding immigration, employment and signing contracts

• Increase knowledge of self by exploring and reflecting on interests, values, habits, preferences, and goals

• Explore the selection of majors by using knowledge of self, culture, and by using university and family resources.

The Pre-Arrival Program is designed for international students who have already received an offer of admission to ANY US university.  While primarily targeted to incoming undergraduate students, the information and skills presented in the program will also be of value to graduate students as well, especially for those who received their undergraduate degree from a university where English was not the medium of instruction.

Essentials for Success in the U.S.

Academic Expectations

Course Registration

Immunizations & Health

Housing, Meal Plans, Transportation

Understanding university communications

Essentials for Immigration and Legal Matters

Understanding immigration documents

Student employment options

Maintaining immigration status

Basics of legal contracts

Maintaining Satisfactory Academic Progress

Session 1 : June 20-July 1, 2022

Session 2: July 11- July 22, 2022

Session 3: August 1-August 12, 2022

$2500  (Two Foundation Courses and Advising)

$850 (add on optional special topics courses)

The Pre-Arrival Program addresses the unique needs of incoming international students to ensure a successful start to their studies and living abroad. One on one advising sessions address individual needs by giving students the tools not only to adapt to US culture but also to learn more about themselves as individuals.

The Pre-Arrival Program has four primary goals:

1. Guide students through university on-boarding processes and requirements to establish a foundation for university study

2. Develop a general cross-cultural understanding of academic and social differences between the US and the home country for successful study abroad experiences

3. Explore attributes necessary for university success with an emphasis on problem solving skills

4. Prepare for one’s university major and explore future career options

Karin Sandler | ksandler@newmind.org (university contact)

Program Staff | pre-arrival@newmind.org

ABOUT NEW MIND

New Mind Education is an accredited post-secondary education institution based in Raleigh, Durham, and Greensboro, North Carolina. 

We partner with leading universities to help first-year international students make successful culture, academic, and language transitions.  New Mind’s flagship University Performance Program (UPP) is anchored in a research-informed curriculum and 1-on-1 advising, supporting partner universities’ mission to achieve holistic student success.

New Mind has been in operation since 2010 and was founded by Michael Chen, who has managed businesses in North America, Europe and East Asia, giving him keen insight into cross-cultural collaboration. As a graduate of UNC - Chapel Hill and NC State, Mr. Chen is deeply committed to the value of education and meeting the needs of international students where they are in order to inspire and cultivate global talent.

New Mind Education is accredited by Cognia (formerly AdvancED).

1200+ Students Served

97% 1st Yr. Retention Rate (NC State)

3.62 Avg. 1st Yr. GPA (NC State)

NC State University, UNC Greensboro, UNC Chapel Hill, Wake Forest University, Duke University, UMASS Dartmouth, and the SUNY system.

 FOR CURRENT UPP STUDENTS

There are two major differences.

• The Pre-Arrival Program is a two-week intensive program to guide students through university on-boarding processes and requirements to establish a foundation for university study and living in the United States. Some of these topics are typically covered in extended orientation for UPP students.

• The pre-arrival services for UPP students are designed for the specific campus they will be attending - either NC State, UNCG, or Wake Forest. You will receive information about university resources, offices, and specific policies as a participant of regular UPP.  This location-specific information is NOT contained in the Pre-Arrival Program, which is designed for international students attending a variety of universities across our network.

The Pre-Arrival Program is VERY different from UPP in terms of its design, length, and purpose.  

UPP is a one-year program designed to support students throughout their first year at a North Carolina university, currently NC State, UNCG, and Wake Forest.  

The Pre-Arrival Program is a two-week program designed to support students in their transition to ANY American university. UPP provides extensive onboarding assistance, weekly advising, and a variety of cultural and educational opportunities in addition to connecting students with campus resources, assistance, and key staff.

Because of its short length, the Pre-Arrival Program is designed to help students hit the ground running as they begin their credit-bearing courses.  It is impossible to duplicate the breadth and depth of content and support of the UPP into a two-week period.

FOR PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS

UPP先行计划将让你在在全方位做好准备并建立充分的自信，在领略大学生活和探索跨文化差异的同时，加强语言技巧。无论是书面或是不成文的高校标准，我们都会和你一同解读，让你系统系了解在课堂内外的一些特定情况下，对学生的具体要求究竟是什么。 我们将建立一套完整的“工具”，帮助你在大学课堂和日常生活中的互动中打好基础。

大多数中国高中并没有教授足够在新的国家生活所必需的实用英语交流技能，因为他们大都更注重学术语言技能。  此外，大多数中国学生鲜少有足够的机会在以英语为主要交流语言的生活环境中应用语言技能。 因此，许多学生在与教授、顾问和同学接触时尝尝感到不知所措和不自在，从而使得大学生涯的开始阶段处于真正的劣势。

中国学生经常反映说，他们在自发、即兴的口语交流方面有困难，特别是在课堂或小组讨论中。中国学生时常会遇到分享意见或想法的特殊挑战——当他们的意见或想法与同学相左时。而这些学生很快意识到，高中的标化考试成绩并不足以让他们能够快速适应美国高校生活。更甚，学生会感到沮丧，因为没有人告诉他们需要提前掌握互动和积极参与的 "规则"。 UPP先行计划不仅会传授学生这些心照不宣的规则，还会设计情景，让学生亲身探索、实践课堂内外会遇到的各种典型情况。

FOR PARENTS 写给家长

由于中国和美国的教育体系有明显差异，对于中国学生来说，在到达校园之前，首先要明确困难和挑战到底在哪里。在美国高校，许多对学生的期望是不言而喻的。 例如，在美国文化中，在课堂上敢于提问是考量学生参与课堂的重要考量，而太安静的学生会被认为不如同龄人聪明、能力差。但除非这样的信息直接传递给中国学生，否则他们与美国同龄人相比将处于劣势。

此外，在强调阅读、语法和标化考试的中国高中，实际的交流需求很少得到实践和应用。 因此，许多中国学生对自己在课堂内外顺利地与他人进行功能性沟通的能力缺乏信心（如寻求帮助、澄清观点、参与小组讨论、与教授交谈、写电子邮件、处理冲突等）。

UPP先行计划专为中国学生设计，基于对中国学生需求的全面分析，与知名高校教授共同讨论学生将从哪些具体的援助中受益。项目设计者包括曾在美国知名高校就读的中国导师——他们亲身经历，并了解异国求学对于中国留学生的难处。

UPP先行计划让学生建立在交流、学术、生活、心态上的信心，系统了解高校期望，并在自我探索的同时，理解、克服文化差异。

UPP先行计划不仅仅是一个语言项目，而是一个旨在满足中国学生独特的语言、学术和文化需求的全方位辅导项目。

该项目所教授的语言技能是大多数中国高中或英语项目所不具备的，通常这些项目更强调学术技能。  在UPP先行计划中，学生将获得实际交流的实用性技能。例如，学生将学习如何在课堂上顺利、有效地与教授沟通，如何深度参与小组讨论，如何在双方意见不一致时与对方协商。因此，即便是托福/雅思成绩很好的学生，我们相信他们也会在这些实用练习中受益匪浅。 

FOR HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELORS & STUDY ABROAD CONSULTANTS

写给高中、留学顾问老师

UPP Pre-Arrival Program 旨在帮助学生在抵美前深入了解中美教育体系、学术文化之间的理念差异，并掌握应对技巧以最小化即将面临的挑战。通过针对性的训练留学生活所必需的口语、写作、沟通、思维技巧，学生将塑造好跨文化学习所必备的心态。通过该项目为期三周的系统学习，留学生将知悉美国高校文化对学生设立的 “隐形” 标准，有效提升课内、课外语言水平及各类学术写作能力，建立自信，从而积极迎接未来的挑战和崭新的生活。

研究显示，越来越多的中国留学生因为对美国教育系统的陌生、学术和生活中表达能力欠缺、无法及时调整对因各种原因导致留学期待的心理落差而致使学生无法最大化留学体验、顺利完成学业，甚至造成严重心理压力。UPP先行项目让学生可在入境美国前便系统了解美国高校教育系统，提升课内、课外所需的语言技巧、沟通能力，从而有效提高使用英文交流的自信，并为即将到来的第一学期做好充分准备。

项目试营期已受到维克森林，北卡大学，北卡州立大学及UMass的一致好评及官方推荐。任何对项目有兴趣的的大学都可向项目索取项目细节并透过新生见面会或邮件等方式提供相关资源给其学生。官方沟通与否不影响学生报名此项目，有兴趣的学生在有效报名期间报名即可。