Be honest about your English receptive and expressive skills

International Students
#1

Okay, my dd called me several hours ago from her UC.

DD was placed in a group of 4 women, in her microbiology lab. Work in lab classes is often done in groups. One main reason is limited lab supplies and time. One young lady in her lab group is an international student and does not comprehend the English instructions, nor does she speak, nor write English characters. Because this group has to complete the labs and get these checked off by the lab GRad assistant within a timely manner, my dd and her lab partners are often delayed because someone has to try to explain what the assignment entails to the international student. Her reading English skills are also compromised.

At first, the young ladies were accommodating, but now they are irritated that their grade is being affected. A fifteen minute procedure took two hours today, and the ladies were given an incomplete on their lab. They’ve spoken to the GA who understands the issue, but his hands are tied. He apparently asked the class if anyone could help translate, but most of the students are familiar with the situation and appear to not want to compromise their grades. (Plus, someone applied to this university indicating that she could speak, hear, read, and write English which was not true.)

I’m not bashing the entire international community, just the ones who are not being honest about their English proficiency. I’ve had international interns (most recently from S. Korea) whose English skills were amazing! I have yet to have an intern who couldn’t understand most English instructions.

If you can read and write English-GREAT! This, however, is very different from speaking and listening to English at a rapid speed in an English speaking country.

When you apply to US universities, don’t pay anyone to take your TOEFL for you because you really need to know how to speak it and understand it, or you won’t be able to pass your classes and you will not graduate.

#2

@“aunt bea” I’m curious as to how she wrote her UC essays/personal statement.

#3

@MITer94
I can probably guess how her UC essays/personal statement were written…

#4

@GMTplus7 Exactly.

#5

I have no idea. It’s too bad, because, it does reflect poorly.

#6

Wow I never knew it was THAT bad in UC. However nothing can be done unless the school gets more money from state government, which doesn’t seem likely for now…

#7

If this student’s English is as bad as your daughter reports, then someone else must have taken the English proficiency exam that was required for admission. The GA needs to report the issue to the international students office. They may be able to do something about the student.

Your daughter and her team mates need to go over the GA’s head to the professor. They should not be getting incompletes because they were forced to work with a teammate who lacks the language skills to complete the assignments. For the present, they should do the work and let this other student watch. They have to protect their grades, and they don’t owe someone who hired another person to take the TOEFL for them anything. She will fail her classes and get booted out quickly enough.

#8

@happymomof1, that’s exactly what I told the dd.^

#9

I just read an article about Asian advising institutions which offer a “full-package” so the applicants don’'t have to do anything at all. The article was about China specifically, but I can’t remember the webpage.

#10