OSEAS ADVISERS CAN:
1. Be a primary source of information on the educational systems of our home countries.
2. Help you network with local educational ministries, universities and professional accreditation commissions in our countries.
3. Keep you posted on study trends in our areas and on programs students are looking for in the States.
4. Be a primary source of information dissemination on your university's admissions policies and on special grants or programs you offer.
5. Serve as resources in our individual areas of specialization through the Regional Linkage Programs, regional and annual NAFSA meetings and OSEAS workshops.
6. Be an international student's only or primary exposure and contact with the US system of higher education. A well-informed overseas advising center can serve as the gateway to international educational exchange.
HOW CAN ADSEC OFFICERS HELP OSEAS ADVISERS?
1. Inform us of any exchanges or special agreements you may have with our local colleges and universities.
2. Keep us informed of admissions trends for international students.
3. Help us encourage the international undergraduate transfer student to continue applying to US schools by rethinking admissions' policies. Try and give these students a clearer picture of their entry level at the time of acceptance and issuance of the I
-20, and before they leave their home countries.
4. Help us clarify to our students the myths concerning interpretations of standardized testing scores and let us know how we can prepare them for the realities of testing. Join the growing numbers of schools that publish minimum test scores in reference
books such as the ETS/CGS Directory of Graduate Programs, College Board's College Handbook Foreign Student Supplement, Peterson's Graduate Guides and Applying to US Colleges and Universities (for international undergraduates).
5. Let us know if your university or department has mid-year admissions and what are exact deadlines for international students.
6. Try to simplify application forms for the international student. Develop an understanding of the logistical obstacles international students sometimes face when applying to US schools.
7. Provide us with more information on short-term and non-degree programs and help USIA E/ASA update useful reference material so lacking in this field. In spite of tighter budgets worldwide, many international students want the US educational experience,
but may no longer be able to afford full-length programs. Short-term/non-degree studies could be the solution.
8. More information on accredited distance education programs, especially at a graduate level, is also needed. Unfortunately, the gap created by lack of up to date accurate material has been filled by unaccredited institutions who tarnish the image of US
higher education abroad and raise ethical concerns in overseas advising centers.
9. As partners in international education, help us maintain the US higher education's credibility by adhering to professional ethics. Admissions information published in various reference books should be enforced.
10. Help us encourage qualified international students to apply to your schools by developing methods of creative funding - community service, teaching their native language if there is a lack of qualified students in your school's department, becoming do
rm supervisors - these are just some suggestions to work on together!
11. Let us know of ANY scholarships you offer for qualified international undergraduate and graduate students (general merit, need-based, departmental, arts oriented, sports, etc.). Schools informing overseas centers of any financial assistance available
to qualified students have a greater chance of attracting and enrolling suitable international applicants.
12. Develop direct communication linkages with overseas advising centers. A. Take advantage of our e-mail, fax and APO addresses; B. Let us know YOUR e-mail and fax numbers and please publish these in all major admissions reference books; C. Let
us know if you plan to visit our areas of the world. Visit our overseas centers and see our operations in action.
13. Attend and participate in OSEAS workshops and activities such as the new USIA and NAFSA project entitled "US-OSEAS Partnerships" and upcoming OSEAS programs at NAFSA conferences. Your presence and input are important to us!
14. Remember the 3 C's - Communicate, cooperate and collaborate!
HOW CAN WE KEEP IN TOUCH?
* Use AMIDEAST'S "Advising Quarterly" as a primary source of informing overseas advising centers of your admission trends, updates, policies, scholarships, short-term and distance education programs, testing information, etc.
Advising Quarterly, Att: Juleann Fallgatter, Editor, AMIDEAST, 1100 17th Street, NW Washington, DC 20036, Tel: (202) 785-0022; Fax: (202) 822-6563, e-mail: jfallgatter@amideast.org
* Keep a copy of the COLLEGE BOARD'S "1995-96 Directory of Overseas Advising Centers" on hand for easy reference to our names, APO addresses, telephone, fax and e-mail addresses. Copies can be ordered from College Board Publications, Box 886, New York, NY
10101. (item #254186, cost $19.95 single copies)
* If you need to verify documents or admissions policies of a particular region or country, send out a message in one of the following ways to reach one of our 423 OSEAS advising centers around the world:
1) To send messages to Overseas Advising Centers worldwide by region or by subject of interest, use the OSEAS Topic on Inter-L (Inter-L@VTVM1.CC.VT.EDU; include OSEAS topic in the Subject line and specify region/
s, country or specific topic i.e. RE:OSEAS:Latin America-undergraduate degrees or RE:OSEAS:ALL-overseas MBA Programs);
2) For messages of specific interest or targeted to advisers in the NIS - use the EAC-L listserve (EAC-L@IREX.RU);
3) For messages of specific interest to advisers throughout Europe (Western, ECE, Israel and NIS) - use OSEAS-Europe@ibs.ee.
One of us will be there to help you. We look forward to hearing from you!
Prepared by: Evelyn Levinson, Director, Educational Information Service US-Israel Educational Foundation (Fulbright), Tel Aviv Chair, OSEAS Europe Board 1996-97
E-mail: elevinson@fulbright.org.il
April 1995; updated March 8, 1996
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