Only 5 percent of foreign student applicants to universities in the

United States are approved. Of this small percentage of enrolled

freshmen, the US College Board estimates that only 50 percent of them
go on to graduate.

According to Dr. Lauren Clarke, who is dean of the American College at

Sampoerna University, the reason foreign students fresh out of high
school attending universities in the US tend to drop out is because of
the lack of familiarity with US educational approaches and inadequate
preparation.

"These students typically enter into university at the age of 17 or 18.

At that point, they're still accustomed to traditional instruction, and
often lack the skills to engage in interactive learning that most US
classrooms require. Also, they may not have the independence to
responsibly manage their own time and balance a range of subjects
and extracurricular commitments. At American College, they gain a
solid foundation in active learning, as well as the necessary academic
preparation for US classrooms, Clarke said.

According to a recent survey by NAFSA, a leading international

education association, international students in the US often fail
because of poor preparation, weak English language skills and
concerns over internships.

These facts may be worrying for Indonesian parents who plan to send
their children to study in the US. What are the odds that their children
will get accepted into a reputable US university? And if they do get in,
will their children actually graduate or will all that time and money they
invested go to waste?

Sampoerna University understands parents who want certainty and

peace of mind, which is why it is offering undergraduate students in
Indonesia who dream of studying in the US an opportunity to mature
while receiving high-quality academic preparation required to gain
admission and succeed at the most prestigious US universities while
enabling them to save significantly on tuition and living costs.
In addition, the curriculum is designed with both academic breadth and
professional application in mind, resulting in successful student
internships and employment after graduation.

Alternative entry method

.(Courtesy of
Sampoerna University/-)

Through its American College, an Indonesian student at Sampoerna

University can spend two years taking general education courses
designed by Florida-based state college Broward College, which the
Aspen Institute ranks as one of the top three community colleges in the
US.

At the end of this two-year period, a student will earn college credits
transferable to a university in the US, the very same kind students in
the US get if they enroll in a community college.

Normally, according to Sampoerna Schools Systems chief academic

officer Dr. Marshall Schott, if a student wants to enter a prestigious
institution like the University of California at Irvine after graduating
from high school, the selection process is very competitive, due to the
high requirements in the grade point average (GPA), SAT scores and
student portfolios. As one of the best universities in the world, the
university receives over 72,000 freshman applications each year and
accepts less than 40 percent for admission.

"Community colleges serve as an alternative method of entry to these

higher education institutes. Being a community college graduate
allows you to skip this highly competitive situation, as the processes
and requirements for students transferring from them is lowered as
transfer students have already proven their abilities in college level
coursework. In the case of prospective transfer students seeking
admission to the University of California-Irvine, approximately 60
percent are accepted if they do well in their community college work.
This is why Sampoerna University established the American College. It
is essentially an American community college in Indonesia for students
who want to get into a top-ranked university in the United States,"
Schott said.

Statistically speaking, according to the US College Board, foreign

students who want to transfer to the US after getting an associate's
degree at an accredited education institute back home have a much
better chance of getting into and graduating from a US university of
their choosing, with acceptance and graduation rates in US universities
jumping 30 to 50 percent.

As such, community colleges are invaluable pathways for students

pursuing higher education in the US. This is especially true for the
American College at Sampoerna University, as it has a Student Parent
Advisory Center that helps students prepare for life in the US.

College credits and guidance

The American College offers general education courses for

undergraduate students that apply to almost every major available at
US university. In addition, a partnership between Sampoerna University
and Louisiana State University one of Americas top universities
allows students to seamlessly pursue an engineering degree at the
Sampoerna University campus in Jakarta.
Throughout the two-year community college program, students at the
American College get to earn 48 to 60 fully transferable general
education credits divided into about 20 classes.

Each class in the American College consists of 20 to 30 students,

taught in English by highly experienced local and foreign professors
who have been educated at some of the worlds best universities.
Similar to most US universities, over 80 percent of the faculty hold
doctoral degrees in their field.

Significant financial savings

In addition to a more certain reliable path to a US university or to a

partner university in Indonesia, the American College also provides
significant financial benefits for parents.

Foreign students who go alone to the US immediately after high school

have to pay enormous tuition and living costs. According to the College
Board, the average annual cost of attendance at US state universities
is approximately US$40,000 per year for international students. The
American College at Sampoerna University allows parents to save big
on overall expenses.

"We want to facilitate the growth of the middle class in Indonesia by

providing opportunities to study at some of the best universities in the
world. Spending two years at American College means you potentially
save up to half of all university expenses, as the process means that
you spend the first two years of your higher education here in
Indonesia," Clarke said.

To learn more about the American College, feel free to drop by

Sampoerna Universitys Open House on April 29, 2017, at LAvenue,
Pancoran.