University Fast Track Program YOUR PATHWAY TO UNIVERSITY SUCCESS

• 22.5 classroom hours per week of intensive ESL instruction (5 courses)

• 2 Institutional TOEFL exams per semester • One specialized professional development seminar per month. Each

seminar provides a unique opportunity for students to develop their academic and leadership skills taught by leaders in their fields. Some examples are:

o Business writing o Public speaking o Time management & life skills o Effective study and critical thinking skills o Professional and leadership training o Technology and Entrepreneurship

• Up to 10 hours of personalized supplemental instruction

• Academic and non-academic mentoring

• University application assistance :

o Identifying a university appropriate for career goals o Clarifying admission requirements and deadlines o Editing and proofreading résumés and application essays o Monitoring admission status o Phone and email assistance with university representatives o Possible TOEFL waiver with partner schools o Possible conditional letters of acceptance to partner schools (HYPERLINK TO WEB PG)

Learning Outcomes:

Students will learn the academic

English skills and strategies they

need to be successful in an

American college or university environment.

Additional Services Include:

• On-site attorney • Medical and legal referrals • Immigration counseling • On-site translation and

interpretation • Assistance with bank

accounts,driver’s licenses, etc. • Housing assistance • University course auditing • Airport pickup/drop off if needed

• Textbooks • Student IDs • Building-wide Wi-Fi access • On-site computer labs with extensive

test prep software • Weekly student conversation club

activities & field trips • Certificate upon completion • Female-only activities if requested • Access to the library and recreational

facilities of the University of Texas

POSSIBLE FAST TRACK SEMINAR/WORKSHOP TOPICS:

Work skills o Résumé and cover letter writing o Emailing etiquette o Telephone English o Public speaking strategies o Interview preparation o Leadership training o Creativity and innovation o Technology, cyber-security, and entrepreneurship

University Skills o Effective time management o Note-taking techniques o Critical thinking strategies o Determining high-quality sources for essays

Test Preparation o IELTS speaking preparation o IELTS writing preparation o TOEFL speaking preparation o TOEFL writing preparation

Language Workshops o Communicating in the hospital - language workshop o Accent reduction workshops o Common grammar errors based on students’ native language o Slang and idiomatic English that relates to students’ native countries

Life in America o United States health care o Life coaching for families o Managing finances o Stress management o Avoiding cultural miscommunication o Government policies and immigration

Do you have suggestions for other possible Fast Track seminars?

Please write them below! _________________________________________

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Seminar/Workshop Evaluation Form Topic: _____________________________________

Please put a check mark () in the box that corresponds to your answer. You do not have to

include your name, so please give you honest opinion on each question.

Strongly agree

Agree Neutral/ No opinion

Disagree Strongly disagree

The topic was interesting to me.

The presentation was easy to understand.

The presenter was engaging.

Overall, the seminar was useful to me.

What did you like best about the seminar/workshop?

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Was there anything problematic about the seminar/workshop?

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What suggestions do you have to help make these sessions more meaningful for you?

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Thank you for your time and feedback!

FAST TRACK SEMINARS & WORKSHOPS: SIGN-IN SHEET Date and Topic: __________________________________________________________

Student Name Signature 1. Ayman Alsayyali

2. Mohammad Mowais

3. Mohammed Almarhoon

4. Mohammed Algoblan

5. Feras Alsurayhi

Summer 2017 Meeting with Fast Track Students

Time: Thursday, May 18, 2:00-2:30

Attendees: Blair, Anjum, Amrin and the five fast track students

Students were presented with the “Possible Fast Track Seminar/Workshop Topics” document and

asked about their preferences for Fast Track activities in the coming term. There were five students,

and their initial reactions were as follows:

1. Mohammed Mowais (level 5) - Very academically minded and university focused - He

is interested in the “communicating in the hospital - language workshop”, and would like a

workshop on Effective Time Management and Critical Thinking Skills, especially if it is given by

someone who is a recent graduate or currently studying at a US university. He might enjoy

auditing university classes as well.

2. Ayman Alsayyali (level 5) - Wants to study epidemiology, so the option of

“communicating in the hospital - language workshop” is appealing. He also would like further

tips on the IELTS, since he needs to work on his writing.

3. Mohammed Almarhoon (level 4) - Wants to focus on IELTS writing and

slang/idiomatic language. He is also interested in medical language.

4. Feras Alsurayhi (level 3) - IELTS writing interests him, and he is interested in learning

about doing business in the USA.

5. Mohammed Algoblan (level 2) - He wants to become more communicative, so

slang/idiomatic language workshops interest him. The IELTS is a goal down the road.

It was decided that Blair, who is an IELTS Examiner, and ex-supervisor of a medical English program

in Saudi Arabia would deliver the first workshop on Thursday, May 25. He will do 30 minutes on tips

for increasing IELTS writing scores and then 30 minutes more on practical idiomatic language used in

American hospitals.

Furthermore, Blair would reach out to a contact at the Dallas Baptist University to request a

professional university rep to come down to give a workshop on Effective Time Management and

Critical Thinking Strategies mid-June. He would also request the people there to arrange auditing of

university classes and a seminar on US university application at DBU the following month.

Anjum would contact a local entrepreneur and business owner to come give a workshop on

entrepreneurship and marketing in the US.

Fast Track Seminar Dates: 2017

(Themes are decided based on student input in meetings conducted at the beginning of each semester between the students, the Senior VP, and the Academic Director)

Month Date Seminar/Workshop/Activity Presenter/Mentor/Guide

January 14

Austin City and University Tour: Acquainting foreign

students with the facilities and campus highlights of the largest

public university in the US. (3 hours)

Blair Bourassa, Academic Director at HOFT Institute and

Elizabeth Maze, faculty member and alumni of Texas universities

with two master’s degrees

February 16 Public Speaking: The Basics

(1 hour)

Derrek Chung and Collin Hopkins, members of the Texas Speech Team

who are both winners of national speaking competitions, as well as

experienced coaches of public speaking camps offered by the

University of Texas

March Week-10 exams, followed 10-day Spring Break

April 13

15

Tour of St. Edward’s University (3 hours)

Final Exam Study Session (1 hour)

St. Edwards University Staff

Collin Hopkins

May 25

IELTS writing workshop & Discussion of idiomatic

language in American hospitals (30 minutes for each section)

Blair Bourassa, Director of HOFT Institute, IELTS Examiner, and

Ex-supervisor of a medical English program in the KSA

June 19 Effective Time Management & Critical Thinking Strategies in

an US University Setting (1 hour)

Workshop by a representative from Dallas Baptist University at

HOFT Institute

July 7

Auditing of classes and university application

workshop at Dallas Baptist University (1 day)

The tour and auditing will be arranged by DBU staff.

Transportation arranged by the HOFT Institute Academic Director

August 3 Workshop on Entrepreneurship and Effective Use of Social Media

in US Marketing (1 hour)

Austin Winstanley, entrepreneur and owner of several businesses in Austin

September

To be decided after meeting with the Fall 2017 Fast Track student group October

November

December