I studied at ELP from June to August 2021. I was going to study MBA in the U.S., but I was not feeling comfortable studying academics in English. That’s why I decided to take an English academic program before studying MBA. I chose ELP because of the opportunity of studying at one of the Ivy League universities and the reputation that I heard from several friends who had also studied at ELP. This was the right decision.
"ELP offered a lot of opportunities to practice speaking skills. The teachers encouraged all students to speak freely in class. Also, ELP has a student center where students can stay anytime and talk with teachers and other students."
First, I built the foundation of academic English in reading, listening, speaking, and writing. Especially, I focused on speaking and writing because I hadn’t studied them academically in Japan. For writing skills, I developed academic writing in three types of formats: narrative essay, summary response, and argumentative essay. For speaking skills, I learned the skills to explain the situation using useful words and phrases. More importantly, ELP offered a lot of opportunities to practice speaking skills. The teachers encouraged all students to speak freely in class. Also, ELP has a student center where students can stay anytime and talk with teachers and other students.
Second, the class was diverse in terms of students’ home country and background, so immersing myself in such a diverse situation prepared me to study MBA with students from different countries and backgrounds.
Finally, I met great teachers and students. The teachers were not only energetic and humorous but also warm and kind. Outside the class, they helped me adjust to a new environment by suggesting useful resources in Philadelphia. That was helpful because it was my first experience living in the U.S. Additionally, I made great connections with the students in my classes. I mainly studied with students from Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, China, Taiwan, France, and Japan.
I would like to thank all the people who supported my enrollment and provided me with these valuable experiences.
