Before attending a language school in the USA, I had many questions on my mind because I am not that kind of person who is easily persuaded. Some of my questions are like the following: Does an English language program in the US help me to improve my language skills? Can I survive in the place I am going to live? Can I make friends there? What kind of unique opportunities can I have there? And so on.
"Thanks to its wide range food options, its modern and historical background, and warm and kind people living here, you will love this city."
My answer is pretty simple: Yes, English Language Program (ELP) at University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) is the right place for me. So, why?
As an international student, my primary purpose is to improve my English language skills in all dimensions. As an Ivy League program, ELP has provided it more than I imagined before. There are many classes, ranging from beginner to advanced levels, for someone who has different areas of interest. I, for example, have attended Dramatically Speaking Class, which helped me to gain self-confidence by showing myself on the stage in front of a crowd. It is the best part of ELP that you can tailor your program to yourself. While some of my engineer friends were taking English for Engineering classes, I preferred to take some business English classes. Therefore, all of us were happy to involve what classes we wanted. My transformation was phenomenal. Before ELP, I was a man who was afraid of saying “Hello” to people; after it, I can speak confidently, sociably, and strongly thanks to ELP’s unique curriculum, helpful lecturers, who are specialists in their field, and gentle encouragement.
In addition to its unique academic background, ELP at UPenn is located in one of the best cities in the US, Philadelphia – brotherly love. If you are a fan of history like me, you will find yourself in heaven in Philadelphia. Philadelphia is the birthplace of the US. While walking in the old city, you can see the soul of freedom on every corner. Philadelphia is also the home of many US firsts, such as first hospital and medical school, the first library, first Capitol, first zoo, first stock exchange, and first business school. It is a privilege to live here and witness all history. I have been in different US cities, such as New York City, Jersey City, Washington D.C, and so on. Whenever getting back to Philadelphia, I feel I am home. Besides its amazing urban life and tranquil habitat, it is also a student-friendly city. You can easily take a bus, subway or train to go somewhere. House rents in Philadelphia are more affordable than the other big cities. There are also a great number of different cuisines, such as Chinese, French, Mediterranean, and without number. My favorite is Philly-Cheesesteak. I am also sure that you are going to love it, too. To sum up, thanks to its wide range food options, its modern and historical background and warm and kind people living here, you will love this city. Maybe you will embrace it as a second home, as well.
Finally, I would like to ask you if you want to get a degree from an Ivy League School. Yes, ELP can help you to get into one of them. Not only can you learn English in ELP at UPenn; but also you can learn how to be a good candidate for US colleges and universities. Since I came here, I have prepared myself to get into a master's degree program in a US university. As an international student, it is a very complex process for me. I needed help in order to manage this stressful process. As you guess, ELP has a specific program for it. By attending University Application and Preparation Courses, which are the best illuminative courses about university application processes, I managed to get an acceptance from the University of Pennsylvania for a Master of Science program. By introducing myself to the best professor at UPenn, I increased my chance to get into an Ivy League school. Under the recommendations of ELP lecturers, I met a lot of great professors and scholars at Penn. After that, I am going to study my master's at UPenn, and I will experience this unique atmosphere for two more years.
In a nutshell, while you are improving yourself in all dimensions, such as academically, mentally, and socially, at the same time if you want to increase your chance to get into a prestigious school, make a wide range and a variety of friends all over the world, and have fun, you belong at ELP at University of Pennsylvania. Who knows if next time, you may readily write your experience for someone to encourage him to embark this splendid journey in ELP at UPenn like me.
