Little did I know, a number of first year MBA students are already on campus. They are in the Cornell English for International Students and Scholars (EISS) program, a six-week, full-time English intensive English language program at Cornell. It also provides academic, social, and cultural orientation to the United States and its institutions.I was invited to its International Dinner and Culture Sharing Night at Maplewood Community Center, where the students served ethnic food and educated one another on their own cultures. The room filled with laughter and excitement, and of course, the aroma of yummy food. I had an opportunity to speak with a number of students and instructors, who are among the nicest people I've ever met. Mary Redmond, Director of the program, kindly forwarded web links to this program:
http://lrc.cornell.edu/english/eiss/Welcome
http://www.sce.cornell.edu/exec/eiss/summer/index.php
The Johnson School has a vigorous core curriculum in the first semester. Some international students have to adjust to the new life and a new language very quickly. EISS offers an opportunity to make the transition smoothly. Kelvin Chen is an incoming first year MBA from China I met at the party. He told me EISS gave him a jump start. Following is quoted form his email to me (you can see he now writes better than I do):
a. EISS is very useful to international students especially those who has no any idea about how American College runs;
b. It provides 6 weeks lessons focusing on Presentation(very important to B-school students), Listening/Speaking, and Writing(you will learn how to use the tremendous resources of Cornell library). You will do a lot practice on that such as writing research paper, making presentation every week, listening logs;
c. Getting familiar with all resources in Campus, your classmates(Johnson students are the majority of EISS program);
d. You will get a lot extra-curriculum activities: interesting lectures arranged by Summer School every week(presented by very famous people), concert, Tourist Trip arranged by ISSO;
e. Settling down yourself more easily before the opening of Fall semester;
f. It's a great time enjoying Ithaca's summer season.
A number of international students are required or recommended to enroll in this program. The tuition is $3,375. In my opinion, all incoming MBA students whose native language is not English should give it a try. It is well worth it.
Instructors and some of the international students at EISS