PantherNOW Editorial Board
PantherNOW has published its investigation into Global First Year, a partnership between FIU and the higher-education company Shorelight— and the results are alarming.
The program allows international students to take courses at the university as non-degree-seeking students and then transfer to FIU once they’re done.
On the surface, it doesn’t seem like a bad thing — but in our investigation, we’ve uncovered facts that make G1Y a concern.
For one, the incredibly lax admission requirements are a joke.
The main appeal of the program is the fact that you don’t need to submit any standardized test to get in. No SAT, ACT, CLT, nada.
You do have to take one of these tests at the end of the program, but guess what? G1Y students are being encouraged to fail just so they have a score on record.
Is that really a good look for an academic program at any university – encouraging students to fail a test on purpose? This is a blatant attempt to circumvent the university’s admission standards and requirements.
Our investigation also revealed that G1Y does not check on a student’s English proficiency after they complete the program. Sure, they’ll take some English classes during it, but that just isn’t enough.
If the program isn’t retesting or in any way evaluating a G1Y student’s English proficiency after they graduate, they’re being set up for failure because they won’t be able to keep up. They’ll be expected to do the same work as a typical FIU sophomore without fully knowing the language in which their coursework or instructions come in.
G1Y also costs significantly more to do with additional fees
The worst part is that none of the extra money covers the Panther Book Pack.
As a result, these students lack a safety net. International students who just want to come to FIU through G1Y can find themselves in trouble after they move on while the program continues to make a big profit.
The contradictions in the interview answers from those in charge, the testimonials from former students and the lack of transparency when it comes to additional fees and what they’re being used for should be seen as a bright red stop sign for international students looking to get into FIU.
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