How to Choose the Best English Language School in the USA

[exerpts from Chapter 2 - Asking the Right Questions and Chapter 3 - Academic Quality - Note that the American English version is followed by Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Spanish and German versions that include key questions in BOTH the stated as well as American English language]:

"...The big question is, should I study English in the USA? Since you picked this book, you have probably already decided to do this. But just in case you have not, here are some interesting facts about studying English in the USA, especially American English, that might help you decide:

--English is the language most often taught as a second language throughout the world. This is perhaps the most obvious indication of its global status.

--English is the primary language of the Internet, and over 85% of information stored in the world's computers is in English.

--English is the official international language of diplomacy, law, medicine, aviation, engineering and business;

--75% of the business publications and more than half the scientific journals are in English.

--There are 425 million speakers of English as a first language in the world today, 700 million speakers of English as a second or foreign language, and over a billion others are learning English right now as you read this.

--80% of the English used in the world is between non-native speakers of English who use it as a means of communication.

--Because English is so widely spoken, it has been referred to as a global language.

--In particular, American Academic English as taught in colleges and universities in the USA is spoken and written in a special form caled the American Expository Essay; this unique form allows listeners and readers to quicikly determine the 'truth' of an explanation - a process called critical thinking...

While it may be true that you can learn basic grammar and structure anywhere, we believe that there is no better place to study and learn to use your English, particularly Amrican English, than in the USA where it is being continuously applied along with its uniquely American form, the American Expository Essay by native speakers.

OK, let's assume that you've now decided on studying and applying your English in the USA. The second big challenge is choosing one of several thousand excellent English Language schools...

In the USA, there is no number one, US government-recommended school, college or university for studying English . Of the approximately 4,000 institutions, companies and tutors interested in teaching you English, none are best in everything English - all have specific strengths and weaknesss. A better question is, therefore, "What is the best English language school FOR ME?" We believe that the answer is: "The best language school for you is the one whose strengths match your particular needs, wants and desires." To help you find out which schools best meet your particular needs, wants and desires, we have created a list of questions that you can ask a school you are interested in. After each question, we give you a sample answer from ICC [Intercultural Communications College, an actual English language school in the USA] and our own special recommendations. To help you in this process, we have listed our suggested questions in order of importance, the first ones being the most important. We believe that your questions should address, first and foremost, ACADEMIC QUALITY, and then, of course, LOCATION. After that, we suggest some CAMPUS, FACILITY and SPECIAL QUALITY INDICATOR questions that you may find useful, followed by some IMPORTANT DETAIL questions."

Most people agree that academic quality should always come first. We agree. But exactly how do you determine academic quality? We have found over the years that in the USA, school accreditation, instructor training, the subjects offered and main teaching method or style all contribute strongly to Academic Quality.

Acceditation
The US govenment recomends that, before applying, you should make sure the English school, company or tutor meets some accepted minimum standards. In USA, these standards for schools and companies are called accreditation. According to the US government, two important accrediting organizations for Intensive English Programs in the USA are: (1) the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training (ACCET), and (2) the Commission on English Language Program Accreditation (CEA). We strongly suggest that you check to see whether the study program you are considering is accredited by one of these two organizations. How do you do this? Simiply ask the question (Q):

Q1: Is your school, agency or company accredited by ACCET or CEA?
The desired answer (A) should be something like:
A1: Yes, ICC is accredited by ACCET..."
Here is some space to record answers you actually get:

For more information about accreditation, we suggest visiting these websites..."