International student planning on attending PUCMM in Santiago

Amy Espinal

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Mar 12, 2014
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Hello,

I am 4 months away from graduating high school here in the United States and I am planning to major in International Business. I've been accepted to 4 universities here (all with scholarship offers, no more than 50% of the tuition) but it is still a lot of money i'd have to pay. I lived in the Dominican Republic for 10 years prior to moving to the United States, so I completed my education there up to grade 6 in a private Catholic school. Since the first two years of college are basic classes and electives, I believe it would be a good idea to attend college there for those first two years and then transfer back to the United States. Attending a community college is definitely not in plans since it would cost about the same for attending the top college/getting the top education in the Dominican Republic. My Spanish is pretty good and I am enrolled in a high school Spanish IV Honors class, so I doubt I would need much help with the classes there. Is this a good thing to do? What else do I need to know about the university?

Thank you in advance for your help.
 
Aug 6, 2006
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I taught College (mostly Spanish courses) in the US for 42 years. Most freshman students in the US take some sort of entry placement exam, and the results tend to indicate that most of them need to take remedial courses in English Composition and Math. These courses can be over half of those required for the first two years. Math skills generally need to include Algebra I and II and sometimes Trigonometry. Math is the same everywhere, but English composition and reading courses are unlikely to be taught in the DR. You might discover that two years at a community college in the states would cost a lot less than one semester at a four-year private college. Private college tuition is very high in the US. You did not say whether the schools that offered you scholarships are private or state supported.

If you can do so, you should take a placement entry exam to a two or four year college in the States to see if you need any of those remedial courses like Reading, English Composition, Mathematics. A college catalog (online catalogs are often readily available) would be very helpful in determining your course requirements. You did not mention what you plan to major in. Catholic schools are generally pretty deficient in things like US history and civics. This may of may not make a difference, depending on where you choose to attend college and/or your major. Knowing what sort of career you want to pursue will be a great advantage for you. Most college students tend to be rather clueless.

If you have any specific questions, please let me know. Best wishes.
 

Dolores1

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May 3, 2000
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Sounds like a good strategy, more so since you say you want to get into international business. The math you will take at PUCMM should meet your needs. And this will be a great opportunity for you to relearn Spanish, and become fluent in the language. I would, though check with one of the universities, to see how they would handle the transfer, what subjects they would accept. You might like it so much and decide to finish the undergraduate studies here, and then do a masters in the US.

Let's hear from Hillbilly, who is the university expert on this forum.
 

JMB773

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Nov 4, 2011
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I taught College (mostly Spanish courses) in the US for 42 years. Most freshman students in the US take some sort of entry placement exam, and the results tend to indicate that most of them need to take remedial courses in English Composition and Math. These courses can be over half of those required for the first two years. Math skills generally need to include Algebra I and II and sometimes Trigonometry. Math is the same everywhere, but English composition and reading courses are unlikely to be taught in the DR. You might discover that two years at a community college in the states would cost a lot less than one semester at a four-year private college. Private college tuition is very high in the US. You did not say whether the schools that offered you scholarships are private or state supported.

If you can do so, you should take a placement entry exam to a two or four year college in the States to see if you need any of those remedial courses like Reading, English Composition, Mathematics. A college catalog (online catalogs are often readily available) would be very helpful in determining your course requirements. You did not mention what you plan to major in. Catholic schools are generally pretty deficient in things like US history and civics. This may of may not make a difference, depending on where you choose to attend college and/or your major. Knowing what sort of career you want to pursue will be a great advantage for you. Most college students tend to be rather clueless.

If you have any specific questions, please let me know. Best wishes.

I think she already is taking college courses in her senior year, so I do not think she needs to take a placement exam. If she received a partial scholarship I think it is safe to say she scored high on her ACT or SAT exam and if she received a scholarship based on sports she would not be asking about where to go.

Most people heading into the top schools in the country already have college credits before the 1st day of school. Usually math and English.

People taking those remedial courses are usually at a junior college. You can't take a remedial course at The University of Michigan. If you CAN'T do college level work then you need to attend a junior college where they offer courses you can take but you will NOT receive any credit toward you B.A. degree.
 

DR_Guy

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Feb 17, 2010
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If you CAN'T do college level work then you need to attend a junior college where they offer courses you can take but you will NOT receive any credit toward you B.A. degree.

I don't think that is true anymore. You can go to a community college afilliated with Texas A&M for two years then head to College Station to finish. But, I suppose it depends on what your major is.....
 

JMB773

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Nov 4, 2011
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Hello,

I am 4 months away from graduating high school here in the United States and I am planning to major in International Business. I've been accepted to 4 universities here (all with scholarship offers, no more than 50% of the tuition) but it is still a lot of money i'd have to pay. I lived in the Dominican Republic for 10 years prior to moving to the United States, so I completed my education there up to grade 6 in a private Catholic school. Since the first two years of college are basic classes and electives, I believe it would be a good idea to attend college there for those first two years and then transfer back to the United States. Attending a community college is definitely not in plans since it would cost about the same for attending the top college/getting the top education in the Dominican Republic. My Spanish is pretty good and I am enrolled in a high school Spanish IV Honors class, so I doubt I would need much help with the classes there. Is this a good thing to do? What else do I need to know about the university?

Thank you in advance for your help.

Have you spoken to your advisor or a counselor at your school to find out what he or she thinks???? If you have a 50% scholarship to schools like Duke, Penn State, Stanford, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Texas etc. I would really think about staying in the USA.

College is more then just going to school and studying, learning about different people and their backgrounds is very important especially with your major. Networking is HUGE!!!! in college and if you decide to go to the DR for the two years which is NOT a bad idea, but you must know the students here will have a leg up on you when you start to look for internships which is very important.

Talk to your advisor at your high school because their job is to find out this sort of thing for you. She or he would be better to draw out a plan for you which ever route you decide to take. If they can't help you at your school then decide which college you are going to and set up a meeting with an advisor there.

BTW the friends you meet your 1st two years at school are and will be your life lines while in school and some of them will become your life long buddies.
 

jmnorr

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Nov 22, 2012
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Call the International School in Sosua and see what they recommend as they have their seniors applying for and attending US colleges and around the world and some here. They may be able to help Craig Selig is the director.
 

Sosua Sonny

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Dec 30, 2013
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Have you spoken to your advisor or a counselor at your school to find out what he or she thinks???? If you have a 50% scholarship to schools like Duke, Penn State, Stanford, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Texas etc. I would really think about staying in the USA.

College is more then just going to school and studying, learning about different people and their backgrounds is very important especially with your major. Networking is HUGE!!!! in college and if you decide to go to the DR for the two years which is NOT a bad idea, but you must know the students here will have a leg up on you when you start to look for internships which is very important.

Talk to your advisor at your high school because their job is to find out this sort of thing for you. She or he would be better to draw out a plan for you which ever route you decide to take. If they can't help you at your school then decide which college you are going to and set up a meeting with an advisor there.

BTW the friends you meet your 1st two years at school are and will be your life lines while in school and some of them will become your life long buddies.

JMB773 I wish there was a triple like button and that is what I would give your post. To the OP Amy I would really read this above post and take in to full consideration in what he is saying. Making some very valuable and important points.
 
Aug 6, 2006
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A 50% scholarship to Duke would still leave one with around $20K per year left to pay. State schools are the real bargains.
 

mountainannie

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Dec 11, 2003
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Seems to me that the issue will be if all your credits will be transferable. I went to a private college in the US and then transerred to a public university and they disallowed over one semester's work. The first two years are the core credits. So if I were you I would take a copy of the PUCCM curriculum over to one of the Universities and see if it will be transferable. And also check if your 50% scholarship will stand for a 100% scholarship for two years since money seems to be an object.

Otherwise, you might just plan on doing all four years here.. at $4500 a year tuition plus room and board, then going to grad school in the US.

Would you qualify for tuition here as a Dominican? Could you get a cedula? Then it would be even less expensive.

I heard all the arguments about college contacts and networking but for international business, the contacts that you make here might be more useful than the ones that you would make in the US.

I know that in high school the goal is to get out school quickly but in international business, there is a huge return for a master's degree... so you might consider that.. The Best International MBA Programs - Forbes
 

Africaida

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Jun 19, 2009
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I heard all the arguments about college contacts and networking but for international business, the contacts that you make here might be more useful than the ones that you would make in the US.

Unless the plan is to settle in DR for good, I completely disagree.
 

pelaut

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Aug 5, 2007
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. . . I heard all the arguments about college contacts and networking but for international business, the contacts that you make here might be more useful than the ones that you would make in the US.

I know that in high school the goal is to get out school quickly but in international business, there is a huge return for a master's degree... . . .

Dittos on both points, MA.

1) Networking in Latin America will be crucial in Amy's career years. According to economic prospectuses I've seen, economic growth in L.A. is expected to be better than that of N.A. in this century. Opportunities should be expanding in L.A. while not so much in N.A.

2) Often university undergraduate studies are basically another high school, just more of it.
Also, BusAd degrees seem to need the additional stamp of an MBA to be attractive to career employers.
Four years at a prestitious U like PUCMM would be a great credit for her, if follwed up by an MBA at a good school in the U.S., even some superior State Schools (e.g., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill). Furthermore, she will be attractive to the school as a foreign student, even as an American citizen.​



Good luck, Amy! Seems like you've got your head on your shoulders.
 
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Aug 6, 2006
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Forbes does not mention even one US school in its top ten list.

Knowing Forbes as I do, I would like to see the issue that this list appears in, since Forbes tends to recommend outfits that buy ads in Forbes. They are unreliable about mutual funds.
 

leromero

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May 30, 2004
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I have an International Business degree from Missouri State. I was also a member of AKPsi (business fraternity) while attending classes. I would check out the degree requirements at the university you are planning on attending and see what their course work is like. If it involves a study abroad option check to see if it is Latin America. This would be of much more help to you in the long run. I did my study abroad in Holland, but now work almost exclusively with companies in Latin America. Go figure. :D

The connections you make at the university will be with you for life. Don't short change yourself just to save a couple of bucks. Many of these connections can help you down the line when looking for employment. Have fun and study hard.
 

JMB773

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Nov 4, 2011
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Seems to me that the issue will be if all your credits will be transferable. I went to a private college in the US and then transerred to a public university and they disallowed over one semester's work. The first two years are the core credits. So if I were you I would take a copy of the PUCCM curriculum over to one of the Universities and see if it will be transferable. And also check if your 50% scholarship will stand for a 100% scholarship for two years since money seems to be an object.

Otherwise, you might just plan on doing all four years here.. at $4500 a year tuition plus room and board, then going to grad school in the US.

Would you qualify for tuition here as a Dominican? Could you get a cedula? Then it would be even less expensive.

I heard all the arguments about college contacts and networking but for international business, the contacts that you make here might be more useful than the ones that you would make in the US.

I know that in high school the goal is to get out school quickly but in international business, there is a huge return for a master's degree... so you might consider that.. The Best International MBA Programs - Forbes

MA the op major is one of the toughest business majors offered. International Finance has NOTHING I mean NOTHING to do with what country a person attended college in. You think if a man attended school in Mexico firms here in the USA would place him ahead of a graduate with a nice pedigree????

Finance, economics and accounting will be the FOUNDATION of her major not the fact she can speak a different language it has little to nothing to do with her major.

Where she INTERSHIP is the key to her success the school has little to do with it unless she is Ivy league which never hurts.

If the OP was fluent in Japanese, Chinese or Korean I would say this is a HUGE PLUS!!!!! because their markets are growing and growing everyday.

To the OP: Go to the DR for the experience which would be cool, but do not think because you attended school in the DR you will have a head start on your career oppose to the students that develop relationships in US cities.

If you take a close look at Santiago DR then take a look at cities like New York City, London, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Chicago, Brussels, etc. these are the MAJOR players and the cities you should try to spend every second you can afford to gain knowledge and grow relationships.

Lets say you do spend two years in Santiago and a woman in Washington D.C. attends Georgetown University and both of you are applying for the same position at some government job. Who do you think will have a HUGE advantage and have BETTER references because of the contacts she established over the many years she spend in around DC networking????

You are in one of the best countries to learn about International Finance the USA!!! You have to HIT the ground running if you want to be in high demand in you field and taking 2 yrs away to spend in Santiago I would not recommend. Your major is really TOUGH to begin with and learning at a school in DR will not I REPEAT will not help you with a major of International Business and Finance.
 

Curacaoleno

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Apr 26, 2013
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Dittos on both points, MA.

1) Networking in Latin America will be crucial in Amy's career years. According to economic prospectuses I've seen, economic growth in L.A. is expected to be better than that of N.A. in this century. Opportunities should be expanding in L.A. while not so much in N.A.
.

If you want to network in L.A. perhaps DR is not the best country to do that.. Some Dominican friends of my actually study in Spain and not in the DR..

If you want to network choose the country wisely.. Chile, Panama, Colombia and Brazil are booming and have huge opportunities.. Even Peru has a fast growing economy..
 

Dolores1

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May 3, 2000
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Graduating from a good Dominican Republic university without debt will make all the difference in the world compared to graduating from a US university with debt. Without debt your options are more. I would think that the most important university title you will get is a masters, and you can apply after doing your undergraduate studies. Dominican students have excelled when doing their masters programs abroad. So if you are a good student here, you will be a good student abroad in any masters program. I think you are smart to not want to take on debt to graduate. And I think masters programs will value that you have international experience when considering you as a candidate for international business studies. There are also many opportunities for working in Latin America and having lived and studied here you will become fluent in Spanish. You could also make local contacts to work with one of the many big companies from Latin America that have set up operations here.
 
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Amy Espinal

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Mar 12, 2014
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I have already e-mailed the university I plan to attend after the two years and asked for advice on the courses I should take and the transfer credits they don't accept. Thank you for the advice :D