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Massachusetts International

Academy

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Mission StatementThe mission of Massachusetts Interna-tional Academy is to increase students’ English language proficiency, equip stu-dents with the skills needed for success-ful academic study, and teach students about American life and values to as-sist them in the acculturation process.

MAIA AT A GLANCESituated on a 25-acre campus in Marlborough, Massachusetts thirty miles west of Boston, MAIA provides the richness of a residential lan-guage-immersion program and the intensity of a rigorous, structured academic course of study. MAIA offers students the opportunity to fully im-merse themselves in American culture and lan-guage with the help of teachers and staff.

EDUCATION AT MAIAClassroom instruction is provided by caring teachers who have a vested interest in helping students succeed. All MAIA teachers hold mas-ter’s degrees in English as a Second Language and have ample experience that informs their teaching. Additionally, many have taught English language skills abroad. Along with MAIA’s teach-ers, student advisors offer learning opportunities outside of the classroom.

STUDENT LIFEStudent advisors plan educational and social activities for the students, cultural trips to Boston and museums, and events on campus to encour-age friendship and teamwork. Through class-room study and extracurricular activities, stu-dents have abundant opportunities to strengthen their language skills and cultural understanding.

LIVING ON CAMPUSMAIA offers the security, hospitality, and con-venience of a full-service residential campus. Student advisors provide supervision in the dor-mitories and security personnel are on duty 24 hours a day. A 400-person cafeteria serves a globally inspired menu. Students can exercise in the fitness room, swim in the pool, or engage in individual and team sports both in the game room or at the on-campus sports fields.

Massachusetts International Academy

MAIA Facts

25 acres of land

230,000 sq.ft. building

9 student clubs

Student to teacher ratio 18:1

High-tech and upgraded classrooms

Library, study room, computer lab, testing center, swimming pool and athletic facilities

“At MAIA, there is a true sense of teamwork be-tween staff, student advi-sors, faculty, and admin-istration. In this learning community, all of us care very deeply for our stu-dents and want to ensure that the students reach their goals both in their academic and social life.”

- Kristen Brown, ESL Program Directorr

Strong academic skills are key to success for stu-dents in U.S. universities. The MAIA program pro-vides an ESL learning experience that is both in-tensive and immersive. Our rigorous curriculum is designed for the learning process of international students, in particular Chinese students, to be suc-cessful both in their academic studies and their professional lives.

The MAIA curriculum focuses on improving reading, writing, critical thinking, and presentation skills. In addition, MAIA courses focus on helping students understand the importance of academic integrity and U.S. academic norms.

These long-term goals are refined to an intensive daily regimen that ensures MAIA students are well equipped to succeed academically in U.S. univer-sities after graduation.

Academic Preparation

In September and again in January, students take a placement test to determine their English pro-ficiency in reading, writing, listening, and speak-ing. Students are then placed in one of the six integrated skill levels based on the results of the placement tests. After each eight-week session, students have the opportunity to progress to the next level after showing proficiency at a given level.

100%

91%

91%

90%

54%

9%

9%

10%

46%

% matriculated to university after full year

LEVEL 2

LEVEL 3

LEVEL 4

LEVEL 5

LEVEL 6

Level 6: Advanced

Level 5: Low Advanced

Level 3: Intermediate

Level 1: Beginner

Level 4: High Intermediate

Level 2: Low Intermediate

OUR FACULTY MEMBERS are part of the Universi-ty of Massachusetts English Language Preparation Program. They are all ESL instructors with advanced degrees. In addition, MAIA’s faculty members have experience in public and private education in the U.S. as well as international experience in various coun-tries including China, Japan, Malaysia, South Korea, Venezuela, Cameroon and countries in Europe.

“Our student at MAIA have the opportunity to improve their English Skills, be exposed to American culture in and out-side of class, prep for university required tests and a whole lot more. MAIA is the first home in the U.S. for our stu-dents where they have a safe and comfortable community to study and experience an American life.”

- Charmaine FrancisCoordinator of Student Affairs

OVERVIEWIn addition to academic skills, MAIA focuses on helping students develop a deeper understand-ing of American culture. We believe social in-tegration is as important as academic skills for student success. Recognizing cultural differenc-es helps students to confidently participate in social activities both at MAIA and on the univer-sity campus.

MAIA faculty and staff use various methods to help students achieve cultural fluency, including field trips, site visits, social events, and cultural seminars among other activities. Understanding American culture and developing social skills not only help MAIA students succeed in their aca-demic lives, but also greatly improves their pro-fessional lives after graduation.

STUDENT SERVICE TEAMWhile teachers are in charge of in-class learning, it is the student advisor’s role to develop and run the out-of-classroom activities that are the cornerstone of MAIA’s unique approach to inter-national education and cultural exchange.

MAIA student advisors are all recent university graduates, most of whom have lived, worked, or studied abroad. Student advisors advise students according to the students’ desired campus. They host office hours for general inquiries, hold reg-ular on-on-one meetings with their advisees, and are directly involved with the referral procedure to build communication among students, teachers, administration, and parents.

Their Goal:• To ensure students receive attention to in-

dividual difficulties adjusting to U.S. higher education

• To track the performance of students both academically and socially

• To improve students social skills through MAIA social programming, interactions with local high school students, and university events.

Cultural Integration

Advise

Engage

Track

Improve

Each summer and winter, we host short-term training programs to help students improve their performance in targeted areas such as the SAT, TOEFL, and IELTS tests, as well as American cul-ture immersion and business development.

These boot camps are demanding. We chal-lenge participants to maximize their potential and achieve the greatest progress possible in a short period of time. Our dedicated professional team ensures students complete the program successfully.

Short-TermTraining Programs

MAIA understands that for most college grad-uates, the short term goal is to find a job. In today’s job market, students must be able to demonstrate the academic and social skills they acquired in college, as well as their understand-ing of American culture. However, in order to successfully gain employment, much more preparation is necessary before the students enter their senior year.

By hosting career-related seminars as well as in-terview and resume workshops, MAIA strives to help students obtain job-seeking skills and in-ternship opportunities to achieve success in their future professional lives.

Career Advising

PROVISIONAL ADMISSION TO UMASSMAIA is proud to partner with the University of Massachusetts system. Located throughout the state, the five-campus UMass system is highly re-garded for the strength of its academic programs, its accomplished professors, and the quality of education provided at its institutions. MAIA stu-dents arrive on 5-year I-20s issued by one of the campuses, granting the student conditional acceptance to that institution pending their com-pletion of the MAIA program in conjunction with official test scores and/or teacher recommen-dations.

ABOUT UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTSEach year UMass educates more than 70,000 students and confers more than 16,000 degrees at its five campuses located in Amherst, Boston, Dartmouth, Lowell and Worcester.

The UMass campuses are noted for their diverse students and faculty and for their affordability in comparison with other institutions of higher education.

Award-winning faculty members provide under-graduate and graduate students with research opportunities in a multitude of disciplines. UMass research and development expenditures reached nearly $600 million in Fiscal Year 2013.

With five campuses located across the Common-wealth, the University is an economic engine that stimulates $6.1 billion in Massachusetts eco-nomic activity annually and a catalyst for social development throughout the entire state.

UMass Partnerships

It’s About Our Service

“I have been managing international programs for over 13 years and I must say that MAIA is the best program for international students I have seen.”

- Micheal Todorsky, Director of International ProgramUniversity of Massachusetts Boston

TOEFL courses

SAT & SATII training

GRE & GMAT courses

Core curriculum specifically designed for Chinese Students

Six language placement levels: based on assessments measuring student skills each academic session

College credit courses

Residential Student Advisors

Instruction focus: participation, presentations, and academic discussions

Post-college career advisory service

Independent dorm rooms with private bathroom

Consistent communication with Chinese parents

Security 24 hours/7 days

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Student Testimonial

"MAIA helped me acquire both the academic skills as well as the social skills necessary for me to be successful. I especially enjoyed the field trips and site visits organized by MAIA as they deepened my understanding of American culture, which allowed me to interact with local people with more confidence.”

- Chaoyi Dong

“MAIA has been a very exciting experience for me. I studied at the school for a year and moved on for my master’s degree at the University of Massachusetts Boston. Now with my master’s degree in Education, I have returned to MAIA to intern as a teaching assistant. I’m very confident that I can be very helpful to the new students with my knowledge and experience as a former MAIA student.”

- Jingjing Xie

“MAIA has prepared me well to study in a U.S. university. Teachers at MAIA encouraged my strengths while improving my weaknesses to help me reach my full potential. I became good friends with the Student Advisors and we remain good friends even though I graduated from MAIA three years ago. Now I’m about to finish my MBA degree and I really look forward to beginning my career in the near future.”

- Wu Wang

“MAIA opened a door for me to step onto the land of America: it helped me adjust to American culture (and food); made me comfortable with American English; and taught me lots of communication and learning skills. My MAIA experience is not only a story of studying abroad, but also a story of motivation to achieve a dream, confidence to make foreign friends, and willingness to share MAIA’s spirit with others.”

- Jingwen Wang

Massachusetts International Academy

280 Locke Drive • Marlborough, MA 01752 Tel: (508) 229-6300 • Fax: (508) 303-9310maiacademy.org