UMPI Newcomer Transfer Credit Questions

[Jack Ma]

Hello everyone! I'm a newbie from China. Just has 2 questions, I want to get my degree in the fastest way, so 

1) UMPI transfer plan is the fastest for foreigners（Non-US citizen or PR)?

2) I looked at UMPI's credit transfer plan in the forum, do I have to take Spanish? Or can I learning Mandarin transferable as credit for my foreign language courses? If so, are there any institutions you recommend?
I just don't want to spend time learning a foreign language.

Off-topic, can I living in the US with my degree? Is work experience more important than a degree in the US? 

Well It's just that I need to do COVID-19 testing every 24 hours to make sure it's negative, the Chinese government forces us to do this and we can't go anywhere without testing, and this has been going on for a year now, my mom and grandparents has been prevented from leaving the house for two months, If you go out you will be detained or criminally prosecuted...She’s little restaurant could not open for 2 months and many people broke down, and I really can't take it anymore, I can't breathe... Just now, the government informed that from 12:00 tonight to continue the blockade for 5 days at home in there city.

So I want to flee China as soon as I get my degree, even though I have family and friends here. The CN government stop issuing passports for us last year, unless you have the "right" reason, but I don't know what the "right" reason is, it's too vague. Fortunately, I got my passport three years ago.

For any help you can give, I am very grateful!

[rachel83az]

1.) The suggested degree plans for UMPI are the fastest for both Americans and for foreigners. Which one is the absolute fastest will depend on the student. Someone who likes History might be able to speed through the history degree, but one of the business degrees might take them a long time to complete. Someone who prefers business over history would have the opposite result. I would strongly suggest NOT going for the BLS, however, because that won't look as good on immigration forms. You'll want a more specific subject degree (business, history, communication, etc.).

2.) Good news! If you already know Mandarin, you can take an ACTFL exam and get credit for that! It's much cheaper than a conventional class, which is good because finding a Mandarin class would be difficult.

If you can find a company that will hire you, yes UMPI's Bachelor's degree is sufficient for moving to the US. However, such jobs are really competitive. For best results, you'll (eventually) want to get a Master's degree to make you a more "desirable" immigrant and more competitive in the job market. The same advice broadly applies to most countries (Canada, Australia, UK, EU, etc.), though there are differences that depend on the target country.

[KSoul]

Hello everyone!  I'm a newbie from China. Just has 2 questions, I want to get my degree in the fastest way, so 

1) UMPI transfer plan is the fastest for foreigners（Non-US citizen or PR)?

2) I looked at UMPI's credit transfer plan in the forum, do I have to take Spanish? Or can I learning Mandarin transferable as credit for my foreign language courses? If so, are there any institutions you recommend?
I just don't want to spend time learning a foreign language.

Off-topic, can I living in the US with my degree? Is work experience more important than a degree in the US? 

Well It's just that I need to do COVID-19 testing every 24 hours to make sure it's negative, the Chinese government forces us to do this and we can't go anywhere without testing, and this has been going on for a year now, my mom and grandparents has been prevented from leaving the house for two months, If you go out you will be detained or criminally prosecuted...She’s little restaurant could not open for 2 months and many people broke down, and I really can't take it anymore, I can't breathe... Just now, the government informed that from 12:00 tonight to continue the blockade for 5 days at home in there city.

So I want to flee China as soon as I get my degree, even though I have family and friends here. The CN government stop issuing passports for us last year, unless you have the "right" reason, but I don't know what the "right" reason is, it's too vague. Fortunately, I got my passport three years ago.

For any help you can give, I am very grateful!

You'll need three credits in language, and any will do. Use  ACTFL Exam in Mandarin to secure those credits the fastest. I used them in German, with the whole process being easy if you have a handle on the language. The test option for Mandarin is an Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) measuring your ability to speak in a language. It is a live, unscripted, 15-30 minute phone conversation.

Where do you live in China? I lived in Beijing during the start of Covid and then in Shanghai. Even though some of the restrictions you mentioned, I am aware of; however, I have several close friends in Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Shenzhen, and Changzhou, and they are not painting this picture. I believe it is happening and appreciate doing research on a country I love spending time in.

As for the degree, share what credits you will be transferring and what YourPace degree you have decided to complete at UMPI.

[Jack Ma]

1.) The suggested degree plans for UMPI are the fastest for both Americans and for foreigners. Which one is the absolute fastest will depend on the student. Someone who likes History might be able to speed through the history degree, but one of the business degrees might take them a long time to complete. Someone who prefers business over history would have the opposite result. I would strongly suggest NOT going for the BLS, however, because that won't look as good on immigration forms. You'll want a more specific subject degree (business, history, communication, etc.).

2.) Good news! If you already know Mandarin, you can take an ACTFL exam and get credit for that! It's much cheaper than a conventional class, which is good because finding a Mandarin class would be difficult.

If you can find a company that will hire you, yes UMPI's Bachelor's degree is sufficient for moving to the US. However, such jobs are really competitive. For best results, you'll (eventually) want to get a Master's degree to make you a more "desirable" immigrant and more competitive in the job market. The same advice broadly applies to most countries (Canada, Australia, UK, EU, etc.), though there are differences that depend on the target country.

Thank you very much for your help! ACTFL is a new thing for me!

[dfrecore]

https://www.languagetesting.com/

Mandarin is available as either OPIc (computerized) for $108 or OPI (live person) for $165. I'd do OPIc over OPI simply for the price. It's also available as a Written exam (WPT) for $108.

[KSoul]

https://www.languagetesting.com/

Mandarin is available as either OPIc (computerized) for $108 or OPI (live person) for $165.  I'd do OPIc over OPI simply for the price.  It's also available as a Written exam (WPT) for $108.

Are you sure about the additional exam options? When you search Mandarin / Student /, the only option exam is Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI). Not all languages allow for all exam options (5 total). I was surprised by Mandarin; however, perhaps I missed something you discovered. We did all German exams out of curiosity about the difficulty levels, + once upon a time, there was an interest to all earn a degree in German to honor our mom and aid in opportunities in Germany. However, we decided to honor her in other ways that would be more advantageous for our business aspirations. Price, as suggested, is the best option if there is only a need to fill the language requirements.

[rachel83az]

Some people have reported difficulty with the OPIc and getting it to understand you. For a tonal language like Mandarin, the OPI is probably worth it, to avoid such situations.