The latest figures show that out of the estimated 7.5 billion people on Earth, 1.5 billion individuals speak English. For those who are looking to adopt a new language, studying English as a second language is a wise choice for this reason alone. Knowing English can be useful in a variety of everyday situations. From business to travel, to daily conversations or consuming media, it is easy to run into situations where the language is important to know. It is also helpful to learn English from native speakers to have the best grasp of correct vocabulary and pronunciation.

If you are considering taking a trip to the United States to learn English as a second language, explore three reasons to do so.

It is spoken in many countries around the globe

Whether studying castles in English history during a university course, or traveling the world, one will quickly find that English is spoken almost everywhere. In fact, English is the official language of about 50 countries. This makes it the third most popular language among the entire global population. From islands such as Barbados and Antigua, to countries such as New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the United States, it is easy to find English speakers. Knowing the language becomes even more crucial, then, for those who plan to travel the world for leisure, business, or both.

Over 1 billion people speak English as a second language

It may come as a surprise to know that of the 1.5 billion global English speakers, over 1 billion speak it as a second language. Only 400 million are said to have English as their first language. Across all continents, it is common to run into individuals who can hold even basic conversations in the language. Therefore, because of how useful and ubiquitous it has become, it is no surprise that so many individuals choose English as their secondary language. If you choose English as your second language, you will be joining a large global group who has already done so.

It is a valuable skill for employment

Currently, over 50% of the world’s population can speak at least two languages. With the persistent increase in globalization, it is becoming more important than ever before to be able to communicate with people around the world. This is especially true for those who work in businesses that have international employees or clients. Rather than having to hire translators, companies are continuously looking for employees who can speak multiple languages to assist with day-to-day business. Individuals who know more than one language (especially if one of those languages is English) can expect to have better job opportunities than those who do not.

Speaking English as a second language has many significant benefits. Whether you are looking to use your knowledge for fun and travel, or to gain an advantage in your career, learning English can be an extremely helpful tool.



​Author Bio: Karoline left her corporate job to spend more time with her family and indulge in her passions of writing and travel. She now works as a freelance writer, offering advice and tips on a range of topics.​

The college application process can be overwhelming. There are recommendations to gather, campuses to visit, and, of course, applications to complete. For international students applying to American colleges and universities, this process can be exponentially more complex and intimidating.

While the pieces of the process are not all easily overcome, you may be able to reduce some of your stress by reviewing the various types of college applications that are commonly found in the United States. Each school ultimately has its own expectations and requirements, but if you are applying to American schools, it is very likely that you will see one or more of the following in your future:


1. The Common Application
The Common Application was developed to standardize the college application process and to simplify it for those students applying to multiple schools. Accepted by more than 600 colleges and universities in the United States and abroad, the Common Application first asks for simple demographic information like your name and address. It also asks for general information about your academic history, including courses taken and GPA. Applicants are generally expected to provide a minimum of one recommendation and to complete a minimum of one essay. Keep in mind that the schools to which you are applying may have other expectations, so it is always best to speak with admissions departments before submitting your applications. The Common Application is available online.


2. The Universal College Application
Like the Common Application, the Universal College Application is a platform that can be used to simultaneously apply to multiple schools. In this case, however, the application is accepted by far fewer colleges and universities (i.e. less than 100). The Universal College Application asks students demographic questions, as well as information about their academic, employment, extracurricular, and testing history. As always, verify with your prospective schools that they accept the application and do not require any additional information from you.


3. Institution-specific applications
Although many schools accept the standardized, streamlined applications mentioned above, just as many still rely on their own applications, which are unique to their institution and their programs. With individual, school-specific applications, students are expected to submit multiple supporting documents—like personal statements, test scores, and transcripts—as well as one or more references specifically addressing why the school should accept you into the institution. This must be repeated for every college or university on your short list. 

If you are not certain about what the school expects from you, you can likely find this information on its website. In the event that you need additional information or have questions, admissions counselors are usually available to assist prospective students.


4. The Coalition for Access, Affordability, and Success Application 
As technology becomes more advanced and more widely available, institutions have begun to embrace new models and templates for their application process, like the Coalition for Access, Affordability, and Success Application. This model was developed for use beginning in the fall of 2016.

Over the course of their high school careers, students can use the Coalition for Access, Affordability, and Success Application to organize the work that they have done into a digital portfolio. When the time comes to submit college applications, students can refer back to their work, choosing the best examples to submit. In addition, because the application is worked on over the course of several years, students have the opportunity to address potential problems early and to get assistance well before deadlines. Keep in mind that this application is still very new and is in limited use. 

For more information, here is a comprehensive article on "12 College Interview Questions You Must Prepare For."


David White is a contributing writer for UniversityTutor.com, the world's largest global marketplace for finding independent tutors. 

As of 2014, six million students took online courses in subjects ranging across the board. That’s only counting the United States, and we know that millions upon millions of students learn an unlimited spectrum of subjects on sites like Udemy and various other online learning platforms. We’re lucky enough to live in a world where an incredible amount of learning is done online and worldwide, and languages are among the most accessible. But is online learning right for you? Let’s look at some of the pros and cons of online learning to help with such a decision.

Staying MobileThe most obvious plus is that learning online can, with very few exceptions, be done from anywhere. While some schools or universities may require you to be on campus even for online classes, the vast majority of online learning is done independently. This means that you can learn on the go, utilizing audio lectures and lessons with portable speaker systems and headsets, whether you’re in the car or the gym. And while you might think that completing a class from your computer would be easy, you can expect a comfortable level of challenge - you’re still learning a new language, after all.

On Your Own Terms
There can be exceptions to this, but the dominant majority of online language learning can be done on your own schedule. One of the greatest perks is the ability to make your own timetable. Rather than having to report to class and keep attendance, you can work on your lessons whenever your busy schedule allows! This is incredibly useful to those of us that might be working while also going to school. The added flexibility makes it so that rather than constantly stressing deadlines, a student can take what workload they can to suit their life.

Stay Motivated
One of the drawbacks to consider is the lack of a structured classroom. Depending on your style of learning, this may be a pretty sizeable con, as some students require a rigid structure to retain learning. If you’re not one of those students, then fantastic! You can keep on learning on your own terms. On the same theme as missing a classroom, you might also be missing an instructor. A risk with online classes is that the professor can feel distant, amorphous, or just nonexistent. Research the class you intend to take to ensure that you’re comfortable learning in this manner.

All in all, online learning is one of the fastest growing styles in the world. A massive number of universities and other such online learning tools utilize online classes or connections. Do your research into each class to make sure that you’re using the right platform to best learn English, or any other subject.
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Author Bio: Karoline left her corporate job to spend more time with her family and indulge in her passions of writing and travel. She now works as a freelance writer, offering advice and tips on a range of topics.