If English is not your native tongue, you may be nervous and a little apprehensive about speaking it while studying in the United States. Fortunately, you can prepare for the transition before you leave, and many college and university campuses in the U.S.A. have a wealth of English as a Second Language (ESL) programs and resources that will help you adjust once you arrive at your school.

Use Modern Technology to Improve Your English Skills
Practice makes perfect, and you'll want to brush up on your listening and speaking proficiency before you set foot on campus. Rick Johns, director of the LEAP Intensive English Program at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, suggests consulting modern technology for a thorough and entertaining English lesson. "Watching films and English-language television offerings where available is always a good way to practice listening comprehension and to learn idioms and expressions," he says. "If a student has access to the Web, going to news sites such as CNN.com, NPR.com, and BBC.com is a wonderful way to both read and listen to intelligent news reporting. These are very helpful for practicing listening to academic material, which is a vital skill for college coursework."