When English Language learners have achieved high levels of education in other countries, they usually need to prove this in order to continue their professional careers in the USA. the Foundation for International Services (FIS) is a non-profit organization with the goal of assisting these people. Find out more about FIS and its services here.
When your learner arrived in the United States, they wanted to improve their English language skills. Different learners have different reasons for this, but whether it's for educational, professional, or family purposes, they came to English at Large because they needed help with English. Your learner is a highly intelligent person with many ideas and experiences, and many learners have been educated outside of the US. While they are aware of their education level and you have probably come to know of it as well, the problem is that potential employers or educational institutions do not have the benefit of getting to know your learner as you have.
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This is where the Foundation for International Services (FIS) comes in. The goal of the organization is to accurately determine the international educational background of a person. They will translate your educational documents from your native language into English and verify them. This is useful and often required if your learner is looking for employment at the professional level, or is going through admissions for higher education. With the certificate from FIS, your learner will be able to avoid wasting extra time and money to repeat education or training. They will also be able to avoid the possibility of being refused a job or education for which they are perfectly qualified.
That sounds well and good, you might say, but aren't there hundreds of organizations offering those same services? What makes FIS trustworthy compared to the others?
This is a fair question to ask, and brings up a valid point. There certainly are hundreds of organizations with very similar mission statements and offerings, and it can be difficult to sift through them, since there is no regulation on credential evaluation by the United States government. This means that essentially anyone could form a credential evaluation service, make an attractive website, and you might not know whether or not it's a scam until it's too late.
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One very important thing to consider is whether or not the organization is a member of a larger association with strict membership requirements. This can be an effective way to weed out the phony or even less experienced organizations and help you find the best one. FIS belongs to the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES), an association which has the goal of providing accurate credential evaluation. Would-be members of NACES must go through strict pre-screening and application processes, and once they become members, they must uphold standards such as continuing to contribute to the field of education and possessing extensive records and resources. The reason I include such extensive background info is that there unfortunately are many 'organizations' out there looking to take advantage of non-native speakers.
Having said that, there are still many legitimate credential evaluators, and they might all charge similar fees for comparable turn-around times. FIS has one added benefit, though. They promise that you will always be able to communicate directly with the person translating and evaluating your documents. Most people would agree that it's extremely frustrating to go through the train of "let me put you on the line with...." people. Being put on hold by John Smith, only to be put on hold by Sally Jones, is no fun. When you can directly talk to the person you want to talk to, it's a huge plus. You can tell them exactly what you want, why you want it, and any concerns you might have (without the elevator music).
Stephanie Ng, in her blog about passing the CPA test (an accountant certification test) talks about different credential evaluators in this post. She personally called each and shared her experience. FIS makes her list of the best evaluators. It's an informative post, worth a look. For people looking into the CPA test, she offers a free, online prep course.
If you and your learner are looking for a credential evaluator and you're still not sold on FIS, check out The FIS website for more information. You can give them a call, as Stephanie did, to judge the customer service for yourself. Good luck!
Happy tutoring!
Kris
Kristofer Pieper
Programs and Social Media Intern, English At Large
Tufts University, Class of 2016
ENGLISH AT LARGE
Literacy and Learning for Life
Join the conversation
When your learner arrived in the United States, they wanted to improve their English language skills. Different learners have different reasons for this, but whether it's for educational, professional, or family purposes, they came to English at Large because they needed help with English. Your learner is a highly intelligent person with many ideas and experiences, and many learners have been educated outside of the US. While they are aware of their education level and you have probably come to know of it as well, the problem is that potential employers or educational institutions do not have the benefit of getting to know your learner as you have.
This is where the Foundation for International Services (FIS) comes in. The goal of the organization is to accurately determine the international educational background of a person. They will translate your educational documents from your native language into English and verify them. This is useful and often required if your learner is looking for employment at the professional level, or is going through admissions for higher education. With the certificate from FIS, your learner will be able to avoid wasting extra time and money to repeat education or training. They will also be able to avoid the possibility of being refused a job or education for which they are perfectly qualified.
That sounds well and good, you might say, but aren't there hundreds of organizations offering those same services? What makes FIS trustworthy compared to the others?
This is a fair question to ask, and brings up a valid point. There certainly are hundreds of organizations with very similar mission statements and offerings, and it can be difficult to sift through them, since there is no regulation on credential evaluation by the United States government. This means that essentially anyone could form a credential evaluation service, make an attractive website, and you might not know whether or not it's a scam until it's too late.
One very important thing to consider is whether or not the organization is a member of a larger association with strict membership requirements. This can be an effective way to weed out the phony or even less experienced organizations and help you find the best one. FIS belongs to the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES), an association which has the goal of providing accurate credential evaluation. Would-be members of NACES must go through strict pre-screening and application processes, and once they become members, they must uphold standards such as continuing to contribute to the field of education and possessing extensive records and resources. The reason I include such extensive background info is that there unfortunately are many 'organizations' out there looking to take advantage of non-native speakers.
Having said that, there are still many legitimate credential evaluators, and they might all charge similar fees for comparable turn-around times. FIS has one added benefit, though. They promise that you will always be able to communicate directly with the person translating and evaluating your documents. Most people would agree that it's extremely frustrating to go through the train of "let me put you on the line with...." people. Being put on hold by John Smith, only to be put on hold by Sally Jones, is no fun. When you can directly talk to the person you want to talk to, it's a huge plus. You can tell them exactly what you want, why you want it, and any concerns you might have (without the elevator music).
Stephanie Ng, in her blog about passing the CPA test (an accountant certification test) talks about different credential evaluators in this post. She personally called each and shared her experience. FIS makes her list of the best evaluators. It's an informative post, worth a look. For people looking into the CPA test, she offers a free, online prep course.
If you and your learner are looking for a credential evaluator and you're still not sold on FIS, check out The FIS website for more information. You can give them a call, as Stephanie did, to judge the customer service for yourself. Good luck!
Happy tutoring!
Kris
Kristofer Pieper
Programs and Social Media Intern, English At Large
Tufts University, Class of 2016
ENGLISH AT LARGE
Literacy and Learning for Life
Join the conversation
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