iTEP Case Study: J-Check

In 2015, new US government regulations for J-Scholars  (Exchange  Visitors)  put  Northwestern  University  in  the  position  of  needing  to  implement  an  English  language  proficiency  assessment  process  for  their  incoming  J-Scholars.  Beyond  the  need  for  institutional compliance, some J-Scholars were arriving on campus with low English language skills. This lack of English  language  proficiency  caused  tremendous  issues for the International Office and caused problems for the J-Scholars themselves as they navigated  insurance,  university  forms,  in-class  teaching,  and other daily activities requiring not just speaking, but reading, listening, and writing skills.After  a  thorough  review  and  one  year  pilot  testing  program, Northwestern selected J-Check J-Scholar Testing  as  the  primary  English  proficiency  assessment  option  for  incoming  J-Scholars.  J-Check  is  a  testing platform that utilizes the iTEP Academic Plus exam.     Northwestern     cited:     a     comprehensive     language  assessment,  ease  of  use,  security,  cost  competitiveness,   and   results   within   24   hours   as   critical  decision  factors  for  selection  of  J-Check  featuring iTEP.