GAC Graduate Feels Prepared for Study at a U.S. University

Cong Peng likes the wide, open spaces of Iowa.

“There is room to move around here. I can walk just about everywhere,” said Peng. “Where I am from, it’s very crowded. There are tons of people on the sidewalks and cars on the streets. The buses are so full of people you can barely squeeze onto them.”

Cong Peng, a student at The University of Iowa, points to her hometown, Zhengzhou, in China. She graduated from the Global Assessment Certificate (GAC) program at China Henan International College for Education Exchanges–CornerStone Center.

Peng is one of 25 Global Assessment Certificate graduates—and one of 17 from China—who started classes this past fall at The University of Iowa. This is Peng’s first time in the United States. She is from Zhengzhou, the capital city of Henan Province, located in eastern central China about 470 miles south of Beijing. Zhengzhou is home to approximately seven million people.

The GAC is ACT’s university preparation program that provides students with the academic knowledge, skills, and confidence to enter and successfully complete a bachelor’s degree at one of many selected universities. Successful completion of the GAC is a passage into a bachelor’s degree program at one of many Pathway Universities in the United States, Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and other countries worldwide.

Peng studied the GAC program at the China Henan International College for Education Exchanges—CornerStone Center. She took the program because she wanted to attend college abroad. “I wanted to see what the environment is like in other countries,” she said. She is studying accounting and finance at the UI and plans to attend graduate school.

The GAC program has prepared her well for study at an American university. “The English language, research, and math skills I learned have really helped me understand what my teachers expect from me, how I can accomplish what I need to, and how to complete my homework correctly,” said Peng. “I also learned how to manage my time and to avoid distractions that would interfere with my studies.”

When she’s not in class or studying, Peng enjoys exploring downtown Iowa City. She likes to go out to eat and go dancing with friends. “Everyone here is so friendly. I’m not used to people I don’t know walking by me and saying hello.”

The UI became a Pathway University three years ago and is the only such affiliation in Iowa. “We were enthusiastic about the GAC program’s quality and its ability to connect international students with the educational opportunities the UI offers,” said Michael Barron, assistant provost for enrollment services and director of admissions at The University of Iowa. “The GAC and UI partnership is a good fit for both the students and the university.”

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