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Parents of International Students

We work closely with each international student to make sure her experience is a positive one.

As a parent, you want to be sure your daughter will be safe and learn. Here are some of the things you can expect for her at St. Kate's:

• Friendship Family
• Orientation
• Climate
• Making friends
• Safety
• Personal expenses
• Culture shock
• Communicating with your daughter
• Countries represented at St. Kate's

Friendship Family
To help with your daughter's adjustment to the United States, we will match her with an American Friendship Family who will welcome her to the United States. The Friendship Family will meet your daughter at the airport and invite her to stay with them for her first night. They are interested in helping her feel more comfortable here and in getting to know her and learning about her family, country and culture. We hope that this will be a lasting intercultural friendship for her.

Orientation
A special orientation for all international students takes place just before classes begin. The program includes an introduction to the U.S. academic system and to U.S. culture, meetings with an academic adviser, academic placement tests and activities such as buying books for the semester's classes, etc. International students then join the general all-campus orientation with about 200 students, which includes social activities with international and American students. Students have opportunities to meet in small groups to facilitate new friendships.

Climate
During the summer, Minnesota temperatures range from 60 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. But as you probably know, Minnesota winters are very cold. Most of our students come from much warmer climates and the cold is always an adjustment. Be sure your daughter brings some warm clothes with her, but also know that she can buy warm coats, sweaters and boots once she has arrived. It would be helpful for her to have about $500 in traveler's checks for costs such as these.

Making friends
There are approximately 95 international students at the College of St. Catherine. They get to know each other well, especially during their special orientation. The all-campus orientation also provides opportunities for your daughter to meet American students. Current U.S. and international students will be available to serve as mentors to new students during orientation and throughout the year. They help your daughter adjust to campus and are available to answer questions and provide information.

Safety
The College of St. Catherine is located in a quiet, residential neighborhood, well-known as one of the safest areas in the city of St. Paul. The college has a staff of security guards available 24 hours a day to escort students walking on campus at night. Security staff answer emergency calls within minutes, if needed.

Personal expenses
An estimate for personal expenses is $1,000 for the school year. Most students whose room and board is paid for already spend an extra $100 per month on toiletries, entertainment, snacks, presents and long-distance phone calls.

Culture shock
Students tell us one of the things they appreciate most at the College of St. Catherine is the friendly and supportive environment — there is always someone available to help when help is needed. Every student is assigned an academic adviser, a student orientation leader and a student mentor, all of whom are available to provide information, answer questions and provide help.

If your daughter lives on-campus in the residence halls, she can also rely on help from the student adviser who lives in her residence hall. The college also employs licensed psychologists and a registered nurse. The international student adviser is always available to meet with students and can help with a variety of issues, including immigration questions and concerns. The O'Neill Learning Center offers all students help with academic course work. Most students make friends quickly and easily find peers with whom they are comfortable.

Communicating with your daughter
Each student is assigned a private mail box at the college. Please address your letters to her by including the number of this mail box in her address. (Your daughter's mail will reach her without this number, however, it may take a little longer.) Every room in the residence halls has a telephone and answering machine. Overseas phone calls are expensive, but the call is usually less expensive if it originates in the United States. We suggest you set up a regular time (weekly or monthly) for your daughter to reach you by phone. Each student at the College of St. Catherine also has her own e-mail address. Depending on your situation, e-mail may be the least expensive form of communication.

Office of Admissions
The College of St. Catherine
2004 Randolph Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55105

(651) 690-8850 or
1 (800) 656-KATE