CSUSB Ed.

D / Cohort 8 / EDUC 768 / Eyad Alfattal / IPA of APP

Academic Pathway Programs for International

Students:
An Interpretive Policy Analysis
Prepared by Eyad Alfattal

Background and Motivations for Carrying out the Analysis

In a more than ever competitive global education market, educational
and cultural intentions, as well as globalization and economy conditions,
have been increasing colleges interest in fee-paying international students
(Agoston & Dima, 2012; Binsardi & Ekwulugo, 2003; Hemsley-Brown &
Oplatka, 2006). When these students apply to study at American colleges,
they are required to meet certain criteria for admission (US Congress
Committee on Education, 2002). Undergraduate criteria normally includes
the demonstration of academic English language proficiency skills through
specific scores in Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). More
importantly, students are required to have high school diplomas with specific
minimum grade point average (GPA) scores.

CSUSB Ed.D / Cohort 8 / EDUC 768 / Eyad Alfattal / IPA of APP

Similar to the logic behind admission criteria for domestic students, the
purpose of requirements from international students is to predict these
students ability to succeed in college (Fu, 2012). TOEFL test measures and
assessment methods, nonetheless, have always been questioned (Cho &
Bridgeman, 2012). Arcuino (2013) and Wait and Gressel (2009), for instance,
could not find correlation between students TOEFL scores at admission and
students college GPA and graduation rates. As the literature is impregnated
with studies reviewing and criticizing TOEFL testing (Roemer, 2002), analysis
and discussion in this paper will focus on the other international freshman
admission criterion, namely high school diplomas with specific minimum
GPA. In fact, depending on different colleges selectivity and interest in
international students, different GPA minimums are imposed (Avery & Levin,
2010). For example, University of California colleges normally require a
minimum GPA of 3.4 on a 4.0 scale based on a-g courses, whereas the
majority of California State University colleges, less selective campuses,
require a minimum of 2.5 on the same courses.
Similar to problems with TOEFL scores validity, GPA evaluations and
conversions are questionable as students come from different countries with
different quality of high school education and grading systems. With the
intention to providing a solution to the potentially dogmatic minimum high
school GPA requirement, a California State University campus (hereafter
referred to as CSUC) developed a new international student admission policy
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CSUSB Ed.D / Cohort 8 / EDUC 768 / Eyad Alfattal / IPA of APP

through an academic pathway program (APP). Through APP, international

students with as low as 2.0 high school GPA can eventually be admitted to
the campus bachelor degree programs. In this paper, I interpretively
analyzes this policy while I draw on policy meaning from the perspective of
the policy affected communities. Hence, the sections below start with a brief
discussion of the analysis method employed, Interpretive Policy Analysis
(IPA). Then, I describe the CSUC policy, its interpretive communities, and
meaning for these different communities. Finally, I discuss implications and
suggest a consensual solution for CSUC contending communities views.
Discussion below will help inform colleges similar to CSUC that are planning
to employ similar policies.

Methods: Interpretative Policy Analysis

According to Yanow (2000) IPA is different from other research methods
into policy analysis as the former is qualitative. In IPA, researchers engage in
the analysis of artifacts relevant to policymakers intentions, as well as the
analysis of policy interpretations and meanings from the perspective of
various affected publics, called interpretive communities. IPA assumptions
include that notions of absolute truth and objective reality are challengeable,
as there are multiple realities represented by real life living communities
perspectives (Averch, 1998). Policy, and indeed policy problem, cannot be
constantly correct since policy is not factual in character and rather
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CSUSB Ed.D / Cohort 8 / EDUC 768 / Eyad Alfattal / IPA of APP

subject to different contending interpretations (Yanow, 2000, p. 11).

Relatedly, IPA dismisses judgmental thinking represented by right and
wrong, as it embraces the validity of having different positions from and
interpretations to policy (p. 8). Finally, similar to other qualitative methods,
IPA believes that analysis is subjective and interpretive; hence, it involves
the perspective of the researcher through whom data are decoded in the
analysis process, and then data are recoded as discussions, implications and
policy problem resolution suggestions (Averch, 1998).
IPA stresses the importance of local conditions as it involves five
stages: (1) examining a policy and its related artifacts, (2) identifying the
interpretive communities, (3) investigating the values, meanings and
feelings of the interpretive communities with regard to the policy, (4)
identifying conflicts in meanings and feelings, and (5) providing the
interpretive analysis while informed by the multiple views of the interpretive
communities (Yanow, 2000). The central research question IPA has is as
follows: How is the policy issue being framed by various parties to the
debate? (Yanow, 2000, p. 11). Thus, the objective of the following sections is
to attempt to answer this question as it relates to the policy under
investigation, APP of CSUC. First, I describe APP and its interpretive
communities. Then, I discuss different competing meanings and provide
conclusions. Artifacts included in the analysis are public documents from
CSUC website, as well as internal documents and email communications
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CSUSB Ed.D / Cohort 8 / EDUC 768 / Eyad Alfattal / IPA of APP

relevant to APP. The analysis does not attempt to reveal the specific name of
the college or policy investigated. Hence, direct quotations from the policy or
related website information are avoided. In addition, pseudonyms are used
and specific details that would make the identification of individuals possible
are blinded for ethical reasons.

The Policy and Its Interpretive Communities

The policy being analyzed, APP, was enacted in 2016 by CSUC, a 4year and above comprehensive regional public college campus in Southern
California. Before this policy, international freshmen applicants to this college
with a high school GPA below 2.5 were denied admission. APP provided
international freshman students who have a high school GPA between 2.00
and 2.49 with an opportunity by which they can demonstrate their academic
potential

and

consequently

become

admitted.

In

APP,

unadmitted

international students take 36 degree transferable units during one academic

year, through CSUC open university and/or special session functions.
Students who complete APP with a minimum GPA of 2.75 from their APP
academic unit-baring-classes are admitted to bachelor degree programs in
their second year regardless of their high school GPA.
APP policy as described here affects at least five interpretive
communities and sub-communities. The first community is the policymakers
themselves who are the leadership team of the college. The second is the
5

CSUSB Ed.D / Cohort 8 / EDUC 768 / Eyad Alfattal / IPA of APP

affected citizens or clients who include the sub-communities of international

students,

international

advisors.

Finally,

education

implementing

agents

agency

and

international

personnel

also

academic

includes

sub-

communities that comprise multiple CSUC departments the most involved of

which

are

faculty.

APP

means

different

things

for

these

different

communities.

Policy Meaning for the Different Interpretive Communities

APP has conflicting meanings to its different interpretive communities.
To begin with, CSUC leadership are the policymakers of APP
Contact the author, Eyad Alfattal, for the full paper

Implications and Conclusions

This paper employed IPA methods to analyze a recently enacted
admission policy relevant to international freshmen high school minimum
GPA requirement at a college in California. Before this policy, students with
high school GPA lower than 2.5 were denied admission with no alternatives
provided by the college. APP accepted that these students take classes while
they are in their unadmitted status for one year, after which they can be
admitted conditional to them obtaining a minimum GPA of 2.75 from their
college work.

CSUSB Ed.D / Cohort 8 / EDUC 768 / Eyad Alfattal / IPA of APP

The policy affects a number of communities and sub-communities who

had different interpretations and feelings about APP. For faculty,
Contact the author, Eyad Alfattal, for the full paper

References
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academic internationalization. Management & Marketing, 7 (1), 43-56.
Arcuino, C. (2013). The relationship between the test of english as a foreign
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(ielts)

scores

and

academic

success

of

international

master's

students. ProQuest LLC, .

Avery, C. & Levin, J. (2010). Early admissions at selective colleges. The
American Economic Review, 100(5), 2125-2156.
Averch, H. (1998). How does a policy mean? interpreting policy and
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actions. American

Administration, 28(3), 305-312.

7

Review

of

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CSUSB Ed.D / Cohort 8 / EDUC 768 / Eyad Alfattal / IPA of APP

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education: Research on the students perception and the UK market
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Fu, Y. (2012). The effectiveness of traditional admission criteria in predicting
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(2002).

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CSUSB Ed.D / Cohort 8 / EDUC 768 / Eyad Alfattal / IPA of APP

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