USA Today reported that international student rates are going up.
Since 2006 enrollments for international students has increased 32%.
More international students are coming to the United States and they bring close to $21 billion to the economy. This is via “tuition and living expenses, which include room and board, supplies, transportation and health insurance and support for dependents.” We talked a little bit during our last class regarding the “cash cow.” Is there a shift in the American colleges to bring in more international students to cover rising costs that domestic students may not be willing to pay?
It is interesting to watch the numbers for international students increase while American students going abroad decreased. There was no mention as to why. Economic? Interest?
China continues to be the leading country sending students to the States, around 157,000. Other countries include; India, South Korea, Canada, and Taiwan.
I wonder why students from other countries are so eager to come to the States?
So the “cash cow:” are the needs of the institutions the same of different from the needs of international students?
In my opinion, one reason that students from large countries come to the United States for their education is that they do not face the type of competition that exists in the one-in-a-billion environment of China and India. When I spoke to Indian engineering students while I was at a conference in Hyderabad several years ago, I was stunned at the level of competition they faced to enroll in what they considered a 3rd tier institution. To enroll in one of the prestigious Indian Institutes of Technology, you practically have to be a demi-god. I think that the students told me that there are a hundred thousand applicants for the few thousand slots in each year's class. Imagine the pressure of that environment.
ReplyDeleteThrough my searching on the Internet, i found that UK spend on its education in FY 2011 was $11 billion and they expect to be $20 billion.
ReplyDeleteI think the “cash cow.” at least deserve that we think about it and take care how to ensure that it will be in a good environment.
Also, rather than money we can find talents in the huge and increasing numbers of the international student which very important of our higher education and I think this one of the most important things we can find it in the inter national student and I believe this is a worthy benefit.
Our international student population is fairly small but they come from a variety of countries. With this diversity, their reasons for coming to the U.S. to pursue higher education are almost identical...they do not have the opportunity for higher education in their home country that they have here.
ReplyDeleteMost of our international students are planning to transfer to a four-year institution to pursue at least a bachelor degree, and ulitimately hope to return to their home county to make some positive difference.
While the non-resident tuition these students bring to our campus, certainly helps our bottom line, the dedication and desire of most of these students to be positive influences in their home country, is a definite "feel good" about working in higher ed.
This may be because of my optimistic outlook on international schooling and seeing the benefit of having international students in American universities other than money, but from my personal experience, the students I was with when I was abroad believed in the American dream. They wanted to be in America, study in America, and live the American lifestyle. I think that people still see something really appealing about our culture and "the land of opportunity." I know many of you will scoff at my opinion, but it's one of the reasons I went abroad and a big reason why those that I met there so desperately wanted to be here.
ReplyDeleteI believe, there are many reasons as to why international students decide to pursue a college degree in the U.S. A great number of international students who attend US colleges and universities to pursue a bachelors degree come from affluent families who can afford to pay. However, international students who pursue graduate degrees might be here thanks to opportunities provided by their countries.
ReplyDeleteIn the case of Mexico, CONACYT ( National Council for Science and Technology) a federal government agency provides scholarship opportunities for Mexican nationals interested in pursuing graduate degrees in all disciplines.
Nonetheless,once they complete their degrees they are required to return to their country and work for a public higher education institution for three years.
Thus, in may instances international students pursue college degrees in the U.S. if there are specific agreements with US institutions or the US Department of Education.
I have learned an extensive amount about international students in higher ed this year from all my classmates. It is great to hear their experiences and what their institutions are doing to provide for greater care and enrollment with International students. These range from intro seminars and counseling centers, to tutoring, everyday guidance and group housing. I think it is great that all colleges, 2-year and 4-year colleges, are looking at opening their doors to people more often because the name of US colleges is very prestigious. From what my classmates were telling me is that it doesn't matter the name so much for international students as the idea that one received a degree from an United States College. I have seen this at the K12 level with our exchange programs and exchange students in the classroom. I have spoken with them and I asked them what they like about the US educational system, and all they talk about is the level of education they are receiving, but the crazy thing is, they all say the same thing about the American students...that they are taking the education system for granted and it is discouraging to see. I find that upsetting. Even though the numbers for degrees are increasing, to hear that is just really sad. I do love the rigorous set up of the American public so that, as Aldo states, could give opportunity's to international students that might not have come before. Good for the US.
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