Essay Example: Chinese Students Study in US

The Academic World University Rankings report of 2017 ranks American Universities as dominating in the list of top 100 Colleges in the world, accounting for about 50%. This is in sharp contrasts with China where only two; Peking and Tsinghua Universities, representing 2% appear in top 100. Recent reports by the International Exchange reveals that there is lately an increase in the number of Chinese students registering in the American colleges, putting it at more than 250,000 (ARWU World University Rankings, p. 16). This is more than one-third of the total of international students in the US that is happening elsewhere in other countries, Europe included. Chinese students lead in enrollment at US high school, this in their effort to strategize themselves in readiness to join the colleges and universities, new studies by Institute for International Education reveal. The report puts it at 2 in every five high school enrollment, and that the increment was by a whopping 48% in the period between 2013 and 2016. This contrasted with 12% increase overall for the total international student population in the same period under consideration (Brittain and Carmina, p.19).

The number of Chinese students joining American Universities has been increasing consecutively for the past one decade. The move to possess a US credential is increasingly becoming interesting to the Chinese, and of interest presently is the interest among the young who are flocking at the US embassies and consulates in their country for F-1 Visa. This is a permit granted to international students studying in the US and is also given to those who are enrolled for language classes. Coming to America early and joining high school has the advantage of helping the students refine their English-language skills, acquainting them with US social and academic culture ahead of them joining college (Chapman, Carolyn, and Rita, p. 27). The government has eased the process with their offer to accommodate students headed to the overseas for studies. There are even several international high schools in China where those who want to have their children later study in the US takes them to start to learn English and even other aspects of American culture. In most colleges, the trend has since changed from a graduate student from Korea to an undergraduate from China, says Martin McFarlane, the associate director of international students and scholar services at the University Of Illinois Urbana-Champaign-College Of Engineering (Chou and Frank, p.34). The state of California has been popular for attracting most of these students due to its wide network in education matters. They do not just have strong public, but also private universities spread all across the state. The foreigners who end up recommending them to their country folks usually prefer these.

The shift in undergraduate enrollment is so significant that UIUC now organizes more than two pre-arrival programs to help orientate the new students and the parents on some expectations upon setting foot on campus. Student aid desks are always there to help international students with settling on classes, completion of assignments, and eventually earning a degree (Heng and Tang, 834). Recent efforts by the governments of Asian and Southeast Asian countries to heighten academic exchanges within the Asian Pacific region has however seen a slight reduction in enrollment in the US by the Chinese since 2013. The figure, however, is so negligible that what is worthy of note is that the enrollments from China and Vietnam have continued to soar, according to IIE report. China is then followed by India, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, and lastly Canada (IIE Releases, p.2).

The students will be noted to be quite different from their contemporaries from other countries being that they get cultured earlier. They are also known to hit the ground running once they join college. Such enrollments into US colleges and Universities have the benefits of laying the solid foundation for enhanced diplomatic and economic ties between the source countries and the US. Knowledge of ones culture and an understanding of the economy translate into familiarity and confidence with each other that is hard to terminate. The Chinese students are usually enthusiastic about evading a flawed academic system back at home, whose low standards are leaving many inadequately prepared for a global economy (Li, Mei, and Bray, p. 793). Chinese students are interested in not just quality but reputation too. Both are offered in the US universities where the variety of courses are offered hence students can easily specialize.

The education offered is also by the needs of the global economy where Chinas influence is steadily expanding to. This exposure places such students with foreign experience in better stead of getting jobs compared to their counterparts back at home (Sanchez, Carol, Marianela and Mengxia, p. 27). International corporations based in China considers a Chinese with western education as the best to employ because his skills are western oriented and his culture is Chinese. Similarly, Chinese trained in the US and are taking up jobs in China have an advantage due to the US schooling as it distinguishes them from their counterparts: a superior degree and skills, ideas for business practices and opportunities.

There are complains that Chinese universities are less inspiring; a lot of cheating during exams and truancy are the order of the day. Learners must study Mao Zedong thoughts (ARWU World University Rankings, p. 17). To join college, one must go through years studying for gaokao, a national exam. This is exam, with the equivalence to a Standard Aptitude Test (SATs), but are much harder. In fact, it is common to find most Chinese students traveling to Hong Kong to sit the SAT than to register for the gaokao. Test scores have been in use in China for many years to help determine the courses students enroll for in the Chinese institutions. A high score on this national exam allows one to attend a top cadre university and onward to a successful career choice. It, however, requires one to undergo years of stressful preparation, and with the few top schools, the competition is quite extraordinary as only two universities with a combined admission of just 6000 students per year are in the top 100 world universities ranking(Brittain and Carmina, p. 21).

This has created room for corruption as the financially endowed give bribes to get chances for their children. Most parents are therefore opting to look for chances abroad for their children. The chance for a liberal arts education at a US university is an attractive alternative to the tough undergraduate training offered by most Chinese universities (Chapman, Carolyn, and Rita, p. 31). Most Chinese students want to opt out of an education system that stresses on test scores as a determinant to the subjects learners eventually chooses. This is usually not very easy to change once assigned to them.US colleges give one the freedom to choose what they want to study provided they can afford the fees either through self-sponsorship or scholarships.I wanted to join a college where I would freely choose which course I wanted, says Jayden, a student at UIUC(Chou and Frank, p.36).

International educational consultants such as (Chapman, Carolyn, and Rita, p. 32) opines that the tests are the basis of the rigid Chinese academic system, This makes studies limiting and controlling to students who may be adventurous and may want to explore more beyond small tests and classroom. Bennet adds that: to the Chinese people, American Universities, for all of their shortcomings and blemishes are still beacons of freedom, individualism, and self- improvement. To them, our universities are emblems of the highest educational achievement (Heng and Tang, 835).The cultural diversity is a perfect chance for learning about different cultures. Learners get to understand why others are different from them and start to appreciate them just the way they are.

America is sometimes referred to as a salad bowl, i.e., an amalgam of different tribes and races, all existing alongside each other. This is helpful in defeating the hatred that has sometimes existed between people of such diverse backgrounds. Here, the east meets the west.Evan Ryan, an assistant secretary of state, commented thus: The connections made during international education last a lifetime. International student enriches classrooms, campuses, and communities in ways that endure long after students return to their home countries. We continue to welcome more international students to their campuses and to do more to make study abroad a reality for all their students(IIE Releases, p.3). As other countries continue to understand our country, the more they will be experienced in the ways of the US and the more amicable our relations economically, diplomatically, and strategically will be. Even though they may not come out loving America in all spheres, they will at least have a better understanding of us. The US should also learn how to function in a global society, with diverse culture as the geographical gap previously existing is getting closed by technology (ARWU World University Rankings, p. 17).

That student is freely allowed to make own decisions as long as it does not contradict the rules and requirements of the institution, help expose them to the real world. They are encouraged to apply the life skills previously learned such as critical thinking to help them arrive at certain conclusions. The quality of college education one gets determines his ability to compete with the rest in the job market favorably. A good education helps one with the mastery of the skills needed to handle various opportunities and challenges in his area of specialization and at work. These are quite integral in determining ones success(Chapman, Carolyn, and Rita, p. 28).The higher education system in the US gives the Chinese the opportunity to look for the most desirable college considering the factors such as quality, reputation, and cost. This is in sharp contrast to for example the United Kingdom where visa restrictions, tuition increases and tightened rules on work permits have acted as great barriers to the entry of international students. This has served to send a message to the world that they regard the students simply as another group of immigrants, and not as valuable human capital(Li, Mei, and Brady, p. 795).

The reputation of the American colleges for having adequate resource gives them an added advantage. The equipment they possess exposes a student early to the real world they are set to meet at their workstations. This is a motivating factor for a student to continue with the field of study he has chosen to pursue. Most countries send their top performing students to American colleges and universities, hence providing a chance for the best minds to meet and freely interact(Sanchez, Carol, Marianela and Mengxia, p. 28). Therefore, an international student is most likely to interact with and learn from such brilliant minds. This fosters integration and unity among such students(Chou and Frank, p.38).The fact that one travels to a new land and seeing things done differently is in itself able to broaden one's thinking, imagination, perception, and reasoning. Many usually come up with business ideas that they propel to become successful ventures once they go back to their countries. One learns how things are run then develops an interest, then researchers on how the same or a slightly different one can be replicated in his own country.

Such ventures help in job creation as the country also earn revenue. A befitting example is Professor Muhammad Yunus from Bangladesh, who lived and studied in the US but went back to his country and establish the G...