Thousands of students across the world set their sights on US universities every year, and according to an article from US News and World Report, more and more US schools are reaching out to this growing pool of applicants. The article reports that more than 750,000 international students studied in the US in the 2011-2012 school year. That’s a record number, as well as a 6% increase from the previous year. This rise is partly due to “a large influx of Chinese students,” along with “scholarships from the Saudi Arabian government” that are giving large numbers of Saudi undergraduates the chance to study in the US.
What does this mean for students who want to study in the US? Well, obviously it means your chances of being accepted are higher. But be careful, because universities’ motives are by no means altruistic; as the US News article points out, several well-known schools “have started to charge international students extra fees”.
Still, this rising tide of acceptance for international students is a great opportunity for ambitious young scholars, and any students who want to broaden their horizons shouldn’t hesitate to take advantage of it. Those who are interested could consider this blog post from US News dealing with advice for prospective international students. Among their recommendations:
- “SAT scores matter. Unless you studied an internationally recognized curriculum, odds are that universities will have a hard time interpreting what your transcripts mean. Whether they admit it or not, schools will use the SATs to evaluate whether you have the academic chops to be at that school.”
- “Don’t just apply to a school because of its name. Visit the schools to which you plan to apply, in person or virtually, and make sure you can see yourself spending the next four years there.”
- “As an international student, you may have admission requirements in addition to those for national students, including proof of English proficiency.”
Going to school as an international student definitely isn’t easy. But it’s one of the most rewarding experiences you can have. We’re proud of all our students who’ve gone on to some of the world’s best universities, and we look forward to many more!
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