AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

American International Students

Abstract

American International Students

Introduction

In United States there are more than half a million students studying. In the light of this enormous amount of presence of international students there are many factors which are helpful in adjusting to the positive life of American university. There is homogeneity between the students as they share common challenges and experiences. There are academic and social challenges experienced by the students which give rise to a new culture and an academic world. In response to this academic students can also find social challenges. Although undergraduate American students are changing the face of higher education in the United States today, little is known or has been researched about undergraduate international students who are sharing the classroom with American undergraduate students.

Schwartz (2001) proclaimed that students from other countries are another important constituency for American colleges and universities. International students leave their home countries with a plethora of uncertainties, and colleges and universities are establishing offices to help these students once they arrive on campus. Schwartz, (2001)stated that many campuses welcome large numbers of international students to their communities and have established offices and services to meet their unique needs. International student offices have become a norm on many campuses. However, according to Paige (1990) universities have not been making sufficient effort to analyze and respond to this international group of students.

Background of the Study

Today, the United States is the number one provider of higher education for the international student market in the world. In 2007, the number of international students studying in the United States was 582,984 (Surdam, 1984) compared to 330,080 studying in Great Britain, 171,524 in Australia, and 125,130 in Canada who are considered the closest competitors respectively.

Statement of the Problem

It might be assumed that international students, with different cultural experiences than Americans, may have somewhat different expectations of the university educational experience. However, this type of inquiry has not been conducted with students who are a part of the new millennium across the nation or at the University. This study will examine how undergraduate international students compare and contrast to American peers regarding their interaction with American students.

Significance of the Study

This study's main focus was to examine the educational expectations and experiences of undergraduate international and American students and the efforts of a university and the lack of interaction between them. Because students in an academic setting may be assumed to have at least some shared topics of interest regarding their expectations for a higher education, as well as possible unique experiences in pursuing their studies (Paige, 1990), this study employed a quantitative approach with qualitative open- ended questions. It may be particularly significant to examine the perceptions of students who have begun their study at the University of South Dakota during the first decade of the new millennium. It is continually important to engage in research to assess the expectations of learner to maintain maintenance and improvement of educational ...