Applying to a Foreign Uni?

<p>Hey guys.
I don't know if this belongs here...OH WELL! :D
I'm a Junior right now, and I guess I should be narrowing down my college choices right now. I was thinking about the traditional colleges - Tier 1, Ivy League, etc. etc. </p>

<p>However, I realized that I really want to attend a foreign university, specifically, one in Japan. I don't want to attend an unknown college in Japan but I'm sure I can't get accepted into an extroadinary uni like Tokyo University.<br>
I think you have to take an entrance exam, which is extremely difficult (and maybe completely in Japanese?) but what else is there to applying?
I looked online and on the forums but I couldn't find much. So if anyone here is knowledgeable in this subject, please enlighten me on details! </p>

<p>I do speak bits and pieces of Japanese but, no where near full fluency. My cousin did attend a Japanese University for four years and she loved it. (She spoke no Japanese whatsoever prior to going, and now, as predicted, she's fluent in Japanese.) </p>

<p>I'm going to Japan this summer for a month to study and explore so I guess my final verdict will be made then...</p>

<p>If there are any experts here, I'm really curious as to what it's like to apply to a Japanese university. Thanks in advance!</p>

<p>No one seems to know...</p>

<p>Yeah :(.
Everyone wants to attend their American Universities, which I totally understand.
But, I was thinking that there had to be someone who knows something.<br>
It's only been a few minutes - maybe that's why. lol</p>

<p>Well just to let you know there are various threads regarding admissions to U.K. schools such as oxford cambridge etc. Being admitted to a top foreign institution is a complicated and very difficult process. From what i have read it is very difficult for an American to gain admission to camb/ox.</p>

<p>Eddieee, I'm Japanese、so I guess I can give you some information on applying to Japanese universities, although I'm attending an American university next year. </p>

<p>You are right about having to take entrance exams for individual universities. And, as you've mentioned, they are extremely difficult. Most high school students spend hours in afterschool preparatory schools in addition to attending their own high school. To be honest, the level of education is much, much higher than that of American high school or most other Western high school diplomas. Particularly areas such as mathematics and sciences are extremely high-level - perhaps equivalent to the first two years of American universities. </p>

<p>Many Japanese kids start their preparation for top universities such as Tokyo University (or Todai) from primary school. This is because, getting into top-tier middle school and high school is crucial to gaining admissions to elite universities. In terms of the level and difficulty, I believe that admissions to Japanese universities are one of the toughest in the world. What you really have to keep in mind is that this is an entirely different culture. For many Japanese, where they GOT IN is much more important than where they GRADUATED from. This is exactly the opposite of American culture, but it's simply because it's hard to get into Japanese unis, but easy to graduate from them.</p>

<p>There are several top-tier universities, which every Japanese person considers to be prestigious. Tokyo university is the best of the best - there is no question about it. Along with Tokyo university, there are other former Imperial Universities that were the 6 best, elite national universities in Japan prior to the end of the Second World War. When people measure the prestige and level of universities, they frequently refer to the former Imperial Universities, which are Tokyo University, Kyoto University, Nagoya University, Tohoku University, Hokkaido University and Kyusyu University. In my opinion, Tokyo, Kyoto and Nagoya are the upper level among the six. These unis are famous for having many graduates receiving Nobel prizes. For instance, Professor Noi, who received Nobel prize for chemistry in 2001 is a graduate from Kyoto and professor at Nagoya. Mr. Koshiba, a graduate from Tokyo received Nobel prize for physics in 2002 for the effective detection of neutrinos and other particle physics discoveries. </p>

<p>For a long time, the commonly perceived "elite course" of life was to get into Tokyo University, pass the First Class National Civil Service exam and work as a bureaucrat for the Ministry of Finance. Once you were on this course, your life was guaranteed in Japan. You could be employed in any private corporations where you could work as managers, consultants, or whatever and could received huge salaries and retirement allowance. But this was only in the past. Nowadays, the younger population is decreasing and people are breaking the shell of this old system. Many go abroad and study in top-level American universities. I guess it's good for the country to diversify the opportunities available for them. Anyways, so my point here is that simultaneously, Japanese universities are starting to open their doors to the outsiders, therefore foreigners and Japanese living abroad. Recently Tokyo University has introduced the system "Special Selection Process" for these people. The Type 1 of the Special Selection process applies to people like you, foreigners, who have no right of permanent residence in Japan. You need an officially recognized high school diploma, TOEFL (Test Of English as a Foreign Language) score, and entrance exam results. This link will give you more detailed information about the entrance requirements.
<a href="http://www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/stu03/e01_02_04_j.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/stu03/e01_02_04_j.html&lt;/a>
This year, only 15 students have gotten into Tokyo University through the Type 1 Special Selection Process. I must say that this is a very difficult process.</p>

<p>In addition to the former Imperial Universities of Japan, private universities such as Keio University and Waseda University are considered to be very prestigious. Keio is famous for having many of its graduates as heads of famous transnational private corporations. I think you should check these universities out as well.</p>

<p>I'm very happy that you are interested in Japanese universities. I think Japan is a great place to live and also an excellent place to study. Besides regular admissions, I would recommend you considering exchange programs. Perhaps these are more realistic choice for American high school students living outside Japan. Why don't you ask you sister for advice? I'm sure she will be able to give you advice based on her experience, which may resemble yours. Anyhow, good luck for you Japanese university admissions. I admire your courage to take a different path from others and challenge in a new environment.</p>

<p>Wowww!
So much information. Thank you for everything you told me!
I'm looking into Keio University and it's really appealing.
I'll probably end up at the Japanese Language Program, which, if I'm correct, is a 1-2 semester Japanese language course. Afterwards, I guess I can enroll for a B.A. in Economics or something (which I need to apply and get in again through the entrance exam -_-).</p>

<p>Well thanks SO much for telling me about Keio!
I'll be going to Japan this summer so I'll be looking forward to it.
Thanks times Infinite KAZtro62! lol</p>

<p>Keio is certainly on the rise, particularly in economics and law. Maybe you know it already, but the typical Keio student is often called "the Keio boy". The popular image of a Keio boy is rich, sophisticated and most importantly COOL! I hope you will become one of them - Keio boys are popular everywhere in Japan.</p>

<p>Anyhow, good luck again for your admissions to Keio. Are you thinking about applying to any other "safeties" or perhaps other "reaches"? You can apply to only several universities because of different types of entrance exams, but I think you need to consider it.</p>

<p>If you are a junior now, you may consider doing your 12th grade in Keio Academy Of New York. Keio Academy of New York was established in 1990 by the Keio Gijuku (Keio Private School System) of Japan. It also operates Keio University, one of the most prestigious private schools in Japan, primarily to meet the needs of Japanese living overseas. I believe that graduates of Keio Academy Of New York will be admitted to Keio University automatically.</p>

<p>btw, this website is <a href="http://www.keio.edu/English/e-index.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.keio.edu/English/e-index.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Wow so much information!
Thanks everyone - I'm checking the H.S. right now.</p>

<p>KAZtro62
What about going to an American undergraduate school and then to a Japanese grad school. I would like to get a science undergraduate degree in the US, and then a PhD in Japan. How difficult would it be to get into Tokyo U as a grad student? In the US, people only care about where you graduated with your PhD and not where you were an undergrad. Is Japan similar to this?</p>

<p>Generally, people in Japan only consider where they were undergraduates, simply because most people don't go onto postgraduate degrees. Doing PhD is limited to those doing science/engineering, so I belive that where you received your PhD would be important in these fields. </p>

<p>So what I think would happen if some asks you what you are doing, it would be like:</p>

<p>"What do you do?"
"I'm a scientist working for xxxxxxx."
"So you have a doctoral degree?"
"Yes"
"Where?"
"Tokyo University"
"WOWOWOWOWOW!"</p>

<p>I think everyone will be impressed by both your profession and education anyways. So, don't worry about what people think.</p>

<p>I don't know much about how difficult it is to get into postgraduate programs in Tokyo University. Some options include conducting research to Japan as part of your government's overseas scholarship program or as part of your university's exchange program/study abroad program. Japan is certainly trying to attract more talented students/researchers by changing the obsolete admissions system. Why don't you contact the admissions office of Tokyo University. I don't know how helpful they are, but they are the ones with the most reliable information. I think it's worth a try.</p>

<p>1 Advice of Warning: DO NOT apply to those universities(ones in Japan and China especiallY)!!! </p>

<p>U.S highschools are preparing you for admissions to North american and West European Schools. Entrance exams to those universities are ridiculously tough (unimaginable for us)...in addition, if you get a degree from those universities, be prepared to spend rest of your life there...because without connections; a degree from Asia means nothing in the US</p>

<p>I would like to hear more. Actually, I'm not sure what a undergraduate degree from a US school gets you at all except for the ones in engineering. I really don't know what someone majoring in art history (or etc.) does with an undergrad degree from HYPSM except go to grad school. Certainly a law degree from a different country has minimal value in the US, and I might extend that to a business or medical degree. However, I think a science/engineering doctoral degree from a foreign country where the person is obviously bilingual would be a total plus in today's world economy.</p>

<p>I was writing the previous post from the viewpoint of my son who is going to a US school, but planning on moving to Japan and going to grad school there. I'm actually in software engineering and we have immigrants from Asia, Russia and Canada working in my office (at a bank).</p>

<p>iwantfood: If you are from Asia, the issue might just be that undergrad degrees in the US are not as valuable as they are in Asia since almost everyone goes to college in the US. I was working in Albany NY, and they were hiring someone as a security guard for the parking lot. The person was just going to sit in a booth at the entrance of the lot, but a college degree was required for the job. If you were hiring for the job and there were plenty of applicants for the job with college degrees, wouldn't you hire someone with one, even though it certainly isn't required for the work.</p>

<p>Yeah, I know about the incredible difficulty of the exams. I just realized that Keio University is the BEST - or one of the best - private universities in Japan, which means the entrance exam would be EXTREMELY hard. Btw, what are actually on these exams, specifically Keio's? Is it just Mathematics, English, Japanese, Science, etc.?
If I decide to study there, I'll most likely take 1+ year(s) of Japanese at a university, hopefully @ Keio, and then try to get in Keio or somewhere else.<br>
And about it being a "worthless" degree, I know. I know if you major in Business or something, going to a great Ivy league/Tier one school in America is the best way to go. Just the name, the connections, etc. are to drool over; however, I was really thinking over what I want to do with my life. I actually could picture myself living in Japan so I'm gonna visit there this summer and see how things go.</p>

<p>Alright, thanks for all the info. and warnings guys!</p>