Hi, I have a question regarding which college to choose in terms of my future career goals as a teacher. I got into a college in Japan for a full scholarship for undergraduate. However, I am debating whether or not I should go because I don’t know if this degree will be valuable when applying for a masters degree in education and applying for a job as a teacher in the U.S. Would it be safer to go to community college and transfer or go to the college in Japan for four years and then apply for grad school in teaching in the United States?
Although it would be helpful to know what & where you plan to teach, the easy answer based on the limited information in your post is to take the scholarship to the college in Japan. This experience should bolster your application to graduate schools of education in the US.
Also, it is unclear as to whether you are a citizen of the US, Japan or of another country. If a US citizen, then the opportunity to study in Japan for an undergraduate degree is a very valuable opportunity.
Teachers are not paid well in the US. I would go with your lowest cost option.
I’m planning on teaching English in a public school in the United States and yes I am a US citizen.
Do you speak Japanese well?
Ih1233—— If it doesn’t cost you much to live in Japan (since you received a full scholarship), I would start in Japan. Depending on the location in Japan, most likely, housing is cheaper and cleaner, safer overall and great national health / dental insurance at the very low cost to support your college life. I always think that young people should know more different culture and countries. You have been given the opportunity of a free degree. I told my son (graduated high school in 2019) that college isn’t only place to study, of course, he needs to earn a degree but more importantly, he needs to grow as a good adult. Wide views and deep cultural understanding outside of this country would be assets for lifetime especially for young people. You can always go back to community college if things doesn’t work out.
Yes, I’m fluent in Japanese. I went to a Japanese school for 12 years.
So, Japan isn’t new to you. Are you still excited? You should follow what your heart is. My son is fluent in Japanese and he loves Japan but he didn’t consider any colleges in Japan because he is music major. I consulted Japanese friends who went through music major in Japan several years back. She told me that US music schools are at much higher level so most top Japanese musicians want to come to US to study music. If my son weren’t in music major, he may have chosen just to apply a few colleges in Japan. But his heart has been set 4 years ago to study at one of top conservatories in US. So, follow your heart. Choose what makes you more excited.
If I were to go to Japan, I would be excited about it. However, I am worried that I won’t be able to get a job as a teacher in public schools in the United States because my undergrad is from a school in Japan.
There are plenty of foreign-educated teachers in the US. Don’t worry about that. Take a close look at the initial certification requirements in the state where you would like to work. Chances are that at least one of the public universities in that state offers a 12 month MAT program specifically designed to fulfill the initial certification requirements.
Would you prefer studying in the State where you’ll work?
From a practical point of view, since you’ve lived most of your life in Japan, it may help you adjust culturally and, most importantly, getting exposure to US students and classrooms, which are very different from Japanese classrooms and Japanese students. That’s the main benefit I see to studying in the US.
What are your stats? Are your parents residents of any state (you’d have one state!)? Or are they military? (all states are yours to choose from!)
I actually live in the U.S.(California) and I am debating between going to community college or Japan.
I would prefer to do teaching in California but I don’t have to. Which masters program in California would have that 12 month MAT program to fulfill the initial certification requirements
My niece completed a one year MAT for secondary education (physics and chemistry) at UC SB several years ago. I don’t know the details. If you run a search with terms like MAT university California, you will get. Bunch of links.
Hi lh1233 – what did you decide? My son is a Jr in HS, an advanced beginner in Japanese, did an immersion camp this past summer and is applying to do an immersion program this summer (1 month long). He would love to go to college in Japan but isn’t sure where to start to look. Any suggestions?