Do you think American colleges should accept Internationals?

<p>do you think it would be better if colleges instead admitted only domestic students? like more americans could get accepted to the college of their choosing if internationals didnt take their place. i am just asking to know what YOUR opinion is. i personally think this would be better to just favor american students over international students.. unless of course that student is the son of an oil tycoon or is a saudi prince.</p>

<p>I still think Diversity is quite important for a college. Colleges all around the world accept international students, so it is just fair in this way.</p>

<p>No, I think the admission of international students brings more diversity to a campus. Yes, American minorities would also add diversity in some ways, but the experience of living in a completely different country would add some unique perspectives on various issues, and could generate more interesting discussions in classes.</p>

<p>I'm biased though, since I'm an international going to a US university.</p>

<p>I liked having international classmates when I went to college. I learned a lot from them.</p>

<p>yes i think so. its a bit like affirmative action if you ask me</p>

<p>Actually, it's a bit UNlike affirmative action -- international students typically have a tougher time being admitted to universities, especially if they are seeking financial aid. Many admissions websites state as much, and I've been told so directly by admissions and financial aid officials from a number of schools.</p>

<p>I think the question posed is oversimplified. How do you define "international"? (<I may have placed the question mark in the wrong spot here, but I digress...) For example, a student who has lived his whole life in, say, Nigeria, will apply to a U.S. university as an international student. But so will a student from Nigeria who moved to the U.S. several years before and is on a long track to permanent residency and citizenship. I was born in Nigeria, lived there for 1 year, lived in the U.K. for about 6 after, and I've lived in the U.S. since February of 1998. However, I'm on a longer immigration track because of the unique visa status I hold, and I won't be a permanent resident until 2009, nor a citizen until 2012 or 2013. (Note: permanent residency a.k.a. having a green card, and citizenship are seen as the same thing when it comes to college admissions.) Because of my status as a visa holder as opposed to a green card holder or citizen, I had to apply to colleges as an international student. I'm very lucky to have been accepted to Tufts. But by the original poster's logic, I should be lumped together with people who have never set foot on U.S. soil and denied admission to a university in the only country I really know. That's problematic for me, and frankly, it feels very unfair.</p>

<p>Next, it frankly sounds a bit xenophobic (or at least insensitive) when you talk about international students "taking" American students' spots in colleges. If a person works hard, should they not be considered for entry into a university? I personally do not see a large difference between a 3.8 2300 SAT scorer who came out of his or her mother's womb in Montana and one who popped out in Mali or Mozambique with the same scores and abilities. Perhaps that's just the "post-border" worldview I've adopted shining through, but I think that in the world we live in today, we must learn to compete with people from every geographic region. Who knows, perhaps the increased competition will convince our lawmakers to support more intensive educational programs so that we can keep up with our expatriate fellows?</p>

<p>OP, why "unless the student is the son of an oil tycoon or a saudi prince"??</p>

<p>what kind of question is this?</p>

<p>I think international students are typically good looking and have sexy accents. I'm pro-international student.</p>

<p>Protectionism never worked well for allocative efficiency. </p>

<p>Why only get funding from Americans to educate Americans? Why not, get support from the world to educate the world? </p>

<p>Colleges should be allowed to admit whoever they want to bloody admit; you know ECONOMIC FREEDOM and all that.</p>

<p>You see, at the same time you're supposedly competing with internationals, Americans are also competing with other citizens of the world for seats at Oxbridge, German universities, and other such fun stuff.</p>

<p>Should the world allow Americans to work overseas?</p>

<p>What the bloody hell is with advocating the establishment and strengthening of political barriers? They should be eroded, not reinforced.</p>

<p>isn't america an advocate of the open market? </p>

<p>anyway, since internationals have a quota of ~8%,the very best and brightest in the world are the ones who are admitted. therefore they contribute the most.</p>

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since internationals have a quota of ~8%

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<p>Not in general. Some colleges have specific quotas, but many do not. There is no general national quota.</p>

<p>I think international students are already held to much higher standards than U.S. students. As jerushs says, the best and brightest.</p>

<p>I think that interacting with international students in your classes and on your campus adds to your college experience.</p>

<p>He's asking if US colleges should accept International students though. Meaning that he feels preferential treatment should be given to those who reside within the country. I think he's saying that the goal of US colleges should be to educate US students -- regardless of what intangibles they (internationals) bring to the college atmosphere -- that's irrelevant. That's completely different than AA.</p>

<p>I really don't care, but theoretically I have more of a problem with publics taking internationals than privates.</p>

<p>This is funny. Many US universities are DYING to attract more internationals. They bring in diversity (which has its inherent advantages), opportunities for partnerships w/non-US colleges (for exchange programs, both profs and students), American prestige increases due to favorable experiences by the internationals and finally -- tons of hard cash. Very few internationals get FA so they pay inordinately higher than the avg. US student.</p>

<p>Like I said, this is funny given that to remain anyway competitive globally, the US needs to do a much better job being connected. </p>

<p>Also, I wonder if those who are in favor of "protectionism" -- it's not as if American students aren't getting to enter colleges. Americans have the most access to higher ed than any other people.</p>

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the goal of US colleges should be to educate US students

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<p>Where'd you get that idea?</p>

<p>The goal of colleges is to educate.</p>

<p>The industrialists (robber barons?) who set up some of the nation's top schools probably envisioned that much of the incoming students would be from within the nation by virtue of where the venue was, but gee, I don't think they envisioned that active restriction would be meaningful.</p>

<p>Nationality is becoming increasingly and increasingly superficial. </p>

<p>Internationals aren't stealing your seat. If you don't get in, it means you weren't good enough -- entirely your fault.</p>

<p>Yes, people who advocate protectionism probably flunked their economics class. ;)</p>

<p>The benefits of "diversity" are probably overstated, but the benefits of "student excellence" are probably understated. IMO, that is the overriding reason why US colleges should enroll MORE non-US students. White, black, brown, yellow-bring 'em on because the global competition for brain power is real and wlll get tougher as non-US economies grow and top non-US students won't automatically lust to come to America to study. The USA needs to continue to attract the best and the brightest, no matter where they come from. Only by doing this will the economy of the USA remain the world leader.</p>

<p>A high-quality education at a US university is one of the best products the country can export. Many international students return to their home countries and become business and political leaders. There are many examples of foreign heads of governments who graduated from a US college. It can only be good for the US and American colleges to have friends in high places in countries all over the world, and offering plenty of slots to internationals in American schools is one of the best ways to achieve this.</p>

<p>I said that was what the OP seemed to be implying with his loaded question. That American Colleges are supposed to be for American Students...</p>

<p>And I don't care. I would only theoretically have a problem with State schools accepting, or actually giving them financial aid. </p>

<p>I have a question though, is anyone here against protectionism but for State schools giving preference to in state applicants?</p>

<p>And btw, I think that the robber barons -- Carnegie, Vanderbilt, and such envisioned a school that would open more doors for more people, however to suggest that active restriction wasn't meaningful seems a bit weird since it was employed for many different reasons against many different types of people.</p>