The Tide
INTERNATIONAL
February 2013 9
Seniors choose to apply abroad for colleges by Suzanne Xu Imagine studying for your college French exam in Paris or learning about ancient Greek architecture in Athens. While many students plan to apply to colleges in the US, some students begin their college search on an international scale. According to Fox Business, in 2011, more than 40,000 American students were receiving their higher education in full degree programs outside the United States. There are many differences between colleges in and outside the US. One of the most important aspects to consider when applying to out-of-country colleges is the culture differences. Students studying abroad must not only cope with new accents, but often completely different customs and languages. “On one hand, your education is extremely new and interesting,” said senior Victoria Zhao, “On the other hand, you are unfamiliar with the country and with the people, and you may feel lonely because you do need to adapt so quickly.” Zhao applied to five schools in the United Kingdom, including the University of Oxford and the University of St. Andrews. Many international programs are quicker to complete than the four-year American university and have different workload expectations. Students should keep in mind, though, that other
PHOTO BY DAVID CHEN Shanghai University of Finance and Economics is a finance and economics oriented research facility located in Shanghai, People’s Republic of China. Founded in 1917, the university is just one of many colleges abroad that current seniors want to apply to. countries have different grading standards, which may need to be explained to future employers. In addition, some degrees earned in one country may not be transferrable to another. Application processes are also different for colleges outside the US. Unlike US college applications, which ask for multiple student narratives and interviews, international colleges tend to focus more on the numerical aspects of a student’s profile, such as GPA and test scores. “[Applying abroad] was a
tad disheartening, but I guess the point [the colleges] were trying to make was you can be whatever kind of person you want to be, [the colleges] just want to know that you’re good [for higher education],” said senior Jerusalem Demsas, who applied to McGill University in Canada. Even though college abroad may seem exciting in concept, studying abroad may have hidden expenses. Students must not only consider room and board and tuition, but also extra travel costs for sightseeing and visits home.
US federal financial aid can be tricky for students in foreign countries. Before applying to a foreign college, students should find out about a college’s financial policies. Attending college in another country is not for everyone. “International colleges let you see different viewpoints [due to] regional differences, […] but there is a difference between experiencing something [briefly] and living it. I would be more comfortable with just the experiencing part,” said freshman Jesse Huang.
Junior Milka Piszczek, in contrast, said, “I think I would enjoy the experience of living and studying abroad. The freedom of living in a different country is both terrifying and very exciting.” Students should carefully consider all the above factors when choosing where to apply. In addition, students should do their own research on not only the college or university, but also the institution’s location before applying. Should a student choose the international path, he or she is bound for an adventure.
Cultural Exchange Club attempts to promotes international learning by Claudia Xie Students cautiously stepped into room 240, eager to fill their bellies with ethnic foods yet hesitant to join others already in the room. Cultural Exchange Club was founded this year, after all, and they had no idea what to expect. After enjoying Korean shrimp crackers, Choco-Pies, and golden Persian sweets, the students more comfortably settled in their seats for a fun and engaging PowerPoint presentation. Though she had prepared to speak extensively about the importance of cultural identity, president Maryam Ghaderi knew that others will soon jump in for discussion. Sure enough, after a few slides, the first hand is raised, signaling a shift towards discussion. Officer Matthew Daniels encouraged junior Sarah Eppley to simply say what she thought. “Don’t raise your hand. It’s Socratic. Just speak!” he said with gusto. Daniel’s attitude reflects the general essence of the club, which revolves around students bouncing ideas off each other, adding or objecting as they please. “What I hope to achieve is intercultural understanding and respect within the RM community,” said founder
Ghaderi. “It’s a shame that we don’t take the time to appreciate the full mosaic of cultures that we have at RM.” After Daniel’s gentle reminder, Eppley continued, posing the question, “Is knowing your identity necessary?” There was a slight pause as students considered what identity truly meant. The discussion eventually became one on the differences between race, skin color, and culture, a subject that particularly touched the students who live in a melting pot. “Culture is what makes our identity,” sophomore Charlie Kang insisted, arguing against race and skin color having complete control over our identities. Officer and junior David Song can relate. After moving from Korea, he could easily see the diversity of the United States. “It’s unique in the US,” he observed. “[In Korea], you don’t have to think about [race and culture].” He attributed this to being around people of the same skin color who shared his language and cultural background as well. By the end of the meeting, nearly everyone had spoken and even looked hesitant about leaving, since there was still more to discuss. Meetings are Thursday in room 240 during lunch. Come and join the discussion!
PHOTO BY CLAUDIA XIE
PHOTO BY CLAUDIA XIE (from left to right): Officer junior David Song, president junior Maryam Ghaderi, officer senior Claudia Hendricks, and officer junior Matthew Daniels.