Perhaps all international students discover at some point that going to college in the States costs more than they pay in money terms. I have experienced personal costs that will impact my life long after my education here is done. Some I was prepared to encounter, and others caught me off-guard. I don’t regret my decision to study in the States, but coming here has meant closing some doors and cutting off some possibilities.

As long as I can remember, mainstream political opinion in Russia has been anti-American, encouraged by the older generation who grew up in the Soviet Union and taught that America was an enemy to be opposed. Not everyone in the country is anti-American of course – in fact, most people I know are not actively anti-American – but there is an underlying suspicion of American values and intentions. As a result, my decision to study in America is viewed warily, and even negatively, by some.

Job prospects

I expect that, although my U.S. education will increase my job prospects in America and Europe, I will have difficulty finding someone to hire me in Russia with my credentials.

Many Russians believe that American education is not as rigorous as Russian education is, probably because they have heard that the academic environment in the U.S. is less formal and students there have “too much freedom” as they make their own course choices. Russian students don’t make many choices about their education. In my three years at a public Russian university, I wasn’t allowed to choose any classes.

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This post is by VOA intern Matthew Kupfer, and was originally written in Russian for our sister blog, Альма-матер.  Matthew says, “although my post is written with a Russian-speaking audience in mind, the topic should be relevant to most everyone because the Work and Travel program is open to students from around the world.”

Photo: AP

When I studied in St. Petersburg as part of an intensive Russian language program, I often talked with Russian students, who shared their plans and dreams with me. Among the most popular themes of these intimate conversations were student exchanges in the U.S.—especially Work and Travel.

Work and Travel is a program that allows foreign students to come to the U.S. to work and simultaneously plunge into American culture for up to five months. A typical student who participates in this program spends the first few months working, and then can spend time traveling in America if he or she so chooses.

To participate in this program, you are required to apply through a U.S. Government-approved sponsoring organization—such as CIEE, CetUSA or Intrax. These sponsors sometimes help participants find work, but not always. If the employer does not help the participants find housing, he or she ultimately must do it themselves.

The sponsoring organizations’ websites advertise Work and Travel as an unforgettable adventure—not just an opportunity to spend the summer in sunny America, but also to interact with Americans and master the English language. But the summer doesn’t always turn out the way it is advertised. From hearing the stories of former participants, it’s clear to me that many have had great experiences on Work and Travel. But I have also found that there are a sizable number of students who have experienced real difficulties in finding housing and jobs while in America. Many had to borrow money from relatives to afford plane tickets and other necessary expenses, and found returning this money not to be so easy. Furthermore, not everyone’s summer consisted of recreation, travel, and sightseeing. For many, this vacation turned out to be hard work and stress.

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Acceptance letters (Creative commons photo by Flickr user Adrian Ho)

The final, and possibly most important, of our recaps looks back at the most informative posts we’ve done over the past year. If you’re just discovering this blog or just starting to think about studying in the U.S., these posts will be a good way to start.

Top 5 most informative posts:

#1) Applying to Schools

From deciding to study in America to waiting for the results of your application, this post walks through all the basic steps of applying, including stories from our bloggers about their experiences.

Also see:
First Steps: Deciding to Come to the US is the Easy Part

#2) Exploring Financial Aid and Funding Options

There are so many more sources of aid and scholarships than you may think.  This post helps you get started understanding your options, and shares the various routes pursued by our bloggers to afford their education.

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Continuing our look back at the top posts of the past school year, here are your…

Top 5 most shared posts on Facebook and Twitter:

#1) Transforming from Passive Student to Active Advocate: Shu Wen’s Story

They talked about how free the U.S. education is and they talked about liberal arts education where if you are undecided of what your major is you can try a couple of disciplines first until you find your passion. It kind of struck me, so I just took my chance and applied to several schools in the U.S., and finally got in.

#2) Do You Know How to Give an ‘American Hug?’

Topics covered: (1) How to recognize an American; (2) how to greet an American you’ve just met; (3) how to greet an American after having a few beers.

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Screengrab from Lowyat.net

On Tuesday we shared Ebrahim’s story of coming to the U.S. to complete his civil engineering degree.  In the interview, he talked about how he found it easier to complete his degree in America than back home in his native Kuwait.  The comment has sparked a debate over on lowyat.net, an online community for Malaysia.

Commenter Maru&box argued that Ebrahim found his education easier in the U.S. because he chose to go to an easier school.  According to Maru&box, employers back in Kuwait wouldn’t recognize the name of the school, and therefore wouldn’t know whether it came from a prestigious school or not.

(You can make your own decision about the quality of West Virginia University, where Ebrahim said he received his degree.  U.S. News and World Reports ranks WVU #176 on its annual list of best American universities.)

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This chart comes from a new Institute of International Education (IIE) survey measuring how prospective students view different study abroad locations.  According to their data, the U.S. is viewed as having the most diverse, highest quality and most welcoming educational system … as well as the highest tuition and most complex visa procedures.

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A few months ago (yes, months – sorry for the delay), Ebrahim Alattar posted on our Facebook wall offering to share his experience coming from Kuwait to study civil engineering in the U.S.  Since we love to learn from others, we took him up on his offer, and asked him your questions…and some of our own.

Creative commons photo by Flickr user Stephanie Graves

Abdirahman asked how studying engineering in the U.S. compared to Ebrahim’s native Kuwait.  According to Ebrahim, it was the differences in academic styles between the two countries that motivated his decision to come to the U.S. in the first place.  He says engineering studies were easier in the U.S.

… i had started the academic study at Kuwait University.. and there the study was very hard than you can imagine especially in the third year of study engineering.  … finally.. one of cousin who had started study in the USA refer me that the study is easier than in Kuwait university !!

Ebrahim cautions that this isn’t the case for every university.  Some American schools are harder, and some are about the same, but in general, “the reason for international to select engineering study in USA because the nature study of engineering in their native countries is much more difficult than the study of the same engineering major in USA…”

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I wanted to share this response to our Don’t Study in the U.S. series from a few weeks ago, in which we discussed some of the pros and cons of coming to America for higher education.  Ting replied in the comments:

Studying abroad has been considered as the best option amongst parents thinking their kids might excel more or could land a better career in the future but i always find it impractical for only few are capable financially. If only other countries particularly in Asia or perhaps in Africa, if their governments would give enough education support, studying abroad or in one’s country makes no difference.

(There were many other interesting comments on that series as well – worth checking out if you haven’t yet)

It’s worth pointing out that many countries are already jumping into the international education game, including many that haven’t traditionally attracted international students.  And some students may be surprised to find their own country is among those hoping to make their education system more attractive.

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We’ve spent the first half of this week getting realistic – talking about the situations in which someone might choose not to study in the U.S. Coincidentally, The Telegraph newspaper published a story yesterday explaining why studying in the U.S. is a great option for British students.

“Many world-class institutions in the US are not well known in Britain, but thanks to a less specialised curriculum, the US can be the right place if you want to expand your horizons rather than narrow your study options,” they write, talking to two students about why they decided to attend college in the States.

Though it feels like most people talk about improving their career prospects or getting a better education when they discuss why they want to study in the U.S., in an informal survey on our Facebook page, the majority of you said the cultural experience of studying abroad was the most important reason to study overseas.

Cultural Immersion

Cheerleaders at George Mason (Creative commons photo by Flickr user J Rosenfeld)

For Nareg, it was the “spirit of adventure” that drove his decision to come to the U.S.:

The experience of it all was definitely a major factor: to be away from family and friends, in an unknown environment, is just the kind of adventure which would educate more than any book or lecture could.

Farima agrees.  She says her initial motivation for coming to the U.S. as a high school student was to get a better education, but over time it has been the cultural exposure that has kept her here:

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Screen grab from Abdullah's interview on the Mizzou international students blog

“I believe the education system in U.S. ranked the best in the world, and people who have studied in the United States are offered better jobs with better salaries and it’ll be easier for them to find a job,” said Abdullah Habibzai, a civil engineering student at the University of Missouri in an interview for the “Mizzou” international students blog. “That was my ambition since many years ago, to complete my high education in the United States.”

Studying in the U.S. was Abdullah’s ambition, but must it be yours?

In this post, the second in our series looking at the pros and cons of studying in the U.S., we take a more in depth look at some of the factors that may influence your decision.

Some Research

The top three reasons students choose to study overseas are: (1) Higher quality of education; (2) career improvement; (3) the chance to live overseas, according to the British Council’s Student Decision Making Survey. Prospective students hoping to study in the U.S. in particular prioritized improving their job prospects in the survey.

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For a whole academic year on this blog we have talked about what it’s like to study in the U.S. and how to make it happen, giving tips on everything from getting financial aid to acclimating to American society. But let’s be clear – our goal is not to say that studying in the U.S. is your only option, or that it’s the right choice for everyone.

In this series of posts, we’ll explore the pros and cons of studying in the U.S., and talk to students who studied abroad and who stayed at home to learn how they made their choices.

Seeking Opportunity

University of the Punjab, one of many universities in Pakistan (Creative commons photo by Flickr user Guilhelm Vellut)

Arwa Shahzad and Amna Tariq Shah are two educated, well-spoken young women from Pakistan. And, uniquely for this blog, they have both received their education exclusively in Pakistan.

At 17, Arwa is just beginning her higher education at Punjab College in Gujranwala, Pakistan. She says education is vital to her own future and the future of her country.
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