Prepare to study abroad
A mother wrote to me: “My son is in the 11th grade and we would like to send him to study in the U.S. after high school. We are worried about his future and the life away from home as we want him to do well in college. Do you have any advice?
My answer: The first step of preparing to study abroad is to select the right university and make sure that it is accredited. There are three types of university in the U.S. The State University, the Private non-profit University, and the Private for-profit University. The U.S. Department of Education publishes a list of nationally recognized accrediting agencies that the Department has determined to be reliable authorities. Accreditation is a must-have to ensure the validity of the degree, and it is recognized by other schools and the industries. You can check several sources such as U.S. News Report or Forbes Magazine to select the right university and avoid some for-profit universities that are not accredited. It is important to investigate the ownership of the university to understand whether the school is a privately owned by individuals or company or not. There are many “Phony universities” and “for-profit universities” offer poor quality education or even “fake degree” but have advertised all over the world promising a lot of scholarships and easy to get in.
The second important is to select the right field of study as you want to make sure that the education your son learn will help him meet his career objectives. The U.S. education system allows college students to select whatever field students want to study. If your son already knows what to study then, he can apply. If he is not, it is important to choose a field that is relevant in this fast changing time. For example, a degree in science or technology may be more useful than a degree in literature, social science, or arts. The question you need to ask is: Will the degree prepare your son for a good job placement and career advancement? Make sure that the degree program your son choose has a current curriculum to ensure that when he graduates, he will have the skills that companies need.
The third important is to improve the language skills. Getting into a good university is only the beginning. Learning well and achieving the education goals are more important. Therefore your son needs to have good English language skills BEFORE he goes to the U.S. because all lectures, homework, exams and conversations between students and professors are in English. If your son comes with less proficiency in English, he will have difficulty to learn, especially in the first year. I have seen many foreign students did not do well in their first year because of their language weakness. Many could not catch up with the class, got frustrated, disappointed, depressed and some even quit school.
The fourth important is to make sure that your son is prepared to live independently and be responsible for himself. Many young people are NOT prepared but suddenly come to a new place, new environment, new culture, with limited language often feel depress, homesick, and face many difficulties that could distract them from their studying. Some are not learning about being responsible yet, and without family supervision, many are easily get into the bad habit and fail to study. For many students, going to college abroad, without some proper preparation and guidance can be challenging and risky. Be sure to work with your son and allow him to be more responsible for learning and develop a good study habit.
Sources
- Blogs of Prof. John Vu, Carnegie Mellon University
