Challenges Faced By International Students In The US

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International students’ enrollment in higher college education in the US has expanded at a remarkable pace. China is top origin country with 31.75% share of students coming to US universities, followed by India with 13.6% share, and 6.5% share from South Korean origin students. According to the statistics, 61.7% of total students coming to the United States for study are from Asian countries. There is a problem with profiling all Asian students as one set of a community because these communities consist of people with completely different culture, traditions, and practices. I’m going to focus on challenges encountered by Asian Indian students studying at US universities.
The paper deals with four of the many issues faced by Asian students …show more content…

We all know that different countries have extreme lifestyle and cultures, but the intensity of this issue is realized only when the person must live in a new county all by themselves away from the comfort of the family, friends and their comfort zone as Asians are a close-knit group with their friends and families. No amount of exposure of the new country will absolutely prepare a person to live without any unexpected struggle. “Psychological maladjustment may surface due to such factors as unfamiliar societal customs (Chapdelaine & Alexitch, 2004), language barriers (Mori, 2000), and lack of previous close contact with a social support system and kinship bonds (Abe & Zane, 1990).” International students are expected to build their life from scratch once they are in a new country, this deals with making friends, finding a comfortable environment to stay. Even managing petty things on their own like buying grocery, figuring out the public transport, familiarizing with the area takes time to get used to. Staying away from close ones can cause a lot of anxiety and desolation which impacts the …show more content…

A recent survey has proven Asian students chose their major based on certain factors rather than choosing a major that they are passionate about. The factors involve a) faculty influence, b) personal recognition and c) utility for careers. Asian international graduate students expressed that their ultimate extrinsic motivation was to get professional jobs in academia. With not much support system nearby and out of their comfort zone they try their best to excel in the field they have chosen. “A study conducted in India found that, “anxiety neurosis” is the most common form of mental illness and is manifested through symptoms such as irritability and moodiness Asian-Indian male students in the U.S. experience significant stress because of various factors including, but not limited to being responsible financially and emotionally for their families of origin that often include extended family members, having incurred substantial economic burden to pursue their academic goals in the United States, and consequent academic and related career performance.” Kakkar

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