Book Description

Each year more than 572,500 international students enroll in more than 3,300 colleges and universities in the United States. Currently, about 84,000 of these students attend community colleges. Why do so many international students choose to pursue higher education in the United States? First, U.S. colleges and universities welcome and value international students. Classmates and professors eager to learn more about other countries, cultures, and languages encourage interaction among students with diverse backgrounds. Most campuses have multicultural and multinational student organizations to support international students. Second, a degree from a U.S. institution is recognized throughout the world as a significant accomplishment. International students with degrees from the United States become highly marketable back home. Finally, higher education in the United States, particularly in community colleges, is usually highly affordable for international students. This document welcomes attendees of one of the American Association of Community Colleges' (AACC's) international fairs in October 2006 in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Seoul, Hong Kong, and Ho Chi Minh City. AACC holds these fairs to alert international students in Asia about the benefits of community colleges and to show them how these institutions are the gateway to higher education in the United States. The colleges participating in these fairs represent the wide variety of opportunities available to international students. Some are large and urban with several campuses, while others are in rural settings serving small student populations. All offer a wide variety of majors and in demand programs. Fair locations, dates, and participant lists; a map of the U.S. showing fair participants; information about studying at U.S. community colleges; profiles of participating colleges; programs/majors of special interest to international students; and a list of resources for international students are included.