Education and foreign policy are two topics that are always in discussion in Texas for obvious reasons. Education has and will always be one of top concern in America because the education system ultimately determines how the future generations will shape the world. What many people don't understand is that America is a country developed by foreigners who have contributed to the growth of the country since its origin until today. More and more foreigners immigrate into America acknowledging that America could be the land of opportunity. For some foreigners, this new-found opportunity is education. Not all countries around the world provide an education system that is deep and constructive for students who want to achieve further. In fact, many countries around the world don't even offer a proper education for the children. For students like these, the only way to have a proper education might be to study in the United States.
According to the Institute of International Education, there were approximately 886,052 international students in 2014 and is getting higher every year (8% increase since 2013). It was also stated that there was a 72% increase of international student population in higher U.S. education such as colleges and universities since 2000. This shows how rapidly international students are entering the U.S. as well as how much foreigners contribute to the education system in America.
Although students and children from all around the world come to America to continue or even start on their education, many are forced to return to their country because they cannot afford to pay for their education. There are many reasons for this. The main reason for this is because college tuition is just too expensive for a foreigner. Many students in America graduate from their high school and decide to attend the state university that provides in-state tuition. This is justifiable because the purpose of in-state tuition is to provide for those who have already paid the taxes for the state while they were a in-state resident.
Another reason why international students cannot afford to stay in America is because they are not allowed to have any kind of jobs without a work permit. It is very common for students, especially college students, to have a part-time job in order to pay for their bills, food, tuition, and other basic necessities. Because of the problem of illegal immigrants coming in to the U.S. and "taking" jobs from Americans, the government has decided that it would be a good idea to not allow any international student to have a job. Although it is possible to get a work permit, there is a long and difficult process and is rarely given out. Because these students are not able to get jobs, many of them drop out and return to their country simply because they cannot afford to live. A solution for this problem could be allowing international students to have at least have a part time job, or at least make the work permit process easier.
I believe that America should be welcoming international students and making it easier for them to stay and have the proper education that they want. We are fortunate for an education system that allows for each and every student to have the opportunity to learn and achieve their dreams; why can't we share this opportunity to those around the world who aren't fortunate enough. Although immigrants are not completely without problems, we should still try to help all children around the world by providing them with hopes of coming to America and helping them achieving their goals.
On Monday November 2nd, 2015 Grand State Texas posted an article titled "The Land of Opportunity". Min Kim discusses the difficulties an international student encounters when coming to the United States to receive a higher education.
ReplyDeleteMin starts off the article by mentioning that proper education is not offered in many countries around the world; and due to this many international students pick the US as their destination for a college education. The author states that their was approximately 800,000 international students in the US and that number is increasing each year. As the article mentions, even though their is a large amount of foreign students, many of them are forced to return to their home countries due to the fact that they can no longer afford it. Min makes a good point by stating that college tuition for an international student is a lot more expensive when compared to how much an in-state resident pays. Another important factor that is mentioned is the fact that foreigners can not work unless they have a work permit. So these international students can not have jobs that could potentially help them pay for some expenses. The author points out that it is possible to acquire a work permit but it is a long and tedious process. So it makes it even more difficult to pay for college or at least other expenses such as rent, transportation and food.
This article is very well elaborated and provides many statements and facts that support the main idea. The structure is very well planned and all of the ideas transition very effectively. All of the facts and statements that are mentioned in the article come from credible sources. I completely agree with Min Kim, I believe the United States should make it easier for international students when seeking a higher education. I strongly believe that more work permits should be provided to these international students. The United States should not see these students as a burden but as an investment for the future of this country. This article caught my attention not because I am directly influenced by it, but because I have many friends that have to deal with this issue.