For decades, coming to America for university (or "uni," as it's known in the UK) has been the shared goal of students around the world. Today, that plan is less certain as geopolitical issues raise questions about the wisdom—and even the possibility—of coming to America for undergraduate studies. College advisors from the UK and India join AB host Lee Coffin to ponder the enduring value of an international student body as the classes of the 2030s queue up for their admissions journey.
For decades, coming to America for university (or "uni," as it's known in the UK) has been the shared goal of students around the world. Today, that plan is less certain as geopolitical issues raise questions about the wisdom—and even the possibility—of coming to America for undergraduate studies. College advisors from the UK and India join AB host Lee Coffin to ponder the enduring value of an international student body as the classes of the 2030s queue up for their admissions journey.
Lee Coffin:
From Hanover, New Hampshire, I'm Lee Coffin, Dartmouth's vice president for admissions and financial Aid, and this is Admissions Beat.
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This season, we are having conversations to help the high school class of 2026, that means the college class of 2030, move from their final year of high school to college. And as the classes of the '30s have joined the admission conversation, I keep thinking about the life they're going to lead when they graduate college in 2030 and have a career that stretches to the 2070s, if not 2080. And I say that with a bit of amazement because I will be long gone by the time they complete their careers. But it points me toward really important truth: Students who go to college today who will have careers that begin in 2030 will have lives, careers, in a really global space. I think anyone pondering the 2030s, '40s, '50s and beyond can easily say, yes, borders are going to become more fluid. People who have an awareness of areas outside of what they know are going to have a premium on the lives they live.
And so, for me, as an admission officer, that's part of the rationale that I've always carried around, including an international component in the student body we create. And I thought it was time to have a conversation on Admissions Beat that recognizes what's happening on the admission beat in journalism where a lot of ink is being spilled about international students in the U.S. context. The geopolitics of the moment have created some confusion, some uncertainty where there had not been before. And so, this week, I invite two colleagues from international schools to join me to help think about the headlines, the politics, and the enduring value of having an international representation on an American campus. So, when we come back, we'll meet counselors from India and the UK and have a conversation that helps students and parents from around the world think about the admission process to and through the United States. We'll be right back.
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I am excited to welcome to Admissions Beat two international college counselors, Niki McInteer from St. Paul's school in London, and Shikha Singh from Cathedral and John Connon School in Mumbai, India, joining the pod this week to share their perspective on all things admission from their college counseling roles abroad. So, Niki, Shikha, hello.
Niki McInteer:
Good afternoon. Hello.
Shikha Singh:
Good afternoon. Hello. Thank you so much for having us here today. So, I think, Niki, would you like to go with the introduction first and then I'll continue?
Niki McInteer:
Sure. Hello, my name is Niki McInteer. I am the head of U.S. Universities at St. Paul's school in London. We are an all-boys school that was actually founded in 1509, so there's a lot of history there. And so, we are located on the banks of the Thames River. And every year, we see about 60 to 70 boys apply to the U.S. So that's a pretty large cohort coming from a London school of our 200 students who graduate every year. This is my second year at St. Paul's, finishing up as the head of U.S. Universities. And before that, I was actually an admissions officer, the associate dean of admissions at Wake Forest University. And my responsibility was to bring students from around the world to Wake Forest. So, this is a topic I care deeply about. It's something I've dedicated my career to.
I think the roots of my career were founded in my own education. I studied at Wake Forest University for my undergraduate education and then did a doctorate at Penn State University in State College, Pennsylvania, in German literature, which has nothing to do with my current career, but yet has planted a lot of the seeds that I feel like inform a lot of my thinking around my job today.
Lee Coffin:
Yeah. No, I love that. We can do the interview in German.
Niki McInteer:
Oh, I'm a little rusty, but I can manage.
Lee Coffin:
I couldn't get very far. And Shikha, tell us a little bit about yourself.
Shikha Singh:
Hi, my name is Shikha Singh, and I am currently heading the department of career counseling at the very prestigious Cathedral and John Connon School in Mumbai. We are celebrating 165 years this year. So specifically, we are a very old school, one of the oldest schools in India. I have also been a part of this entire international counseling community for almost a decade now. This is something I really enjoy doing, something I work very personally with the students of the school, to tailor-make their applications, to think and strategize with them what needs to be done next. We have almost about a 50 to 55% of our students who apply abroad. And when I mean abroad, primarily it's always been the U.S. and the UK, but now we're seeing the interest grow in the different parts of the world as well. But U.S. always remains the primary focus for our students. So I'm very happy to discuss this topic and take it forward from here.
Lee Coffin:
Yeah. Well, you gave me the perfect segue to my first question, which, for generations, coming to the United States has been an opportunity for international students from around the world. And if you look at the current enrollment in the U.S., there are 1.1 million international students at American colleges and universities. So it's about 6% of the campus population in the United States. And at some places, it could be as many as 15, 20, 30%. Why has the U.S. been such a beacon for students from outside the U.S.? I mean, Niki, you used to recruit and now you're helping advise. What's your answer to the question? Why does a student from outside the U.S. see an American undergraduate degree as such an important opportunity?
Niki McInteer:
I think the thing that's really attractive about a U.S. education is the flexibility and the fact that you don't have to know at 17 what you'll be studying for the next couple years and what career you might enter. So, I think the U..S really inspires a lot of creativity, a lot of reflection in this process in a way that other university systems around the world are a little more prescriptive. And so, I think the biggest reason my students are drawn to the U.S. is because they are so excited about the prospect of learning something about themselves and the greater flexibility with the curriculum in the U.S.
But that being said, I think that a lot of students also are drawn to the incredible resources of the U.S. So, students who know what kind of topic they'd like to study, they have such amazing resources, especially mentorship and working in labs and working with professors and getting access to research opportunities that I think are a little more guarded in other places around the world. So, I think that the mentorship and the broader range of academics are the two top reasons. Beyond that, I think that just the campus culture is really unparalleled in the U.S. compared to other systems around the world. So, it is a part of your identity. There's a whole culture around each campus, their whole traditions. And I think that that is really exciting for a student to be able to become a part of and to participate in for the rest of their lives.
Lee Coffin:
Well, and the flexibility is something American students take for granted. As I traveled outside the U.S. in my admission career, I'm always struck by the need to back up and describe exploration. I was in Norway a few years ago. My host said, "Just remember, students here in Norway are going from high school into a pre-professional college track. They don't live on campus. They have to know when they're 17 what they're studying, and you need to explain to them that it's okay not to know." And that's such a simple thing in the U.S. But when you leave America, it is something exotic. Shikha, are you seeing that in India as well?
Shikha Singh:
Yes, yes. I think I'm just going to add to a couple of points here. So, very well said by Niki, where definitely the flexibility in learning, and that's something our students... Generally, I see at the age of 16, 17, students are very undecided yet. Yes, they have taken a certain number of subjects and they've taken subjects with their choices, but still they are looking for more opportunities. They are looking for opportunities to explore. And I feel, according to students when they are applying, the U.S. system allows them to do that, and it being more of a liberal arts education. Even though some of them are very clear about what they want, they still want to have a little bit of choice when they are doing their four years of their undergrad.
That being said, I think the campuses, they offer a very diverse set of students. They connect with peers worldwide. They enjoy the fact that they have an opportunity to understand different cultures. U.S. is home to the top-ranked universities globally, extremely good research facilities, very good, strong, I mean, very strong industry links. And I think that is another reason why our Indian students definitely look at applying to the U.S. Because we are an old school and we have almost about four generations as part of our school, we see that, "Okay, if the older brother or the father has studied in the U.S, automatically the current child who is in school wants to go there and experience it." At school, we also have a very strong alumni connect. So, when we bring back our alumni to talk about their experiences and their opportunities and their challenges of currently being in the U.S., and we actually do sessions for our students with our alumni in the U.S., it just adds to that flavor.
Lee Coffin:
How would you answer the question that The Boston Globe posed a couple of weeks ago in a front page story about international students in the U.S.? And they poked a topic around why does an American college want an international student body? You both elegantly explain why an international student sees the U.S. as an opportunity, but why might Wake Forest, in Niki's example, see India as an opportunity for it? And just as a point of information, India is the largest cohort of international students in the U.S.
Niki McInteer:
Diversity is incredibly important to American universities. And I think that what students don't realize when they look at an American University is that it's such an experience that touches so many different facets of your life, not just your academic life. And so, to have people who challenge you or add perspective in those spaces, whether they're in a classroom discussion or in a late-night dorm chat, I think that because American universities are so comprehensive, that adding different types of people to that mix only enhances it.
And as Shikha was saying, that's what students are looking to be a part of and looking for. And I think that's the only way we can really understand each other better is to be in proximity. And so, I think American universities do this exceptionally well and have put a lot of resources into making sure that international students are welcomed and do well on their campuses. I studied a foreign language in college and I think that my perspective in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, was incredibly enhanced by people from around the world and really opened my own eyes. And it's one of the reasons I do this job now.
Shikha Singh:
Generally, I think all the U.S. colleges want Indian students because there is that level of academic excellence with a global perspective. Our Indian students have very, very strong foundations, especially in their STEM subjects. Actually, when I have students coming back to India, the ones who are currently studying there, they say that our Indian curriculum really prepares them, and the rigorous part of the STEM subjects of our Indian curriculum really prepares them to do so well when they are actually studying abroad there. And I think they not only bring diversity to the classroom, but they also contribute to the research, the innovation, and also help build the university's reputation.
Like you said very correctly, Lee, there is a very large Indian population in the U.S. who also end up being very influential alumni. And their financial contribution to the U.S. universities are also very large. They pay their tuition fees as international students. U.S. universities definitely look for diversity, but I also feel that our Indian students come in with that strength, the academic rigor, and have performed, and I'm talking about my experience with these students, they have performed extremely well. They know the amount that their parents are investing in the education, and they know that it's not only about giving back to the family, but it's also doing good to society.
Lee Coffin:
Well, and you touched on the academic excellence piece, and I think it can't be said enough how strong the international applicant pool is. And this is true everywhere I've worked. I have always been dazzled by the academic credentials of the students who apply, their life story, their lived experience, the cultural component. In all regards, they are among the most compelling applicants in the pool. And it kind of gets to this question the Globe asked me in the interview, if international students are "taking American seats." And my head blew off my shoulder when she asked me that, and I said, "Well, nobody owns the seats. It's an American college serving a global community." Everybody is competing through the same prism of merit. And in the international lens, they're extraordinary. I mean, we see students from some countries where they've taken the national exam and they're the tops in their country. And that, I think, for listeners, U.S. and international, that's a really important point to keep in mind, that the students who come into these American classrooms bring a significant academic and intellectual firepower with them.
Shikha Singh:
In fact, Lee, I'd also like to add in here that I think the STEM subjects are something that, and I said that before while we were discussing this, the STEM subjects are something that we actually take a lot of pride in because there is so much of rigor attached to it. And the kids are doing math and sciences right from an early grade in their school life. I have seen the kind of training that the faculty in India also get, for example, at our school, and how they sit and probably how they work with our children one-on-one to strengthen these skills. We know that the physics and the math and the biology and the chemistry are really, really difficult, but it's also, I think, a very well part played on the role of the teachers and the senior leadership who support the students with all of this.
Niki McInteer:
And I'll just add quickly, I read applications from England for 10 years before I took this job. I thought I knew A-levels, I thought I knew the ins and outs of everything. I will say A-levels are so much more rigorous and demanding than I ever realized as an admissions officer. So, having not done them myself as a high school student, I'm learning about it as I go along. But I see these projects, they're called EPQs, Extended Project Qualifications. Our students work for a year on these projects, and they're true passion projects. And I thought it was, like, just an essay they wrote when I was an admissions officer. I think that's the job of admissions officer, obviously, to get to know these schools and the different international curricula. But I will say that the nuances, that's our job as counselors to explain and make sure that they shine in applications. But every school has its own culture. But A-levels, I've learned so much and I did not know how hard they were.
Lee Coffin:
So, we've made the case for why an international student would consider an American college and why an American college would be interested in international student. Let's turn it for a second to the contemporary moment, the geopolitics that are a little turbulent. For the last six months, there's been conversations about limiting the number of visas the United States offers to students from outside the country. There have been some conversations about limiting access to students from certain countries. So, in your respective roles in schools in large international cities, what issues should a high school senior and her parent be thinking about as the 2026 application process begins in earnest? I mean, should international students be shifting gears away from the U.S. despite all of its advantages, or do you see reasons for families to stay the course?
Shikha Singh:
I think there's a lot of uncertainty. And when a parent is working with a child and everyone's thinking about this child going in for four years, I don't think the parents want to sit in with that uncertainty that anything can change at any point. Earlier in the day, I would say even, say, two years ago, and I'm going to just give all real-life examples out here, students were very clear that, "This is where we are going, and this is what we're going to study, and we're very happy." But this year, suddenly, because of the whole uncertainty and change in certain policies and suddenly there being no visa appointments available, they don't see it as a threat to their personal safety, but we don't know what may happen. And what if a rule changes and the child is expected to come back after a year? We're talking about undergrad education, which every child wants to kind of complete. So, in case something changes, how are we going to support it?
In fact, I'll give you an example here, when the rule came out of the visas, the visa appointments not being available easily, most of my batch had already got their visas. So that was a good part and the positive part. But there were a few who were just not getting appointments. So, my kids from Mumbai had to actually fly down to Delhi to get their visa appointments there. Indian universities took this as an opportunity and opened up round four and five of their applications. And I must say, every university that our child has applied to and was due to go has been so supportive of the child. They have been constantly emailing our children saying that, "Don't worry. We know there's a situation. We know there's a problem. We're here to support you and we're here waiting for you to come." But-
Lee Coffin:
That's really reassuring to point that out because that... Sorry to interrupt you. That was my experience at Dartmouth as well, is we were very hands-on to our international cohort from May through today. And so, I share that as a reassurance to families who are legitimately navigating uncertainty for next year to know that this spring-summer played out in a very typical way. I mean, as we come to the start of classes, all of our international students, there's still a couple in progress, but most of them have a visa. And some of them from countries where I thought this might've been stickier or slower, it happened.
Shikha Singh:
I'm very glad about that, and most of my students have got their visas as well. But like I said, I think it's only the uncertainty and parents not being sure about what's going to happen that is kind of changing the mindset to take on education in different parts of the world, and where I see different parts such as Singapore growing, and India, a lot of students have now stayed back in India or plan to stay back in India to complete their undergrad education.
Lee Coffin:
Niki, what are you seeing in London?
Niki McInteer:
Yeah. I think a lot of our conversations around applying to college tend to rotate around values. And if you value certainty, then maybe that's not the best option for you right now. And I think I sometimes have to give permission to students to say, "It's okay that something I thought about might not be the right fit," and really focus on what they value and what they want from their university experience. But the culture of a university isn't necessarily the culture of Washington and how to differentiate those two and find the space that fits you really well. And so, students understand that universities are their own little worlds in and of themselves. And so, I think that we're really encouraging students to look into universities specifically and how they respond to different challenges or rhetoric. And it becomes a part of the kind of fit question that we talk about with students. And so, that's our job as guidance counselors.
But I also think that, like you said, it's been fairly par the course. We have kind of the same number of students applying this year as last year. And I think we didn't have too many issues with visas this summer. There was that two-week period where visa appointments were frozen and people got a little nervous. So, on May 1, our attitude was a little different because a lot of our students keep multiple options open and the choice that they have to make is a really difficult one. We encourage students to make it early and to go with what their goals are. But I think students were more interested in keeping options open this year, which can cause some troubles with accounting. But that felt a little different this year than in previous years.
Lee Coffin:
Talk a little bit more about that. So, if you're a rising senior, you've just begun your 12th grade or your top form or whatever it's called in your particular country, how does a student keep options open? So, we'd like to talk about news you can use. So, somebody in a school that's not one of yours with the same degree of counseling, how does that less-counseled person keep options open as September becomes November, becomes January, February, March, next June?
Niki McInteer:
Keeping options open is a big thing for students right now because I think especially at schools like Cathedral and John Connon and St. Paul's, these are students who are encouraged to think big and are encouraged to see the world as their oyster. And so, I think that a lot of them genuinely can see themselves in different educational contexts and thriving in those contexts. So, I think it is a real genuine process for them. We talk a lot about early decision, early action, what that means for your application. We do not let students pursue other options, obviously, if they've been admitted early decisions. So we want to make sure that students know the implications of that decision and that commitment you're making to that university when you apply in that round. A lot of other university systems don't have these kinds of deadlines as the U.S. and that they are a little bit later.
So, a student could theoretically have several options open to them if they didn't get admitted in the early decision round in the U.S. So they could keep several options open. To help students decide by May 1st is really what our goal is. The visa thing made students nervous this year about keeping more options open than we would typically want them to. And it does come down to just making a decision of where you best fit for your next four years, or three if you're going to the UK. It's a sticky topic because you want to support this student and you want to make sure that they're doing what's best for them. But you also know that universities have to know numbers, and I'm sure that makes your job difficult, Lee.
Lee Coffin:
It makes it very fluid to try and guess what might happen a week, a month, two months down the road. But maybe, again, in the teachable part of our conversation, maybe we should spend a couple minutes talking about the visa itself. So, if you're someone that's not left your country and you're thinking about studying abroad, what is a visa and how do you get one?
Niki McInteer:
I'm no legal expert, but this is what I explain to my students. A visa is an official designation that gives you the right to live in a certain country for a certain amount of time in a certain role. So it has to kind of meet different criteria. It has to be administered by the government in an official capacity. And there are steps to obtaining that visa. So there are steps you have to take in order to get it. So, the first step is being admitted to an institution, and then you get a document called an I-20, and that gives the student the power to go to an embassy and start that process. Along the ways, you have to pay SEVIS fees. And so there are a lot of acronyms and it can feel like a very foreign process, but it all starts with the I-20. And then at some point, you have to have an interview with an American designation, so whether it's a consulate or embassy. That's the way I've understood it. And [inaudible 00:27:49]-
Lee Coffin:
Can I just jump in there? That is a very straightforward explanation, so thank you for that. But if I'm a high school senior, the idea of going to an embassy and being interviewed sounds scary.
Shikha Singh:
So, if there is a new parent who's never done this before, and if there's a child who's never probably gone abroad and obtained a visa, then this entire research about it starts much earlier. They come to us the previous year in June and July, too. And when we discuss the process with them, we even talk about the visa aspect. What we also do at school is, when the students have kind of got everything and their documents arranged, we do a parent session, which is also done by an alumni or maybe one of the industry experts on this, about how the financial status of a child or a family changes when they are now in the U.S. So what are the implications with the student visa and how the child ends up having a different kind of perspective on the whole financial statement. So, this is information for the parents so that when they plan their financials for the child's education, they can factor in these particular things which are, again, very important and something they may not know, because probably they did not have their previous child go abroad.
Lee Coffin:
Well, it's interesting as we're talking about the visa and how May 1st of this past year was a moment of confusion. It's a reminder to everybody that current events are fluid. And in this visa conversation within the United States, the visas are issued by the U.S. Department of State. And the U.S. Department of State reports to the president of the United States. So, from year to year, from term to term, you have different views in the White House, and the policies flow from that perspective. And one of the things I think we're navigating right now is just a change of perspective in Washington. And I think Niki made the point, there's Washington and then there's a campus. And the campus continue... People have said to me, "Are you retreating from your international recruitment?" And I said, "No. I mean, we're still a college with a global curriculum and a global community and kind of a hope to help educate students for lifetimes of leadership wherever they live." So, that doesn't change because the president of the United States changes.
But talking about finances prompted another question, too. So, the story in The Boston Globe was pondering the idea that most international students are full pay, that they're coming to the United States and being admitted to college, because if it's a state university, they're treated as an out-of-state person and they pay a higher tuition rate than an in-state person. If it's a private university, it could be the college values the tuition resource. But what was surprising to the Globe was that more colleges in the U.S. than they knew also offer scholarships to non-U.S. citizens. So, let's talk a little bit about that second piece, that unexpected news that American colleges offer scholarship to international students.
Niki McInteer:
This is a big topic. And I think that-
Lee Coffin:
That's a big topic.
Niki McInteer:
I think I actually host a scholarship and financial aid evening for my parents and students yearly because I think that there's a lot of misunderstanding around the topic, namely that scholarships can mean three different things. It can mean financial aid that's needs tested. It can mean a merit scholarship that's an academic scholarship. Or it can mean a talent scholarship that's for a specific talent that a student brings to that community.
And so, I do tell families that there are amazingly generous packages for students for all three of these things, but you're probably not going to be a fit for all three of them. So it's best to change your strategy about how you're applying and know that you could be a good candidate for some of that. But it is an incredibly confusing space. The sticker shock is real when you look at the cost of an American institution. And so that's something I try really hard to convince my students to disabuse them of the notion that they can't afford it or that it's too expensive. But I do think you have to have a different strategy depending on the kind of aid that would best suit you.
Shikha Singh:
We actually collect data on the amount of scholarships that have been offered by the universities. And then when a student comes to me and says, "Okay, you know what, miss? I want to apply to this university, but I would like to apply for a scholarship." So I pull this data down and I speak to the student and I said, "Okay, if we're looking at this particular university, then maybe this could be a strategy that you go ahead and apply with." If you are looking at a university and you know them, certain universities being need-blind, need-aware, according to that, we kind of guide our students and mentor them to apply.
And I think more than just that, it is very important to discuss this in the very first meeting with your parents about what is it that they are looking to invest. So it's very important to discuss this with them and say, "Okay, you know what? This is generally the cost that we're looking at, but then there are ways to cover this cost. So, if you are looking at a scholarship, then these are the kind of scholarships you can get. If you are looking at financial aid, then there's a whole different route to it. What are the kind of colleges that are offering these opportunities? Make a list according to that." And that's why I always tell my grade-11 students, start early. One, building your profile from a very young age, but two, it's always important for you to collect this research and data, and this cannot happen overnight.
Lee Coffin:
I'm smiling as I listen to you, Shikha, because in many episodes, we talk about procrastination as the issue that haunts so many applicants. And everybody, procrastination knows no national border. It's true worldwide. And you're giving good advice students to start early, because the American colleges have a lot in common, but we all have slightly different things we ask and consider.
So, with that in mind, let's shift back to the kids for a second. So, you're a senior. You're getting ready to apply. You're still pondering, "Should I stay in country? Should I go to the U.S. or Canada?" Assuming it's not a legacy where everybody in the family has gone to the UK. You maybe are the first one in your town, your school thinking about leaving to go abroad for college. What are the personal characteristics that you see in the students who are ready to grab a visa, take the passport and go?
Shikha Singh:
You know your study patterns. You know what works well for you. You know whether you are more comfortable in a city life, whether you are more comfortable being a little away from the city. Or you also know what kind of subjects you want to take up because now you are in grade 11. You have some idea of it. I'm not saying you're completely sure about it. But what will give you that surety is your research. So, we really, really focus on the research aspect.
And when parents and students come to me in grade 11 saying that, "You know what? We want to start our application and we want to be sure about what we're doing," I'm like, "First, go back, discuss amongst yourself. Spend a good two months researching about these colleges. Create an Excel sheet. Put down your topics of why you want to be here, why you're choosing this country versus choosing another country. Put down things like student-teacher ratio. You know that you're comfortable in a classroom with a small size of a classroom. You know you're comfortable in a smaller campus. Now, these are questions that you are going to answer for yourself. So, put down these things, make an Excel sheet, and come back to me after three months and then we discuss this. Put down what is important to you. Are you okay with the weather? Very important. You cannot go there and tell mom that, 'Okay, it's too cold. I didn't know this was going to happen.'"
So, you have to be clear about all these aspects, which means it comes to... It's basically all these little things under one big umbrella, which is research. Do it for two months, do it for three months. You're not running out of time. We're going to put in the best application for you. We're going to help you with it. But come to me with concrete work done at your end so I can then guide you as to what has happened in the past.
Lee Coffin:
So, again, the procrastination monster has to get tackled, and a student needs to be disciplined, organized, and, I think, a little fearless, too. I think just-
Shikha Singh:
Yes, absolutely.
Lee Coffin:
... leaving home and going far away has to have a bit of courage.
Niki McInteer:
I have a lot of students who will say, "I just want to go to the U.S. for college." And I'll say, "Well, do you want to be on the East Coast or West Coast?" And they say, "Oh, I don't care." And I try to tell them that an experience in a small town in New Hampshire is going to be very different than going to a college in Los Angeles. And so, we have our four factors we start with students. It's geography, academics, culture of a university, and financial fit. I think you have to be honest with yourself. Are you going to be comfortable with a nine-hour flight from London? Or do you want to be a train ride away from home?
And I think you also have to give permission, again, to say, "This is what feels good to me. This is what I value," and adjust accordingly. And even though you might've held a university in really high regard, it might not be the best one for you when you think about what you're looking for. I always say to students that the best applications are the ones that approach this process as a one of self-reflection and getting to know themselves better. And I think American universities, the questions they ask are very in this vein as well. And so, I think if a student does that, then they're going to end up at the right place because that fit factor of "I chose you, they chose me" will match up and align. But I think that you have to be honest with what you're looking for and not pay attention to the noise that can be very distracting.
Lee Coffin:
Yeah. Well, Niki, you took me right to my last question. The idea of “uni” in the U.S. is something that has endured for years and years and years. And certainly, as we go through this next academic year and admission cycle, the headlines will continue to appear that may make something that seemed clear become fuzzy. Why is “uni” in the U.S. something you would tell your students, "Stay focused on it, despite the noise"? What's your concluding thought to students from around the world?
Shikha Singh:
Universities in the U.S. offer world-class education. Right? And they are obviously looking to attract top global talent. They are also looking to add diversity to their classrooms. I think this is the reason why I feel that international students should make the most of it. And when you have universities supporting you through all of these issues that are happening around the world, then this clearly gives the answer right there that these are universities that are going to help you to proceed and move forward in your careers as well.
When the student and parent comes to me and says, "You know what? There's so much happening. Why should I still apply to the U.S.?" Let me just say, the U.S. still remains a favorite for all our students, and we always have the batch applying there. So I come back and then I kind of get back to them and say that, "You are getting the education that you want. You are able to have flexibility to choose something that you may want to have started with but you kind of change your course of action when you're there. You have an opportunity to do so much more along with just studying," because we have a lot of students who want also study music, who also want to pursue dance. And these opportunities are available there.
So, when you, as a student, look at the whole education landscape in the U.S. and you know you're getting it all, then be fearless, okay? Give it a shot, and go there and prove yourself. And this, again, is just a learning of life, right? There are not always easy roads out there. There are going to be some uphills, there are going to be some downhills for, I would say, everybody here. And it's very important for a student to adapt to all of this, right? So, you're not going to be pampered like you are in school. You're not going to be looked after by all your teachers. But you will have to work hard and prove yourself. And if you're ready to do that, then you're ready to go to uni in the U.S. You're ready to make the friends. You're ready to increase that network of yours. And go there, do it.
Niki McInteer:
So well said. I would add that I just think how comprehensive American universities are, I think, is so unique in the world and how that you can be working with Nobel Prize winners who are professors on staff and then go cheer on a sports team and go to a club that introduces you to a new interest. And I think that these kind of very intentional communities that universities in America build with global populations, I think, is just incredible. And I think that students who are ready to harness all the opportunities of universities in America are great fit for the U.S. I think the U.S., the comprehensive experience that allows students to explore so many different interests academically, recreationally, I just think, is an amazing opportunity for our students and students worldwide. And I hope that many students remain enthusiastic about an American education.
Lee Coffin:
And my concluding thought to our listeners is, from the college side, we remain open to your voice, your membership, your contributions, and see this global curriculum paired with a global community in a global moment as exciting. Sometimes uncertainty requires the clarity of purpose. For all the reasons that American colleges have been a goal of so many students from around the world for so long, that's still true. I would say to those of you who are nervous, don't surrender your goal because the path towards it is a little more convoluted than it might've been. It's still there. Those of us in the colleges of the United States are still traveling the world, ready to meet you, ready to shake your hand, read your application and imagine a seat for you in the class of 2030 when it enrolls a year from now. So, keep your head down, seek counsel when you need it, and know that an American outcome is still something worth pursuing. Niki, Shikha, thank you so much for joining me for this conversation on Admission Beat.
Niki McInteer:
Thank you so much for having us.
Shikha Singh:
Thanks so much for having us. This was so reassuring.
Lee Coffin:
Excited to have had this conversation about the global dimension of college admission in the United States. For now, this is Lee Coffin from Dartmouth College. Thanks for listening. See you next week.