Spring Break
University popular for international students
By: Matt Woolbright
Issue date: 12/1/08 Section: News
Texas A&M University is ranked 17th in the nation for the most international students, according to the Institute for International Education's data for the 2007-2008 year, with approximately 4,500 international students, 795 of which are undergraduates.
Texas A&M has approximately 1,000 more international students than in 2006.
Suzanne Droleskey, executive director for international programs for students, said she is proud and excited about the figures and what they mean for A&M.
"These students not only bring a valuable form of diversity to our campus; they are also among the best and brightest students from around the world and contribute greatly to the teaching, research and service at Texas A&M," Droleskey said.
Droleskey said the reputation of A&M's research programs attraced a great number of graduate students.
"Graduate students seek opportunities to become part of research and professional programs with world-class reputations," she said. "Often [students] apply due to the published research they have read about or because of faculty they have met at various conferences."
Yixing Xu said the reputation of A&M is the reason he made the decision to attend.
"I chose to study here because of my major and Texas A&M is one of the best in America, as I read in the U.S. News College Rankings," said Xu, an electrical engineering graduate student.
Xu said he did face a setback after making his decision.
"At first, it was very difficult getting aid because I just could not find [financial aid]," Xu said.
Droleskey said many times international students arrive on campus with no knowledge of American life, culture or living away from their home, so organizations have been set up to help in them in these areas. Xu said these organizations helped him when he got to A&M.
"Chinese Students and Scholars Association helped me adjust myself to American life and [the [International Student Cultural Exchange] helped me find an apartment and buy food and stuff like that," Xu said.
For one Indian student, A&M was the perfect mesh of everything he was seeking.
"My major is computer engineering, so when I was in the process of applying to U.S. universities, I was looking for high-ranking studies," said Kapil Garg, a computer engineering graduate student. "A&M was very high, the cost of attending was cheap and A&M was my dream University. So when I found out from A&M that I was admitted, I was very, very happy and said, 'I am going!'"
Texas A&M has approximately 1,000 more international students than in 2006.
Suzanne Droleskey, executive director for international programs for students, said she is proud and excited about the figures and what they mean for A&M.
"These students not only bring a valuable form of diversity to our campus; they are also among the best and brightest students from around the world and contribute greatly to the teaching, research and service at Texas A&M," Droleskey said.
Droleskey said the reputation of A&M's research programs attraced a great number of graduate students.
"Graduate students seek opportunities to become part of research and professional programs with world-class reputations," she said. "Often [students] apply due to the published research they have read about or because of faculty they have met at various conferences."
Yixing Xu said the reputation of A&M is the reason he made the decision to attend.
"I chose to study here because of my major and Texas A&M is one of the best in America, as I read in the U.S. News College Rankings," said Xu, an electrical engineering graduate student.
Xu said he did face a setback after making his decision.
"At first, it was very difficult getting aid because I just could not find [financial aid]," Xu said.
Droleskey said many times international students arrive on campus with no knowledge of American life, culture or living away from their home, so organizations have been set up to help in them in these areas. Xu said these organizations helped him when he got to A&M.
"Chinese Students and Scholars Association helped me adjust myself to American life and [the [International Student Cultural Exchange] helped me find an apartment and buy food and stuff like that," Xu said.
For one Indian student, A&M was the perfect mesh of everything he was seeking.
"My major is computer engineering, so when I was in the process of applying to U.S. universities, I was looking for high-ranking studies," said Kapil Garg, a computer engineering graduate student. "A&M was very high, the cost of attending was cheap and A&M was my dream University. So when I found out from A&M that I was admitted, I was very, very happy and said, 'I am going!'"
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