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A study by the London-based Observatory on Borderless Higher
Education (Obhe), a think-tank affiliated with the Association
of Commonwealth Universities and Universities, UK, says that
the US has the largest share (22 per cent) of the international
student market, with the number of international students
traveling to the US for higher education growing to 565,000
last year.
However, most students primarily identify US education with
only the Ivy League institutes. Little known, but just as
good, are the Public Ivy League institutions, and for undergraduates,
the liberal arts colleges.
Reputed institutes like Brown University, Columbia University,
Cornell University, Dartmouth University, Harvard University,
University of Pennsylvania, Princeton University and Yale
University are all part of the Ivy League. Ivy League institutes,
therefore, account for seven of the nine colleges chartered
before the American Revolution. The Ivies are all located
in the northeast region of the US and are privately owned
and controlled.
PUBLIC IVY
'Public Ivy' is the term that was first used by American
author Richard Moll to mean a public institute that provides
an Ivy League collegiate experience at a public school price.
These are state-affiliated institutes, financed by public
taxes and are usually large in size. The original eight Public
Ivies include - College of William and Mary, Miami University
at Oxford, University of California, University of Michigan,
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of
Texas at Austin, University of Vermont and University of Virginia.
However, a book titled The Public Ivies: America's Flagship
Public Universities (2001), by Howard and Matthew Greene of
Greenes' Guides, expanded the list to include 30 colleges
and universities. Schools that fall under the Public Ivy category
are consistently ranked among the top schools in the multitude
of surveys on American colleges and universities, undertaken
by US News and World Report. For instance, it ranks the mechanical
engineering program at University of California-Berkeley in
the top three, while the University of Washington medical
school has been consistently ranked as the top program for
Primary Care and Medicine.
LIBERAL ARTS COLLEGES
Apart from the Public Ivies, another important aspect of
US education is the liberal arts colleges, which many students
are not aware of. "We have international students studying
liberal arts at our university, but there aren't any from
India. There isn't much awareness about the concept behind
liberal arts education. Most students opt for IT, engineering
and business education, "opines Susan Whipple, Assistant
Director, Office of International Education, Marquette University.
However, Chapman University has lately observed some interest
shown by Indians in liberal arts. "In our recent visit
to India, students indicated interest in subjects like psychology
and sociology, "commented Seaby Rodriguez, International
Admission Officer, Chapman University. Greek philosopher,
Plato, developed the concept behind a liberal arts education.
"He believed that education consisted of learning to
communicate effectively, to read and understand profound writings
and to think critically. A good education should develop students
not just intellectually, but also socially, emotionally, physically
and spiritually," elaborates Martin A Bennet, Director
of International Service, Ball State University. Typically,
students attending a liberal arts college or university are
required to complete courses in the following subjects, regardless
of their major - fine arts, philosophy, literature, social
sciences, physical education, public speaking, writing, natural
science, and mathematics. "The number of courses required
and the variety of courses that the student can choose from,
will vary depending on the school, "states Richard L
Dawson, Director, International Students Services, Seaver
College, Pepperdine University. Some of the well-known liberal
arts colleges include, Amherst, Wellesley, College of William
and Mary, Swarthmore, Middlebury, Colorado, Bucknell University,Trinity
University and Connecticut College.
ELIGIBILITY
"Admission standards and requirements vary depending
on the selectivity of the school. Public Ivies and competitive
liberal arts colleges consider many factors, including academic
eligibility, academic rigor and the level of preparedness
in terms of potential to succeed, a well-rounded background,
exceptional talent, involvement in extra and co-curricular
activities/ community service, English language proficiency,
high test scores (SAT Reasoning Test and SAT II and TOEFL
test), compelling essays, and strong letters of recommendations
besides proof of adequate financial resources. These institutes
may also offer merit/ need based scholarships, "informs
Jane Schukoske, Executive Director, USEFI. It is important
to begin the admission process early, because in many cases,
application deadlines are well in advance of the start of
the semester (sometimes as much as 12 months). Students also
need to allow time for scheduling any standardized tests needed
for admission and then having the results of these tests sent
to schools. Each college or university establishes its own
unique policies regarding admissions.
COST
The cost of education can range from $20,000 to $45,000 per
year. Many institutes offer financial aid to international
students.
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