Phew, boy, this is going to be a controversial one.
However you feel about it, race plays some role in college admissions in the United States. It could be through affirmative action, or it could be through other means – simply google “Asian American” and “college admissions” for a lot of personal stories.
This isn’t going to be a post about the merits or faults of affirmative action, or a chance to amplify or mute the voices of those who feel that they’ve been wronged. After all, there are facts and there is truth. I’m not in the business of taking shots at anyone’s truth.
Instead, I choose to stay in my lane with what I know, and focus on what I can confidently call a fact, and that is that many global universities are craving American perspectives.
This is understandable, as the default for many Americans is to simply go to college in, well, America.
That’s a shame, as there are plenty of universities overseas that want to know how the typical American thinks. It’s the same argument made for diversity and inclusion in the US, and it’s no less true overseas than it is in the US – a classroom is as good of a place as any for not only constructive debate to happen, but also for bonds to be built that may cross boundaries that exist elsewhere in society.
However, no one ethnic or racial group has full claim to the American mindset; it’s something all Americans share, and something that every American applicant can bring to the table overseas.
Note that I didn’t say American opinion – you’re not being considered for having a ‘standard American opinion,’ but instead an American approach to the question poised. Obviously, there are several of these, be they African American, Asian American, Hispanic American, White American, or any other possible perspective. Even if you’re a first generation American, you’re giving a great deal of insight to your classmates (and your professors), and that’s something that they can’t get otherwise.
No matter what your perspective, universities around the world want you to offer it.
Now, of course, many global universities demand higher tuition (though still cheaper than most American colleges!) from their American students, so there is that. However, plenty more offer, shall we say, adjusted admissions standards. This is especially true the further you get from Oxbridge. It’s most blatant in Asia, where top 40 in the world Chinese universities have considerably relaxed admissions guidelines for Americans.
Not everyone has the means to study abroad for a degree, given the limitations on student aid overseas. But for those who do, going abroad can be a great way to show the world just what America, or at least your idea of it, stands for.