4 . Last week, we talked about how some international students have few native friends when they study abroad. One study in the United States found that 38 percent of foreign students said they had no close American friends.     1    

Elisabeth teaches in the Department of Communication Studies at Baruch College in New York. She suggests taking walks, going on bicycle, field or camping trips, and attending parties, sporting events or film festivals can help make more native friends.     2     She also suggests that foreign students share housing with American students.

Michigan State University is known for its programs for international students. Last year, about 5900 students from 133 countries attended this university.     3     Peter Briggs directs the Office for International Students and Scholars at here.     4    .

Many students and community members are trained and prepared to help foreign students.     5     Mr. Briggs says the volunteers also help answer the traditional questions of new people anywhere.

He says that if the new students make friends as they begin school, they will start to feel part of the life and traditions of the university as well.

Should I study in the US?

If I want to study journalism or psychics at a university, should I go to America for undergraduate courses? I also want to get a job in America when I finish my studies. Many thanks.

Lyrids

Journalism or physics, huh? There is a pretty big divide between those two subjects. However, that might be a great reason why you should go to university in the United States. American universities do not expect students to know what they want to do with their lives at age 18. This gives students the opportunity to explore and experiment and discover what truly motivates and interests them. In fact, most universities will not even expect a student to select a major until the end of their sophomore year.

Given that you want to find a job in the US after graduation, you have even more reason to attend university in the States. You are far more likely to get interviews with recruiters on an American campus, and living in America will provide you with a much wider and more international group of contacts than you could hope to get at even the finest schools in China.

With the American economy struggling as China continues to soar, I might question your judgment in wanting to work in the US. However, if that is your dream, an American degree will be a huge asset.

Finally, I would like to make a general note about undergraduate majors. Many students choose universities based only on what they think they are going to study.

In reality, however, many people change majors midway through college. I had friends who set out to become engineers and majored in creative writing only to go on and work for banks on Wall Street. The quality of the school and your performance when you get there are far more important factors than your undergraduate major.

When you go to graduate school, the strength of the specific program is far more important. For your undergraduate years, don’t sweat it too much.

Should I study abroad?

My teacher says my English is good enough to study abroad. I want to, since the college entrance examination in China is unlikely to get me into a good university. But I’m worried about my parents’ economic situation. I hope I can get your professional advice.

Poor Jo

China has a truly good elementary, middle and high school educational system. All you need to do is look at Chinese students kicking the butts of their American peers at international science and math competitions each year. There are some students who struggle at Chinese schools who would thrive in America.

One student who attended my company’s SAT program was generally regarded as one of the worst students in his class. The boy was simply bored to death in his classes. He had trouble remembering the oceans of information required of him in Chinese school, but he excelled in analysis and debate. After showing dedication to his TOEFL and SSAT study, he was accepted into an American boarding school and will attend a highly ranked American university next year.

This is not to say that anyone can succeed abroad. However, for many brilliant students who are simply not suited to the Chinese education system, studying abroad is often a good choice.

Figuring out how to pay for university is a personal family decision, and it is never an easy one. There is no denying that the cost of going abroad, especially to America, is very high. However, the return on the investment is usually very high as well. Making yourself a bridge between two very important countries in the world has a lot of benefits.

I would suggest looking into potential scholarships and ways to get loans or financial aid at different universities. One resource in China at the moment is a website called Zinch (Zinch.com). It helps students connect with schools and scholarships.

Nice to meet you. I’m Li Ming, a student from Shanghai, China. Let me tell you something about myself.

I am     1     (study) in England now. We all know that England is     2     European country. I am living with the Green’s family in London. There are two     3     (child) in the family. They are Alice and Dave. They are all friendly     4     me. The parents say I’m the     5     (three) child of their family. Alice, Dave and I are in the same school,     6     in different classes.

English is     7     (real) difficult for me. Dave often helps me practice     8     (use) English. I also teach     9     (he) Chinese. The lessons in our school are always interesting and     10     (excite). I am having a great time living here.