Spring Break
SLU welcomes record number of Chinese students
Allison Reilly
Issue date: 8/21/08 Section: News
While the closing ceremony for the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing is just days away, Saint Louis University recently performed an opening ceremony of its own-the arrival of approximately 200 freshmen from China. The number of Chinese freshmen has doubled from last year, and they make up about 80 percent of the international students in the class of 2012.
"Ninety to 95 percent of [international] applications are from China. And we had almost 1,000 applications for this upcoming semester," said Ismael Betancourt, director of the Office of International Services. "This is up from 450 applications for the previous fall semester."
This increase is not specific to SLU, but a general trend across the world, as the United States begins to compete with countries such as Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom for this large and growing market of students.
"More and more Chinese students are looking forward to studying abroad. As a result, Western countries have found more talents among Chinese students," said Shulei Zhu in an e-mail interview. Zhu studied communication at SLU from August 2006 to May 2008.
According to an e-mail interview, Lisa Shi, director of the Application Department of Great China International Culture & Educational Development, China is a "huge market with a lot of intelligent students." This company helps students in China find schools, as well as helping schools abroad recruit qualified students. They have worked with SLU for about two years and have helped almost 200 students apply here.
"These agents are crucial," said Betancourt, "as they can be there 24/7."
SLU works with 15 to 20 agents at a time.
For 12 years, Shi had done everything from advising students, to preparing application materials, to making flight and housing reservations.
Shi said the recruiting process usually takes from two to four months, beginning with a consultation in which she gathers information about the student's background and anything he or she is specifically looking for, such as the location or size of the university. Next, choices are narrowed down and application materials are provided, prepared and sent. The process ends with a visa interview.
"Ninety to 95 percent of [international] applications are from China. And we had almost 1,000 applications for this upcoming semester," said Ismael Betancourt, director of the Office of International Services. "This is up from 450 applications for the previous fall semester."
This increase is not specific to SLU, but a general trend across the world, as the United States begins to compete with countries such as Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom for this large and growing market of students.
"More and more Chinese students are looking forward to studying abroad. As a result, Western countries have found more talents among Chinese students," said Shulei Zhu in an e-mail interview. Zhu studied communication at SLU from August 2006 to May 2008.
According to an e-mail interview, Lisa Shi, director of the Application Department of Great China International Culture & Educational Development, China is a "huge market with a lot of intelligent students." This company helps students in China find schools, as well as helping schools abroad recruit qualified students. They have worked with SLU for about two years and have helped almost 200 students apply here.
"These agents are crucial," said Betancourt, "as they can be there 24/7."
SLU works with 15 to 20 agents at a time.
For 12 years, Shi had done everything from advising students, to preparing application materials, to making flight and housing reservations.
Shi said the recruiting process usually takes from two to four months, beginning with a consultation in which she gathers information about the student's background and anything he or she is specifically looking for, such as the location or size of the university. Next, choices are narrowed down and application materials are provided, prepared and sent. The process ends with a visa interview.
Viewing Comments 1 - 8 of 8
SLU Observer
posted 8/21/08 @ 9:27 PM CST
Wow
Hard hitting journalism. Fortunately, this is the same topic that was the lead article in the last issue. But in this issue we get two of them. (Continued…)
Another SLU observer
posted 8/22/08 @ 9:59 AM CST
Here's a newsflash for you--the UNews is a campus newspaper that is designed to cover events and updates AT SLU. Believe it or not, just because a story doesn't involve corruption in DuBourg or some other dramatic event with lots of exclamation points in the headline doesn't mean it should simply be pushed aside and ignored, or dismissed as a "PR rag. (Continued…)
English Major
posted 8/23/08 @ 9:53 PM CST
Is it a story that a major University has a plethora of International students? I think not. It is a story that SLU
was fined a million bucks for inappropriate billing and that a VP lost his job as a result. (Continued…)
Another SLU observer again
posted 8/25/08 @ 3:41 PM CST
Nor can you prove that the UNews is simply a "shill" for the administration, can you? All we can do is speculate, but I choose not to take the easy route of being cynical about the student newspaper. (Continued…)
Joe Smith
posted 8/25/08 @ 7:45 PM CST
Usually there is at least ONE story that sparks my interest. This paper was put down in record time. Didn't even make it off the rack this time. A story about a record number of Chinese students a front page item? SLU OBSERVER ARE YOU KIDDING! Its obvious your trying to defend your newly political role at the U news. (Continued…)
SLU observer blah blah
posted 8/25/08 @ 9:53 PM CST
Yes, I wrote a little for the paper while I was at SLU, but political? Please. It may have been a couple years, but I'm still allowed to defend the paper, aren't I? Besides, this argument, or whatever it is, has simply gone on too long. (Continued…)
Elton John
posted 8/28/08 @ 12:51 PM CST
The topic of Chinese students coming over here to study has been in the world news too. There was just recently a program on MSNBC about it. I think it's not the most interesting story but a story nonetheless. (Continued…)
Med Student
posted 8/28/08 @ 8:46 PM CST
No one is criticizing the staff. Rather, the administration for rewriting the charter, taking control not only of choosing the editorial staff but also the control of the content. (Continued…)
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