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Given the costliness of most colleges in the US - why not consider getting your degree outside of the country? There are many great universities in Asia, for ex

Given the costliness of most colleges in the US - why not consider getting your degree outside of the country? There are many great universities in Asia, for example, that have a much cheaper price tag. I have not seen very many (if any) US students consider this option. I guess prestige and name-brand recognition is still very important. But really, I am on a semester abroad in Taiwan at the moment, and I have calculated tuition and airfare combined at the school here is cheaper than just tuition at my school in the US (for 1 semester). Aggregate tuition and costs of living over 4 years and I am sure you could save a ton of money compared to staying in the US. You could then go on to do a master's degree in the States. Indeed, many Taiwanese here do just that - at places like Stanford, Caltech, etc...

VLM 13y ago
This assumes the meaning of a degree is knowledge, or at least input filtering to only accept the worthy. From experience, its credentialism, a title of nobility. Oh you are an experienced neurosurgeon? Oh from Russia you say? Well, here's a broom, good luck. Good Luck practicing law, medicine, accounting, becoming a P.E., pretty much anything but IT/CS work with a foreign degree, and you don't even need any degree for IT work.
- objclxt 13y ago
  >Oh you are an experienced neurosurgeon? Oh from Russia you say? Well, here's a broom, good luck. Planet Money did a podcast on this exact topic at the start of the year. It is near impossible for a doctor to come to the US and start practicing - even those who are top of their field and working in countries with highly respected medical schools (Europe, Asia, etc). I can't find the link to the full episode, but here's a summary and excerpt from All Things Considered: http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2013/02/15/172108835/should-the-u-s-import-more-doctors http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2013/02/15/172108835/should-t...
khuey 13y ago
Any number of reasons: 1. Not speaking $LANGUAGE. Even if courses are taught in English, that makes living there difficult 2. Most people in your field in the US having heard of $UNIVERSITY. How many people in the US are familiar with NTU? Most of the Taiwanese working in the US did graduate level work at a US institution. 3. Having to live a giant ocean away from friends/family, etc. There's a fairly compelling argument that much of the benefit of college is social, not educational. Studying in another country would negate a lot of that. Don't get me wrong, Taiwan (and I'm sure many other places) is great, but I think you're dramatically underestimating how easy it is for most people to decide to go spend 4 years on the other side of the world.

VLM 13y ago

This assumes the meaning of a degree is knowledge, or at least input filtering to only accept the worthy. From experience, its credentialism, a title of nobility. Oh you are an experienced neurosurgeon? Oh from Russia you say? Well, here's a broom, good luck. Good Luck practicing law, medicine, accounting, becoming a P.E., pretty much anything but IT/CS work with a foreign degree, and you don't even need any degree for IT work.

objclxt 13y ago
>Oh you are an experienced neurosurgeon? Oh from Russia you say? Well, here's a broom, good luck. Planet Money did a podcast on this exact topic at the start of the year. It is near impossible for a doctor to come to the US and start practicing - even those who are top of their field and working in countries with highly respected medical schools (Europe, Asia, etc). I can't find the link to the full episode, but here's a summary and excerpt from All Things Considered: http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2013/02/15/172108835/should-the-u-s-import-more-doctors http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2013/02/15/172108835/should-t...

khuey 13y ago

Any number of reasons: 1. Not speaking $LANGUAGE. Even if courses are taught in English, that makes living there difficult 2. Most people in your field in the US having heard of $UNIVERSITY. How many people in the US are familiar with NTU? Most of the Taiwanese working in the US did graduate level work at a US institution. 3. Having to live a giant ocean away from friends/family, etc. There's a fairly compelling argument that much of the benefit of college is social, not educational. Studying in another country would negate a lot of that. Don't get me wrong, Taiwan (and I'm sure many other places) is great, but I think you're dramatically underestimating how easy it is for most people to decide to go spend 4 years on the other side of the world.