As the final college applications trickle in for the 2010-11 year, University of Wisconsin officials reported an approximate 26 percent increase in international student applications.
Interim Director of Admissions Tom Reason said applications from international students increased from about 2,660 last year to 3,360 this year — a jump of approximately 700 applicants. In contrast, the total applicant pool is only up 82.
He added the area that has seen the largest rise in applications is eastern Asia, particularly China.
As the UW System limits non-Wisconsin resident enrollment to 25 percent of the total number of students, Reason said this trend could make applying to UW more competitive for non-Wisconsin residents.
He added the increase in international applicants will likely have no impact on Wisconsin resident applicants.
Reason attributed the increase to a change in the global economy, which has made the dollar weaker compared to other currencies. Along with the increases in financial accessibility, Reason added there may be some social reasons for the increased popularity of UW.
“As a society they’re interested in further integrating,” Reason said.
UW senior Maxine Lam, an international student from Singapore, said she was always interested in attending school outside of Singapore because degrees from the United States and England carry more prestige because the schools are often older and more established.
She said she only applied to two schools, one public and one private — but most international students apply to five or six schools.
Lam chose to apply to UW because the school had a good program for the degree she was hoping to earn and strong research programs. She added she learned more about UW from several friends who attend.
Lam said another factor in choosing to apply to UW was the “college vibe” she got from the campus and student life. She said she did not think she would get the full college experience in a bigger city.
“It’s interesting, and it’s different. The people here are pretty warm and pretty cozy,” Lam said, adding this “college vibe” helped give her parents peace of mind about going to school overseas.
She said there are several ways U.S. schools promote themselves abroad. First, she mentioned a U.S. school fair where U.S. colleges put together information for high school students to peruse. She also said many natives of Singapore who go to school in the U.S. give talks at local high schools on breaks.
Lam added she went to high schools two summers ago to promote UW to high school students around Singapore.
Reason added other than the rise in international applications, there are few changes between this year’s applicant pool and that of previous years.
He added some applications are still coming in, and the office of admissions is not quite sure what final numbers will look like.
“There’s still a bit of dust to settle before this all comes to conclusion,” Reason said.
