The Ladder of Excellence: An Examination of American Education

Author: Xue Yong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: The world of higher education is currently undergoing a rapid process of globalization. Studying abroad has shifted from a privilege for a few to an increasingly popular trend. China is now the world's largest sender of international students, while the United States is the largest recipient. The term "studying abroad" primarily refers to studying in the U.S. According to current trends, higher education in China and the U.S. will become increasingly intertwined in the coming years. This book is written as an analysis of U.S. education to meet this challenge. It is a guide for students and their parents who wish to study abroad: U.S. universities are the best in the world, but without understanding their systems, culture, and educational philosophy, and knowing how to align their aspirations and career plans with the U.S. education system, blindly pursuing it may lead to failure. It is also for those who do not have the opportunity to go abroad: the essence of education lies in the spirit. Even if one cannot leave, understanding the educational philosophy of other countries and addressing the shortcomings of domestic education in a targeted manner may offer better chances of success than those who blindly pursue it. Of course, this book is also for Chinese university professors, education administrators, and leaders: the globalization of higher education is an undeniable reality. A country or government can no longer maintain its backward education system in isolation as in the past.