Ladder for the Elite: An Examination of American Education

Author: Xue Yong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: World higher education is undergoing an acute process of globalization. Studying abroad has shifted from a privilege of the few to an increasingly popular trend. China is now the world's largest sending country of international students, while the United States is the largest receiving country. Studying abroad primarily means 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 intended 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 written for those who do not have the opportunity to go abroad: the essence of education lies in the spirit. Even if one cannot go abroad, understanding the educational philosophy of other countries and targetedly addressing the shortcomings of domestic education may offer a better chance 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.