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American students are facing yet another hurdle. Those who performed considerably well in their high school and expected to get into reasonably good colleges were in for a shock. Their reasonably good grades were not enough as universities today increasingly prefer high paying international students.

Students who were rejected from colleges continue to be shocked. Those who have studied hard and have 4.0 grade-point and SAT score above average find themselves without a college seat in various campuses. 

International students are being enrolled on a record basis by the UC public higher education system reeling under severe budget cuts. These colleges get twice as much in tuition fee as compared to the in-state residents.

According to the admissions director of the school, Mae Brown, San Diego campus was asked to reduce number of in-state freshmen by 500 and fill in the vacancies with international students in 2009.

Non residents pay $2,878 in annual tuition while California residents pay $13,234. This has led to a situation where in enrollment from China has increased 12 fold during the past three years. In 2009, enrolment of Asian American Californians went down by 29 percent.

Steep budget cuts in our country coincide with the middle class income surge in China which has resulted in a steady inflow of students from that country. Funding for all UC campuses fell sharply in the 2011-012 academic year.

At UCLA, international student enrolments have quadrupled. According to Scott Waugh, UCLA’s provost, with respect to funding, the state is not a reliable partner now.  He said that non-Californians have to be roped in to provide quality education for Californian residents.

Vice chancellor for student affairs Janina Montero says that more number of non-residents is being accommodated at UCLA by increasing student body size. China is the golden goose now as more number of US universities are looking to enrolments from this country for financial support.

Chinese campuses are being opened by at least twelve public and private colleges in our country. Confucius Institutes for Chinese language and culture is being established by a Chinese government affiliate in at least 75 schools in our country including UCLA.

According to this university, Chinese funding received by them for this institute has helped them survive to a great extent. Recently, the school received a $320,000 grant to enable their teachers to be trained in Mandarin and to learn how to effectively integrate Western and Eastern medicine.

Between 2007 and 2011, there was a sharp decline of the number of freshman class in-state students at the University of Seattle. The number fell by 500 even as the college admitted more than twice its capacity of students from overseas. Residents in Washington pay tuition fee of $10,346 while non-residents pay $27,830.

So, what does this trend signify? According to Higher Education Policy Institute President Patrick Callan, certain universities are legitimate in their intentions as they enroll foreign students. Some however have their own interest in mind which is to educate their own citizens even if it means abdicating their responsibility.