This is a 5 October 2023 U.S. News and World Reportarticle in which I was quoted. Below are my complete responses to the journalist’s questions:
How does EducationUSA in general help prospective international students who are interested in applying to and attending university in the US?
EducationUSA has over 430 international student advising centers in more than 175 countries, including Vietnam, where students can go to the Embassy in Hanoi or the Consulate in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) for information. Many EdUSA advisers are US-educated and those who aren’t are thoroughly familiar with US higher education and American culture. They are a valuable resource for many students beginning their search.
Students should keep in mind that their job is to promote US higher education, not specific institutions. For this reason, the advice they provide will be general in nature.
One criticism is that these centers represent “accredited postsecondary institutions,” a broad category that includes nationally accredited (NA) institutions, what I refer to as the distant higher education cousins of regionally accredited (RA) colleges and universities, the gold standard of institutional accreditation in the US. One key point is that many RA institutions will not accept credits or credentials earned at NA schools because of the quality differential.
And how would you suggest prospective international students use them as a resource? Are there centers in each country that students can go to?
One of the best ways to benefit from EducationUSA is to attend their regularly scheduled presentations, both on- and offline, about various practical topics of interest.
If you need customized advice, the next step is to identify and work with a qualified and ethical education consultant or agent. Choose carefully! While I’ve seen an increase in direct applications, most Vietnamese still seek professional assistance when pursuing a plan to study overseas.
Response to her follow-up question about institutional accreditation:
Regarding the two different types of accreditations, have a look at one or both of these overviews:
There are others. Just enter these or similar search terms: “difference between nationally accredited and regionally.” If you use ChatGPT, you can simply ask it this question.
It is because of the quality differential between the two types of institutional accreditation that Capstone Education does not work with nationally accredited US higher education institutions, probably the only educational consulting company in the world with this policy. My guess is that EducationUSA, i.e., the US State Department, does because it has to. Nationally accredited schools are owned by US companies and organizations, which means their government is obliged to help them do business overseas.
An International Educator in Vietnam 