The university admitted two freshmen and seven intensive English students from the Jiangsu region of China this fall through an agreement that aims to attract more Chinese students, an admissions official said.
Karen Scott, director of international admission, said the international admissions office signed an agreement in May 2007 with Jiangsu Education Services for International Exchange, a non-profit organization designed to give Chinese students guidance on applying to colleges abroad.
“This program is different from most others that we’ve heard about in the past, which is why we felt comfortable agreeing to work with JESIE,” Scott said.
Scott said about 40 students applied to TCU and nine were accepted. Students who work with JESIE can apply to any U.S. college that has a partnership with the agency, Scott said. About 15 schools in the United States have a partnership with JESIE, she said.
Scott said TCU is required to pay JESIE $6,000 in advertising split over a two-year period, which allows the university to recruit students without traveling on its travel budget.
Ru Zhou, a freshman who applied through the agency, said she enrolled at TCU because of its business program.
“I hope to start my own trust company,” Zhou said. “The business aspects are more advanced here than in China. In China, we always focus on theories.” Zhou said unlike most of her Chinese peers, who usually decide to stay in the U.S. after graduation, she plans to go back to China because it will be easier for her to start her own business.
John Singleton, director of international student services, said he estimated about 70 percent of international students at most universities and colleges stay in the United States after graduation. The State Department has not released any official data.
Daisy Shi, a representative for JESIE, wrote in an e-mail that JESIE provides support and services for county and city bureaus, schools, teachers, students and parents in Jiangsu province. Shi said some students at the agency pay a fee for visa application training.
