While growing up in Xian, China, Mengmeng Liu always knew she wanted to attend college in America. However, for Liu, senior in accounting, the journey overseas proved to be more than an academic education.

Coming to America

In order to study abroad in America, Liu had to prepare documents such as her high school transcripts and a personal statement. She also had to pass the Test of English as a Foreign Language.

“It’s a very complicated process,” Liu said. “First of all I had to study English really hard. Some people don’t have to, because we have a program called [Intensive English Orientation Program]. If you didn’t study English in China, you can enroll in that.”

The orientation program is not offered at all universities, said Pat Parker, assistant director of admissions at Iowa State.

“One of the reasons we get so many Chinese students here is that we are a university that offers [the program],” Parker said, “and students need that training for their studies.”

However, the application process doesn’t end there for international students.

“It’s really hard for Chinese students to get approved to come to the United States,” Liu said.

Liu had to apply for a student visa, a lengthy process that includes an interview at the Embassy of the United States in Beijing.

“They test, from questions, if you’re really going to study in the United States or if you have other purposes,” Liu said. “At the time when I applied, only about 2 in 10 could get [approved].”

Liu’s interview lasted only about two minutes. She said her father, who earned his doctorate at a U.S. university before returning to China, served as evidence that she would do the same.

“After all, you are a foreigner,” Liu said. “They don’t want you to stay forever. They just want you to get your degree and come back.”

Studying in America is also financially challenging for international students. Liu pays out-of-state tuition, like many ISU students, but unlike American students, Liu has no access to federal or state aid.

“The U.S. government requires that students coming to the U.S. on a student visa prove that they have adequate funds to cover their educational and living expenses for the duration of their study,” Parker said.

This proof includes a promise of support for all years of study and a document showing they have the first year of educational and living expenses in the bank.

Parker said Iowa State does a lot to recruit international students.

“We have two international recruiters who are full-time staff recruiters,” Parker said, “and they recruit all over the world. We don’t have any agents who we use abroad.”

ISU recruiters visit college fairs and meet with students and their parents. Universities, including Iowa State, pay for advertisements to be placed in guide books that are created specifically for international applicants. Most of these print guides also have web searches, where students can search about higher education in the United States, either by geography or by major.

“Those books are distributed free of charge to libraries and advising offices and agencies,” Parker said. “We do the same thing for U.S. students as well. Recruiting is a very multi-faceted thing, and it’s hard to condense all the things we do.”

Parker said many international students apply based on university rankings. Liu said the fact that Iowa State is ranked in the top 25 most beautiful campuses was one of the reasons she chose to come to Ames.

When in Ames

Liu transferred 45 credits to Iowa State from Northwest University of China. She said the academic work here is much more challenging than at her previous college.

“[In the U.S.,] you’re required to read a lot and self-study a lot,” Liu said. “You really learn a lot … not only professional knowledge but how to communicate with people around you and how to do group work well. But in China … once you get into college, you’re safe and secure and you just have fun. Basically you have nothing to do every day. You can skip class … there are no tests or homework.”

Currently, Liu is taking 12 credits and studies every day for three to four hours. She is also a teacher’s assistant for some Chinese courses and has an internship at North American Protein Inc. in West Des Moines.

The language barrier adds to the difficulty of the coursework.

“So it’s like two barriers,” Liu said. “One is English, one is professional knowledge.”

Liu speaks English very well compared to most Chinese students, so studying is less time-consuming for her than it is for others.

“But when I read textbooks,” Liu said, “I surely spend a lot more time than Americans because I read slower.”

The language barrier makes social interactions more difficult, too.

“When I first got here, my English was not that good,” Liu said. “My writing and reading and listening was OK, but when I would start speaking. I would use the wrong words and it was really embarrassing … I was very scared to talk to people.”

Despite these challenges, Liu made an effort to talk to Americans and immersed herself in the English language. She made flash cards whenever unfamiliar slang words or expressions came up in conversations.

“Trying to know Americans is still a challenge,” Liu said. “If you want to make friends with Americans, you have to be active. You have to start talking to them first. They won’t start talking to you first.

“That is kind of hard because you’re scared,” Liu said. “You don’t know how to speak English to start a conversation, and you don’t know if they accept you, so it’s hard to make this move.”

Liu said some Chinese students find it difficult to socialize with Americans because their views may be different. For instance, Liu said Chinese girls tend to be more traditional and less outgoing.

“If you’re not open-minded enough or you’re too traditional,” Liu said, “it’s hard for you to evolve in this environment … it’s not a personality thing; it’s just a cultural thing.”

Liu said the most convenient way to know American students is by going to parties, but a lot of Chinese students — especially girls — are afraid to go, so they lose out on that opportunity.

“If you really want to get involved and not feel isolated, you have to step out and make the first move,” she said.

There are also student organizations at Iowa State devoted to acclimating Chinese students to American culture, including the American Culture Acclimation Society and the Chinese Student Association.

Zhong Zheng, senior in mathematics and president of the Acclimation Society, said his club is “a place for international students to relax, get real, make friends, and jump out of their bubble and try to do different things.”

The society introduces activities that represent American culture to international students, such as football, pot lucks and movie nights.

“Hopefully some of the American students can learn different perspectives from our international students as well,” Zheng said.

In her free time, Liu enjoys going to parties. She said her group of friends is generally mixed. Even though the majority of her friends are Asian, Liu said they try to speak mostly English.

“[Some people] think that Chinese students are not mature, or that they’re always in a group talking, not caring about what’s going on around them,” Liu said.

She said she thinks Chinese students should speak English while they’re around American students to avoid misunderstandings.

“You just have to follow the culture of the country you’re in,” Liu said. “It’s not that you have to abandon your own culture, but once you start to accept another culture, you have to make a little sacrifice even though sometimes it’s not comfortable.”

Liu said she has never felt like she was treated differently because she is an international student.

“If you want people to treat you well, you have to make efforts,” Liu said. “You show your sincerity and you show that you’re being active and outgoing. It all depends on you … and then people will decide how to treat you.”