Over the past few years, Boston College has become increasingly popular with international students due to its location, academics, and faith community, and this year has been no exception. In 2008, BC has seen a 50 percent increase in international students, including graduates, undergraduates, and exchange students.
This year, the University admitted approximately 430 new foreign students, an increase from 285 in 2007. Of those admitted, approximately 80 were degree-seeking undergraduates, while 20 were temporary exchange students. The rest were graduate students or students affiliated with the Jesuit Weston School of Theology, which the department of theology and ministry merged with earlier this year. These numbers are indicative of a phenomenon that has affected many institutions this year, in which colleges and universities drew in a larger number of international applicants than anticipated. "This past year, we did admit more international students due to the surge in excellent applications. Our yield for these admitted students was also higher than we had anticipated," said John Mahoney, director of the office of admissions, in an e-mail.
Other schools in the Boston area are also experiencing the same phenomenon. This year, Babson College saw an increase of 67 percent in their international community, a number equal to one-fourth of their freshman class. The University of Massachusetts at Amherst experienced a 20 percent increase in international students, while Northeastern University had an increase of 17 percent in their foreign student population.
One logical explanation for the increase in international applications, Mahoney said, is the value of the dollar. Since the dollar's decline in relation to most foreign currencies, many students have come to the United States to get an education at a discounted value. "Most colleges have seen increases in international applications and enrollment this past year. It's clear that the weak dollar and the favorable exchange rate are driving this trend to some extent," Mahoney said. In this case, BC is just one of many institutions experiencing the same trend. "Many students come to Boston College because of the weak dollar. It makes sense because they are now getting an education cheaper than it was before," said Adrienne Nussbaum, director of the Office of International Students and Scholars.
While the increase in international applications to BC is representative of a national trend, many of the school's specific characteristics attract students from abroad. Mahoney said a major facet of BC's appeal is it's location. "Boston is considered a highly cultured and cosmopolitan city, so it's not surprising that international students would view it as an attractive destination. So, I think Boston College enjoys the attention of international students simply by virtue of its location," Mahoney said. Indeed, many international students do find the city of Boston particularly attractive.
"I love going into Boston, I just love the city," said Krizia Vinck, an international student from Curacao and A&S '12. "There's just so much more to do here than at home, and I feel that if I went to any other place in America, I would be missing out."
But with over 50 other schools to choose from in the Boston area, many foreign students are choosing BC for its academics and for its Catholic community. "The value that the Jesuits bring in terms of service and 'men and women for others' attracts many in our international community … especially those who come from countries with high Catholic populations," said Nussbaum. Many international students enjoy the sense of camaraderie and community that the Catholic sentiment at BC contributes to the University's environment. "I think that there definitely is a stronger feeling of community on campus here … it's really great to have this Catholic presence on campus," said Heetal Harry, a South African exchange student from the University of Cape Town and A&S '09.
While BC's Jesuit community attracts a slew of students, many are also drawn to the campus' breadth of academic programs and degree options. "One of the main reasons I came to BC was that the courses they offer fit very nicely into my desired schedule, it just made it so convenient," Harry said. One major aspect of BC's academic attraction is the School of Theology and Ministry, which makes BC one of the only institutions in the world to issue both civil and ecclesiastical degrees, including Licentiates of Sacred Theology (LST) and Doctorates of Sacred Theology (STD). These degree offerings and the union with the Weston School of Theology greatly increase BC's appeal within the international theological community. "Boston College will now become more attractive to more international students as one of the only places to get two kinds of degrees in one place," said Timothy Muldoon, assistant to the vice president for University mission and ministry.
All of these factors were related to this year's increase in the international population at BC, which represents approximately 3 percent of the undergraduate community and approximately 13 percent of the graduate community. Currently, BC does not offer financial aid to undergraduates from abroad. Graduate students, though, have the opportunity to receive tuition remission and citizenship assistance through individual departments, which could explain the higher percentage of foreign graduate students.
While BC's international community is not considered to be relatively large, it is growing, and that growth is certainly not unappreciated. Many faculty members and administrators expressed their feelings of approval of a more diverse student body. "It's not an issue in the classroom for me, I don't mind having international students," said Harold Petersen, a professor in the economics department. "I think it's a big plus to have the perspectives of people who live abroad, especially in the past few years when the sentiment of America abroad has been changing."
Faculty members, though, will have to wait to see what the future will bring before making any assumptions about next year. "Obviously, international students help to bring a global perspective to our campus … and as for the future? That will depend on what we see in terms of applications for the years ahead," Mahoney said.
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