For foreign students, majors are all business

An American friend once asked me about my major, Operations Research and Financial Engineering. When I replied that it is boring and dry, he asked, "If you find it boring, then why are you taking it?"

I replied, "Well, I do not have any other option."

Most students come to Princeton with an open mind. They feel free to look into courses in various departments and finally choose the major that interests them most. However, it seems to me that even before their first day of college, international students are almost certain of what major they will choose.

During my first week freshman year, I joined the pre-orientation program for international students before opening exercises. We talked about our prospective majors. I noticed that when I asked many students about their expected majors, I got quick responses, and they all seemed sure of their choices.

During regular orientation, when I asked American students about their expected majors, most said they would try different courses before deciding.

I believe that very few international students choose majors in philosophy, literature, psychology or other humanities departments. In fact, I am sure that of all the international students that I know, not one is in a humanities department.

What are the reasons for this? Does Princeton offer fewer choices to international students? The answer is no. The actual reasons lie in the different social setups, tastes and economies of foreign countries.

The United States is a developed nation. In contrast, many Asian countries are still developing and thus have more demand for engineers, computer scientists and economists. I would say these countries offer better job opportunities to students trained in sciences, compelling students to choose science majors.

The second reason is the high cost of a private college such as Princeton. The average income of families in the United States is much higher than for families of all major foreign countries. Thus, a Princeton education is relatively more expensive for international students than for their American counterparts. In addition, a limited amount of financial aid is available to foreign students. The higher cost drives them to choose majors that will prepare them for jobs with higher pay.

Social setups in foreign countries are also different from those in the United States. Americans are more willing to pursue their personal interests without pressure from family members. But the social setups in Asian countries are based on joint-family systems, and students normally are more dependent. As a consequence, they choose majors with their future incomes in mind.

I come from a joint-family system in Pakistan, and my father is approaching retirement. After he retires, it will be my duty not only to take care of my parents, but also to pay a significant portion of the educational expenses for my siblings. Also, the cost of a Princeton education is significantly higher than the fees of the best educational institution in my country. All these factors have compelled me to choose a major that would enable me to get a high-paying job.

(Imran Chaudhary '02 is a guest columnist from Pakistan.)