Paul Sargent, director of International Student Admissions and Programmes at the University of West Georgia, U.S., says Nigerians comprise the institution’s highest international student population.

Mr Sargent said this on Wednesday during a virtual university showcase organised by the EducationUSA section of the U.S. mission in Nigeria to explore the different educational opportunities available to students in U.S. institutions.

He said the university, located in Carrollton City, had students from 63 different countries, including many from Nigeria, noting that the current president of the International Student Club was a Nigerian.

According to him, the university prides itself on the educational quality it provides to students and has students who come from different backgrounds and many different experiences.

Mr Sargent explained that after studying, over 70 per cent of international students left West Georgia with some career experience in either working on-campus or off-campus internships.

“We do have nine different research centres on campus and enhance the technology in our classrooms considerably. The university also focuses on providing a good interaction opportunity with professors with about a 19 to one student-to-faculty ratio, which is quite good for America,” he explained.

He also mentioned that many international students were unaware of their eligibility for study abroad opportunities, adding that the university had such programmes, especially at the undergraduate level.

According to him, the university is a low-cost option with an average of $12,000 to $16,000 as the cost of tuition for international students and other scholarships students can apply for to cover costs.

Speaking on the recent Supreme Court ruling on diversity, Mr Sargent said the decision would not impact the university’s international students much.

On June 29, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that U.S. colleges and universities could no longer use race as a specific basis in admissions. Mr Sargent said that race had never been a part of the application process for the institution, and its demographics were already a little bit different than most American universities, noting that it was a diverse university.

He also said the university was best suited for students who were independent, strong academically and looking for an affordable opportunity.

“Our top three unique aspects are that we are a rural campus with small class sizes but a larger campus as a whole, so it gives you a great opportunity to develop leadership skills. We have lots of clubs and activities where students can be leaders and the financial aspect is also important for some students,” Mr Sargent stressed.

The official added, “The University of West Georgia is one of the affordable options for students, and we offer great scholarship opportunities, which makes it a stellar option for students on a budget.”

(NAN)