My Next Thought

Yesterday, millions of students across the world committed to a U.S. college or university. Some are still buzzing with joy - they got into the school they dreamed of. Others are quietly nursing disappointment, trying to make peace with the one they didn’t. For most, the emotions are more complicated than they expected. Here’s what…

When I arrived in the U.S. as an international student 33 years ago, the world felt open. Studying abroad wasn’t just about earning a degree — it was about challenging ideas, expanding perspectives, and belonging to a global conversation. The United States, I believed, was a place where anyone, regardless of nationality, ethnicity, or background, could learn, contribute,…

On my recent visit to India, a high school counselor shared the story of one of her bright students, who seemingly is caught in an agent’s web and is considering a suspicious admissions offer from a reputable university overseas. Suspicious because the agent is demanding, among other things, backdated letters from the high school. At…

I’ve been traveling across India for the past two weeks—just as I have for the last 15 years—visiting high schools, speaking with students, engaging with counselors, and connecting with school leaders. Every visit reminds me why I do this work: the energy in the auditoriums, the dreams in students’ eyes, and the genuine desire among…

2+2, 3+1, or even the new and improved 3.5+1.5… regardless of how you add it up, the math ain’t mathing. Those of us in international education share a common purpose: to help students see beyond borders and connect with the world. But much of our field still operates from a Global North perspective—shaped by systems with…

Standardized tests have long been sold as the great equalizer—a clean, quantifiable measure of merit. A simple solution to a complex question: Who deserves access to higher education? But anyone who has taken these tests—or helped students navigate them—knows that promise is deeply flawed. We’re not measuring potential; we’re measuring proximity to privilege. A perfect…

“The secret to life is to waste time in ways that you like.” Ah, such profound wisdom from a great philosopher. Was it Socrates, Confucius, or maybe Nietzsche? Nah, today's profound wisdom comes from a different kind of sage—Jerry Seinfeld. Not exactly ancient wisdom, but it’s the most refreshing truth in a world obsessed with productivity,…

I landed in Lawrence, Kansas, in January 1992 with $92 in my pocket and a deal with my father—if he funded my first two semesters of tuition, I’d figure out the rest. Being 18 and foolish has its advantages, I suppose. I had no idea how I would pull it off, but I had a…

I still remember the first time I heard the term "bully pulpit." What a weird way to describe the presidency, I thought. To me, a pulpit was a place of influence, where leaders spoke with purpose and conviction. But a bully? That implied force, coercion—maybe even intimidation. Later, I learned that Theodore Roosevelt meant it as a compliment,…

“You, my friend, have gumption,” said Jim Long, Director of the Kansas Union at the University of Kansas. Gumption? As someone for whom English is a fourth language, it sounded almost ominous, a word I’d never encountered before. But standing in his office that morning, I could tell it was perhaps something positive, a compliment even.…

As we drove past the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) campus in Bangalore a couple of weeks ago, I was transported back to the summer of 1991, when I would ride my motorcycle to the library, find a quiet corner, and pore over the only copy of Peterson’s Guide in the entire city. It was…

In 2009, I had my first encounter with the devastating consequences of unchecked education agents. A group of students from Hyderabad, India, arrived in Minneapolis, MN, with dreams of earning a world-class education. Instead, they found themselves stranded—misled by agents who had promised them everything from top-tier degrees to guaranteed jobs and pathways to permanent…