Resources and advice to help manage your expectations when studying in a different country. Overview It is difficult to predict what studying in a different country will truly be like, and each student carries with them a multitude of different expectations, hopes and dreams. Student expectations are generated from specific beliefs and assumptions about what a student anticipates studying abroad will be like. These beliefs can be influenced by a wide range of information that can be either accurate or inaccurate and may include the student’s social environment, websites, university brochures, or even movies. These expectations are crucial because they establish a student's first level of academic and social commitment to the university, or in other words how connected they feel to their institution and their studies. High expectations can sometimes boost students' motivation, and self-esteem, which can also lead to an improved sense of academic and overall wellbeing. At the same time, not being able to meet standards that international students may perceive as satisfactory, can lead to feelings of disappointment. This may be particularly the case for students who come from social environments that expect them to achieve an excellent academic performance and marks. It is important to remember that experiencing academic difficulties as you transition into a new academic environment with different demands, is a normal part of adapting to the learning requirements of your new setting and is very common for both international and home students. Theoretical perspective Theoretical perspectives As students strive to excel in increasingly competitive academic environments, many aim to prioritise academic excellence. At the same time, research has shown that academic expectations are a major cause of stress among students (Pleitz et al., 2015). Evidence also suggests that while these expectations are typically imposed by a student's social circle or family members, they can also be self-imposed. (Rice at al., 2012) Students who are pursuing educational recognition and excellence in competitive academic environments, especially at the start of their journey as international students, can be more frequently vulnerable to the effects of stress. Excessive and continuous stress in educational environments can cause burnout, characterised by feelings of inadequacy, as well as fatigue and disengagement from one’s studies. Therefore, having a strong desire to strive and excel should go hand in hand with using techniques to manage stress effectively and avoiding its negative impact on students' well-being. Understanding the role that positive attributes can play in stressful academic situations, like they ones linked to academic expectations, is crucial. Self-reflection and self-compassion are widely seen as beneficial traits for promoting mental health and well-being in the context of education. Self-compassion is the quality of accepting and caring for oneself, especially while facing challenges (Poots & Cassidy, 2020). Self-compassion also involves approaching oneself with empathy, kindness, and forgiveness instead of severe self-judgement. Learning objectives can be differentiated based on whether they are driven by a desire to grow and understand or the fear of underperforming and the need to reaffirm one's abilities (Fong & Loi, 2016). Self-compassionate students can express reduced fear of failure, as they favour objectives that allow them to evolve and learn. References Fong, M., & Loi, N. M. (2016). The mediating role of self‐compassion in student psychological health. Australian Psychologist, 51(6), 431-441. Pleitz, J. D., MacDougall, A. E., Terry, R. A., Buckley, M. R., & Campbell, N. J. (2015). Great Expectations: Examining the Discrepancy Between Expectations and Experiences on College Student Retention. Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice, 17(1), 88–104. Poots, A., & Cassidy, T. (2020). Academic expectation, self-compassion, psychological capital, social support and student wellbeing. International Journal of Educational Research, 99, 101506. Rice, K. G., Choi, C. C., Zhang, Y., Morero, Y. I., & Anderson, D. (2012). Self-critical perfectionism, acculturative stress, and depression among international students. The Counseling Psychologist, 40(4), 575-600. Context for Scholars Expectations about what university life will be like held by incoming international students are impacted by their own personal experiences as well as the social, historical, economic, and political environment of their home country. For students coming from communities where there might be less educational and professional prospects, the chance to study at a highly ranked university can feel like a once-in-a-lifetime chance and a ticket to a successful future. Although being a Mastercard Foundation scholar can be an opportunity for fulfilling one’s life goals and aspirations, for some this can also feel like an immense pressure to succeed, leading some students to set unrealistically high expectations when it comes to academic performance. In many cases, the inability to meet these expectations can lead to feelings of frustration, disappointment and poor mental health. An important point to keep in mind is that students who succeed to become Mastercard Foundation scholars have a track record of academic excellence, meaning that they have consistently achieved a top overall performance and marks in their past studies. However, upon arriving to a new academic environment with different requirements and systems of teaching and learning, one might realise that their academic marks in the new setting are not what they might have anticipated or what they have hoped. Although this can feel disappointing at times, it is important to keep in mind both the difference of marking systems, but also the different requirements between institutions. Experiencing challenges as you move into an unfamiliar academic system with different demands is a normal part of adapting to the learning requirements of your new setting. Practical suggestions Connecting with other Mastercard Foundation scholars and alumni can offer you a deeper insight on what to expect when you commence your journey as an international student. Having high expectations can boost your performance but can also be a source of stress and anxiety. Practising self-compassion by avoiding self-judgement can have a positive impact on your wellbeing. Be aware of the differences that might exist between academic marking systems and the different requirements between academic settings when evaluating your academic performance. Give yourself time as you learn to navigate you new academic environment. Mastercard foundation scholars’ experiences Listen to the Scholars Podcast: New academic experiences and setting priorities In this podcast, we discuss the shocks and challenges we faced in adjusting to the new academic systems (grading and workload) and how we changed our approaches to learning. We also share the challenge balancing social life along with academic pressure and overcoming this by mastering the art of “setting priorities. There's pressure also from home and expectation of people saying that you have to graduate with distinction, or something. Then you're here and you’re like, ‘Oh, I don't think I can make this happen’. People are expecting that you're coming from Africa to dominate here but that's definitely not the case. It's a different ballgame, it's an entirely different academic system. Mastercard scholar Useful links Stress-a short guide for students Self-help resources This article was published on 2024-06-24
