Once they've mastered that, the students are enrolled in regular classes. Professors say Asian students generally perform well in class, mainly because of their disciplined lifestyles and devotion to earning an education. Smaller universities, especially those with a religious affiliation, sometimes have an advantage over larger state schools in attracting students from Asia, Kehl said. Parents want to be sure they send their children to a safe environment, he said. Even so, the percentage of Asian students at ACU is only 0.8 percent compared with 14.9 percent at the University of Texas and 1.06 percent at Angelo State University in San Angelo.
American universities have no trouble filling their campuses with Asian students if they choose.
Dr. Junhui Bian, an assistant professor of biology at ACU, said a big reason is the lack of universities in Asian countries. Hong Kong, with a population of 6 million people, has only two universities, Bian said. And China, with a burgeoning population of 1.2 billion, has fewer than 300 universities. By comparison, Abilene, with a population of approximately 116,000 people, has three universities, a junior college branch and a technical college. Once Asians, as well as other international students, arrive on an American campus, they don't necessarily stay.