Perception versus Reality: Assessing the Academic Experiences of the UNO Immigrant Community

The purpose of my study is to compare the academic experiences of international students with those of domestic students at the University of New Orleans (UNO). Specifically, I aimed the study towards determining international students’ perceptions and expectations of UNO, and assessing whether or not UNO’s ability to meet their expectations had an impact on student success or failure at UNO. To test this, I asked various international and domestic students to respond to a survey consisting of both open-ended and multiple choice questions. The open-ended questions were designed to capture the student experiences on expectations, academic atmosphere, and overall college life, all of which are likely to vary from one student to the other. The multiple choice questions were on student status, tenure, and other items that can easily be classified into distinct categories. I collected and analyzed the surveys over a period of four months to decide which variables in the international students’ experiences affect their academic career. In addition, I questioned if any of the stated variables aided in campus adjustment or helped meet the student expectations regarding school performance and goals. Results indicate that the majority of students, both domestic and international, feel their academic expectations are being met by what UNO has to offer. Those students who feel their expectations (of what UNO would provide them) are not met indicated their academic performance is reflective of their own efforts, an idea that students feel is fostered by UNO. However, there was no significant factor that may have helped or deterred positive experience overall