Korean Students' Motivation to Pursue Higher Education in the United States

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to investigate the motivation of South Korean college students who come to the United States to study. Does the motivation of these students differ based on their perceptions of values for pursuing higher education? The focus of this study is on what Korean students value in their decision-making. Thus, their perceptions of educational values are presumably influenced by their societal and cultural context. In this study, an expectancy-value perspective is employed to investigate in depth the intentions of the Korean students. In addition, personality cannot be excluded from decision-making. To make the decision, some South Korean students may take high risks; thus, the Type-T personality trait is examined. A mixed-methods design, both quantitative and qualitative, was applied. A survey in the quantitative study explored motivation factors for pursuing college education in the United States, for attaining well-being in a new environment, and for taking risks. To investigate the intentions and decision-making of Korean students, in-depth individual interviews in the qualitative study explored how they perceive a higher education in the United States, whether the tendency of public opinion in South Korea influenced their decision to study in the United States, and what they expect from their choice in the future. The findings have implications for future research and for considering whether Korean “education fever” is on the right track in terms of psychological well-being.