Considering Going to College in Japan
 

Hey, I'm starting Junior year and everyone knows what that means,
looking at colleges.
I'm really interested in studying in Japan and doing an ESL thing there.
I was originally considering Germany over Japan at first because my German
is better, but my teachers (both German and Japanese) said that Japan would be the better route.
So I was wondering, what was anyone's opinion on the matter.
The only school I've really looked into is Temple University, which is
an American University in Tokyo. It's about USD $6000 a semester and
they don't charge out of state fees.
If anyone has any suggestions, other schools, information, anything, let me know!
Thanks everyone!
(^_^)

i would... but i want to be a pilot... USA is best at aviation... that is why i will want to go to college there...((plus i live in the USA...))

Go to Germany.

Better life style and you would definitely enjoy traveling across Europe while you are there.

And isn't education free for everyone in Germany?

You can come to Japan later cos you would waste your time if you come to Japan for education.

Lol.

"Better" life style?

Japanese live a very busy life style, if you think you can get use to the busy/rush/pack style, then Japan is definitely fun

I don't know anything about europe, my fiancee dropped it from our list of honeymoon destination, so I guess I won't be seeing europe any time soon, so I really can't say much to compare

If you can afford it, I would recommend staying in each place for a week to experieince it a bit first before closing the deal, you really don't want to just go and study somewhere that you aren't sure of

Wow, how bad a reputation the education in Japan seems to have...

It`s no worse than anywhere else. The university I attended here was certainly better than that which I attended in the US. The fundamental difference is that Japanese employers have education programs for new employees to school them in company specific policies and more in depth in the field they will be working in, where in a lot of other places it seems that companies expect you to be ready to work with full responsibility the day you graduate.

My personal recommendation would be to take an intensive Japanese course to bring your Japanese level up to the requirements for a regular Japanese university, and then to look around at a number of universities that have international student programs. You will gain valuable language and life skills, and also be able to decide whether you want to spend a full 4 years studying in Japan. If you don`t, you can always apply the language credit toward something else - if you do, you would then have a much much broader selection of schools to choose from.

Thanks! But there's one problem...
I don't have the money to do the following:
- Go on vacation to Germany and Japan. Maybe I can go to Lincoln Square (full of Germans) and Mitsuwa (Japanese mall thing) here around Chicago. But there's no way in Hell I could afford the vacations, hotels, flight, visas, etc. For going to 2 countries AND THEN paying for college. I wish I could, though.
- As for what Nyororin said about getting my Japanese better...
Well, I'm in Japanese classes now, so I'm working on it. But couldn't I go to the American University in Tokyo for a year or two, and by living there for two years I would gain freakin' immense language skill and then try to transfer into a Japanese school?
Thanks though everyone!!

Oh, and to...whoever said that Germany is better and has free education. (Sorry, I forgot your name.)
Anyways, Germany has free education for mandatory schooling AND citizens. So it doesn't even matter.

I say to stick to one that you choose. If you feel more of a connection to Germany, and feel that you would rather study there (It looks like it was your first choice) I would say to go for it.
If you`d prefer Japan after doing the research, then it`s the right path to take. It is a choice only you can make.
I personally wouldn`t hang around "ethnic" spots, as they very very rarely reflect real culture. More just showing the bits which sell to the US audience. Base your view around that and you`ll be in for a big shock when you visit the real country.

I guess I didn`t write it clearly, but I was suggesting a Japanese language course in Japan. They usually have links to various universities to smooth the entrance process.
I personally would strongly advise against the American university route if you can avoid it. It would be an incredible waste. The goal at those sort of universities is "US immersion" - 9 times out of 10, 24 hour campus life in 100% English in a simulated US environment. Great for English learners and military kids who want to be anywhere other than in another country... But NOT for anyone who wants to learn about Japanese culture or the Japanese language. Their courses are in English, identical to the courses you would take in the US.

Totally defeats the purpose of studying abroad, in my opinion.

Plus, and again this is totally my personal view, Tokyo is a real waste of chances in Japan. Everyone I know who seems to end up hating Japan did so after living in Tokyo, surrounded by (bitter) foreigners.
If you only have one chance at studying abroad, I say make the best of it and head somewhere else where you`ll be pushed into experiencing as much of Japan as you can.

Yep yep im planing on going to collage in Tokyo Japan do you know a good collage there for art.>^_^<

You don't choose a college for what city it's in, you choose a college that meets your needs in the field of study you want to focus on.

Either way, she(?) is 13 or 14 - not exactly the age you start choosing a university, so it is really a moot point.

Dang, you're right! But the problem is, I like the city.
I grew up in the city here in the US and now I live in the sticks,
It's boring as all Hell.
So I'd prefer Tokyo, maybe another big city around there.

You seem to know a lot about it, and I really appreciate your help!
And the reason I was gonna do Germany was because (at the time)
My German pwnd my Japanese. But now, I'm getting better at Japanese
so my confidence in the language is growing.

And Nyororin, if it isn't a bother, d'you think you could help me with looking
up Japanese college information on becoming an ESL teacher...
I dunno what they'd call it abroad.

But anyways, thanks a lot!! (^_^)

There is no need to go to college in Japan if your goal is to teach English in Japan.

That's like going to Harvard to learn how to mow grass. Just having a four-year degree and being a native English speaker is all you need to qualify to teach at a public school or private English school.

If you want to study in Japan I wouldn't worry about majoring in how to teach English, but in something a little more useful, as you already speak English.

Ahhh, so I can get off the hook studying there by just being native?
That's pretty sweet.
So going to a US school is fine, right?
But doing the whole, study abroad program in college
would still be good too, right?

I am sure that 99% of the tens of thousands of English teachers in Japan did not study at all in Japan.

Of course, taking a year on Japan on Study Abroad is a great idea, too.

I am not discouraging you from going to a city - I am discouraging you from going to Tokyo. There is a huge difference. Tokyo is full of foreigners - an abnormally large number of them bitter for various reasons. I believe it`s far too easy to be sucked into the "expat" lifestyle there, and end up with all sorts of misconceptions and frustration. A lot of people who would have had an excellent time elsewhere in Japan find themselves in really uncomfortable situations via the expat community in Tokyo. Obviously this isn`t the case for everyone, but it is enough to make me VERY wary of advising anyone to live in Tokyo.

Other cities seem to escape this problem - likely because everyone who knows nothing about Japan and only wants to live here because they think it`s cool from a very limited slice of information never leave Tokyo. I have heard Osaka is, to an extent, similar in some ways but not close to the way it is in Tokyo.

I live just outside a major city (in the center of the third largest metropolitan area in Japan) that is virtually unknown among tourists and "Japan fans". I wouldn`t choose to live in the countryside - it can be quite inconvenient.

You`re welcome. I enjoy helping people who are serious in their plans.
As for knowing a lot... I live in Japan, and received my degree at a regular Japanese university, as a normal student (in contrast to in an international program).

Quite frankly, I wouldn`t be too incredibly concerned about your Japanese level at first. More likely than not, if you`re an international student, you`ll want to go into some sort of Japanese study (And in most cases, the university will require a year of intensive language focus.)

MMM already covered this, but studying for ESL certification in Japan is a bit silly, if you think about it. In Japan, when people aim to teach English, they take intensive English courses and then later a bit of teaching focused classes. The ultimate goal is to reach a level of proficiency in English that would allow them to teach. In your case, you have already mastered the English language, as it is your native language. It would be a bit strange to take extensive English language courses.

In the end, it`s far better to aim for a degree in something that will be of greater use later in life. Presumably, you will return to the US after your university stint, and need to find a job - which is unlikely to be in the English teaching field. Even if you stay in Japan for some time after you receive a degree, *any* degree is sufficient for teaching English.

Of course, if your ultimate goal is to be a university professor teaching English in Japan - a degree related to that field will definitely put you at an advantage.

Thank you so much, both of you!
And I'll look into somewhere like where you live, Nyororin.
It's like a suburb, right?
And I was thinking, if I'm gonna go through the trouble and move
to Japan and teach, I might as well make it work my while and stay
there for a while.

More like almost within walking distance of the "center" of town (as in the main station, downtown, etc. Not the physical center.) I just happen to live across the river that sets the north western boundary of the city. Technically it`s another town, but if the river was not there I have no doubts it would have been consumed by Nagoya long ago.

Here is a link. The English page is a complete failure, only updated every time the mayor (?) changes. The Japanese page is very nice though, for as small as the town technically is.

There are MANY livable places in Tokyo.

Some people just visit places like Shinjuku and Shibuya, and conclude that all Tokyo is like that.

But the reality is not.

Tokyo is a big city and it is like NYC on top of LA so it is sprawled out.

I grew up in Mitaka which is in West side of Tokyo just 20 min from Shinjuku Station by the Chuo-Line, the most busiest line of all, and I have to say it is pretty quiet out there at night but yet very convenient with all the basic things around.

Kichijoji, the most popular place people want to live in entire Tokyo, is right next to Mitaka so I can do all the basic shopping without going to busier places.

It gets more quiet past Mitaka and it continues all the way to places like Hachioji, Takao, and Fussa, where one of the US bases are.

So I suggest others to not over-generalize Tokyo cos you don't know what you are talking about.

The longest I've been in Japan is only three months in Tokyo, and while compared to Nyororin and tommasi, that makes me far from an expert on this matter, I'd still want to discourage you from writing off Tokyo entirely.

I don't think Nyororin was really bashing Tokyo as unlivable and such, but was just giving a founded warning about the foreign community there.

But I'd say that would sort of depend on the person. Again, I may be inexperienced, but I feel as a student, you'd be less prone to these "expat community" problems. Also if you keep these warnings in mind, strive to make Japanese friends instead of hanging out with English-speaking buddies all the time, I think you'd be very well off. Of course occasionally meeting people from home may help transition into life in Japan or to fight homesickness (if you're the type to feel it).

Minus the whole expat situation, Tokyo is as vibrant and dynamic as big cities get. And as tommasi said, one of the greatest things I like about Tokyo was the balance of bustling city life and quiet residential areas, and each area also has its own unique vibe.

My friend lived in a student dorm about a 7-min walk away from Mitaka Station for three years, and she has nothing but praise for the city. I've also been there multiple times, and really enjoyed the quiet, student-friendly streets. There's Kichijoji as tommasi mentioned, and Jiyuugaoka and Shimokitazawa are other "hip places" to live and hang out mainly due to the laidback atmosphere. Nerima-ku and Setagaya-ku are also great residential areas, albeit slightly more expensive.

Again, I do know that three months isn't enough to get the true picture of life in Tokyo, and I still may be wearing rose-colored glasses when I look at the city, but I think I've read enough burnt-out Tokyo foreigners' comments on forums like these to be wary of the expat community there as well.

But I feel if you keep this and Nyororin's words in mind, Tokyo is just as good of a place to live and study than any other city in Japan.

I'll be back in Tokyo this fall for a year, and who knows, maybe this time I'll end up hating it. My previous three months there was spent pretty much apart from the expat community (besides of one disastrous night at a Roppongi club that makes me understand Nyororin's words even more), and I don't intend to get involved when I return. I also know a lot of English-speaking Japanese or kikokushijo who attend bilingual universities such as ICU and Sophia, and I never got the bitter sense of 'foreigner burnout.' Again, my friends and I are still young, but I think everyone experiences things differently, so sorry for the long post but just giving my pro-Tokyo two cents here.

And sorry to go so off topic and make this a Tokyo or not subject but...about the OP, Payne222, are you still thinking about Germany vs. Japan issue?

I don't really know much about European schools but as MMM said, you could also do study abroad, and I know German universities also offer exchange programs with Japanese ones like Waseda University. So maybe you can even do that, study in Germany and get to experience Japan for a year as well? Then if you liked it you could then finish your degree and move to Japan to teach. Depending on what you're looking for, I feel like you might have a higher standard of living in Germany, like bigger housing, more laidback, fresher air? Well depending on where in Germany I suppose? Again, I don't know much about European schooling, so someone correct me if I'm wrong, but that's somehow the image I have compared to Japan. And yeah traveling within Europe would be cheap and convenient as well. Just in this last point, I feel like you'd be able to experience a lot more by going to Europe.

That, or as Nyororin suggested on the first page, take a gap-year with a Japanese language prep-course, see if you like the country, and then enroll into a Japanese university if you do. It does add one year of school fees, but it could be worth it in the long run...If you're sure you want to teach in Japan or just live there in the future, going to school in Japan would definitely help you build up language skills, you could have a broader range of career choices, and you would have even less chance of being sucked into that "expat stuff" that I rambled on above..

Out of curiosity, why did your professors say Japan was the better route?

Thank you Crea - that is pretty much exactly what I meant. Not that Tokyo itself is a bad place to live (It`s not to my taste, but that`s beside the point), not that it`s an awful city, etc... But rather that it`s not a place I could comfortably advise a Japanese learner live. Not because the *city* is a problem, but rather the foreign community there. It`s big, everywhere, unbelievably negative, racist, and more than happy to try to recruit you into it`s ranks. If you`re in Tokyo for more than a few months, you will inevitably encounter it regularly.

Obviously, that`s not really the best environment for learning a language or culture. If you want to live in Tokyo, live in Tokyo. But if you want to live in a big city in Japan, there are other options which everyone seems to forget about.

As for the actual livability of Tokyo - it`s more expensive and more crowded than anywhere else in the country. You can live an absolutely wonderful life there, I`m sure, but expect to pay out the nose for it. You can also expect to have more competition for any jobs you can get, as there is a high foreigner saturation and countless others outside Japan who want to live in Tokyo no matter what (often because that is the only Japanese city they know about).

Which brings me back to my original point - if you want to live in Tokyo then that may be perfectly acceptable... But if your desire is to simply live in a big Japanese city there are others to consider that are cheaper, somewhat less crowded, and with far more employment openings because non-Japanese just aren`t familiar with the city name.

Although I am not all that familiar with Germany and can`t comment as I have never been there - I have to say your image of Japan is probably that way because you spent your time in Tokyo. Leave the city (Tokyo in particular) and it`s quite a different world, with expanses of countryside, huge sprawling country houses, beautiful forests and mountains, etc.

I am entering my junior year (of hs) and I am also looking into studying abroad in college (in Japan). Japan is very expensive so I suggest saving up or learning enough Japanese to get a job. I heard English- tutors there get paid nicely, so maybe you could use that as a source to your income. But the bottom line is that if you want to go to Japan, don't let little problems get in your way. Go do it anyways because it's what you want to do. :)
I would recommend taking a lot of Japanese courses in the summer, online, after school, or just getting a tutor.
Good luck. :)

Haha good point Nyororin...The farthest I've been out of Tokyo is only Shizuoka, and you're right, its beautiful outside of the city. But I guess I was focusing on in student life within the city, since Payne222 said he or she would prefer to stay in one...

Having grown up in four major Asian cities, just comparing city-wise, I feel European cities are less cramped, and naturally have bigger lodging, fresher air, less traffic etc, which is why I ventured a guess of higher quality living in Germany. I've only been a tourist in European cities, and living may be completely different, but that's just the overall impression I've had when visiting.

And then again, as you said, the only major Japanese city I've visited is Tokyo.
I applied to school in Tokyo not because it's the capital or anything, but because some of my closest friends from high school/university are from there. Even though I've only been there for a few months, and can possibility end up hating it in the near future, I still stand by my wonderful experience I've had thus far. But thank you for sharing your thoughts Nyororin. I'll definitely keep what you've said in mind when I'm there and try to avoid getting whirled into the foreign community! I plan to travel a lot in my upcoming year, and am really looking forward to experiencing non-Tokyo Japan soon. :)