Abstract
This study was designed to determine factors influencing acculturation to a host society. It also examined the coping strategies utilized for success in a new academic environment. International Indian and Korean graduate student groups were analyzed by comparing historical-cultural backgrounds, motivations for study abroad, fluency in the host language, average age,, academic adjustments, and sociocultural characteristics. The two student groups used different strategies depending on their advantages or disadvantages in each particular area. Indian students often cited finances as their most serious problem studying abroad, while Korean students generally listed linguistic inadequacy as their greatest handicap. Although it was found that all of these factors contribute, either positively or negatively, toward the acculturation process, the sociocultural factor was the most critical of the factors examined. Achieving social acculturation to the host country appears to be highly dependent on successful cross-cultural relationships with American students. Yet, both groups claimed to be dissatisfied with their perceived lack of interaction with American students.
Herndon, Lynda Jay (1994). Crisis in cultural adjustment: a comparative study of Indian and Korean graduate students at Texas A&M University. Master's thesis, Texas A&M University. Available electronically from
https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /ETD -TAMU -1994 -THESIS -H5584.