<p>GMT, my reference was in regards to undergraduates from China specifically. Until about 2003, Chinese students (from mainland China) were virtually all graduate students. Since that time, the number of undergraduates has progressively overtaken the number of graduate students. Graduate students mostly went to large research universities with big international student communities, undergrads apply more broadly including to LACs. Mount Holyoke for instance, went from less than 10 Chinese students in 2001 to more than 116 by 2008. </p>
<p>Contrasting education of undergraduate and graduate students is a distinction without a difference. Graduate students have at least as much need to interact with other students as undergrads if not more. Many are TAs and RAs. A large number come for business school which is all about interaction. Engineering is all project and collaboration based. Cultural adjustment is not a new problem, it is just on a larger scale than before. The current phase also involves institutions not equipped to deal with such a large influx of international students. </p>
<p>There is no evidence of cheating by Chinese applicants in admission to the most selective colleges in the US. Elite colleges send entire teams to China to recruit some of the best and brightest from top high schools. They set up contests and interview the applicants directly. If any cheating occurs, it is at institutions which already admit most applicants. These students which are all full-pay end up subsidizing scholarships for US students. </p>
<p>[Colleges</a> scour China for top students - The Boston Globe](<a href=“http://www.boston.com/news/education/higher/articles/2008/11/09/colleges_scour_china_for_top_students/]Colleges”>http://www.boston.com/news/education/higher/articles/2008/11/09/colleges_scour_china_for_top_students/)</p>