I'm a Thai-Chinese-American genetic experiment living in Thailand and will graduate high school next year from an American curriculum international school. Right now I have a difficult decision to make and need to seek advice from the almighty internets.
My teachers have strongly recommended me to work towards a degree in sciences although I have also been encouraged to go into political science. I have the choice to either go to either the top-rated schools in Thailand (Chula, Mahidol, Thammasat) that are rated somewhere in the world top 150's or UNLV or some other school in Nevada.
My dad is rich here, enough to live comfortably for an indefinite amount of time but he does not have the money to send me to a expensive school in America and since my parents file nothing with the IRS there is a very small chance of me getting financial aid and I do NOT want to be strapped down in debt the second I graduate.
I am not sure where I want to work in the future since I know people basically all around Asia, Europe, and the US. I do know that I don't want to be permanently cemented in Thailand as the pay here is too low when compared to the cost of living.
tl;dr
So my question is:
If I graduate from a top Thai university what are the prospects of me getting a decent job when compared to me getting a degree from a mediocre american school?
Schools are pretty much a platform: i.e. people start the rat race at different positions, some have more advantage than others.
Now, don't look at a school like a stigma that will go with you for the rest of your life. After, all it all depends on the student and once you have started your career your professional experience becomes more important than whatever school you came from.
Instead of thinking which school think carefully which degree and I might be biased but I'd go for science ;).
Well,... if you can get a good education in Thailand, and the other option is a hard life in an average university in the US, I would go for the first option.
When you finish your studies you can still go to the US (or EU), and not have to pay exhorbitant tuitions. After you finish the university, you will have a high mobility, so I wouldn't sweat about that.
Jesus, if you can get into Chula, pay rian thii Chula, si! You can always explain in your cover letter or CV that it's the number one school in Thailand.
It's a much better school than any school in Nevada, for sure. But if you've never studied in a Thai-format school, you may find it kind of oppressive, compared to the more relaxed structures of U.S.-styled education.
Although I personally would rather study at Thammasat.
Chula's international programs are easy to get into, I know of people who got in with a GED or IGCSE.
whatever school you go to, you'll just end up getting you ass plugged by japanese men on sexual safari until you die of aids, so who gives a shit?