Leaving family and friends behind for one year is hard enough, but for Magdalena Pikala, one year of learning in America isn’t enough.  Pikala, senior at Blue Valley Southwest, has been studying and making her senior year count so that she will be able to continue her experiences in America.

Pikala is an international student from Poland who is studying in America through the Council on International Educational Exchange, CIEE organization. The USA High School Program she is traveling with gives students the choice of a semester, full year, or even up to four years.

Five of the six foreign exchange students at Southwest for the 2013-2014 school year chose to stay the full year.  This year consists of arriving in August and returning to their home in May, within two weeks of their graduation.

According to CIEE, most of the students who take part in this opportunity to be a foreign exchange student actually decide they wish to attend a university in America.

The requirements and steps that need to be considered when applying for colleges in America can be overwhelming to most people.

“Mr. Halfmann helped me a lot at first,” Pikala said.  “I had to do a lot of research because it is really hard to understand what you have to do for this process.”

This process includes, but is not limited to: filling out applications, taking required/recommended tests, sending test scores, and possibly interviews.

“When I first started to consider staying in America longer to go to college, all of my senior friends had pretty much done everything they needed,” Pikala said.

People in America grow up learning the main things they will be required to do, but Pikala had to rely on the help of some of her friends in order to get the answers she needed to fulfill these requirements.

 “I was asking everyone questions about what to do and they would tell me,” Pikala said.  “It was weird because when I first got here, I didn’t even have any idea of what the tests I had to take were called.”

According to CBS News, there has been a 40 percent increase over the past decade of international students attending American universities.

This huge increase contributes to the all-time high of foreigners American universities are currently seeing.

U.S. News reported that colleges in America have been encouraging international students to attend their school by hosting orientations and programs to inspire cross-cultural interactions.

The opportunities for students attending colleges with foreign exchange students are beneficial to the learning environment.  Also, the students are able to learn more about other cultures and customs of other people.

Although Magdalena Pikala has had struggles and lots of hard work throughout the year, she is looking forward to her graduation at Southwest and the opportunities she will have in college.

“High School graduation in America is very different from our graduations in Poland,” said Pikala.  “In my school we just graduate and then no one has parties or celebrations.  I am really excited to wear the cap and gown.”