Asian international students' college experiences at universities in the United States: Relationship between perceived quality of personal contact and self-reported gains in learning

This study examined associations between Asian international students' perceived quality of contact with faculty, administrative personnel and other students, and self-reported gains in areas identified in College Students Experience Questionnaire. The sample included 705 Asian students from 25 research universities across the United States. Of 705 Asian international students, 390 were from East Asia, 219 from South and Central Asia, and 96 from Southeast Asia.;Results indicated that Asian international students' relationships with peers were positively associated with all five domains of gains of learning (i.e., personal development, science and technology, general education, vocational preparation, and intellectual skills). Also, Asian students' relationships with administrative staff were positively associated with the five domains of gains of learning. Asian students' relationships with faculty members were positively associated with all five domains of gains of learning. Out of the five domains, student classification (as undergraduate and graduate) was correlated with gains in general education. The nature of the relationship was that having a higher score on classification (i.e., being undergraduate) was associated with a lower score on gains in general education. Regression analysis was conducted to examine if four independent variables (gender, academic level, length of stay and country of origin in Asia) predict gains in learning. The results indicated that the overall regression equation was significantly predictive of gains in learning when all independent variables were included in the model. The results of regression analysis also indicated that all four independent variables were not significantly predictive of Asian students' perceived quality of relationship with peers, administrators, and faculty.