I recently came across this article in Estado de Sao Paulo discussing Brazilian students applying to American universities, which confirmed the trend we see with our Brazilian students: applying to US universities is not a fad, it is a tendency.
In 2014, a survey found that the total of Brazilians who applied to US schools was 5,094. In 2015, this number had increased 34% to 6,874. For example, in 2012, Bandeirantes school in Vila Mariana had ten students accepted into foreign universities. This year, 31 were accepted.
There are a variety of reasons why Brazilian students want to obtain a college degree in the United States: international experience, job opportunities, concern for the situation of public universities in Brazil, etc. Whatever the reason, it's a clear statement that Brazilian students are applying to American universities more and more each year.