‘Parachute kids’ who fell to earth: dangers facing Chinese children flocking to study at US schools
Some youngsters are left alone and unsupervised by their parents while studying in America, which can lead them into trouble, even prison
Growing up in mainland China, Hailun “Helen” Zhou always knew that she would finish her high school education in the United States, whatever the cost.
“That’s what everybody does,” said the 17-year-old from Sichuan province who has spent the last two years studying in California and will be graduating this spring. “My father’s friends all sent their kids abroad, so that was the trend.”
Zhou is among a growing number of Chinese teens who are flocking to US high schools, looking for a western education and a competitive edge in gaining admission to American universities and then finding a job back home.
But the pursuit of the American dream can quickly turn into a nightmare, experts warn, as many of these so-called “parachute kids” live in the US with little parental supervision and can end up in trouble, even in prison.
“It’s a huge industry,” said Joaquin Lim, who runs a company that helps place Chinese students in American schools. “The last figure I read put it at US$25 billion.”
It costs about US$50,000 a year for the parents, who are mostly middle class, to send their kids here but they consider it an investment
Of nearly one million international students enrolled in public and private institutions in the United States in 2014-2015, about 304,000, or 31.2 per cent, were from China, according to the Washington-based Institute of International Education.