A study of Chinese students’ choice of high schools in the United States

Abstract

Study abroad has become a popular alternative to domestic education in China, especially for middle-class families. While a large literature has explored study-abroad students aiming for foreign post-secondary education, little attention is paid to younger ones. Given their population and tendency of expansion, this student group by no means is neglectable. This study focused on Chinese students who chose to study in high schools in the U.S., exploring their reasons for such choice. The push-pull factor theory was used as it has been applied to research of similar topics and proves to be useful. As little is known about this topic, this study is exploratory in nature. Therefore, a qualitative approach is appropriate, as it allows untangling of complexities. The researcher interviewed students, parents and teachers for data collection. Interviews with parents and teachers were used for triangulation. The findings identified an array of influencing factors across multiple spheres from academics, society and culture, family, economy to politics. An addition to existing literature is the current tensions between China and the U.S., given the intensifying trade war. A separate section addresses its influence on the Chinese families who opted for US high school education. In addition, two themes were discussed, including changes of the students after studying in the U.S. and opinion variations between students and parents. Limitations and suggestions for future research were made. Future research may keep focusing on younger study-abroad students in the U.S. and beyond. Power relations between students and parents are also worthy research topics. It also might be worthwhile to compare young study-abroad students to older ones.