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China Daily) 08:28, March 20, 2014
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Comments twitter facebook Sina Microblog reddit When I ask my Chinese friends which American cities they know about, most name the bigcities in the east cost such as New York City, Chicago and Boston. Because of their limitedknowledge about the United States, talking to parents of students can be a frustratingexperience. They typically think that since their children are at the top of the high schoolclass, they should attend schools like Harvard, Yale, New York University or other topinstitutions.
I consider this a huge problem for Chinese education. It's time Chinese families andcompanies changed their views on the subject.
Chinese students can thrive in smaller American universities for several reasons. First,they won't be just a number in smaller universities. I earned my bachelor's degree from ahighly reputable university. It was a great experience, but none of the professors knew myname and some of my classes had more than 200 students. Such universities can easilyleave a Chinese student without motivation and could also prevent him/her from attendingclasses.
Second, Chinese students can focus more on education in smaller universities. Biguniversities are like big cities-they have bigger distractions. Chinese students, like theircounterparts anywhere else in the world, want to have fun, and without pressure fromtheir families who's going to stop them from going astray?
Third, Chinese students will find it difficult to be part of a new culture in big cities. Big citieshave many people of Chinese descent, which one might think is good, but it is actually theopposite. If Chinese students find their fellow countrymen they may shy away fromforeigners, which means their English language skills and studies will suffer. I've met manyChinese who have terrible English skills despite having studied abroad.
Fourth, Chinese students will find real peace in small American cities, which are unlikethose in China. They have everything a student needs. Besides, many of the small townsare beautiful and could be Chinese students' only opportunity to experience the tranquilityand peace of a sparsely populated place.
And finally, by sending their children to smaller universities parents can save a lot ofmoney without compromising on their education or experience. Everything will be cheaperand Chinese students can find wonderful jobs in small cities .
Chinese parents seem to believe in the idea that you should do what other people do orwant you to do. But if you are a parent reading this, I challenge you to be different.
（Editor：GaoYinan、Yao Chun）
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