Eastern Dreams: Alternative Pathways for Chinese Students Pursuing Baccalaureate Degrees in the United States

The number of international students pursuing postsecondary degrees in the United States has increased consistently over the past several years (Institute of International Education 2012, 2013). In fact, the most recent reportfor academic year 2012-13-indicates that compared to the previous academic year, the number of international students at u.s. colleges and universities increased by 7.2 percent, to more than 800,000. Students from China lead this global trend, accounting for 28.7 percent of all international postsecondary students in the United States. Moreover, the number of Chinese students studying in the United States continues to increase, as demonstrated by the sharp increase (21.4%) compared to the previous academic year (he 2012, 2013). All indications are that the number of Chinese students applying to u.s. colleges and universities will continue to increase, perhaps resulting in a need for enrollment professionals to examine current policies for relevance and fairness and to understand how students from China are preparing to enroll.The surge in numbers may be traced to Chinas historical and cultural emphasis on education, which has been augmented by the country's one child policy and an increasingly large middle class. Together, these factors have produced a generation of parents with not only the highest expectations for their sole offspring but also the resources to invest in an education they believe will help their children distinguish themselves from their peers. Many Chinese parents believe that a western education at an elite university will guarantee their children a bright future. Overseas degrees are highly valued in the Chinese job market, with u.s. degrees the most favored (Inside Higher Ed 2014). The increase in the number of Chinese applicants to U.S. universities-particularly elite and Ivy League universities-has resulted in intense competition among Chinese students.Yet the drastic increases in the number of Chinese college students at u.s. colleges and universities is not universally welcome. For example, there is evidence that some Americans believe that Chinese students displace u.s. students. The Chronicle of Higher Education reports that the increasing number of Chinese students has resulted in complaints that campuses have become "too Asian" (Ruse 2010). Some Americans also believe that many Chinese students cheat on tests and academic work (Winn 2012). These issues together have made the admission of Asian students-Chinese students, especially-increasingly controversial (Jiang 2011). Chinese high school students who dream of success must be even more competitive and must strive even more to distinguish themselves from their peers. (See Figure 1, a framework for understanding the nature of and the conflicts among "eastern dreams," Chinese students' need to distinguish themselves, and the perceptions of Asian students at western universities.)In an effort to distinguish themselves from their peers and turn their dreams of a u.s. education into reality, Chinese students pursue additional coursework, intensive English language training, and alternative educational pathways. This article describes the various pathways available to Chinese students who seek to prepare for a baccalaureate education in the United States. For each pathway, we provide a description, a synopsis of its current status, and an overview of related challenges.ALTERNATIVE PATHWAYSChinese students with eastern dreams must begin the process of distinguishing themselves from their peers long before they begin filling out college applications. In many cases, this process turns into a frenzy of additional training, classes, alternative college credits, and working with education agents. Although students may participate in a full array of strategies designed to "win" the college admissions race, the actual criteria or ways that these activities are evaluated have never been researched or documented. …