Dilemma of Overseas Chinese Students
By: Yuner Gao
Tags: Chinese Students, American Culture, Chinese

Wrote in 2016 in North Carolina

HPU faculty and staff talked about how they looked at Chinese students

As more and more international students come to America, this group becomes increasingly important. While to High Point University, the prominent phenomenon is Chinese students have been playing a relatively significant role recently. As a whole, there are around 30 to 40 Chinese students in HPU. And the number is expected to almost double this fall according to the enrollment officer. The following question is in the teachers’ eyes, what’s the difference of Chinese students from American students? What are the changes they will take to HPU?

A side: Polite and hard workers

Chinese students talking with the professor

According to most teachers, Chinese students are hard workers. In their eyes, Chinese students always take their academics seriously. When it comes to which aspect that Chinese students are most good at, Andy Bills, vice president of enrollment said, “I know that Chinese students are very good at preparing for testing.”

As what Bills said, the typical image of Chinese students appears in the media before are more good at reading and writing rather than other things. Almost all of them do well in Mathematics. “You know all the Chinese students did the math problems correctly but only a quarter of American students did it right. “Phil Watson, associate professor said.

What’s more, Elana Zamorski, who teaches modern foreign language, thought Chinese as “detailers”. She said, “They pay close attention to details. They will focus very carefully on the directions when they do their assignments. They want to understand exactly what the professor is asking them to do.” It is quite different from other international students because some of the other students might ignore the direction and they just do what they feel like doing.

Bills also gave the explanation to the characteristics of Chinese students. “Because it’s how the system operates in China. Whereas U.S. system hopefully teaches students more well-rounded, exposed them to other courses over four years that help them become educated in many different ways, “said Bills.

Besides, Chinese students are usually politer in the staffs’ eyes. The coordinator in Student Success Ann Foody thought that Chinese students were politer inquisitive with their bills than American students. “I think they are generally more mature than American students, “Foody said.

B side: Less creative and too shy to get involved in campus life

Chinese students have their own friends circle

Among the whole world, Chinese students are acknowledged as the ones who come with a little more structure and discipline than are American students. “Comparing to them, American students are given more freedom, “Bills said.

As a result, although Chinese students work harder and grasp the details, it seems American students do a better job on creative issues. Denny Bolton, executive vice president of HPU, also attributed it to the differences in system education. “While Chinese put less emphasis on memorization, we put more on creativity and problem-solving. So you have to adapt to a different system.”

Watson also made another point of why Chinese students do not do well in creative part. “You know, I’m teaching advertising and public relations. They deal primarily with American culture. Things would work in the United States probably wouldn’t work in China and vice versa.”

Another problem that Chinese students have, according to Zamorski, is that they do not speak up. “I have two or three students that are always asking some questions. But some other Chinese students don’t do that, I don’t know whether because they’re shy or they feel it’s inappropriate to ask professor questions, “Zamorski said. Plus, some Chinese students even don’t complain if they disagree something. “You know sometimes professors are making mistakes too. For example, I read an article in this way while students explain it in a different way. And I may change the grade. Some of the International students are always speaking up all the time. But Chinese students don’t do that. “Zamorski hopes Chinese students could speak up much more because it’s acceptable to approach professors and disagree with professors in the United States.

It also seems difficult for Chinese students to get involved in campus life as some of the Chinese students only get along with their Chinese friends. The big reason for that many teachers think is their shyness. Bills wanted to give some advice to the Chinese students, “I think it would benefit Chinese students to make sure they are reaching out and trying to make friends outside of the circle of friends from their own country. I hope Chinese students embrace the opportunity and get involved in the campus life, get involved with students you don’t know them.”

Mutual changes to both Chinese and American students

After all, with the increasing population of Chinese students, what are the changes that might bring to both sides? April Cosner, the coach of Student Success, had a say to it. She has a Chinese student who always bowed to her at the beginning, which made her really embarrassed. “I never exactly know do I have to bow back. But I really want to respect his culture. And I notice he has become more and more relaxed with me, and more and more informal. And last time he didn’t bow. I’m not sure whether he has noticed that we don’t do that here’s I want to respect his culture but he has made that change.”

As time goes by, Chinese students seem to get more relaxed in the United States. They become more and more adapted to American society. “I have seen some changes in my four Chinese students. They look a little bit of American just in terms of their dressing. “Watson said.

At the same time, there are also some changes that may will take to Hpu. Cosner said, “We need diversity here at HPU. So that our students will be more well-rounded. Our students here need to know all kinds of people not just white people.”

Watson thought that it important to American students who were going to make business or work with China to know the Chinese students. “China is a country with a large population. If it’s not already, it will soon be the largest market.”

Bills,who are in charge of the enrollment said Chinese students would play a big part here because China is a large country and is the largest exporter of students to America to get education. “Certainly our Chinese population is part of growth plan. And so our Chinese students can learn from different cultures and different customs.”

For more information on High Point University, you may visit www.highpoint.edu

For more information on situation of International students, you may visit http://www.iie.org/Services/Project-Atlas/United-States/International-Students-In-US#.VyDMPmNlmT8