Beijing’s International School Students Transition to US

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Study in Beijing or venture aboard? Boarding school or day school? IB or AP? Preppy or sporty?

Families in Beijing are overwhelmed with a surfeit of high school options. Firstly, there is an air of prestige and merit around college preparatory schools in the US. Think of the halls lined with ivy, the small classes in big libraries, how romantic! However, studying abroad is challenging too. Many rumor that it can turn teenagers wild or break them down. 

Here are three students from Beijing City International School who are now in the US, with the right experiences to debunk the right myths. 

Green Guo moved to Deerfield Academy as a freshman. Deerfield is one of the oldest boarding schools in the US, founded in 1979 within Massachusetts. It is also a member of the Eight Schools Association, the Ten Schools Admissions organizations, and the Six Schools League.

Green chose to study abroad for a diverse social environment. At an American private school like Deerfield, she could “perceive new perspectives while sharing her own”. There are many “mind-opening interactions” which she “never even thought was possible” within her hometown.

Such things also had a cost. Deerfield has a rather low Asian population, making it difficult for Green to “embrace her Chinese identity”. She felt the social pressure to “talk and dress in a specific way”. Without her perfectionist parents, she found herself at odds with finding who she truly is.

Balancing rigorous academics, extracurricular activities, and social life was draining, too. Outsiders marvel at the vivid school life dictated all by a teenage girl herself, but few understand the enormous responsibility it needs. Green felt she lacked critical self-growth . She felt all these conflicted feelings in her bones, as if she “had a taste of real life”.

Secret tip: Reach out for help. Although it is easier said than done, Green encourages students to “keep an open mind and talk to people”, because it is unhealthy to wallow in negative emotions. Boarding school is tough without the pampering and warmth from parents at home, but resilience is key. 

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Bella Shao moved to the Spence School in New York City in tenth grade but studied ninth grade there again to ease the academic transitions. The Spence school is an all-girls day school located in Manhattan, ranked fourth among the best private schools in New York.

Bella’s parents immigrated to the U.S. for their daughter’s education, but the family’s cultural transition was arduous. The adults had language barriers, and Bella felt alienated as a Chinese introvert among American extraverts. Squeezing into the Upper East Side high society was “particularly difficult during the first year”.

Secret tip: Have self-confidence and don’t overthink! If there was one thing Bella wish she could tell her past self, it would be to “let it all happen naturally”. She was insecure at first because “most students had studied here since kindergarten”, but later she was elected to the school’s student council and “found her concerns unnecessary”. 

Elena attends The College Preparatory School, an elite day school in Piedmont, California. Surprisingly, Elena encountered no academic challenges, and no social obstacles either. Like the Upper East Side, Piedmont is a tight knit community where everyone knows everyone, but Elena found neighbors she “trusted and loved from the bottom of her heart”. Her Chinese lifestyle turned 180 degrees, but she is “happy with the way things are right now”. Elena made new friends, explored romantic relationships, and learnt the tricks of independence. However, she does regret leaving behind her old friends in Beijing. She wishes for a place to preserve the old in her new life.

Secret tip: “Trust me, having your mom here is great!” An important reason why Elena adapted so well to her new environment is because of her mother. Socially, the mother and daughter are like best friends. They attend the Ladies Luncheons together as sisters. Privately, her mother guides her through the difficult times. Elena always had a home to return to because home is where the heart is.

Images: Courtesy of students

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