What is the best age for children to go abroad?

Whenever I return to China, one of the favorite topics of my relatives and friends is when my children should study abroad. They are eager for me to give them a simple "standard answer". However, although studying abroad is related to age, it is also dominated by children's personality and experience, which is a very personalized problem. Studying abroad is not everything. Children struggling under the domestic education system may not be able to go abroad like a duck to water, while particularly outstanding students in China may not be able to keep up with going abroad, which may bring them an unbearable psychological gap. Every child will go through a long process of adaptation when going abroad. Once the child adjusts and adapts, it will benefit a lot; If you can't adapt to the changes in the environment, the experience of studying abroad will be full of thorns, not worth the candle.

Advantages and disadvantages of studying abroad at different ages

Summarize the advantages and disadvantages of going abroad at different stages from the cases of many international students around us. Of course, everyone's experience and personality are different. These conclusions are for reference only and do not apply to everyone.

Graduate students go abroad.

Postgraduate courses are relatively professional, basically around a certain subject, and the requirements for English are more focused on professional fields, so the number of words is relatively narrow. Postgraduate courses are relatively intensive, with a master's degree 1~2 years. Language requirements are not high, and living abroad is short.

Therefore, graduate students spend most of their time studying professional knowledge, so it is difficult to fully integrate into the language, and it is also difficult to integrate into foreign life and deeply understand foreign culture. This is particularly evident in science and engineering. Most graduate students come from all over the world, with a large proportion of domestic students. Some experimental projects, from tutors to postdoctoral students to graduate students, are all from China. Finally, China people have their own small circle, and the usual communication is in Chinese.

I also heard that many British universities' MBAs are almost monopolized by China people. In recent years, more and more graduate students from China have gone to the United States to study liberal arts and business. Many liberal arts students, especially business students, have worked in foreign companies in China, but they only come to famous American universities for gilding. Their language skills and social skills are obviously much stronger than those of students who come directly from undergraduate courses, and they can also integrate into social circles.

Undergraduates go abroad.

American universities have four years, the first two years are mainly based on basic courses, and the last two years are mainly based on professional courses. American undergraduates pay special attention to reading. Students should not only read textbooks, but also read a lot of articles and papers. They should not only read more and understand more, but also read fast. Therefore, even American children feel that undergraduate courses are particularly hard, and the pressure on international students can be imagined. But the good thing is that under pressure, English is basically passable. Many children can speak pure American English after graduating from American universities, and it is basically barrier-free to communicate with Americans.

However, children's living habits and ways of thinking have matured before going abroad, and they still prefer the China model, and their friends are mainly from China. In the United States and China, undergraduate students and alumni are a very important circle, so it is easier to stay in the local work and life after graduation, establish professional and personal relationships, and it is also possible to return to China for development.

Undergraduates going abroad can be said to be a good opportunity for two-way development. However, not all children who go abroad for undergraduate studies have achieved success. Xiao Qu Kong, a rich second generation in the domestic hit TV series Ode to Joy, came back from studying in the United States, and his English was poor, so he couldn't read the materials. In real life, there are indeed many such children, because many third-rate universities have many China people who can graduate without learning English or knowing English.

Going abroad in high school

From grade 9 to grade 12 in American high schools, the word "Gao Mei" has also become a popular vocabulary. Many families in Beishangguang are willing to let their children go abroad in high school. First, because language will completely pass; Second, because applying for foreign universities has more advantages, when applying for universities, the competitiveness is much higher than that of domestic high school children, and the chances of entering prestigious schools are greatly improved; Third, because children enter a rebellious period at this stage, it is also a good choice to leave their parents.

I interviewed many children in high school, and they were all very happy. Especially compared with the students who stay at home, they cherish the relatively free and flexible learning environment abroad. A good friend of mine is a girl from Taiwan Province Province. She studied in a private high school in the United States for four years from Taiwan Province Province, and then the university moved to Canada to immigrate. I reminded her: What does it feel like for a little girl to go abroad so early? Lonely? Think it's too early to come out? Her answer surprised me. She said that four years of high school in America were the happiest and most unforgettable years in her life. It feels good to leave home. It's especially warm for students to live together. Everyone is like a brother and sister. This is a lifelong friendship.

Another friend of mine sent her rebellious son from Beijing to a private high school in California. A year later, my son changed a lot, matured, became independent, became sensible and grateful. She said that her son didn't listen to her teaching at home, but listened to teachers and seniors at school. The school also arranged for senior children to give classes to junior children, which played an exemplary role. After graduating from high school, the young man was admitted to Stanford University. The risk of going abroad in high school is that children are in adolescence, confused and lack certain judgment and self-control. If they make bad friends, they will easily plummet. Therefore, we suggest that children choose a formal, safe and good atmosphere school, and often communicate with children and take the initiative to contact their circle of friends.

Go abroad in primary school and junior high school

Nowadays, going abroad at a young age has become a major trend of studying abroad. One reason is that parents are dissatisfied with cramming education, which is young and connected in China. They are afraid of inhibiting their children's creativity and simply let their children go abroad as soon as possible. Second, because of domestic environmental pollution, it is more favorable for children to live abroad.

Of course, the younger you study abroad, the easier it is to accept the local culture and integrate into the local society, and friends are no longer confined to the Chinese circle; Children who study abroad at a young age are generally more pure sunshine. The disadvantage is that most children who go abroad can only hear Chinese, and reading and writing is a big problem. There is still much controversy about going abroad at a young age.

Some parents think that language is important, but relative to the overall quality development of children, it is the relationship between trees and forests, and the whole forest cannot be sacrificed for trees. Some parents think that children must learn Chinese well and understand China culture. Going abroad has long been equivalent to "four unlike". Everything has its two sides. Children's education is purely the behavior of every family, and there is no absolute right or wrong. Moreover, the road of life is very long, and there are no hard and fast rules. Every family needs to be measured according to children's personality characteristics and parents' emotional and economic support.

What kind of children are more suitable for studying abroad?

In terms of personality, children who dare to challenge authority, have opinions, creativity, independence and strong personality are more suitable for foreign education. If such children are easily suppressed and polished at home, foreign education pays more attention to personality. American teachers prefer naughty children to good ones.

The headmaster of Caedmon School, a famous private school in Montessori, new york, told us at the meeting that he always asked a question when interviewing teachers: "Can you laugh when you meet naughty students? If the answer is no, you are not qualified to be a teacher in our school. " A friend complained that his children were particularly naughty, and the teacher often talked to them, feeling so stressed. What should I do? I joked, "Then send your children abroad!"

Children who learn to bully, behave well and learn mathematics, physics and chemistry may be more suitable for receiving basic education in China. Domestic educational resources will be inclined to such children, who can gain more confidence in the domestic environment.

China's basic science education is indeed more solid and in-depth, while foreign countries still focus on liberal arts education and writing and reading, so children who like science are more suitable for education in China. The biggest feeling of many children who are not good at math after going abroad is: "The teacher actually praised me for being good at math!" Its disadvantages turned into advantages. I remember in high school, an American exchange student came to my class. She is a China native who can speak Chinese. The teacher asked her what class was better, and she said it was math. As a result, she only got 10 in the first math exam, and her self-confidence was hit hard.

In addition, children with good music, good sports or other specialties are more suitable for studying abroad as soon as possible. The most ridiculous sentence of domestic parenting is: don't let your child lose at the starting line. In sports, parents in Europe and America really pay more attention to it. Children are exposed to all kinds of sports since childhood, giving them enough time to play their favorite sports. Parents in Europe and America think that life is a marathon. With a strong physique, hard-working spirit and teamwork ability, children can run farther and have the energy to finish their studies and do a good job.

In college admission, physical education is definitely an important indicator for enrollment consideration. In addition, Europe and America pay more attention to group sports. They believe that group projects can help children learn how to cooperate with others and cultivate their communication skills, willpower and sense of responsibility.

From the 20 16 Rio Olympic Games, we can see how important it is to be good at sports in the United States! According to statistics, among more than 550 American athletes who went to Rio on 20 16, more than 430 athletes came from American universities. Among them, Stanford University topped the list, and the school sent 40 athletes. This shows that American universities attach great importance to athletes. According to the NCAA website, American athletes from 78 universities won Olympic medals.

According to the number of medals, the top three were taken by California schools with pleasant climate, followed by Stanford University, University of California at Berkeley and University of Southern California. Among them, Stanford University 16 students won 27 medals, accounting for 22% of the total medals in the United States. This is enough to show that the United States attaches importance to sports expertise, and its popularity and investment in sports are unmatched by other countries.

Now domestic parents are also consciously cultivating their children's many specialties from an early age. Almost every child learns ball games, skating, swimming and piano, and parents have invested a lot of manpower, material resources and financial resources in this respect. But the final difference is that the admission mechanism of domestic universities makes it difficult for China children to stick to junior high school and senior high school. Many children with sports and music talents are forced to give up their good projects and specialize in the scores of cultural courses. This is a fact that education in China can't be changed so far. Therefore, we suggest that if children have sports, music or other talents and hobbies, it is best to study abroad as soon as possible, so that they can stick to their hobbies and get into a good university. Why not?