The Importance of Parents in the Study Abroad Process
May Song
Client Relations Manager, Australia
More and more Chinese parents have realised that the world is becoming more international, and the competition their children will face in the job market will be more severe, as job seekers begin to enter the market from all over the world. How can parents help their own child to be assured a bright future? Many see the solution is sending them abroad for further study, and at an increasingly young age. Of course this is a big choice, and one that both parent and child will take very seriously. While considering their options, parents will have a great deal of questions and some confusion, and they won’t make a final decision until everything is clearly planned and laid out. It's very important for recruiters as well as institutions to understand that the study abroad decision is not just about the student, but about the family as a whole.
Family members in China are much more reliant upon each other than is typically seen in western countries. Grandparents raise the grandchildren, parents often provide financial support at least until the child is married, and then these children, as adults, take care of the elder members of the family. Considering this, and considering China’s One Child Policy, it’s no wonder that parents (simply speaking) see their child’s future as their own future, their child’s success as their own success. The decision as to where and what a child should study is often seen as THE choice that will make the difference in the child’s life and the future of the family.
18-25 years old is seen as the golden period for a person to pursue their education, to study, to grow and develop as a person, and to find a path to a successful career. Parents fear that their son or daughter attending the wrong university or choosing the wrong major could lead to irreparable mistakes with far-reaching ramifications. So when faced with this daunting challenge, what are the most important things a parent will be concerned about?
- What kind of college or university is my child qualified for?
- What major or program should he or she choose?
- How can we ensure that my child reaches their full potential through this program?
In reality, however, the first issue is determining whether the student is ready for an overseas education. Our counselors typically point out three main considerations for parents:
1. Domestic study performance. It not only refers to students’ marks of every subject, but also his or her studying approach, genuine interests and attitude towards studying, as well. Our counselors try to remind parents that if a student is not truly dedicated to studying, he or she should NOT be sent abroad.
2. Personal drive and independence. All students should be prepared to take care of themselves before studying, whether domestically or internationally. However, having a sense of independence and a personal drive to push oneself to succeed is an important characteristic of the successful study abroad student. This can be seen in whether the student has his or her own opinion and if he or she is willing to correct and learn from their own mistakes. If a student doesn’t have these abilities, they’ll most likely struggle a lot with the western education system.
3. Personality. If a student is positive and open-minded, he or she will adapt to the environment abroad very easily. If the student is very shy and unwilling to communicate with others, he or she will encounter many more risks when studying and living abroad, emotionally, mentally and eventually even physically.
After both parent and child are confident in the student’s own ability to succeed abroad, then it’s time for counselors to help to answer those many challenging questions brought on by the parent. Convincing a student of the success they will find in a new country is relatively easy compared to the cautious perspective of the parents. Parents come to agents and recruiters like EduGlobal for insight that they can not find elsewhere (especially answering their specific questions, in their own native language). They turn to us for detailed, trusted information so they may understand the challenge immediately at hand and the challenges that may lie further in the future. Above all, our counselors work to help find the best-fit solutions for our students and families.