Assignment:

Based upon the story memo, write(made up/built up) a super detailed story in journalist reporting style.

follow the checklist

Story Memo

Background: in Boston area

In reporting this story, I will start with how the number of Chinese students in the U.S (especially Boston area) has dramatically increased in the recent years. (give the statistics and analyze the trend).

Some universities have unsaleable number of Chinese nationals since China is among the top senders of students to the U.S.

++ A little background (elaborate)

International students account for a significant part of Boston community, arriving on campus from across the globe. The number of international students in Boston has been increasing for the past decade, with a spike in recent years.

Chinese nationals are the fastest-growing student populations in U.S colleges or universities, with more than 304,000 undergraduates and graduate students registered in the 2014-15 academic year. 

Higher education with rich historical background is one of Boston’s largest exports, trailing only New York and Los Angeles, according to the report. +++

Circumstance: ++ Being Rich: many local students assume that Chinese students at U.S colleges are rich, spoiled, pampered youths out to have a good time before turning home to lives of privilege. 

Analyze two opposite sides of Chinese student in U.S. 

[Give the statistic of Chinese national students in BU and Northeastern.]

According to a new nationwide study, the number of international students who enrolled into these two schools are tremendous. 

Interview 1: Vanness Wang, a junior, major in Math Finance, at Northeastern University

background: came from a rich family [Yangzhou, Jiangsu]

Q: What brings you here?

• “Because I couldn’t get into the dream school after I graduated in middle school.”
• “I think Gaokao could count as a big reason. That’s another intention brings me here. Gaokao, the university entrance exam, which is like the SAT here. But it is way more difficult than SAT. This test is insane. I just want to get rid of this test or to escape the flawed education system in China.”
• “In China, we have studied for 18 years. And we only study for the Gaokao.”
• “In China, our English is more academic, not so oral. So it took me some time to learn the day-to-day English when I first got here.”
• “I think there is nothing I can learn from the Chinese University. Study aboard seems to be an easier option for me.”
• “I want to get out of the reach of my parents. After I have spent my time in the States independently, I found out that it is way more difficult than I thought.”

Q: Personal experience? (elaborate)

• “Because of the trend of the increasing amount of studying aboard student in China, I started up a company in Shanghai, similar to New Oritental (another academic organization). They just have fuckin money.”
• “My organization did not even teach my students how to use english as a language, but more focused on teaching them how to pass the standardize test — IELTS, TOEFL, and SAT.”

Interview 2: Bianchi Zhang (Eva), a senior, major in Finance Accounting, at Boston University.

Background: middle-class, came from Guiyang [Guizhou Province]

Q: What brings you here?

• “During the summer vacation, I used to got an internship in Shanghai. My supervisor said the company prefer the people who has study abroad experience. The company assumed that those people who have much broader vision. They could bring different things to fulfill the company.”
• “I felt so depressed and confused about this kind of situation at that time. I asked myself whether to chose study abroad or not.”
• “Study abroad means a lot of money for my family. I felt a lot of pressure to make the decision.”
• “There are a lot of rich Chinese kids in BU. At first time, I felt we are in the different world.”
• “It is a new world for me.”

Q: Personal experience? (elaborate)

• “I remembered that the first year here, I tried to change myself and to fit into the Rich Chinese Circle. I totally pretend my personality. My way to speak, to talk, to make friends.”
• “I wouldn’t recognize myself.”
• “I spent a lot of money on buying clothes, bags, shoes…. It just way over of my monthly budget. I had a lot of arguments with my parents. and my grades was not reach what I expected.” 
• “It was such a mass. My life was such a mass. I kinda lost myself here. I forgot my intension. I did not want myself be like that.”
• “I don’t want be like those people who only spending parents money everyday. They spending money on buying stuff, buying homework, buying exams. I know my friends do that, it just…”
• “I need to find myself back to normal life.”
• “I try to be one of many Chinese students reshaping the U.S. education system.”
• “I think I experienced racial discrimination.” (focus on it?)

Interview: Chang, Northeastern University, American Citizen, a member of Public Relations in NEUCSSA.

Questions:

1.Could you briefly talk about the increasing trend for Chinese international student here in Boston. Especially, there are a lot of Chinese students in Boston University. Could you talk about this situation?

— it can easily find a sense of home of in Boston; they can easily find help and building their social network.

2.whats the good part of this situation and whats the worse part?

— Its also bad because there are so many Chinese student that they only hang out with other Chinese student and miss out the opportunity to make friend with the local people and explore US.

3.What do you think about the stereotype of Chinese international student? (I know several local student assumed that Chinese are rich. They are always wearing luxury things, driving luxury cars….)

— Stereotypes exist, but can be improved.  It’s true that a lot of Chinese students are very rich, because you have to have a wealthy background to be able to study abroad here in States.  However, there are different levels of wealthy among Chinese students as well.  I think the stereotypes exist because there is a lack of communication between Chinese students and other student in the university.  Local students only know what they see, but don’t really understand us.

4.Boston has a huge Asian population. Do you think Chinese students are facing discrimination here?

— From the past 3 years of my college life, I’ve never face any kind of discrimination toward Chinese student group.  Students here are pretty open minded, although there are stereotypes and they are willing to learn and get to know us better if we communicate with them.

During the interviews, I found out that a lot of Chinese students rarely want to talk about themselves and these situations.

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example story: (format)

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/04/health/04meat.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

helpful link: (statistics)

https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2015/11/16/number-foreign-students-boston-surges/0rrwqyAoHbSjn6f7chxxMI/story.html

https://www.statista.com/statistics/233880/international-students-in-the-us-by-country-of-origin/

http://www.iie.org/Who-We-Are/News-and-Events/Press-Center/Press-Releases/2015/2015-11-16-Open-Doors-Data#.V_M9VJMrLVr

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/seeking-admission-to-top-colleges-chinese-students-flock-to-us-private-schools/2016/08/23/7279a582-5f18-11e6-8e45-477372e89d78_story.html

https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2016/03/26/chinaschools/3e9malNHYbwSgGkJqiAcbM/story.html

http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2016/08/common-ancestry-complicated-present/495665/

http://www.iie.org/Services/Project-Atlas/United-States/International-Students-In-US#.V_M9UJMrLVq