The first day of September marks the start of Labor Day weekend in America, and with it, the beginning of the fall semester. For high school seniors, this signals the start of college application season—a time filled with anticipation and stress. For me, it also means extra work.
Last Friday, while walking along the Brooklyn waterfront with my son, I mentioned that a high school friend of mine was planning to return to China for the 60th anniversary celebration of our alma mater, Tianjin Foreign Languages School.
My son strongly encouraged me to go, even offering to pay for the trip. I gave him several reasons for not attending, one of which was the college application season. I’ve already been contacted by a few anxious Chinese parents seeking help with their children's essays.
This anxiety seems particularly prevalent among Chinese parents. While many American parents are certainly concerned about their children's college choices, the intensity of this concern can vary widely. In more competitive regions or among certain socioeconomic groups, some American parents do experience significant anxiety about which college their child attends. However, the pressure and energy they invest may not always match the level seen in many Chinese families, where educational achievement is often regarded as a marker of success and family honor.
For Chinese parents, particularly first-generation immigrants, education is of paramount importance. This belief often leads to greater parental involvement in the college application process, including seeking out help with essays and other materials. Interestingly, the second generation, having been more Americanized, tends to adopt a more relaxed approach.
The Chinese saying 望子成龙 (Wàng zǐ chéng lóng), meaning "hoping one's child becomes a dragon," reflects the high expectations and aspirations parents have for their children's success, particularly in education. This phrase also captures the deep-seated anxiety that accompanies the college application process for many parents, where academic and professional success are seen as vital to their children’s future.
This cultural expectation is deeply rooted in the belief that education is the key to a prosperous future. While the second generation may have adopted a more relaxed approach, for many first-generation immigrant parents, the stakes remain high. Helping their children going through the college application process is not just about gaining admission to a prestigious school; it's about fulfilling a dream of success that has spanned generations. In this way, the college application season becomes a reflection of the hopes and anxieties that define the immigrant experience, where every application holds the potential to turn their child into the "dragon" they’ve long envisioned.