數據顯示:中國留美學生年齡越來越小

Chinese students in the United States are getting an earlier start.

中國留美學生年齡出現越來越小的趨勢。

In the 1970s, a typical Chinese student in the US was there for a master's or doctoral degree. They were then followed by students pursuing undergraduate degrees.

上世紀70年代，大部分中國學生留美是爲了攻讀碩士和博士學位。隨後又有一些學生留美攻讀學士學位。

Now, Chinese are the largest international group in US kindergarten-through-12th grade, or K-12, programs of study.

現在，中國人成爲美國境內國際留學生中幼兒園到12年級學生的主力軍。

November statistics show that 34,578 Chinese students were studying in primary and secondary schools in the US, or 52 percent of all international students there.

11月份數據顯示，在美國的中小學留學生中，有34578名中國學生，佔據國際留學生的52%。

Five years ago, the number was 8,857, according to The Wall Street Journal. It cited statistics from the Student and Exchange Visitor Program, a Department of Homeland Security unit that tracks foreigners in the US on student visas and the schools they attend.

根據華爾街日報報道，五年前，中國留美的中小學生只有8857名。數據援引自國土安全部中負責中學生和交流訪問者項目的一個部門，這個項目跟蹤外國人在美國的學生簽證和學習學校的統計數據。

At The Brook Hill School in Bullard, Texas, the number of Chinese students grew from six to 20 in the past six years, the maximum allowed from one foreign nation.

在美國德克薩斯州的布魯克溪山學校，六年前中國留學生只有6名，現在增長至20名，達到了一國增長數量的最高限制數額。

One of the reasons for many Chinese students studying in US schools is to escape the gaokao, China's national entrance examination, and the fierce competition that comes with it. The other motivation is to get prepared for US colleges.

許多中國學生去美國留學的主要原因是躲避中國高考的激烈競爭壓力。另外一些學生則是爲了準備考取美國的大學。

"More younger Chinese students choose to go to US high schools, as more parents believe that this leads to a better education if their kids finally choose to go to US universities and colleges," said Yu Haoyang, founder of Global Intellect Consulting in Beijing.

“很多中國年輕學生選擇去美國讀中學，因爲其父母相信美國教育更好，併爲最終考取美國大學打下基礎，”北京環宇鴻澤諮詢有限公司創始人於浩洋說道。

"They believe that US high schools offer better English-language and cultural training, and it is easier for their kids to master these skills and become more competitive," she said.

“家長們相信在美國中學可以提供更好的英語教學和文化教育，可以讓孩子們耳濡目染地掌握語言技巧，以此來提高自身的競爭力，”她說道。