As China's economy develops, its products become more competitive in the global marketplace. However, the one sector in which the United States still clearly has the upper hand is that of higher education. As the middle and upper classes grow, more Chinese people are looking to spend their money on their one child's education abroad.The appeal of an American education lies in its cultivation of creativity. In an ideal American college classroom, students are allowed, if not encouraged, to question their professors' lectures. Typically, in order to graduate, students must take courses in a variety of departments outside of their major so that they leave with both depth and breadth of knowledge.

　　For many of the more career-oriented Chinese students, this is a bit of a culture shock. When they have the freedom to select their own courses, they ask their advisors exactly what they should enroll in, instead of browsing course offerings and making decisions according to their own interests and goals. After so many years of following one straight, narrow path to "success," they have often lost crucial decision-making abilities.

      中國經濟越發展，他們的產品在全球市場上的競爭力也變得越強。但是，美國仍占明顯優勢的方面就是高等教育。中高層階級的人數越多，希望讓他們的獨生子女出國留學的中國人也就越多。

　　美國教育的吸引力在於它培育創造力。在理想的美國大學教室裡，學生被容許，甚至鼓勵，向教授的論點提出問題。一般來說，為了畢業，學生得修主修之外的課程，以讓他們離開學校之後的知識又有深度又有廣度。

　　對許多比較重視職業的中國學生來說，這是一種文化衝擊。當他們有選課的自由時，他們會問他們的教授到底應該修什麼課程，而不會先自己瀏覽網上提供的課程介紹，然後根據自己的興趣與志向來做決定。在經過數年通往「成就」的窄路之後，他們通常也就失去了關鍵的決策能力。