Educational agency focuses on self before subject to help Chinese students overseas

Matthew Jaskol has been studying kung fu for more than 20 years. For the 36-year-old American, martial arts are not so much about fighting skills, but more of a mental training process that demands perseverance, hard work and self-reflection.

It is the same spirit that he applies to running Alpine Education, his educational consulting and training company in Beijing. The company provides classes and programs for Chinese students to develop the skills necessary for study and work in foreign educational institutions.

"The vision of the company is to increase the ability, from both social and academic aspects, of potential students who will go for a Western education in the future," Jaskol, from New Jersey, says.

In recent years China has become the greatest source of foreign students for many countries. In the US, 127,628 students from China attended colleges or universities in the 2009-10 school year, forming the largest group in the international student population.

Last year the 158,000 Chinese studying in US colleges accounted for more than a fifth of the overseas student population.

Worldwide, about 340,000 Chinese were studying in overseas institutions in May last year, accounting for 14 percent of the overseas student population, according to a report by the Social Sciences Academic Press in Beijing.

Thousands of agencies are in this field, providing consulting services for parents and students. But in the past few years Jaskol has noticed a huge information gap between Chinese students and overseas universities.

Students want to know more about different education systems and how they match their own long-term objectives for overseas study, he says, while overseas universities are looking for talented Chinese students, and want to know why they are different and how they will suit the programs and courses on offer.

"For overseas universities, they cannot fully know potential students from scores of SAT, GMAT or GRE, because Chinese students are too good at exams," Jaskol says. "For other (student) statement files, most of them follow the same format from agencies. Universities cannot tell whether they are the students they are looking for.

"For Chinese students and their parents, they care too much about rankings of those universities, partly because that is the only thing they can trust. However, ranking doesn't mean everything. Students need to find universities which better suit their development path."

Alpine's aim is to better connect students and universities, and more importantly, to help Chinese students to adapt to studying and living overseas in different surroundings.

And that help comes sooner rather than later. Most of Jaskol's clients for training courses are junior students ranging from 11 to 15 years old.

It was the differences in Chinese education methods and systems from those in other countries that prompted him to start his own company in March last year.

Jaskol says that in China the popular students are those who achieve high marks, but in the US there are different standards.

"We emphasize character building more during education, which is still barely seen in the Chinese education system."

He says that Chinese students show great ability in solving problems independently, while in the US students are encouraged to discuss their issues with teachers and tutors to find a better solution.

Self-reflection is the most important element in education, Jaskol says, and one that is approached differently in China, compared with the US.

"Know yourself now, know what you want to be in the future, and know what you need to bridge the gap between the now and future."

Alpine trains students in specific study skills, such as preparing for a debate and criticizing arguments without offending others. The program, aimed mostly at junior students, takes about 40 hours and caters for five to seven students at a time.

Jaskol also provides one-on-one consultations with PhD students or professors from renowned universities such as Yale and Georgetown.

"If you want to apply for a PhD from one university, you're better off talking to a PhD student there, or even get connected to professors from that university," Jaskol says. "We'd like to provide different ways to inform students, to help them prepare before they make their final decision or start their studies in other countries."

Alpine has four employees in Beijing and four in the US, with three consultants in the US and seven in Beijing. Alpine has just finished a "base camp" program that trains middle-school students to think creatively and logically. The program, designed by a PhD student from Stanford, lasts for a semester.

Lin Zhiyu, an 11-year-old student, took an Alpine training course. His mother, Wang Yi, says the family is preparing to send him overseas to study, but have yet to decide when. She wants him to be familiar with Western-style education first.

"They (teachers in Alpine) taught my son not only English but also other different courses such as art, architecture and design," Wang says. "I think it does help my son to think, to express and to argue, which is more suitable for him than Chinese education."

Wang says that she does not want to judge the US and Chinese education systems, but believes her son is happier studying in a Western style. "It is not a case of which is good or which is bad. Some students can learn a lot under the Chinese educational system, and some will learn more in the US."

Jaskol also plans to launch more courses in other cities such as Shanghai and Guangzhou. At the same time, he wants to keep the one-on-one coaching to a small scale.

"Our cost is higher than other educational agencies because the term is relatively longer and asks both parties to devote time and effort. Students need to explore themselves while coaches need to know more about their clients and the university."

Jaskol strives for a balance of making a living and chasing a dream. He has a major in East Asian Studies, his lifelong interest, and an MBA from Yale. For him, running an educational consultancy is both business and pleasure.

Many Chinese students prefer agencies that are familiar with the application process and will directly instruct them what kind of documents and files they need to prepare. Sometimes, they even write the personal statements for students, Jaskol says.

"But if you want to accomplish something more than a certificate, you need to participate in every process, know why you are doing these, and do them by yourself."

Alpine's programs may not be as profitable as other educational agencies, he says.

"Their business model is mature and highly efficient, just like an assembly line. I want to make money, but not that way."

Contact the writers at suzhou@chinadaily.com.cn and linjingcd@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 10/05/2012 page21)