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A Tale of Two Cultures

June 2009

In the 25-year history of Dunbar Educational Consultants, families from far and wide have travelled long distances from their home countries to seek the help of our professional service. Conscious of the need to overcome the distance and break the language barrier, Dunbar Educational Consultants set up an office in Hong Kong when the opportunity arose in 2001. Our office, in the heart of the business district in Central Hong Kong, has since served numerous families from both Hong Kong and Mainland China.

The college application process can be interpreted as a large dosage of added stress mixed into your everyday life. This becomes even more evident when you are applying to colleges thousands of miles away in terms of distance as well as culture.

Chinese culture often exonerates filial piety, obedience and humility and as a result many Chinese students tend to write about how they need to obey their parents as a way to show their gratitude. In Western cultures, these virtues can be looked upon as being dependent and lacking self-confidence. This is only one example of the critical mistakes international students regularly make simply due to cultural differences.

The Dunbar Educational Consultants office in Hong Kong continues to play an important role in helping both Hong Kong and Mainland Chinese students cross this cultural boundary. Our website has been translated into Chinese for the convenience of our Chinese parents to better understand how we can help their children navigate the application process. Please contact Gloria Choy at GChoy@DunbarConsultants.com for further information about how we can assist Hong Kong and Mainland Chinese students seeking to attend boarding schools and colleges in the US.

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