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China Daily) 08:47, July 23, 2014
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Many Chinese students are fueling an industry of fraudulent US universityapplications, reports He Na in Beijing.
On the day that Li Chang, 19, received admission offers from seven well-known USuniversities in late June, his father Li Wanjin had the most satisfying sleep in a year.
The relieved father called many friends the next morning to share the news.
He also called the recruitment agency he used to help his son's university applications - andpromised to pay it the rest of the 50,000 yuan ($8,060) fee on time.
Except for the Test of English as a Foreign Language and remote video interviews that hisson had to do in person, the rest of the preparations and work for the applications was doneby friends and the agency.
The agency handled and "improved" the application materials including the student'sresume, recommendation letters, intern experience and high-school transcripts.
Friends who are English-language specialists or foreigners were also mobilized to helpprepare 10 self-recommendation letters written to read like those that came from thehand of a high-school student.
"These letters were really good. Even if I were the admission officers, I would like the boywhom these letters described," Li Chang joked.
Many have noticed the problem associated with such applications.
On July 1, cable TV channel CNN reported admission officers saying that as many as one in10 applications to US colleges by Chinese students may include fraudulent materials likefake essays and high-school transcripts.
The report also blamed recruitment agencies. The Ministry of Education has certifiednearly 500 recruitment agencies, but thousands more are said to operate outside officialscrutiny.
All of this is occurring as the number of Chinese applicants rises and US colleges admitmore of them. Almost one in four foreign students on US campuses is Chinese and mostpay full tuition.
Figures from the Institute of International Education, an independent, non-profiteducation group, show that the number of Chinese students in the US reached 235,597 inthe 2012-13 academic year, increasing 21.4 percent from the year before.
Tip of the iceberg
Harry Lee, CEO of Amber Education Group, said the problem may be much worse.
"The US has long been a hot destination for Chinese who want to study overseas. ButChinese applicants are often unfamiliar with the admission procedures for US colleges, soabout 90 percent of students will seek recruiting agencies as representatives," Lee said.
"In Hong Kong, recruiting agencies charge only about 6,000 yuan for a student, but in themainland, the price generally stays at 20,000 to 30,000 yuan and doubles if applying tothe top 50 US colleges," he said.
"I often hear Hong Kong students from US schools complain that some mainland studentsin their classes are actually below the average level. Some cannot even catch up with theclasses. They fail tests and cannot graduate as scheduled."
Xiong Bingqi, deputy director of the 21st Century Education Research Institute, said theproblem is a serious one.
"In 2012, 299 Chinese students in New Zealand were found with counterfeit applicationmaterials. They received deportation orders from the New Zealand government and werebanned from entering the country for five years," he said.
Using fake application materials is also morally wrong. It leaves an indelible stain on theperpetrator, brings shame on all Chinese students and makes it more difficult for otherswho are applying to the schools, Xiong said.
【1】【2】(Editor:Kong Defang、Gao Yinan)
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