Academic Performance and Cultural Adaptation of South Korean Parachute Kids

Abstract

This study investigates how Korean Parachute Kids perform academically in their schools and what social factors contribute to Korean Parachute Kids' academic performance. Korean children who came to the U.S. for educational purposes without their parental supervision are called `Korean Parachute Kids'. They have several characteristics: most of them come from high SES families, their parents have high expectations of their children and force them to go to the U.S., Korean Parachute Kids are pressured to attend Ivy League colleges, and their parents tend to compensate for their absence with money or presents. Korean Parachute Kids who come to the United States without their parents encounter many problems, both academically and socially. Many Korean Parachute Kids struggle to adjust and face academic failure due to language barriers, cultural differences, and the different curricula in the U.S. This failure occurs even though acquiring an education is the reason for Korean Parachute Kids' stay in the U.S. and is what their parents have invested exorbitant amounts of money. In light of the absence of their parents, many Korean Parachute Kids' behaviors go unchecked, which may, in turn, cause these children to be maladjusted in many aspects of their school lives. Korean parents' high expectation for their children's academic success is regarded as one of the factors that cause their children to misbehave. Research is needed in order to inform Korean parents and Korean and U.S. society about the academic and social implications of early study abroad for Korean children. Guidelines should also be provided in order for Korean parents to discern what the good and bad aspects of early study abroad in the U.S. are for their children. This research will also be beneficial to educators in America in that they will be aware of Korean Parachute Kids' academic and social difficulties in school since the number of Korean Parachute kids who study in the U.S. continues to increase.