Study in USA

Flying-Man

Plan to send 2 kids to study in USA a few years later. One is now in P.4 and the other is in P.2. Parents are local Hongkong people, no green cards.

Anyone who has kid(s) studying in primary schools (not sure if the term is correct), middle high schools or high schools in USA? Please share your experiences.

Many thanks.

smallmui

you will go with your kids or just left them for bording school. Bording school is very expensive.

Flying-Man

I do want to go with my kids and take care of them as what I'm doing in HK. My husband will stay and work in HK.

Any visa that I can apply for?

What's the most "money saving" way to study primary / middle / high schools there as overseas students?

Would it save any school fee if I have good friends (US citizens) or relatives (also US citizens) as guardians of my kids?

How expensive is a boarding school?

Welcome any advice. Many thanks.

acdad

Why boarding schools while U can stay with your kids?

Which part of US U would like to go to?

My advice, go to places which can be reached by one direct flight from HKG, such as LAX, SFO, etc if U need to traval quite frequent between 2 places.

I am planning to send my kids to US and stay with them for a year or 2 as well. Things in US are not expensive comparing to those in HK and China, especially real estates. U may consider selling or renting out your property in HK and buy a townhouse in US in a nice neighbourhood for less than HK$4000/sq ft.

There are plenty of agencies out there and U may get preliminary info in their websites and talk to them to get more info.

http://www.myfindschools.net/en/americadetails2.php?nid=3

acdad

Just read about this. It may be an option. But I don't know any agency who does that. I abandoned my green card years ago.

美國投資移民的條件

1) 淨資產要求有100萬美元，願意投資50萬美元到區域中心（資金來源可由經商積累或來自贈予、繼承等合法方式）。區域中心有多種項目可供選擇投資。各個項目的投資前景誘人，有專業公司管理經營，五年後可取回投資額（根据項目運營情況返還投資額）。如果I-529申請未獲得通過，區域中心返還50萬投資額。

2) 對投資者沒有學歷、語言、工作經驗要求，不需參加投資管理。

3) 投資者及其配偶和未滿21周歲的子女可同時移民美國，同時獲得臨時綠卡， 2年到期前3個月申請轉成正式綠卡。可到美國任何地方居住、工作、學習和創業。

4) 申請時間大約1年左右

Flying-Man

Why boarding schools while U can stay with your kids?

*** Going to boarding schools is an option if I can't go and stay with my kids, so just wanna know how expensive they are.

Which part of US U would like to go to?

My advice, go to places which can be reached by one direct flight from HKG, such as LAX, SFO, etc if U need to traval quite frequent between 2 places.

*** Picking a place where can be reached by one direct flight is a very good advice. I like LAX very much.  

I am planning to send my kids to US and stay with them for a year or 2 as well. Things in US are not expensive comparing to those in HK and China, especially real estates. U may consider selling or renting out your property in HK and buy a townhouse in US in a nice neighbourhood for less than HK$4000/sq ft.

*** Thanks for the good advice. I hope I can (both financially & legitimately) stay with my kids there for a year or 2 as well. We're not millionaires, so "money" is a concern. It's very risky for us the whole family to give up everything in HK and go to live in a totally new place. My husband will be staying in HK taking care of his business to "earn" money to continue to support the kids' study.

*** To where are you planning to go? How old are your kids?

There are plenty of agencies out there and U may get preliminary info in their websites and talk to them to get more info.

http://www.myfindschools.net/en/americadetails2.php?nid=3

*** Thanks for the above website. I've started checking with agencies and gathering info about this. Just wanna know more and plan well ahead!

美國投資移民

*** This is an option as well. Will check further about this.

Why did you abandon your green card years ago? We, on the contrary, would like to apply for it desperately. What does having a green card really mean? Are there any differences between residency in the USA and the citizenship of the USA?

Sorry for so many queries. Would be much appreciated for your advice.

acdad

My girls are 10 and 14. We probably would stay in the SFO Bay area.

sending them to boarding schools was never an option to us  as we would like our  daughters to stay with us, at least  until they complete their secondary. For boys, it may be different. But if U are not financially ready to send both kids to boarding schools or cannot stay with the kids in US. U may also consider the exchange student program. One of my relative (family income should be less than Hk$20K/month) sent his daughter to US for high school  a few years ago via agency and the girl is now a U grad already. I believe the cost per year via this path may be less than tuition of some international schools in HK. The main  concern should  be the luck of getting a good home stay family.

For your reference, renting a townhouse with a 3 bedroom (real 1400 sq ft)  in  SFO Bay area (Palo Alto) should be appx  US$3000/month which I would say at least 2 times better than what U can get in HK. If U can live with a  smaller apartment, the cost would be less.


http://www.myfindschools.net/en/americadetails2.php?nid=3

As a matter of fact, I did talk to someone who works in the agency above a few times in the last few years. I recommend their service to my friends. I think it is less commercial and more student oriented.

If a child has a green card or citizenship, he can qualify to have free high school (public school)  education and pay as the local people (state residence) tuition fees in public  Universities after living 1 year in that state generally, such as CA. Foreign students pay much higher tuition in University.

US green card holders may live and work in US legitimately but  are required to live in US  for certain years before they can apply for  their  citizenship. However, both green card holders and citizens  need to pay US income taxes (one may apply for foreign income exemption ) and would be questioned every time when they re-enter US after visiting other countries. US immigration may take away your green card if they think U travel too much outside the country but citizenship is  permanent. US citizen may enter US anytime. For my case, my kids and my wife are US citizens, I did not want to lie in order to maintain my green card when I enter the US border every time. That's why I abandoned it and obtain  a 10 year visa instead.

PM me if U need more info.

[ 本帖最後由 acdad 於 11-10-3 01:32 編輯 ]

acdad

Hi Flying-Man,

Check the below links. They should help.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_education


http://www.boardingschoolreview.com/least_expensive_tuition/sort/1

http://www.ehow.com/list_6366859 ... r-requirements.html


[url=http://www.boardingschoolreview. ... lifornia/stateid/CA]http://www.boardingschoolreview. ... lifornia/stateid/CA[/url]

http://boardingschoolsusa.com/?s=14&t=0

http://www.privateschoolreview.c ... _schools/stateid/CA

[ 本帖最後由 acdad 於 11-10-3 13:32 編輯 ]

smallmui

原帖由 acdad 於 11-10-3 01:21 發表
My girls are 10 and 14. We probably would stay in the SFO Bay area.

sending them to boarding schools was never an option to us  as we would like our  daughters to stay with us, at least  until they c ...

Are you sure if a child live there over a year would be treated as a resident and pay residency tuition fee . My son is US citizen and stay there over 2 years, my brother claim his as dependent in tax return but the college still reject him as a resident and require him to pay non resident tution fee. I really don't understand and very upset about that.

smallmui

Actually, I do have some regret not to send my sons to USA earlier at their age of high school. Because if we want our kids directly transfer from high school to U, SAT is count from middle to high school. My second son went there at his grade 11, he is gonna to be graduate next year at grade 12, 2 years is not enough points to earn SAT unless he is genius.

So, my ideas is if plan your kids to USA, it is probably in their grade 7.

acdad

Pls check if U can get the info U need from the below link. Anyway,  I suggest U to seek professional help after checking with the school. There are plenty of lawyers in US helping people establishing residency status. U can save a lot of money in your sons education by doing that.

http://www.registrar.ucsb.edu/residenc.htm#overview

Two-Year Care and Control. Minor students who are U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens may be eligible for resident classification if they have lived with and been under the continuous care and control of an adult or series of adults other than a parent for not less than two years (Note: "two years" is not defined as tax or calendar years under this provision). The adult or series of adults must have been responsible for care and control for the entire two-year period, and must qualify as California residents one year immediately prior to the residence determination date. Click here for more complete information

原帖由 smallmui 於 11-10-3 13:59 發表





Are you sure if a child live there over a year would be treated as a resident and pay residency tuition fee . My son is US citizen and stay there over 2 years, my brother claim his as dependent i ...

[ 本帖最後由 acdad 於 11-10-3 22:10 編輯 ]

acdad

I do think good family education and a close relationship with our kids is far more important than getting them into a famous U.

I have mentioned in this forum previously students can actually choose to enter community colleges and transfer to 4 years U later as an easier path. But anyway, different parents have different sets of values.

原帖由 smallmui 於 11-10-3 17:32 發表
Actually, I do have some regret not to send my sons to USA earlier at their age of high school. Because if we want our kids directly transfer from high school to U, SAT is count from middle to high sc ...

smallmui

yes, i am now seeking a lawyer for help, it is true if my son get residence status, it save a lot of money for tuition .

I do hope my case can solve

Anyway, thanks for your information & advise

fungsiufong

Could you pls explain how to earn SAT from Mid to High School ?
I thought SAT is a test for all grade 12 students need to take in order to apply for USA Universities, is it correct ?
Pls adv.
Thanks.

Flying-Man

acdad,

Thanks for all the links. Will check them out later.

Just curious about the health care service in the USA? As foreigners, what can / should I do if my kids are sick? Is it like HK where I can go to a nearby clinic to see a doctor and get 兩三日藥 for a few hundred HK dollars equivalent? Other than sickness, expenditures on all other things seem more foreseeable and controllable. Am I right?

Flying-Man

smallmui ,

I'd like to know how to earn SAT (points?) from Mid to High School as well. Please advise.

Thanks.

acdad

I beleive various insurance providers do provide insurance plans for foreign students. I used to buy from   Blue Cross myself many many years ago. Below is the link I can find which U can get a quote via the internet .

[url=wlmailhtml:{BD43863E-C707-4B6F-9F47-81DD7E5253BE}mid://00000139/!x-usc:http://www.internationalstudent. ... secure/premiums.php]http://www.internationalstudent.com/insurance/student-secure/premiums.php[/url]

[url=wlmailhtml:{BD43863E-C707-4B6F-9F47-81DD7E5253BE}mid://00000139/!x-usc:http://www.nriol.net/foreign-student-health-insurance/]http://www.nriol.net/foreign-student-health-insurance/[/url]


Yes, I don't think U need to worry about unexpected expeditures if the medical expense is covered. Clothing, grocery, rent, gas and even keeping a car is less than HK.

The only thing that I need to remind U is it is not easy to borrow money from US banks now as they need U to establish a credit history. So, if U want to lease or buy a car, rent an apartment, U better bring some cash there to facilitate such transactions. People in US are using debit cards, not credit cards.

Someone that I know had just bought a property in CA recently and rent it out to a Stanford graduate student with family, who was willing to pay 9 months rent in advance to my friend since he has no credit history.

如果講得極端Ｄ,妳三母子過去住好Ｄ,妳先生係香港甚至國內住平Ｄ,都有數圍ｏ架!

Good luck!

[ 本帖最後由 acdad 於 11-10-5 01:17 編輯 ]

smallmui

Well, what i try to say is SAT is a test of english & math exam to qualify  U requiement , the more time you are in USA study, the longer of skill of english you can learn, it is an adventage to your sons to get high SAT, my son is in grad 12 now, he went there to enter grade 11, he always said even how hard of him, he is not like a native speaker and cannot be able to earn good SAT, that is what I want to express , might be I cause you misunderstanding

sorry!

smallmui

hi acad,

do you have any link for seeking legal professional in USA? Can you post it here

Thanks

acdad

Hi smallmui,

when we travel in US, U may find 2 popular Chinese newspapers in Chinese grocery stores. Try to find the area/state  your son is staying in and  check the classfied posts under professionals and U should be able to find  the professional help U need as well as getting an idea of different things in the neighborhood. Good luck!:)

http://www.singtaousa.com/

http://www.worldjournal.com/

原帖由 smallmui 於 11-10-5 14:54 發表
hi acad,

do you have any link for seeking legal professional in USA? Can you post it here

Thanks

[ 本帖最後由 acdad 於 11-10-5 22:06 編輯 ]