China's Freshmen Face Communication Issues

500,000 Chinese university students drop out every year, according to Chinese education consultancy Mycos (MY-koss).

To find out why, Mycos conducted a survey about first year students' financial and interpersonal issues.

Out of 12000 respondents, one third said they face financial troubles.

But students and specialists say in today's China, the big issue isn't money woes.

It's communication.

Allie Johnson reports:

When Ye Pian Ran started at Beijing's Renmin University last semester, her biggest challenge was 'loneliness'.

"I was new here and all are strangers around me. I felt out of place – I don't know how to say it - uncomfortable, and there's no place to go…"

Xiao Ye Qiong is in her senior year at Renmin University.

She says as a freshman, adjusting to dorm life was tough.

"There did exist some difficulties in keeping good relations with roommates. You know, we are the only child in family, and we were treated like princess and prince which makes us become selfish and arrogant. So it's easy for us to cause some problems among us."

According to a recent study by Mycos Institute, Ye and Xiao's experiences are typical of today's freshmen.

12000 first year university students responded to the online survey.

Zhang Jing Xiu is the vice-president at Mycos Institute.

"The main purpose is to call attention to the challenges faced by the freshmen. Because it's going to be a huge social issue. About 500 000 students drop out each year. It's a huge number."

And one quarter of respondents said they had problems with interpersonal communication.

20% of male respondents said they had trouble making friends with women, and 15 per cent of girls had difficulty getting along with room mates.

"I want to say it's a very huge transition, especially in China, to graduate from a high school to a college. They need to face a new environment, new students and teachers, a quite different educational system."

Yu Hai is a sociology professor at Fu Dan University.

He has been teaching freshman students since the 1980s.

He says the 1990s generation has a much greater sense of self than the generation before them.

And this has its good and bad sides.

"My students, they show the very active attitude and to participate in the discussion in the class. I give the comments, I will say, you are different from the 1980s generation, to want to share your own opinions, they do like to participate in discussions – this is different. But they lack of a capacity to consider other people."

It's not just a question of only child syndrome.

The 1980s generation are only children too.

But Yu says today's students are growing up in a very different China.

"They're totally in a very good situation, it's an atmosphere of development and our country and families are richer and richer. They use the computer very early and they get more information through internet. They get more incentive to their own self confidence, and self approval".

Yu recommends schools and communities implement community service programs for children and youth.

"This is an opportunity for them to know the society and to know the needs of ordinary people."

Ye Pian Ran is almost done her first year, and she says her social life has smoothed out.

"It's okay. Cause now in a dorm of six people, we have friends to talk to, and when we need help we can easily find someone to talk to."

Zhang Jing Xiu of Mycos Institute says it's important to keep in mind that this is just a very simple internet survey.

He hopes that more in-depth research on this issue can help more first year students make it to graduation day.

For CRI, I'm Allie Johnson.