Many Chinese students come to the U.S. for college.For the past few years, the number of Chinese students studying in the U.S. has continued to rise. In 2012, Chinese student enrollments rose by 23% overall, and by 31% at the undergraduate level in particular, according to the Institute of International Education’s Open Doors report.

The report states that one of the driving factors behind this trend is the fact that many international students and parents believe that earning a bachelor’s degree in the U.S. will be a sound investment in their future.

“The Chinese are going to invest in anything that gives them an edge, and having a U.S. degree certainly gives them that edge back home,” Peggy Blumenthal, a vice president at the Institute of International Education, told The New York Times in 2010.

Blumenthal added that by attending an American college, many Chinese students feel they will develop important skills, such as fluency in English, real-world knowledge in their field and the ability to get a job with an international organization or government agency.

Because of this, many Chinese students are willing to do whatever it takes to study in the U.S., including coming to the nation early to enroll at an American high school.

Citing data from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Times recently reported that 638 Chinese students with visas attended high school in New York City alone in 2012, up from 114 only five years earlier.

Many Chinese students and their parents feel that by attending an American high school – particularly a private institution – they will be more likely to receive an acceptance letter from a prestigious college. Additionally, many find that by enrolling at a high school in the U.S., they will have more time to participate in extracurricular activities than they would in China, which could give them a leg up on the competition during the admissions process, the Timesreports.

In New York City in particular, many Chinese students attend the Léman Manhattan Preparatory School. Last fall, the school hosted 27 students from China, meaning these youths made up about one-fifth of the high school student body, the Times states. These students frequently live in studio apartments on Wall Street and are supervised by houseparents who ensure they are safe, happy and transitioning well into life in their new city.

In total, Chinese parents spend about $68,000 per year for tuition and boarding at Léman. However, if it benefits their children’s education, many wealthy Chinese families feel this is a small price to pay.