The study abroad wave has brought a lot of international students to America, especially from Asian countries. One reason for this, especially for students from my home country of China, is that many parents think America has a better education system and that if their children study in the U.S., they will have a better future.

But people who just follow the wave and come to the U.S. are missing something. International students’ lives can be very different from the lives of students who attend college in their home country. The following challenges show the benefits of studying abroad as well as the disadvantages, which prospective international students should know about before making the decision to study abroad.

Here are [five things to know about U.S. academic culture.]

1. International students have to be more independent from family. Living in a brand-new environment is very challenging. Imagine being far away from family and having a language barrier and cultural differences. Those obstacles are something every single international student must face when first arriving in the U.S.

The moment students land at the airport, it is all upon them. There is nothing their parents can do to help them if they run into trouble, because many parents of international students — particularly those from my home country — do not speak English. Many of them have also never been to the U.S. and thus cannot offer any realistic suggestions if their children run into trouble. In such an environment, international students are forced to face obstacles by themselves and gradually become independent from their family.

Students who stay in their home country for college have been in a pattern of telling their parents whenever they have problems, since parents are more experienced. Likely, they would have more connection with their family and thus be less independent.

Check out [four free tools to help international students improve their English.]

2. The range of academic difficulty is large at U.S. colleges, as things start easy and get harder. Some people might think that international students, particularly from Asian countries, are able to dominate college courses in math and the sciences, since many learned much harder concepts back home. That might be true in the first few quarters, but in my experience, the content gets harder and harder very quickly in the U.S.

The fundamental knowledge in these subjects is typically easy for international students from these countries, because most of it was covered in high school before they came to the U.S. However, when the content gets to a more advanced level, international students may struggle. At that time, a language barrier might become a bigger problem.

In contrast, students studying in their home country would be better situated, as they can continue learning where they left off in high school. In other words, students in their home country would feel more comfortable with the progression of academic difficulty.

3. International students are likely to be exposed to new experiences. International students are not coming all the way from their homeland to America to simply get a certificate or degree. More importantly, they are looking to acquire the ability to live in anywhere in the world.

For example, people who know two languages are frequently more able to easily learn a third language. During their time studying abroad, students encounter people with different cultural backgrounds, and witness how diverse it is in America, where different cultures are respected. Thus, international students are often more open to accepting new things.

In many Asian countries, for example, there is a lack of diversity, as Asian people predominate. In China, people are curious when they see people of other ethnicities. Students who stay in such a community would have a smaller chance of being exposed to new things.

Find out [what you need to know about U.S. colleges before applying.]

4. Being an international student can be lonely. I know international students who speak English so well that people probably cannot tell that student isn’t a native — but often those international students still feel uncomfortable about being in a new place.

It is very hard to change the personal and cultural values they hold deep inside their hearts. International students can feel permanently alien — they come from another country and all they can do is to adapt to this new environment. That can lead to feelings of loneliness sometimes.

However, students studying in their home country would not necessarily be as lonely, as they grew up in the environment and will not feel as out of place.

For many students, these are significant differences between studying in a home country such as China and being an international student in the U.S. Being aware of these changes before you get on a plane is key to being successful.

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4 Ways Studying in the U.S. Challenges Students originally appeared on usnews.com