前几天，一位朋友跟我说，他家的小学生娃下学期要从所在的私立学校转回公立学校了。 起初，我以为这只是一次普通的转学决定，因为我知道朋友住的是学区房，对口一所9分的公立中小学，质量不错、步行可达，转学回去正常。闲聊后 才知道她背后的难处。 朋友的丈夫原本在物流行业做后端技术支持，前阵子被裁员了，失业后一直没能找到合适的工作。而她自己创业的小公司，也因为关税和贸易政策的 冲击，已经摇摇欲坠。 更糟的是，两人原本的一部分积蓄投进了股市，结果嘛……最近的美股行情，大家都懂，俩人的积蓄被深度套牢。 真正能让大家在一夜之间倾家荡产、信用破产、走投无路的，是突如其来的医疗账单。 多重打击下，家庭经济状况急转直下，孩子四万美元一年的私校学费变成了他们沉重的负担，他们只好做出决定，让孩子回归公立学校系统。 朋友的经历不是个案。这几年，有孩子的中年中产夫妻，恐怕成了这世上最难熬的一群人。 返贫，不用"三件套"，这一件足矣 在国内，人们常调侃中产"返贫三件套"：房贷上千万、配偶全职带娃、两个孩子读国际学校。 看起来虽然压力山大，但至少那是一种"体面"的返贫——好歹是住着大房子、背着名牌包去接娃。 可在美国，中产返贫根本用不着这么高配 ...

Core Insights - The article discusses the increasing interest of Chinese parents in prestigious British private schools, viewing them as an "educational ideal" for their children [1][2] Group 1: Elite Education Experience - The journey of a student named Yuanzi highlights the competitive nature of admissions to top private schools in the UK, such as Westminster School, where only 75 out of 1500 female applicants were accepted [3] - Attending elite schools provides significant networking opportunities, with 39% of surveyed upper-class elites in the UK having attended private schools, and 24% being graduates of Oxford or Cambridge [4][5] - The article emphasizes the unique experiences and historical moments that students encounter, such as attending the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II [9] Group 2: Financial Implications - The rising costs of private education in the UK are noted, with the average annual fee for boarding schools reaching £42,459 (approximately 407,000 RMB) in 2024, a 9% increase from the previous year [12] - The financial burden of attending these schools is significant, with estimates suggesting that families may need to prepare between 3 million to 5 million RMB for a five-year education [14] - Despite the high costs, many Chinese families view these expenses as an investment in their children's future, with the number of Chinese students in UK private schools increasing by 18.7% to 10,375 in the past year [15][16] Group 3: Application Process and Parental Involvement - The application process for prestigious private schools is complex, often requiring parents to plan several years in advance, with some even consulting during pregnancy [18][19] - Families seeking admission to these schools typically have substantial financial resources, often owning multiple properties or holding executive positions in companies [20][21] - The article also highlights the challenges faced by younger international students in adapting to the boarding school lifestyle, including managing daily tasks like laundry [22][23]

美国劳工统计局周二公布报告显示，美国3月JOLTS职位空缺大幅不及预期，较上月显著回落，降至自去年9月以来的最低水平，显示出在经济不确定性加剧 的背景下，劳动力需求趋于疲软。 自2022年3月创下1218万人的纪录以来，由于美联储大幅加息导致需求放缓，JOLTS职位空缺在大部分时间里大体呈现下降的态势。此前几个月伴随着美联 储降息，JOLTS数据一度出现反弹。当前JOLTS职位空缺水平已接近2020年时的水平。 职位空缺与失业人数的比率在下降。衡量劳动力供需平衡的一个关键指标——每名失业者对应的职位空缺数量，下降至1.0，这是自去年9月以来的最低水 平。这一比例是美联储高度关注的。2022年3月时这一比例创下超过2的纪录水平。该比例在新冠疫情前为1.2，目前已经低于疫情前的水平。 分行业来看，大多数行业的职位空缺数量均出现下降，其中建筑业、交通运输业、私立教育和房地产业尤为明显。唯一出现职位空缺增长的是金融和保险 业。 不过，裁员数量有所下降，招聘活动保持稳定，且更多员工自愿辞职，在一定程度上缓解了职位空缺数据的疲软： 美国3月JOLTS职位空缺719.2万人，预期750万人，2月前值从756.8万人下修至7 ...