After 26 years, how is the girl "I have to go to Harvard to study economics" living?

Liu Yiting was once a famous figure in China. She was labeled a prodigy and was seen by many parents as a role model for "other people's children". 26 years after her viral moment, Liu Yiting suddenly became the center of discussion in the Chinese online community.

In 1999, 18-year-old Liu Yiting from Chengdu shocked the Chinese public. She was accepted into Harvard University and received a full scholarship. Her achievements were widely reported in the press. Yiting quickly became a public sensation.

Soon after, her parents published the book Harvard Girl Liu Yiting , to share the secret to raising successful children. In Vietnam, this book was published under the name I Must Go to Harvard to Study Economics . The book sold more than 2.5 million copies and became a "compass" for raising children for countless families in China.

In the book, methods such as holding ice cubes in the winter to train strong will, or carefully considered diet menus have been appreciated by countless parents, considered as "golden rules" to learn from.

After 26 years, information about Liu Yiting has suddenly attracted attention again. She is currently residing in the US, married to a lawyer and lives a private life. This has made many people who used to idolize Liu Yiting and her parents feel... "disillusioned".

Liu Yiting with his mother (Photo: The Paper).

The "artificial genius" model: The roadmap is designed from the womb

Ever since she was pregnant, Die Dinh's mother had been using early parenting methods. When Die Dinh was born, everything from the amount of breast milk, the nutritional content of baby food, to the types of toys bought for her, were strictly controlled by her parents.

Starting at the age of 10, during the winter, Yi Ting had to hold ice for 15 minutes to train his will. After this detail appeared in a book published by Yi Ting's parents, the "holding ice" exercise became a part of the childhood memories of many Chinese children at that time.

During puberty, Diec Dinh was not allowed to wear colorful clothes, had to cut her hair neatly, and kept her distance from boys. She was also forbidden to idolize entertainment stars, and was not allowed to follow "fashion" or popular culture trends.

Instead, her parents encouraged her to keep a detailed record of how she spent her time and to keep a diary every day. The schedule and diary were to be read by her parents. In 1999, Yiting was accepted into four prestigious American universities. She eventually chose Harvard University.

When she became a phenomenon of "other people's children" in the country of a billion people, Liu Yiting once talked about her dream: "I want to devote my whole life to building and developing the country. I will use scientific knowledge to create more jobs for the community, enrich society, so that all poor children can go to school, and all people in need can receive help."

Liu Yiting when he was a student at Harvard University (Photo: The Paper).

Difficult career and private life in a foreign land

At Harvard University, Liu Yiting majored in economics. She initially stated that she would return to her home country to contribute, but after graduating in 2003, she decided to stay in the US to work.

Her career in the US was not smooth. She worked at the management consulting firm Boston Consulting Group, the food and beverage giant PepsiCo , and an investment fund. However, she did not stay long at any of them. After that, she tried to start her own business, but the company went bankrupt. Liu Yiting continued to try to start a company with friends, but this experiment also failed.

Meanwhile, in China, when the image of "Harvard Girl" was still admired by the public, her parents continued to release the book "Harvard Girl 2: Learning Methods and Details of Raising Liu Yiting". This book was released in 2004.

However, during this period, critical books and articles revealed the hidden corners behind the applications that impressed the most demanding admissions boards in the world. Many parents began to suspect: Could it be that Liu Yiting did not completely get into Harvard on her own?

At this time, the secrets of how to "beautify" study abroad applications began to be revealed. "Prodigies" like Diec Dinh, despite their efforts, did not achieve their results entirely through their efforts.

Liu Yiting has experienced ups and downs in her career. Currently, she is married and settled in the US (Photo: The Paper).

Not returning home, living a quiet life abroad: Is it a failure?

Currently, Diec Dinh is married to a lawyer. The couple lives in New York, USA. Both Diec Dinh and his parents have become more private.

Many Chinese netizens believe that Diec Dinh's current life does not match the expectations people once placed on her.

Perhaps because Diec Dinh was once considered a hot phenomenon, her parents wrote books sharing how to successfully raise children, and she made many big promises, Diec Dinh's current life disappoints many people.

Regarding the topic that is causing a stir on social networks, the news outlet The Paper (China) commented that the story about Liu Yiting at the present time will help the public have a more correct view on raising children.

Success does not have a common definition for everyone. Especially in today's era, the concept of success is becoming more diverse.

According to a 2023 survey on family education in China, 65% of parents believe that getting into a top university is success.

Meanwhile, another survey by Harvard University conducted the same year showed that the happiest group of alumni were not the richest businessmen, but teachers and artists.

According to The Paper , when Liu Yiting chooses a more private life, perhaps the public should also learn to let go of the "deified" expectations they once placed on her.

Parents do not need to compete in the journey of raising children, should not apply stereotyped formulas for raising "artificial geniuses", but should only keep in mind: "Children do not need to become prodigies. Parents just need their children to live happily and be themselves".

According to The Paper

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giao-duc/sau-26-nam-co-gai-em-phai-den-harvard-hoc-kinh-te-dang-song-the-nao-20250522162420636.htm