回复：Are you saying environment is what makes and breaks?

yes, sort of. 
What I am saying is that our kids are naturally put at a disadvantage situation because we are minority and the minority who are not united is definitely going to have a harder time to make the living environment more foreign and more difficult to show up their talents (thus getting promoted and moving upward). 

Look at those people who are high scorers but live in China, they are mostly doing far better (relatively in the society) than here. So I think it is the culture or the soil. That is the main reason....

Just my 10cents.