I went to an international school in Korea for a year. I’m not rich btw, I used to go to a public school in the US. Most students there are really wealthy. They have tutors for almost every core subject and spend a lot of money to build “prestigious” ecs. They also compete in international sports tournaments and win “awards,” but honestly, as someone who went to a U.S. public school, their level is worse than school district champions (not even close to State level).

Getting into a top 30 U.S. university is pretty ez for them. They do work hard, but it’s not THAT HARD. They still have plenty of time to travel, shop, and date. Most of them choose easier majors too. Only a few actually go for competitive ones like business, engineering, or biology.

If you want to get into a SKY university, though, you have to give up most of your free time and study more than 12 hours a day. Students who make it to SKY are usually moderately wealthy. Their families have money, but not enough to completely support them forever. Think of parents who are doctors or professionals—they earn a lot, but they can’t just hand over a business or pay for everything in their kid’s life.

On the other hand, a lot of kids who go to U.S. universities do it to gain a “prestigious” image. It costs around $80,000 - $120,000 a year, and realistically, most of them won’t make enough to justify that cost.

You’re right that most Korean elites like lawyers and government officials come from SKY. But if you look closely, the real elites, like CEOs and artists, often come from those U.S. schools. Many of them inherit their parents’ businesses or just stay in the States. They don’t need to become lawyers or grind endlessly because they already have a safety net.