<p>Then, let's make it consistent. From now on, nobody's an Asian. You can be Filipino, Indian, Cambodian, Laotian, Mongolian, Korean, Chinese, Kazakh, Uzbek, Pakistani, but nobody is Asian.</p>
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And who the hell calls Russians Asians? If anything most of them are European? Like 75% plus? That's pretty ironic.
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<p>Russia was founded by Slavs who migrated to Muscovy, intermingled with the non-Indo-European peoples there, had some Finno-Ugric gene flow, had some North-Germanic gene flow (Vikings), were temporarily subjugated by Mongols, then their descendants (Khanate of the Golden Horde), had some incursions by the Tartars... then themselves subjugated Poland-Lithuania, had some gene flow with Siberia, etc. etc. </p>
<p>If you look at Russians mitochondrial DNA you will find that it's not 75% European, 25% Asian. Rather, WITHIN EACH RUSSIAN, there is a mix of Mongolic, Finno-Ugric, Slavic, Germanic, Balkanic, Baltic, etc. genetic roots. And it does differ individually.</p>
<p>That is why Russia is rather exotic. It's a mix of East and West. The musical epitome of this kind of mixing is found in Tchaikovsky, who synthesised influences from both roots.</p>
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Fact: Asians have only two vulnerable: School and Video Games</p>
<p>As an asian if I don't get into Harvard, Princeton, or Yale, I will kill myself.
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<p>Alright – this might have been in jest, but let’s get real here…</p>
<p>I studied the least of all my friends (pretty much all white) during HS (didn’t study at all), college (did some all-niters) and grad school (studied during the 2-3 weeks prior to finals).</p>
<p>I have played a video game maybe 6-7 times in my life and have never owned a gaming system, much less any game for a PC.</p>
<p>I didn’t get in the 3 aforementioned schools and yet, I’m still here.</p>
<p>So, I guess I must not be "Asian".</p>
<p>In fact, the vast majority of Asian-American students don’t attend Ivies (or top private universities) and yet, they are still here (most probably don’t even think of applying to the Ivies due to cost, etc.)</p>
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Enrollment of Asian Americans by Sector</p>
<p>Sector Enrollment, 2000 % Change in Enrollment, 1990-2000
Private, four-year colleges 101,751 +53.4%
Public, four-year colleges 354,564 +42.2%
Community colleges 363,798 +73.3%
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<p>In fact, black immigrants attend the Ivies at a higher mutiple to their pop. % than Asian-Am students and they have the same focus on academics that a good portion, but not all of Asian immigrants do.</p>
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Under Kenya's system, advancement is based almost entirely on results of the national graduation exam, testing four years' work with no consideration for class participation or course grades and little credit for extracurricular activities.</p>
<p>As a result, pressure on students to score high is immense. Seniors frequently study from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., including Saturdays and half a day on Sundays. Teachers push them hard because their performance evaluations are based largely on their students' test scores. </p>
<p>For parents, a well-educated child is often the family's only hope for escaping poverty.</p>
<p>"It's so stressful, sometimes I cry," said Shenaiza Ali, 18, a senior at a Nairobi girls school. "If I do poorly, my parents yell, 'What are you doing?' Sometimes I feel it's too much."
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<p>In addition, the percentage of Jewish students who, not only apply to the Ivies, but actually attend them, is also significantly higher - and yet, people seem to want to just focus on Asians.</p>
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That wasn't my point. Just because Asians make up 15% of the freshman class doesn't mean UPenn/Dartmouth are well known among Asian parents. Especially ones in Korea.</p>
<p>Large asian student population =/= well known among asian parents.
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<p>Along the same tack - UCB, UCLA and UM are highly regarded by many Asian parents in Asia - and yet, in the US, people tend to look upon Penn and Dartmouth as being more "prestigious".</p>
<p>Re: Philippines:</p>
<p>the Philippines was racially and culturally Malay until the Spanish arrived (conquered is perhaps a better word). Thus the majority of land holders in the Philippines are spanish descendents.</p>
<p>The Chinese, being avid world travelers and traders, are the other major influence in the Philippines. Most trading companies are owned and headed by Chinese immigrants... from the mid 1800s until the present.</p>
<p>So, you are both right about the Philippines... it is Asian, from both Malay and Chinese influences, but also Western from Spanish influence. You don't think Philip (pines) was Asian, do you?</p>
<p>Most Philippinos are Catholic. The main english language newspaper in Manila is chock full of Catholic references as though of course everyone is devoutly Catholic.</p>
<p>So you've got in the Philippines a very interesting syncretistic society.</p>
<p>Asian, or Western? BOTH. to complicate matters, if you ask a person of Chinese or Spanish heritage if they are Philippino, they will answer: No! We are Chinese!/Spanish!</p>
<p>^ Nonetheless, most Fils are ethnically, Malay.</p>
<p>Fabrizio if you choose to argue as such, then feel free.</p>
<p>If you want to label people as such, then do so. They however have every right to reject that label and to choose one which supercedes your continental intentions.</p>
<p>Bourne, my point is that if you're going to reject the label, then be consistent and reject it for all other Asians.</p>
<p>Notice how startraksfinest claimed that he wasn’t Asian but still used “Asian” to refer to non-Filipino Asians. I find that to be inconsistent and not fair. If you reject it for yourself, even though you’re every bit as Asian as Koreans, Laotians, and so forth, then don’t refer to non-Filipino Asians as “Asians.” Refer to them by their own unique demonyms.</p>
<p>Do you have a problem with the very singular label "Asian"?</p>
<p>You don't feel that other countries get lost inside that label?</p>
<p>Disregard what others have said about it.</p>
<p>I killed myself after I didn't get into Harvard. It was sad.</p>
<p>the idea that most immigrant families come to united states for education has to be considered. most asian parents want the best colleges for their children because they are concerned with education so much. it's almost like the official asian culture or something... like in korea, an average student would come home at 11 at night from lessons and tutoring because their parents make them go. i personally think it's ridiculous... of course everyone should shoot for the ivy's but it's definitely not the end of the world to go to a decent school. i'd say, go to a decent school, work hard, and go to a better school for masters. it just shows more ambition and passion to do that</p>
<p>^ Uhh, it's the same way in Africa and Eastern Europe - where getting into the top universities can pretty much set your path in life.</p>
<p>Once you get into the top universities, it becomes pretty much stress-free.</p>
<p>Note that alumni contacts and relationships tend to be much more important in these areas. Heck, high school contacts also hold a lot of sway.</p>
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Do you have a problem with the very singular label "Asian"?</p>
<p>You don't feel that other countries get lost inside that label?
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<p>If someone calls me an Asian, I dont have a problem with that. Has he said something incorrect? No, China is in Asia, therefore all Chinese are Asians.</p>
<p>What I have a problem with is when Asian people start saying stuff to the effect of, I can choose to not be Asian, but you cant choose. Hey, if you dont want to be called Asian even though you are, then why are you calling other people Asian? Are they less special than you? Be fair. If youre going to insist that you be referred to by your ethnicity, then do the same for others. Its just an application of the golden rule.</p>
<p>And, no, I dont feel that other countries get lost. To me, Asia is a vast and diverse continent that stretches from the Middle East to Japan. To me, Asia is not two countries. We should not let people who know almost no geography define the boundaries of Asia. If more people understood the nonsensicalness of elevating ignoramuses to the status of experts, then we wouldnt be hearing Asians say stuff like, Im not Asian.</p>
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^ Uhh, it's the same way in Africa and Eastern Europe - where getting into the top universities can pretty much set your path in life.</p>
<p>Once you get into the top universities, it becomes pretty much stress-free.</p>
<p>Note that alumni contacts and relationships tend to be much more important in these areas. Heck, high school contacts also hold a lot of sway.
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<p>Uhhh.... it's the other way around. Once you get into a top university, you get even more stress trying to get good grades. Once you graduate from a top University, you accumulate a greater stress than before, because you have to establish yourself to your colleagues as a hard worker. </p>
<p>When you get into the real world, you have to work to establish yourself. You can't just sit back on your lazy ass and expect your Ivy League degree to do all your work for you.</p>
<p>Brown man1987: I don't know this for a fact, but from reading on this topic, I am of the impression that in Japan at least, where one went to college establishes the parameters in which one may operate. The C level positions within the larger companies are limited to 4-5 universities, with Tokyo U being in the lead position. Didn't go to one of those 4-5 universities? Then prepare to forever report to your boss who did!</p>
<p>Of course which university one attends depends upon exams and which prep school one attended, which depends upon exams and which elementary school one attended... all the while the students starting at age 4 grinding away for 12-14 hours per day on the coursework.</p>