Can an Asian American Enjoy UVA?

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Virginia
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<p>I'm an Asian American student at a large school out West. We have a very racially diverse student body, and race is just not an issue. Everyone gets along without any strong sense of divisiveness.</p>

<p>I've been narrowing down my college list (I'm a junior) and all of the schools on the list are in the Northeast, Midwest or the West.</p>

<p>My interest are business, econ, and poltics/government.</p>

<p>My counselor, whom I greatly respect, has been advising me to include UVA. He feels that for my interest, it could be a very good fit.</p>

<p>However, my parents have told me to forget it, and not even consider it. They feel that there is no reason for an Asian American student to go to a Southern college, if he has any choices to attend a school up North or out West. I know and they know this is a very parochial and biased view, but they are adamant that I will face too many issues, anywhere from racial hostilities to racial exclusion.</p>

<p>I've never lived in the South. My only experiences in the South are visits to Florida and Williamsburg/Hilton Head on vacations.</p>

<p>Are my parents correct in their assessment? Is there really no reason for an Asian American student from the West to even consider UVA, if he has choices elsewhere?</p>

<p>I'd appreciate any and all views, especially from current students. Thanks in advance for your responses.</p>

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<p>The best way to find out is to visit UVA. I think while you observe the student body here you will have a 'feel' of the student interaction/racial segregation.</p>

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<p>tenniscraze,</p>

<p>thanks for your suggestion?</p>

<p>do you attend UVA? if you do, are there many students from the West?</p>

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<p>No, they are not correct in their statement. :C If my parents had the same views, I wouldn't be allowed to go to UVA, which isn't even that South in the first place. Northern Virginia, which isn't far from it, has a large Asian American population, and so a lot of Asians apply to UVA and get in. You western Asian Americans... <em>rolls eyes</em></p>

<p>I registered just to tell you this, lol.</p>

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<p>Well I'll tell you that on this campus asians form the largest minority, and while that might not be significant to you, the representation is strong. Two years ago, there were racial attacks against asian girls at a party, but since then, no racial incidents on asians have been publicly reported. On the other hand, black students face a relatively high rate of discrimination at this campus for some reason. </p>

<p>However, having lived in CA myself for a while, I can totally see where you're coming from. CA is just so diverse a place that race isn't usually an issue or something that we discuss. However, you'll see that in UVA intolerance of racial discrimination is emphasized from time to time, especially with the rate of racial incidents occuring on this campus - it has subsided recently though. </p>

<p>When I first came here, I experienced culture shock since I've lived in CA and big cities abroad all my life. This place is rather conservative, but people probably aren't as racist as those in the South. Well, UVA is sort of in the South but it's more progressive compared to other parts of the South; 80% of the city of Charlottesville, where UVA is located, went against the same-sex amendment that would prohibit same-sex marriage, for example (the rate state-wide was only in the low 40 percentile). </p>

<p>I don't feel excluded in this school since I'm part of the largest minority group at UVA. However, sometimes I feel that this place is not as diverse as other peer insitutions, no matter how diverse UVA claims itself to be. The best way to find out is a visit!</p>

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<p>Hey fellow Asian,
I am Asian and I will be attending UVA next fall... The school's about 15% Asian, so we are actually well-represented here. I visited the school couple times so far, and everyone gets along with everyone else pretty well, and also C-ville has lots of ethnic Asian restaurants and all that, so a pretty inviting location. I know that there are a couple frats that don't accept minorities, but I think that's just about as Southern as UVA gets. More than 1/3 of student body is made up of northern VA kids (myself included), and I wouldn't call any northern VA people Southern at all. Your parents shouldn't view UVA as a stereotypical southern school, because it isn't. Hey if you wanna know more about school from the perspective of an Asian (Yea I know I don't go there yet but I have many Asian friends who go there) feel free to ask!</p>

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<p>To anyone that has a similar question, I'm Taiwanese (..not. Thai. I come from Taiwan) and a current first year at UVA. I have never felt discriminated against, everyone was very welcoming and genuinely curious to learn about my culture. I'm in a crapload of activities (to save your browser from freezing up I won't list them =P) and have more white friends than Asian friends. This is a very Asian friendly atmosphere, any more questions or wishing me to go into more detail, private message me and I'll give you my msn.</p>

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<p>I'm an Asian American OOS thinking of going to UVa. I don't care what percentage of people there are "Asian" like me, more importantly I want to know whether I will be made to feel like an outsider because of the color of my skin. Will I be seen as a person first, or an "Asian guy"? I'm not the type to only hang around with people who look like me, instead I like to hang out with whoever has the same interests as me and can relate to me.</p>

<p>When meeting people and making friends, will I be judged by the color of my skin or the content of my character? (happy MLK day)</p>

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<p>I also found another thread where everyone said inter-racial marriages were given weird looks, even though Charlottesville is more progressive than other areas of the south.</p>

<p>I am half-asian. Similar to Vicente, will people have any kind of awkward predisposition towards me? If I go, will I have to pretend I'm something else?</p>

<p>At the same time, I know I'm probably overreacting -UVa isn't separate from the rest of the world, and a fairly large number of minorities wouldn't stay there for no reason.</p>

<p>I just wasn't worried until people on here said some people were concerned about it.</p>

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<p>^^ not saying that I only date non-Asian girls, but it would suck if I was forced to only date people within my race because of peoples' stupid prejudices.</p>

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<p>Any Asian-Americans (raised here, not recent immigrants) want to comment on whether their race has affected their social life at UVa?</p>

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<p>I don't think that race has been a big factor for me in terms of my social life at UVa. My friends are of different ethnicities/races, so I don't only have Asian friends. Having said that, it is easy to have only one type of friends if you only travel in certain circles, despite the very diverse student population at UVa. My suggestion is to branch out and try to meet new people all the time; you never know if you're going to make a great network connection or another healthy friendship/relationship :)</p>

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<p>I guess that might apply to me as I attended American schools overseas, so not quite fob if that's what you meant. </p>

<p>Race has been a non issue for me, people could not care less if I was green skinned and red haired (well, that's taking it a bit far, but you get my drift). In the wide circles I go around in, it's really about what type of person you are. That said, it's really easy to just stick to Asians and get sucked into the Asian circle because after all, these are people who come from the same culture and speak your Asiatic language. If you want to do that, that's cool. But do try branch out, people are very welcoming and just as eager to be friends.</p>

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<p>I have certainly experienced discrimination (only once-twice).</p>

<p>But I can still enjoy here. Come visit, and decide for yourself.</p>

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<p>^ I guess I experienced some discrimination once in one of my classes. I was talking in Chinese with one of my friends, whereupon the guy sitting next to me promptly turned around to his friends and started mocking my speech. I kept his expression in the corner of my eye when I answered one of the prof's questions in fluent English. Never quite seen a jaw drop so far. =P</p>

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<p>^ you had it better.</p>

<p>some drunk guy called me a "chink" once. </p>

<p>but again, you are gonna experience this type of stuff in most top schools, like princeton.</p>

<p>most people are not too racist though.</p>

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<p>"^ I guess I experienced some discrimination once in one of my classes. I was talking in Chinese with one of my friends, whereupon the guy sitting next to me promptly turned around to his friends and started mocking my speech. I kept his expression in the corner of my eye when I answered one of the prof's questions in fluent English. Never quite seen a jaw drop so far. =P"</p>

<p>That's pretty unbelievable... I am ashamed to attend UVA for reasons like this. I just don't understand how some ignorant people, like the one you described, got in here at the first place. Yes, racism exists everywhere, but mockery of language or culture should not be tolerated at all in a place like this.</p>

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<p>^There will be idjits. <em>shrug</em> Or a Chinese saying - 井底之蛙 -- a frog in the bottom of a well thinks the little patch of sky he sees is the world. Those folks will be in for a rude awakening when they enter the workplace, and perhaps grow up some. Just goes to show that even a place like UVA (wahoowa!) will have their share of people like that.</p>

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<p>Let me respond first to the OP, and if I still have time before I need to take my friend to the airport I'll look at responses of others. </p>

<p>First of all, I am not an Asian American, so take that for what you will. However, among the other dozen kids who came from my high school, I was the only white male (half were females of various Asian backgrounds, all good friends of mine). </p>

<p>I think UVa is a fabulous place for anyone, minorities of all types included. The Asian American population is strong and visible and very active. With several clubs (ASU - Asian Student Union, CSA - Chinese Student Association, TSA - Taiwanese Student Association, TSO - Thai Student Organization, VSA - Vietnamese Student Association, OYFA - Organization of Young Filipino Americans, KSA - Korean Student Union, I'm probably missing something) and other groups including fraternities and sororities, there are so many resources and outlets to foster a wonderful experience for both Asian Americans, and non Asian Americans at the University. </p>

<p>These various organizations (as well as others I'm sure to have left out) are always sponsoring various types of events having to do with food, holidays, dances, parties, performances, etc. </p>

<p>In regards to your parents' comments, while I think they are quite a bit near-sided, they are valid concerns. I'm from the metro-Washington DC area, and I found UVa to be quite southern for my tastes the first few weeks of class. However, as time passed I realized that the "southern" part of the school (meaning my fellow students from areas one may consider southern) stuck out to me most because I have had little to no experience with it before in my life. Here I was, coming from a high school with only 35% Caucasian population, 32+ countries represented, thinking there was nothing I hadn't experienced, and BAM! it hit me like a truck. </p>

<p>What I'm saying is this: yes there are parts of UVa that give it a southern edge, unlike UCBerkeley, for the sake of an example, but it certainly does not detract from the experiences of those who do not fit that category. I have yet to find someone in my three years who honestly felt that they couldn't find people here to relate to or to make friends with. The diversity at UVa is strong, and it makes each one of us a better prepared individual when leaving the utopia that is grounds.</p>

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<p>Wow I feel like a CC noob now, the OP posted 1 year ago...</p>