<p>It's really sad how many of you are saying, "Sadly I'm in the math club, robotics club..." or, "Oh crap, I'm into chess and science."</p>
<p>Why is this a negative? It's not. I don't understand why just because Asian students are drawn into those activities, they should all be clumped into this one bucket of stereotypes and be looked at unfavorably. So they like similar things; that does not mean they are all similar clone-like people. Each have their unique voice, and each deserve to be recognize on equal basis as any other person with a different interest. </p>
<p>Besides, its the person--the individual-- that makes the impact and the difference, not the extracurriculars they're involved in.</p>
<p>Hey someone mentioned Science Olympiad. Is this a good EC? I was in it 2005-2006 but didn't study for any events. I hope I make the states teamthis this fall (junior). </p>
<p>Oh and I'm asian. I quit violin after freshman year. I might do x-country this year and FYI, all the chinese kids run x-country (and people wonder why it's the only sport with a 3.5+avg. GPA from collective members)</p>
<p>It's not about the stereotypes. It's about passion. Yes, it's true that a lot of Asian kids do stuff like math, science, piano, violin, etc., and many adcoms are tired seeing it over and over again. But that's because many of the kids are forced by their parents to do those things and don't show passion for the activities they're doing. Sure, lots of "stereotypical" Asians get rejected, but if you look at top schools, there are plenty of "stereotypical" Asians as well, and most likely, these were the ones who showed the adcoms they truly liked their extracurriculars.</p>
<p>If you're an Asian who truly likes science, trying to do "non-stereotypical" activities will only hurt you. There's no point in forcing yourself to become a cheerleader if you've got no school spirit, an artist if you hate drawing, or a writer if words don't easily flow to your pen.</p>
<p>Forget about what other people think of you. Just do what you like.</p>
<p>Hey Rasp--your post made me happy...Yup, I love running, and the violin, and Math, and Science=total nerd...but who cares really, i guess... I know I wont stop doing those, but I just wonder if it'll hurt me in the end...</p>
<p>Also, just as a random comment--I run because its like the ONLY sport I can do (Im soooo uncoordinated) I used to do karate, gymnastics, and swimming (other non-ball sports), and was decent-good, But they were really inconvenient b/c u have to go somewhere special and have a specialized coach :(... </p>
<p>Finally...if Im into sci and math but am not in Sci Olympiad, etc...will that hurt me?</p>
<p>This thread is retarded imo.</p>
<p>If your into math/science and music and are good at test taking why be ashamed? I am very perplexed. Basically you want to stray from academic/intellectual triumph in return for not being labeled something you intrinsically are. Weird.</p>
<p>Asians grow up in a culture, where you're nobody if you can't snag a perfect ACT score. One of my relatives teaches at an elite public H.S. in Texas, and one month 6 kids got perfect ACT scores, and 5 were Asian.</p>
<p>Frankly, that's just damn sad. I love my Chinese heritage. There are certain aspects of it that I wouldn't give up for ANYTHING. Parents comparing their children's SAT scores and what college they're going to is not one of them.</p>
<p>Damn right there are aspects of chinese-ness that rock. Who doesn't love certain parts of the culture...Tho yeah, I hate when my parents talk to all the Asian neighbors and ask who got into where and privately thinking that their child is best...</p>
<p>Im just wondering if there are ways for me to escape the stereotype to avoid colleges stereotyping me and thinking "oh she's like every other one"...As if Ill smash my violin in order to tell colleges I'm different...lol that would be amusing to see, actually.</p>
<p>"I love my Chinese heritage. There are certain aspects of it that I wouldn't give up for ANYTHING."</p>
<p>I love Chine$e New Year.</p>
<p>yeah right.
On Chinese New Year, my parents say "We are in America. Learn to follow American traditions."</p>
<p>On Christmas, my parents say "We don't celebrate American holidays. We are Chinese." </p>
<p>lol. Awesome way to save money I guess.</p>
<p>i <3 ya sphinxs, just because i do...okay ur gonna say im a loser but that's because im bored.</p>
<p>that wasnt coherent</p>
<p>I'm whitewashed as could be. I hate science. I plan to go to undergrad business. I plan to stop my education at an MBA. I plan to go into venture capital after my MBA. I'm not the top in my school. I don't have asian friends, I'm not afraid of risk, I'm competitive (but not over the top).</p>
<p>Enough said.</p>
<p>....
Most asians are quite competitive, and many of my friends and I are interested in undergraduate business.</p>
<p>sphinx made a comment: "Yes, I count Brown as Asian. Though I think that colleges (and CCers) tend to think of Asian=Chinese, Japanese, Korean,etc."</p>
<p>Why would colleges think that? Population-wise, chinese, koreans, japenese, mongolians, taiwanese make up significantly less than half the population of asia and colleges prolly realize this when they group the most populated region in the world under one category on the application.</p>
<p>sai, then I must be talking about the wrong planet. The career and school of choice of most Asians at my school is definitely engineering/science/medicine and MIT respectively.</p>
<p>a.) Brown people are Asian. </p>
<p>b.) Yeah, it sounds like you're probably a "stereotypical" Asian, but that doesn't matter if you're truly passionate about what you do and can express that passion in your essays, recommendations, etc. You can move beyond the stereotype by making these things yours, you know?</p>
<p>I'm definitely not stereotypical asian. I hate science.</p>
<p>(that post was directed toward the OP, sorry)</p>
<p>2nd generations tend to hate engineering. Most asians I know are avoiding it like the plague although quite a few are interested in biotech.</p>