Skimming through some of the posts(and yes, admittedly, the AA posts too), I noted that lots of people were mentioning the average Asian.
I noted the stellar GPAs and SAT scores. But I also noticed STEM subject came up a lot as well. Strange, since most of the Asian students I know (including me actually) aren’t in STEM but rather humanities. And what if the person has great scores, but likes talking? Some state that the average Asian applicant is quiet and shy, others that they are MUN leaders. I don’t know about other schools, but my school’s MUN leaders certainly aren’t shy to state their opinions.
So among these seemingly contrasting stereotypes, my question would be: To what extent is an Asian applicant an “Average Asian”? (Sorry, couldn’t help but drop in a Theory of Knowledge Question)
TOK is a wonderful class isn’t it? Go IB :))
I’m an Asian, I think as far as I’ve seen on here a “typical” Asian is one with high test scores, great at math, plays an instrument, is in some form of debate club/team, and doesn’t do sports or if so does little of it, plus wants to be in a STEM related field.
@emilyskates that’s actually the first I ever heard swimming if I’m being honest. Normally if I see any sport mentioned here it’s tennis or badminton, or the random 1 year track runner
@Lift35 It may just be in my area. We have A LOT of Asian swimmers at my school. Even my Asian parents tried to force me to swim. I quit after one season :))
@Lift35 Well, I’m terrible at math, don’t play an instrument, I’m not in debate, don’t want to go into STEM, and I’m a competitive figure skater. Also I quit Chinese school when I was seven :))
Off the top of my head, I can think of a half-dozen Asians at my school.
One aspiring mathematician
One engineer
4 prospective doctors
One girl who’ll likely still be finding herself and working on a novel in her parents’ basement when some of us are married with kids.
Although none of them swim, play tennis, or play an instrument. Test scores are generally high, but not exceptional (ranging from a 30 on the ACT to a 2280 on the SAT to “not applying to US colleges” in the case of basement girl) and we only have one debater among the group.
The STEM stereotype is very much in evidence, and test scores are generally good, but the other Asian stereotypes don’t necessarily hold true at my school. Of course, the plural of anecdote is not evidence, and this is just the view from a small school with a sub-100 class size.
As per the rise of the “typical” Asian applicant. Do you guys think this stereotype came to be because of some parents that tried to game what admissions wanted to see? Except now it’s a big disadvantage to be that “typical” Asian
At lot of Asians (including Spouse) came here for grad school in STEM, so it’s not terribly surprising if their kids are 1) exceptionally driven students and 2) interested in STEM. And since music and math seem to show up together quite often, it’s probably no surprise that a lot of these kids are also musically inclined - or at least have parents who value music and get them started at an early age. And since most of these parents didn’t have sports teams/play at lot of organized sports at their schools when they were kids, they don’t tend to push sports as much.
Back in the home country, there are slews of Asians who love the humanities, hate music and play sports…but they don’t get into the fully funded Phd programs in STEM that offer employment opportunities in the US when they finish them. So, a stereotype is born…
I think a lot of Asians play tennis/badminton or swim is because those sports have a lower chance of injury due to little to no physical contact with other people.
My parents were extremely afraid of me breaking a bone or whatever (possibly because of extremely high medical bills, and obviously my well-being), so they made me quit football in middle school. Not to say non-Asians aren’t afraid, but my parents were extremely aware of it.
Also, I agree that Asians are interested in STEM because most of their parents work in the STEM field and if those same parents worked in the Humanities, they would not have be able to come to America and survive.
@rdeng2614 My parents also, and I think a lot of Asian parents in general. My figure skating makes them extremely anxious because I’m always slamming some body part on the ice, but they haven’t made me quit…yet
@rdeng2614@emilyskates that statement actually is pretty accurate. I’m on the flip side in that my parents didn’t study anything STEM related but they didn’t finish their education and moved here. I’m looking into medicine but it’s always been on my own accord same with weightlifting. I have an Asian friend that is just like the typical that you described
@newjerseygirl98 I always wanted to do gymnastics when I was younger but my parents wouldn’t let me because it was too dangerous. In hindsight, that was probably a good call on their part…
Oh yeah, for those who don’t know, TOK is an IB related class called theory of knowledge where everyone tosses around questions usually starting with “to what extent…” Realized I didn’t add that up there just now haha
I don’t think its the risk of injury that pushes Asians to do individual sports; as for me, my parents wanted me to only rely on myself to succeed, instead of having to depend on a team or have a team depend on me.
Realized I didn’t add that up there just now haha