What is generally considered a typical Asian?

<p>A lot of times, people have always told me that if your Asian(i.e., Chinese, japanese, korean, etc...) you tend to be stereotyped by colleges and universities and have an unfair disadvantage. What is the typical stereotype? What can we expect as a typical Asian? What are their typical stats and such?</p>

<p>Ah, well. The typical Asian is an "overachiever" who often surpasses whites. Let me put it this way. When I visited UT-Austin, I toured the shiniest dorm there, San Jacinto. Went into a pretty, spick-and-span showroom. Then we went into the library. All 8 people studying there, poring over large engineering books and furiously writing notes on legal pads, were all Asians. Went into the computer lab. All Asians and one white girl. Went into the TV lounge. Two black guys, three white guys, and a couple of white girls watching ESPN. That, my friend, is the "typical" Asian, studying on a Sunday afternoon while the others were watching basketball. I thought it was an interesting social observation. </p>

<p>I know a Chinese guy who has played violin since he was three, because his dad coaxed him into doing it for colleges, and he practices with his OWN teacher (as in, that teacher teaches no one else) for a couple of hours a day. He's good, very good. But he's not all that strong academically, no more than the rest of us. I know a Korean girl who is as American as they come, she's on cheerleading and she loves Orlando Bloom and she just seems like a typical white girl in her behavior. She has good grades and good scores, nothing special but nothing abysmal, either. So it's really horrible that those stereotypes do exist, because they are damaging to individuals like I've described.</p>

<p>Well, I come from the land of oftentimes stereotypical Asians (from elementary school to high school in the California Bay Area, never attended a single school that wasn't more than visibly 50%-60%+ Asian... And the stereotypes don't hold that true, but I can see where they come from.</p>

<p>Everyone pretty much aspires to getting in at Berk/Stanford/HYP, although it's not as if everybody's holed up every weekend studying the general conversation topics tend towards SATs/grades/classes... But anyone who expects us all to actually work for stuff would be sorely disappointed. Lynbrook-land is also the land of people doing their homework the morning it's due. They're all smart kids, I guess.</p>

<p>Most people pretty much carry straight As in freshman and sophmore year, but AP United States History (our only history-type AP) and AP Bio sinks a few GPAs around junior year... The day March SAT scores came out it was 2000+ scores all over, and chatting about who had broken 2300... Everybody knows who the one person at our school who scored 2400 is... </p>

<p>And they ALL do FBLA/Key Club and such. I'm not one for stereotypes, but it's pretty easy to stereotype us, I think.</p>

<p>in my school, asian kids are typically geniuses in math/science.</p>

<p>i think u should include indians in ur list of asians</p>

<p>stereotypical asians are usually very concerned about colleges and such, and place college admissions above many other facets of life (well, this is the stereotype at least)...cyanthis' post pretty much covers how asians are over here in michigan as well.</p>

<p>Stereotype: Straight A's, hardest courses, High SATs (particularly math), play piano or violin, long list of music ECs, RSI and other math/science summer programs, play tennis but few other sports, interested in ivies but not top LACs.</p>

<p>I think colleges may view the stereotypical Asian as someone who's very strong in math/science areas. However, while that may have been true while my dad was in U of MD for med school, colleges may not hold that viewpoint now because a lot more 2nd/3rd+ Asians are applying to colleges and aren't as focused in their studies (or focused in a 'useful' area XD) as their parents may have been.</p>

<p>icyfire, I agree; Indians should be included. x)</p>

<p>In short: Math, science, and classical music.</p>

<p>At my school:</p>

<p>Piano/Orchestra</p>

<p>Swimming</p>

<p>Tennis/Golf</p>

<p>ACADEMICS</p>

<p>Science/Key/Clubs in general</p>

<p>That's about it. It is an easy mold to break out of...</p>

<p>"Math, science, and classical music."
hey that sounds like me in a nutshell lol</p>

<p>lol... lets see... i love my math... i like my chemistry... and hey what do u know i play violin!</p>

<p>OF COURSE asians are Very concerned about this schools/colleges/"future" and stuff like that</p>

<p>it's because most asians went through a VERY hard time ..either this generation or past generations. by coming to america, they feel that they must take every opportunity and stand out to become the best, so that they will be not looked down by everyone else. that's why all asians study and stuff.</p>

<p>Asians are NOT all smart. it's just that they work hard.</p>

<p>I've noticed that Asians approach college admissions in a slightly different way...we place a ton of weight on our grades and test scores, but not nearly as much on our ECs and essays. Usually the ECs done by Asians are academic, like science/math clubs and competitions, or classical music (our parents think it makes us smarter? or something like that). According to my dad, who attended college in China, university admissions in Asia are much more grades/test score oriented, and much less EC/Essay oriented.</p>

<p>of course
china education is ALL stats. basically, ALL stats</p>

<p>Yeah many asian parents do not realize the importance of EC's, sports, interviews, and essays.</p>

<p>Many believe that perfect grades and test scores are all that is needed. That is how things are in China, India, Japan, etc. But things are different in the U.S. People with 1600/2400 SATs are often rejected because they are not a "well-rounded" individual. A.k.a. a nerd. Others with SATs such as 1450 with a <4.0 GPA are accepted into those same schools due to many other factors.</p>

<p>I try my best not to be a typical azn, because I hate piano/violin, I also hate tennis, and I hate math (though I have to admit I'm pretty good at it).</p>

<p>My goal is to enter West Point, where academics is only 60% of your evaluation. I think that has forced me even harder to break away from the azn stereo type. The military academies are also one of the rare colleges where asians are not over represented.</p>

<p>Laugh... actually, i think there's a great proportion of people who post at collegeconfid that are asian. A typical asian to me... is someone who post like "i got a 2400 on my SAT, plz give me suggestions which college would accept me" (well, duh...)</p>

<p>I'm a bad example for an asian b/c my standarized test score is low and i'm not very well rounded (both academically and body weight)</p>

<p>:) good quote zagat wrote: "Stereotype:... play tennis but few other sports..." Laugh... This is just sooo true.</p>

<p>Well when i graduated last week, we had a little section for the Governers Top 5%. Well our school is like 6% asian, and guess what all but 6 of the top 5% (17) were asian. I mean it isnt that this is bad or wrong. Its just like good god you guys are good. Usually like last year its some but less than half white with a sprinkle of black and spanish and a side of asian, but this year its like Asians just came through and shut it down. </p>

<p>Some of my good friends are asians, and whenever i go to there house its like they are just like me, we joke around have fun and do whatever. BUT as soon as their mom or dad comes home, its a whole new story. I think that is where it originates, Asian parents have a really really good work ethic and they impose that on their kids. Especially in my Calc class, they work for every point, not so much for themselves but as a kind of tradition that their parents oversee. </p>

<p>But its great that they work hard, it only makes America better when people come to this country assimilate into our culture and bring standards up. Thats why i always say its not just cuz their asian that their smart, its because their asian and in america with a good work ethic. </p>

<p>We still joke around though, and we say that i bring the fried chicken, hector brings the fried beans, and hwang brings the fried rice.</p>

<p>Yeah...let's include indians in this discussion too!</p>

<p>When I got back my SATs and found I got a 710 for the Math, but a 800 for Reading, one of my friends jokingly(or maybe not) said, "There is no way you can be Asian with that kind of score!"</p>

<p>In general, most Asians in my school get very good grades, study hard, and are involved in sports like tennis, swimming, soccer. Most of the Asians that I know are shy and quiet. A lot of them are involved in like Science Club and Math Club. For some reason, most are skinny and wear glasses(?). </p>

<p>I've found being Asian in a predominantly rich white school both a source of pride but also sometimes frustration. I'm the only Asian on the football and wrestling team- sometimes it feels like I'm suppose to represent an entire ethnicity or something. I hate having my white friends always comparing my grades and stuff to other Asians. And no, I don't eat rice and noodles everyday, no I'm not into Dungeons and Dragons/ Warcraft, no I don't know kung fu, no my parents don't beat me or something if I get a B in school, and no, Japanese, Chinese and Korean people aren't "the same" or "close enough". I hate all the stereotypes and preconceptions that I sometimes have to deal with.</p>

<p>But I'm pride of the work ethic that I inherit from my background, I'm proud of the feeling that I can do anything I want if I put my mind to it. I'm Asian and I'm proud of it. :)</p>