|
|
|
|
|
GOLDSEA |
ASIAMS.NET |
ASIAN AMERICAN ISSUES
ARE IVY DEGREES WORTH THE SACRIFICES
ending their kids to ivy league universities is the dream of every Asian American parent. Or so it seems. And there is no shortage of young AA willing to oblige. As of 2000, Asian Americans made up 12-19% of the undergrad enrollments of the top-20 ivies.
No one questions the prestige associated with ivy degrees. In fact, sneer critics, that's the only thing bought with the extra money. And even that, they add, is wearing thin in a nation in which he cultural center of gravity has shifted to California.
It's true that investments in high ivy tuitions often don't show up in career earnings when compared with graduates of public universities of comparable student body profiles. But the criticisms run deeper than return on investment. Some Asian Americans who have attended ivy league colleges have come away regretting their decisions for other reasons.
Foremost is the sense that the ivies are structured for the benefit of legatees, the progeny of blueblooded alumni. Comprising upwards of 40% of some ivies, the legatees are often exempted from stringent admissions standards. The result is that AA students with excellent credentials are the workhorses preserving the institutions' high academic reputations, thereby giving a free ride to undeserving legatees.
Another common complaint is that the deck is stacked socially against Asian males in a system designed to preserve the princely status quo of the scions of WASP families. A disproportionate number of attractive AA females are admitted by the ivies, some have observed, while far fewer attractive AA males are admitted. This subtle bias, suspect critics, is implemented in the screening interviews used by most ivies.
Then there's the Eurocentric worldview imposed by the courses. Not to mention the lousy weather, bland food and having to put up with locals hostile toward Asians. Contrast all this against the majority-ease lifestyles enjoyed by the AA in, say, the UC campuses.
The bragging rights an ivy education affords parents, conclude critics, are far outweighed by the psychic and emotional sacrifices exacted from their kids.
Does an ivy education provide rewards commensurate with the sacrifices? Or is it a trap for AA with overzealous parents with old-world views?
This interactive article is closed to new input.
Discussions posted during the past year remain available for browsing.
CONTACT US
|
ADVERTISING INFO
© 1996-2013 Asian Media Group Inc
No part of the contents of this site may be reproduced without prior written permission.
|
|
|
|
WHAT YOU SAY
[This page is closed to new input. --Ed.]
(Updated
Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008, 06:01:03 PM)
Frustrated AM stuck in Ithaca:
Dude, that's what I was talking about, stuck in a boring school, too much work and no sex (depends on the individual, I guess, but it's tough, ain't it?) But the Hoboken guy says it's worth it so hang in there. Prospective college students need to think about the implications of their college surroundings.
AC Dropout:
I didn't go to Harvard, I don't want to give wrong impression ...I'm more familiar with Harvard because I lived in Boston a little while ..yes, it's a big college town and you can move around ..but to reinforce my point, BU is probably more fun for an AA than Harvard ...generally, the less prestige, the more fun, that's trade-off, I just think people should try to strike the right balance somewhere .. prestige isn't everything, but then hardly anyone would turn down Harvard over BU ...
It's late night now and I'll check other boards ...
Idiot-savant
Sunday, June 30, 2002 at 21:54:11 (PDT)
Wow, it seems to be a gathering of the Cornellians lately. I'm glad to hear it, cause I'm about to enter 3rd year at Cornell. Dude, I don't know why everyone rips on the party scene at Cornell. There is always some type of party going on during the weekends, and it's great because, with all the people, you can always find your own little "group" of people. It's true that Cornell isn't located in the most cosmopolitan of cities, but I guess it keeps students academically focused during the weekdays. Going to Columbia would be difficult for me, because I would never get any work done with the hustle and bustle around me! As to the question of whether an ivy degree is worth it or not, I guess 2 more years will tell. Everyone wish me luck...
Cornell2004
Sunday, June 30, 2002 at 20:11:46 (PDT)
Frustrated AM at Cornell,
Yeah Ithaca and most of the upstate schools are pretty isolated from one another. My only advise is to commute to the NYC on the weekend for fun.
AC dropout
Sunday, June 30, 2002 at 17:40:42 (PDT)
Hoboken_CornellGuy:
You graduate from Cornell in 1998? I had a girl in law school a year behind me in law school from Cornell '98. Pretty girl and great body, but whitewashed and psycho as hell. She was a disgrace to Asian girls, because she would only date white guys and dated multiple ones while throwing herself to the biggest dorks in the class. I always she was weird, until I heard about the Asian women at Cornell. Then I understood why she did what she does.
SLS
Sunday, June 30, 2002 at 17:29:41 (PDT)
"You could have done what some of my friends at MIT and Harvard did, they cross the bridge and partied at BU, BC, Tufts, or whatever student club was having a party that weekend."
(AC Dropout)
Hey, how do you thik I feel at Cornell? Its in boonie ITHACA, in upstate New York. The only school near us is Ithaca College, and there is no party scene there to speak of. The nearest other large school is probably Syracuse, which is an hour away. Cornell is a pretty miserable place for partying, in my opinion. Anyone care to refute my claim?
Frustrated AM at Cornell
Saturday, June 29, 2002 at 01:18:07 (PDT)
Are the Ivies worth it? It's only one factor in a host of reasons why some people are more successful than others, but I've seen how Asian-Americans need every edge they can get to succeed in a white man's world. I graduated from Cornell in 1988 and while I didn't enjoy my college years very much (too much work, overweight and arrogant girls), having an Ivy League degree was worth it to me. With the encouragement and mentoring of my mostly white superiors, I've risen rapidly in my Wall Street career and one reason came from having the "right" qualifications ("he went to a good school"). As Asian-Americans, we have to fight harder and be better than less-able whites to succeed. For me and my parents, the sacrifices we made were worth it and you'd better believe that I'll push my children to do the same!
Hoboken_CornellGuy
Friday, June 28, 2002 at 14:59:31 (PDT)
NEWEST COMMENTS |
EARLIER COMMENTS
|