September 30 2015
Eric Seung Joon Lee
Asian American Studies
Blog 1

According to the Asian American and Pacific Islanders Census 2010, there are about 17.3 million Asian Americans (a little over 5 percent of the population) living in the States. Asian Americans hold the smallest population in America but 85 percent of them (25 and older) have graduated from high school, half of them have graduated from college, and 20 percent of them have either a graduate or professional degree. The number of businesses own by Asian American is about 1.5 million. These achievements make it easier for people of other races to believe that model minority myth is true, thus pressuring Asian Americans more with the idea of yellow peril. Growing up as an Asian student in American middle school and high school, I was always expected to do well by my own peers. They would come with math problems for me to solve and tell me that they are jealous because I would get into a good college and get a lucrative career. It was not my parents but was my friends who bothered me with all the high expectations for Asians. I just wanted them to realize that we Asians are not naturally smarter and more likely to succeed. We just believe that higher level of educations is one of the most assuring and safe ways to achieve a satisfying life.

Question: Are there other ways that Asian Americans can achieve "successful lives" other than by graduating from "good colleges?" Are there any examples?