Week 3

Robert Zhu
Week 3

Section A02

The article Beyond Tiger Mom Anxiety talks about the role of parental involvement in a student's college decision. I can relate to this because my parents see education as a very important factor. Throughout elementary school and middle school, my parents sent me to a private school with their hard worked money because they believed that it would have a better education. My parents convinced me that education and school was the only way toward success. I remember how my parents would always mention other family members kids or people they know that attended college. My parents would sometimes judge a family based on what college their kids attended. Growing up in the Bay Area, the University of California and the Ivy League was generally put on a high pedestal. I remember throughout high school, my mom would always mention how good Berkeley and Davis is, and how I should work hard in high school to get in. I definitely believe that my parents played a big factor in why I choose Davis for college. I did not want to be a “failure” to them and I wanted my family to be looked high upon by my relatives, and parents friends. I remember thinking that if I did not go to college, or did not go to a “good” college, our family would be deemed as unsuccessful by our relatives.

The article also touched upon the importance of high school counselors for first-generation students. My parents knew very little about the college application process, so I had to rely on my high school counselors. I formed a good bond with my counselor because I had so many questions about the process from scholarships, gpa, standardized tests, extracurriculars and personal statements. I also had to research about different schools on my own, other than what my parents told me. I think my parents cared too much about a college's ranking. They didn’t understand how a college with a very high rank could be missing majors that a student is trying to pursue.

Question: What sources of help can someone turn to if they decide higher education is not the route for them, but there is no alternative because of their parents?

This video shows a glimpse of Asian American families, and the pressures these youth go through to get into a good college in a household setting.

References:

T. (2010, November 2). Strict Asian Parents & Stressed Pressured Youth. Retrieved April 13, 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xz05GUU9I0