The article “Beyond Tiger Mom Anxiety: Ethnic, Gender and Generational Differences in Asian American College Access and Choices” by OiYan Poon and Ajani Byrd dives deep into the topic of influences on Asian American college applicants and challenging the stereotype of the asian tiger parent as a main contributing factor. I found this article interesting because it made me reflect back on my pre-college academic experience as well as the application process. I believe that early on I felt pressure from my parents to perform well in school and that became my standard for excellence that I felt I had to keep. However, as I grew older, I started to become influenced by my peers, rather than my parents. At my high school, there was a general atmosphere of competitiveness, to get the highest grades, to take the most difficult classes, and to get into the best colleges. It even got to the point of losing sleep and affecting my own health. When my concerned mother pointed out my lack of sleep, I realized it was my choice to put in the work for academic success. Although a major motivating factor was in fact a desire for parental praise, I still felt it was ultimately my decision. My primary reasons for applying to the colleges I applied to were because of institutional ranking as well as academic reputation. Although I coincidentally found UC Davis to be the right choice for me, the pressure to excel and to prove to everyone that I could, rather than my comfort or happiness, was my primary motivating factor.
What is an effective way to motivate students to strive for academic success in a healthy manner?
References:
Poon, O., & Byrd, A. (2013). Beyond Tiger Mom Anxiety: Ethnic, Gender and Generational Differences in Asian American College Access and Choices. Journal of College Admission, 22-31.
Image: https://steinhardt.nyu.edu/site/ataglance/2017/03/asian-american-students.html
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