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| Pinocchio Ballet |
“The thing is not to write what no
one else could have written, but to write what only you could have written.”
Nam Le, The Boat
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What
follows are two more additions to the students from KMLA (Korean Minjok
Leadership Academy) that I posted yesterday.
They too underscore how the
students from this high school seem to define what anyone in education would
want a student to do once they enter a college or university.
But the words and deeds of these
students raise some very troubling questions. Not about these students, but the
state of admission in the US.
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"An intense liberal arts education and involvement outside
of class brought me a realization of what truly motivates me: ideas that
contribute to making a difference in the world. By working at a nonprofit
organization and a government economics research institute using breaks, I was
able to confirm my passion to do research in the field of economics to study
global issues such as why some nations are richer than others and how the
global community can pursue economic growth in harmony. I am now determined to
pursue a career in the public sector, and hopefully in the academia, to devote
my research for the common good!"
B.S., 12th Wave at KMLA, Emory
Amherst life for me has been wonderful, busy, and enlightening.
I feel like I am finally being pushed to constantly challenge myself and test
my intellectual limits--something my high school never gave me the opportunity
or the resources to strive for. As expected, I am majoring in English
Literature, delving into a wide range of great works from Shakespeare to
Richard Wilbur. Surprisingly, Amherst also helped me discover how stimulating
the field of Economics can be. As a double major in Econ and English, I hope to
study more about game theory and fiction writing as well as exploring religion,
statistics and photography. (Thank god for the open curriculum!) After
graduation I am hoping for some work experience in marketing, publishing,
management, or social entrepreneurship, then continue with my graduate
education that will hopefully allow me to explore the field of arts/culture and
entrepreneurship in a holistic, innovative way."
H.Y., 12th Wave at KMLA, Amherst
If you have read the contributions from today and yesterday, I
think there could be little argument about how these students could serve as
representatives of what an experience at an elite college or university should be.
But these comments, while exceptional, are not all that unusual
for the demographic of students who tend to come out at the top of many of the
best secondary schools in the world: Asians and Asian Americans. At the magnet
schools in the US, at the top boarding schools across the US and in China,
India, Singapore Korea and other countries the emphasis on education, not just
academic performance, is endemic.
And yet, a look at the graph reproduced below from an article
just published in The American Conservative, shows that the percentage of Asian
students enrolled in the Ivies has actually declined since the 90’s. Given the
increase in the Asian population (the fastest growing immigrant population in
the US), the outstanding performance by this group in virtually every academic field in and out
of the classroom, and a desire on the part of the students to create positive change in the world, it would
seem obvious that the percentages enrolled would have increased dramatically.
If anyone has an answer as to why there seems to be a fixed
percentage at these schools, I hope you will share it with my readers and me.
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