It's no secret that Asian children have recently been developing a reputation for substantial success in America's education system. The modern (partly correct) stereotype of always overachieving and getting top notch grades no matter the price tends to put Asians among the creme de la creme in terms of achievement focused students. But why is this the case? Here's my take on it (or at least my take on Chinese students, as I'm not qualified to really examine another ethnicity).
One factor in this success could be the heritage of modern Chinese students. It was only recently that Chinese people were really allowed to leave the country, and those that did were the intellectual elite of the Cultural Revolution era. Whether they were allowed to leave because they posed the greatest threat to Chairman Mao's rule or because they would China look good to the international community I do not know. Perhaps, though, as they had children, they passed down their affinity for education.
The people who could leave also passed down their habits and views. No doubt in order to succeed, they put insane amounts of effort into their work. It would not be much of a stretch to assume that they taught their children to do whatever it takes to reach their goals. Also, as a result of the crippling poverty that marked the cultural revolution, modern Chinese parents probably place more importance on money than most other things. This is probably why many Chinese students are aiming to become doctors, lawyers, or engineers, three of the top-paying jobs on the market.
No doubt there are other factors in the modern phenomenon of high achieving Asian students, but it would seem like a ridiculous coincidence that the smartest people from Asia came to breed some of the smartest children in the rest of the world if indeed heritage does not play a role in Asian success. In whatever the case, I look forward to what you think. Any thoughts? Comment below.
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