Davis, Berkeley, UCLA, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Irvine; the Big 6 is what people like to call the Universities that Asians absolutely like. Well, on the horizon of graduating high school, Asians have the aspiration to attend one of these colleges. The evidence can be seen in plain statistics: pretty much a majority of the student body of the UC system are of Asian descent.
No disrespect intended to other colleges such as California State Universities and other private colleges, but the drive for any upcoming Asian hight school graduating student is to be a part of the UC system. Why? Well, similarly to why Asians like Medical school or engineering, it’s because their parents like these schools. For Asian parents to parade their children in front of other Asian parents is to compare or see which UC’s their children attend, on top of what they’re actually majoring in.
Though some may argue that in general, Asians like all colleges. There however exists a high preference to University of California institutions. Often is the case is that Asians make other colleges that are non-UC, or at least not on-par with the prestige of a UC, their back up plans in case they should not get accepted.
Getting into a UC for an Asian is almost as (if not, even more than) important as attaining a college degree. For the most infatuated Asians, it is pretty much ‘UC or bust,” as life would end if he or she would not be able to get accepted. But in most cases, the academic competitive nature Asians have with one another begins with what college they attend. Most conversation that Asians have with one another when they first meet involves what college they attend or plan to apply to.
Then comes the faintly polite, but vicious conversation between Asians about which UC Asians believe is better than the other. Though most Asians are polite with one another when the topic should come up, but you can practically pick at the tension with a chopstick should you ever be lucky enough to hear Asians having this ‘debate.’
Not to say Asians do not attend other non-UC colleges, but as we said before it is most likely that certain college was not their first choice. And if you’re lucky, you’ll hear non-UC Asian college students rant about why they believe UC institutions are overrated.
And if you’re really really lucky, you may get to see an Asian student attending a CSU, for example, speak with one that attends a UC. Probably one of the most awkwardly entertaining exchange of words you’ll ever hear, if your a fan of such things like myself. That certain conversation may go along a little like this:
Asian1: oh nice to meet you, so uhh what school do you go to?
Asian 2:I’m a sophomore at UCLA. Premed. How about you?
Asian1: Oh uhh. Yeah I go to uhh CAL State Long Beach.
Asian 2: Ohhh…… .. well that’s cool.
Asian 1: Yeah… So uhh, nice weather huh?
Again, we hold no offense to those Asians or anyone else for that matter that attends a non-UC. But the fact of the matter is that many Asians do think like this. You will hear that sort of condescending tone Asian UC students will have in speaking with those Asians that don’t attend one as well.
It’s a bit of a different issue though when bringing in the part about dating Asians with respect to the topic we’re covering. Luckily for you in this case, one doesn’t actually have to be attending a UC to date an Asian who does attend one. You better be sure though to hold as much respect for whatever UC that special Asian someone is attending. Be supportive and comment on how prestigious and wonderful that certain UC is.
“Oh you go to UC Berkeley? Oh wow that’s quite accomplishment. You must feel proud.”
“Oh you go to UCLA? I love the area down there. Such wonderful college atmosphere.”
In the future we shall attempt to break down specific UC’s, and go more in depth as to what Asians like about them.
Written by Ryan Friday
We welcome Ryan to the SAPL Team!
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8 responses so far ↓
1 physics152 // Sep 24, 2008 at 9:10 pm
I think we’re all forgetting the one thing that Asians truly like and that is the color RED or some gradient of it.
2 eujin // Sep 25, 2008 at 2:38 pm
This post is only partly true. If you’re a West Coast Asian, sure. But if you’re just a general Asian from anywhere else in the country or the rest of the world, the Ivy League and MIT are really what Asians like. UC is just where most Asians end up–it’s not necessarily their first choice (or that of their parents.)
For the record, I did not attend the Ivies, MIT or any UC college (so yeah, I’m a failed Asian.)
3 MK // Sep 26, 2008 at 6:07 pm
What happened to Harvard? Or any of the Ivy League schools? Or MIT and Stanford? Or Cambridge and Oxford?
4 Jennson // Sep 30, 2008 at 7:47 am
This sounds more like the west coast. No asian in their right mind would want to go to UC unless it’s UC Berkeley if they are from the east coast.
Try UPenn, NYU, Cornell or CMU. then get back to me.
5 Kvietgrl // Sep 30, 2008 at 12:20 pm
No worries, these schools are all on our list (we’re shooting for 365 stuff that asian people like)…we’re working our way eastward =) if you have firsthand experience at any of the aforementioned schools, please contact us if you’d like to write an article! thanks for your input! =)
6 JC // Oct 1, 2008 at 3:56 pm
Which is why I feel oh-so-special at the Univ. of Georgia. Talk about failed Asian: chose public instead of private school (i.e. Emory Univ), don’t have any Asian friends (my sister doesn’t count), am not pre-med/law/music, and am dating a white guy.
7 Vil // Oct 6, 2008 at 2:46 am
JC- I hope you’re kidding about being a failed Asian . I have to say I find it a bit offensive/racist you would even kid [if you are] that dating a white guy makes you a failed Asian, implying that it’s wrong for an Asian person to date a white guy.
8 JC // Oct 6, 2008 at 9:07 pm
Vil - Trust me, I typed that entry with a big fat smirk on my face; I have other things to take more seriously than that. And if it makes you feel any better, I am perfectly proud of my Asian-ness, and am madly in love with my white boyfriend.
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