With the release of the latest educational data from New York City, Chinese-American parents might not be surprised to find that Asian students continue to excel in their grades across various subjects and grade levels. This achievement has become a norm over the past few decades. However, it’s important to note that these impressive scores aren’t simply due to innate abilities among Asian students; they are the result of hard work, seen in the dedication of students at tutoring centers and the repeated encouragement from their parents emphasizing the importance of academics over leisure.
The emphasis on education is deeply ingrained in Asian culture. For instance, at a high school located on West 84th Street in Manhattan, predominantly attended by Latino and Black students, the attendance rate sits at only 50%. Some of the recent graduates from this school have never even heard of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and show no intention of pursuing college. In stark contrast, Asian students demonstrate a strong commitment, regularly achieving attendance rates over 90%. Data show a clear correlation between attendance and academic performance—suggesting that when it comes to reaping the benefits of hard work, the high percentage of Asian students in top schools is well-deserved.
Before 2023, most American universities employed Affirmative Action in their admissions processes to protect the educational rights of disadvantaged groups, challenge class stratification, and foster campus diversity. However, this policy has led to situations where, when Asian students find themselves in competition with Black and Latino students, they are not necessarily prioritized for admission based on their high achievements. This can leave many Asian students feeling that their hard-earned grades have gone unrecognized.
Mainstream society in the U.S. often assumes that Asians are no longer part of a disadvantaged group due to their high educational attainment. However, it’s noteworthy that about 10% of Asians live in poverty, and numerous studies have indicated the presence of an invisible barrier in the workplace for this demographic. Jeannie Suk, a Korean-American professor at Harvard Law School, highlighted in a New Yorker article that a significant concern is the underrepresentation of highly educated Asian individuals in leadership and decision-making roles within society, particularly in government, the judiciary, and the media. While academic qualifications serve as a critical starting point, for Asians to gain a stronger voice in society, efforts must be made to change the current dynamics where they often feel silenced in the public sector.
