What are my chances of getting into U Penn College of Arts and Sciences?
I want to go to U Penn to study math. I moved from China to Canada two years ago, so U Penn is need-blind to my application, but I still need to take TOEFL SAT: 2100 (I took it again yesterday. I guess I'll get 2150) SAT II: Math Level II 800, Physics 800 and Chemistry 800 TOEFL iBT: 109 Rank: about 5/400 EC(not very good): Tutored a total of three students in math in Grade 10 and 11 Volunteered at many local organizations (like nursing home, soccer club, library etc) for a total of 300 hours Math Club member (Grade 10 to 12) Trivia Club member (Grade 11 to 12) Free the Children Committee(a committee helping children in Africa) member (Grade 12) Student Council member (Grade 9 to 10) Participated in Shad Valley(a prestigious science+entrepreneurship camp in Canada) Participated in the International Mathematics Tournament of Towns Summer Conference in Russia (I was one of the three students from Canada) Awards: I got the first place in Canada in a not very important math contest (Hypatia Contest) Third place in Canada in a online math contest (Math@Mac Online Competition) Eighth in Canada in a chemistry contest (Avogadro Examination) I took the AMC 10 and AIME in China in Grade 8 and got 9 out of 15 on AIME. I was invited to USAMO but couldn't participate. My school said that that year, only 23 students across the world in Grade 8 were invited to USAMO. I am wondering if my exam scores and EC are too bad for Penn. Also, will my achievement in the math contests increase my chances (since I want to study math)? GPA: Grade 9 and first half of Grade 10(in China): 96/100 Second half of Grade 10 and Grade 11(in Canada): 93/100 I don't know what my GPA is on a 4.0 scale. Also, I'm taking IB at my school, and it's the most challenging program available(we have no APs).
Higher Education (University +) - 2 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
You should state your GPA or your grades if you want an accurate answer.
2 :
its a crapshoot. itll depend on your essay and recs. My cousin was #3 in her class at a very prestigious suburban high school in NY and had similar test scores as you and got rejected from UPenn, UCLA, USC, Washington & Lee and Tufts. It's extremely competitive to get into ivys, liberal arts or california schools. She's at Michigan now, which is a great school but not as competitive as the rest. Go for UPenn but apply to some of the following as backups (they are excellent programs that'll get you $$$ but are less competitive because of their massive size): Michigan University of Texas University of Wisconsin Penn State University Georgia Tech (prob the best public school next to Cal in my opinion - although USNews usually puts UVA, Michigan and UNC above them) U of Pittsburgh, Purdue, Illinois, University of Washington, Texas A&M - (great if youre sure about math/sci/engr) GUARENTEED ADMISSION WITH SCHOLARSHIP (for your stats): LSU University of Colorado NC State Florida State
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Sunday, August 28, 2011
Sunday, August 14, 2011
What are my chances of getting into a good college in CA
What are my chances of getting into a good college in CA?
I'm currently a junior in a blue ribbon, california distinguished school that is known for being very competitive & high achieving. Grades so far: Freshman: English: A / A World Cultures&Geography/Social Issues: A / B+ (1 semester each, respectively) Honors Geometry: A / A Integrated Science 1/2: A / A Beginning Drama: A / A Mandarin: A+ / A PE 1/2: A / A- Introduction to Computers: A (weighted GPA: 4.07) Sophomore: Honors Advanced Algebra: A- / C Integrated Science 3/4: A / B Intermediate Drama: A / A PE 3/4: A / A English 3/4: A- / D- AP European History: A- / B Mandarin 3/4: A+ / A (weighted GPA: 3.79) Junior: Poetry: A Advanced Drama: A Precalculus: B Chemistry: A- Stagecraft: A AP US History: B- Mandarin 5: A (weighted GPA: 3.86) 10-12 academic weighted GPA: 3.79 ***note: This year i am taking a challenging English course at the local community college to replace the D I got in English second semester of my sophomore year. I predict I will get an A-/B+. Also, I have a reason for the severe drop in grades in my 2nd semester sophomore year, but i don't know if colleges would want me to explain this hardship, and i don't want to seem like i'm "giving an excuse" if you know what i mean. SAT score: 2060 (700 critical reading, 660 math, 700 writing) haven't taken any SAT subject tests yet, but i predict the scores will be in the 600 range. (out of 800). I plan to take US History, Mandarin, Math 2, Math 1, and Literature. Semester-long Internship at hospital. Participated in a 14-day long community service program in Sichuan, China benefiting the victims of the 2008 sichuan earthquake. in total, about 500 hrs of community service from various events. <-- how much is that? a lot? a little? how much community service do most ppl have? Extra-curriculars: my main extra-curricular activity is drama which i have been very involved in, starring in my schools musicals, plays, acting as banquo in macbeth, etc, also doing a lot of tech work. member of badminton club, knitting club, asian club. i have been a peer tutor in freshman & sophomore years, where a lot of my community service hours came from. throughout sophomore year, i have also been tutoring children in mandarin. being a model and winning a beauty pageant, in doing so i have participated in many events benefiting the chinese-american community. i'm not sure if this is relevant but i have also been through many hardships in my life including immigrating to the US at the age of 2 from china and frequently moving to different parts of the country, parents divorce, being kidnapped, sexual assault at young age, house completely burning down, depression, and overcoming all of them. <-- should i mention these??? Nursing will be my major. and i am asian... which probably hurts my chances, especially because I live in CA, where I want to go to college.
Higher Education (University +) - 1 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
your stats seem decent but i wish you took more honors/ap classes cause those look amazing but you have decent grades I would recommending hitting the UC schools like davis and all (idk what the other ones are) i would try Berkley and if you really wanted to stanford, they choose 5% of their accepting class from california alone being asian does not put you at a disadvantage, schools cannot discriminate according to race but they can according to geography (example if you are from the mid-west you are more likely to get into brown university than if you are from the california new york area- assuming you are compared to a student who has the same exact stats as yours and are weighted the same) but i would recommend davis, and berkely and perhaps stanford (just warning you that their application fee is $95 for a school that accepts less than 10% of a 30-40,000 applicant pool- yeah kinda ridiculous they get about a million dollars just in application fee and and 93% of them get rejected anyways.. and these are kids with 36s on act and 5.0 gpa with 1,000 hours of community service and all) you cannot really pinpoint one thing that will for sure get you into your college
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I'm currently a junior in a blue ribbon, california distinguished school that is known for being very competitive & high achieving. Grades so far: Freshman: English: A / A World Cultures&Geography/Social Issues: A / B+ (1 semester each, respectively) Honors Geometry: A / A Integrated Science 1/2: A / A Beginning Drama: A / A Mandarin: A+ / A PE 1/2: A / A- Introduction to Computers: A (weighted GPA: 4.07) Sophomore: Honors Advanced Algebra: A- / C Integrated Science 3/4: A / B Intermediate Drama: A / A PE 3/4: A / A English 3/4: A- / D- AP European History: A- / B Mandarin 3/4: A+ / A (weighted GPA: 3.79) Junior: Poetry: A Advanced Drama: A Precalculus: B Chemistry: A- Stagecraft: A AP US History: B- Mandarin 5: A (weighted GPA: 3.86) 10-12 academic weighted GPA: 3.79 ***note: This year i am taking a challenging English course at the local community college to replace the D I got in English second semester of my sophomore year. I predict I will get an A-/B+. Also, I have a reason for the severe drop in grades in my 2nd semester sophomore year, but i don't know if colleges would want me to explain this hardship, and i don't want to seem like i'm "giving an excuse" if you know what i mean. SAT score: 2060 (700 critical reading, 660 math, 700 writing) haven't taken any SAT subject tests yet, but i predict the scores will be in the 600 range. (out of 800). I plan to take US History, Mandarin, Math 2, Math 1, and Literature. Semester-long Internship at hospital. Participated in a 14-day long community service program in Sichuan, China benefiting the victims of the 2008 sichuan earthquake. in total, about 500 hrs of community service from various events. <-- how much is that? a lot? a little? how much community service do most ppl have? Extra-curriculars: my main extra-curricular activity is drama which i have been very involved in, starring in my schools musicals, plays, acting as banquo in macbeth, etc, also doing a lot of tech work. member of badminton club, knitting club, asian club. i have been a peer tutor in freshman & sophomore years, where a lot of my community service hours came from. throughout sophomore year, i have also been tutoring children in mandarin. being a model and winning a beauty pageant, in doing so i have participated in many events benefiting the chinese-american community. i'm not sure if this is relevant but i have also been through many hardships in my life including immigrating to the US at the age of 2 from china and frequently moving to different parts of the country, parents divorce, being kidnapped, sexual assault at young age, house completely burning down, depression, and overcoming all of them. <-- should i mention these??? Nursing will be my major. and i am asian... which probably hurts my chances, especially because I live in CA, where I want to go to college.
Higher Education (University +) - 1 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
your stats seem decent but i wish you took more honors/ap classes cause those look amazing but you have decent grades I would recommending hitting the UC schools like davis and all (idk what the other ones are) i would try Berkley and if you really wanted to stanford, they choose 5% of their accepting class from california alone being asian does not put you at a disadvantage, schools cannot discriminate according to race but they can according to geography (example if you are from the mid-west you are more likely to get into brown university than if you are from the california new york area- assuming you are compared to a student who has the same exact stats as yours and are weighted the same) but i would recommend davis, and berkely and perhaps stanford (just warning you that their application fee is $95 for a school that accepts less than 10% of a 30-40,000 applicant pool- yeah kinda ridiculous they get about a million dollars just in application fee and and 93% of them get rejected anyways.. and these are kids with 36s on act and 5.0 gpa with 1,000 hours of community service and all) you cannot really pinpoint one thing that will for sure get you into your college
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Sunday, August 7, 2011
adults, please answer
adults, please answer !?
Well. Ok. So im a senior in high school, and its obviously march now. I am going to the University of Southern Indiana next fall for college. Its approx. 4 hours from home, and I guess you could say im getting cold feet. I decided a few months ago I wanted to major in nursing, but honestly, now im not so sure. Maybe its just the fact of choosing my future is what scares me the most. I love medical. and I am super outgoing and love being around people. I just want advice. I dont even really know what im looking for exactly. just... some guidance ? I have so many dreams of studying in foreign countries like japan or china. and i want to do something big with my life. can i go into the peace corps after i get out of college with a nursing degree ? where could i go ? i just want to feel the drive for whats coming i guess. what can i do ? please.
Higher Education (University +) - 5 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
I think you should join the US navy and apply for a medical job. You'll get to travel alot and do medical stuff. Check out the website, you'll see what I mean. www.navy.com
2 :
Peace core is what you do AFTER you've arrived. Save that for 40. Right now you MUST continue your education. I have the hind sight of no college. Now a 4 year degree is even in jeopardy of becoming "sub-standard" in the job market. A masters is the new undergrad. You won't even be in the job stack of interviews if you don't have a masters by the time you get into the market. All great people were in or had graduated college. I place emphasis on this because if you stop, you won't ever go back, life will take over and you will have responsibilities (kids) that will take you away from school. Get it done now before you end up quitting and never go back. Mark Zuckerberg who is a billionaire thanks to facebook was AT HARVARD when this happened. not fooling around at home. Medicine is a great field to get into but it's extremely challenging to make it through the courses. They have a high drop out rate. If you want something solid and become big in life, get into chemistry. It's not impossible. There is a high demand in the field because theirs such a shortage of chemists. You are good for a minimum of $200K out of the doors of your school. You can choose to do high profile research and still get into medicine like cancer research or virus research. I highly suggest that. If you want to become an RN, you can do that much more easily than a lot of other medical tracks. I have a father who's a doctor and he's doing very well and went to school for 8 years. I am in I.T. and I do okay but struggle and wish I had a degree.
3 :
Your hesitations are perfectly natural. Not knowing you, it is hard to be confident about recommendations but I'd be inclined to say go to that university, keep the nursing major as your "for-now" goal but be open to changing your plan as you become more familiar with other options. Make sure you find ways of socializing with overseas students. They'll appreciate your knowledge of the region and - who knows? - you might make some good contacts for overseas working. Also consider taking courses in Chinese or Japanese which will give you an advantage should you decide to do a study abroad - I see that your university currently has one such program with Japan (though it may be affected in the short term by the awful events unfolding there right now). Relax, enjoy your youth. I envy you.
4 :
I think the idea of leaving your comfort zone for something new and exciting is scaring you. Remember your dreams and how much you want to explore and help the world :) I was like you, I'm a freshmen in my 2nd year of college now. I wanted to leave my home state and go to a college in SC and major in English. Unfortunately I wasn't able and stayed in my state and am at a state school and not even on campus. I feel so disconnected from my school and college education most days, all because I feel liike I'm not in the right place. Don't let yourself feel like you're not where you should be. There are so many places you can go :) Nursing is an excellent career choice and if you have passion for it, do it! I'm not giving up on English, I'm just going to have to find another place to go for the time being until I can find a place to excell.
5 :
It is scary to choose a career when you are unsure about what you want to do with your life, but it is less scary when you realize that it is relatively easy to change your major during the first year or two of college, and that changing your major after that simply means that you will be in college a little longer. Have you tried shadowing a nurse so that you see what type of work nurses do? Have you considered becoming a physician assistant or other type of health professional? Talk to some people who work in health care. Find out what they like and don't like about their jobs. If possible, observe them while they are working. USI has a number of options for studying abroad, including programs in China and Japan (see link below). It may be hard to coordinate studying abroad with a nursing curriculum without taking more than four years to graduate unless you study abroad during the summer. If serving in the military is an option for you, the army may pay for your nursing education in return for your service as a nurse. See second link. Ask someone in ROTC at USI for more details. If you are interested in nursing and the Peace Corps, you may want to check into the MSN program offered by George Mason University (see third link). Also, the Peace Corps. hires physicians, NPs, and PAs to take care of the health needs of Peace Corps volunteers. Much of the Peace Corps efforts in health are related to public health. You may also want to consider earning an MPH instead of or as well as an MSN. Another possibility would be to work with a medical mission organization, either secular or religious. One more thing to consider. As far as I know, USI does not currently have a chapter of Global Brigades (see last link). Perhaps you could start one. There is already a chapter at Indiana University Bloomington.
Read more discussion :
Well. Ok. So im a senior in high school, and its obviously march now. I am going to the University of Southern Indiana next fall for college. Its approx. 4 hours from home, and I guess you could say im getting cold feet. I decided a few months ago I wanted to major in nursing, but honestly, now im not so sure. Maybe its just the fact of choosing my future is what scares me the most. I love medical. and I am super outgoing and love being around people. I just want advice. I dont even really know what im looking for exactly. just... some guidance ? I have so many dreams of studying in foreign countries like japan or china. and i want to do something big with my life. can i go into the peace corps after i get out of college with a nursing degree ? where could i go ? i just want to feel the drive for whats coming i guess. what can i do ? please.
Higher Education (University +) - 5 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
I think you should join the US navy and apply for a medical job. You'll get to travel alot and do medical stuff. Check out the website, you'll see what I mean. www.navy.com
2 :
Peace core is what you do AFTER you've arrived. Save that for 40. Right now you MUST continue your education. I have the hind sight of no college. Now a 4 year degree is even in jeopardy of becoming "sub-standard" in the job market. A masters is the new undergrad. You won't even be in the job stack of interviews if you don't have a masters by the time you get into the market. All great people were in or had graduated college. I place emphasis on this because if you stop, you won't ever go back, life will take over and you will have responsibilities (kids) that will take you away from school. Get it done now before you end up quitting and never go back. Mark Zuckerberg who is a billionaire thanks to facebook was AT HARVARD when this happened. not fooling around at home. Medicine is a great field to get into but it's extremely challenging to make it through the courses. They have a high drop out rate. If you want something solid and become big in life, get into chemistry. It's not impossible. There is a high demand in the field because theirs such a shortage of chemists. You are good for a minimum of $200K out of the doors of your school. You can choose to do high profile research and still get into medicine like cancer research or virus research. I highly suggest that. If you want to become an RN, you can do that much more easily than a lot of other medical tracks. I have a father who's a doctor and he's doing very well and went to school for 8 years. I am in I.T. and I do okay but struggle and wish I had a degree.
3 :
Your hesitations are perfectly natural. Not knowing you, it is hard to be confident about recommendations but I'd be inclined to say go to that university, keep the nursing major as your "for-now" goal but be open to changing your plan as you become more familiar with other options. Make sure you find ways of socializing with overseas students. They'll appreciate your knowledge of the region and - who knows? - you might make some good contacts for overseas working. Also consider taking courses in Chinese or Japanese which will give you an advantage should you decide to do a study abroad - I see that your university currently has one such program with Japan (though it may be affected in the short term by the awful events unfolding there right now). Relax, enjoy your youth. I envy you.
4 :
I think the idea of leaving your comfort zone for something new and exciting is scaring you. Remember your dreams and how much you want to explore and help the world :) I was like you, I'm a freshmen in my 2nd year of college now. I wanted to leave my home state and go to a college in SC and major in English. Unfortunately I wasn't able and stayed in my state and am at a state school and not even on campus. I feel so disconnected from my school and college education most days, all because I feel liike I'm not in the right place. Don't let yourself feel like you're not where you should be. There are so many places you can go :) Nursing is an excellent career choice and if you have passion for it, do it! I'm not giving up on English, I'm just going to have to find another place to go for the time being until I can find a place to excell.
5 :
It is scary to choose a career when you are unsure about what you want to do with your life, but it is less scary when you realize that it is relatively easy to change your major during the first year or two of college, and that changing your major after that simply means that you will be in college a little longer. Have you tried shadowing a nurse so that you see what type of work nurses do? Have you considered becoming a physician assistant or other type of health professional? Talk to some people who work in health care. Find out what they like and don't like about their jobs. If possible, observe them while they are working. USI has a number of options for studying abroad, including programs in China and Japan (see link below). It may be hard to coordinate studying abroad with a nursing curriculum without taking more than four years to graduate unless you study abroad during the summer. If serving in the military is an option for you, the army may pay for your nursing education in return for your service as a nurse. See second link. Ask someone in ROTC at USI for more details. If you are interested in nursing and the Peace Corps, you may want to check into the MSN program offered by George Mason University (see third link). Also, the Peace Corps. hires physicians, NPs, and PAs to take care of the health needs of Peace Corps volunteers. Much of the Peace Corps efforts in health are related to public health. You may also want to consider earning an MPH instead of or as well as an MSN. Another possibility would be to work with a medical mission organization, either secular or religious. One more thing to consider. As far as I know, USI does not currently have a chapter of Global Brigades (see last link). Perhaps you could start one. There is already a chapter at Indiana University Bloomington.
Read more discussion :
Monday, August 1, 2011
Are Filipinos really considered in US as Pacific Islanders and not Asians
Are Filipinos really considered in US as Pacific Islanders and not Asians?
Don’t be fooled at once by the title of the entry. The story behind that statement excludes us. Last year, a friend left the Philippines and went to the United States. In his German class, the students were international. The professor asked who the Asians were and one by one the Asian students introduced themselves. And so it went, the Chinese, the Koreans, the Vietnamese, the Singaporeans etc. all raised their hands. Finally the professor calls this Filipino and asks, Professor: Where are you from? Filipino: Philippines Professor: Oh, Filipinos are not Asians! They are Pacific Islanders! Because ASIANS ARE SMART… In the United States, it is already being taught in schools that Filipinos are not Asians—that we are Pacific Islanders. While there is a lot of reaction against it, I am surprised that many intelligent Filipinos abroad have accepted this without question. Pacific Islands are places like Samoa, Hawaii, Tahiti, Guam, Cook Islands, Mariana Islands—and their common denominator? Most of them do not possess their own national and political identities—they are islands under the jurisdiction and protection of more powerful countries like USA, France and New Zealand. Most of these Pacific Islands are still referred to as “indigenous natives.†They have very, very small populations and they have no global role or power. While they have their own unique culture and characteristics, they do not hail from any great civilization in the past. Hindi sila lumaban at tumayo para sa sarili nilang lahi. What is even sad, however, is that even Pacific Islanders do not like and do not accept Filipinos! One good example are Hawaiian tourists we met in China. When they learned that we were Filipinos, they disgustingly uttered , “You eat Balot!†and avoided us like a plague. The statement of this American guy, filled with racism obviously merits strong disapproval. In fact, our friend was so angry after having been humiliated in front of the class. The logical thing to say, is that the Philippines IS part of the ASEAN group of nations. We can also say that Japan is an island in the Pacific Ocean but is not considered a Pacific Island. But we should ask—why would no one dare to call the Japanese people Pacific Islanders? Why pick on the Philippines? Simple. Because Japan has produced cars and we have produced dried mangoes and pastillas. The Philippines has been so left behind by Asian countries that foreigners shake their heads and ask, “What happened to your country?†Let us not even compare the Philippines with the four Tiger economies, ‘cuz they’re just way way way too far ahead. What about Vietnam and Thailand? I read that for every one Filipino who has a Master’s Degree, Vietnam has 6, Thailand has 25 and Singapore has 200. But why bother to be educated when the national dream is to go abroad? We are scattered from Hongkong to Kazakhstan, from Italy to even North Korea. Thousands of our doctors are becoming nurses. Our teachers become caregivers. Our women become entertainers and prostitutes. Our young people only know one course and that is nursing. Why would foreigners respect us when we do not even respect ourselves? We are the country of Gucci Gangs—our elite own Picassos and they simply have no heart to alleviate and educate the masses, as F. Sionil Jose and Brian Gorrell—the pitiful Australian guy who was robbed by DJ Montano—sadly pointed out. I am reminded of Condoleezza Rice, the first black woman to become the United States Secretary of State. She was born in Alabama and suffered discrimination on account of her color. But she was taught from a young age by her father, that she had to be “twice as goodâ€and prove that she was deserving of advancement. Condoleezza Rice explains, “I was going to be so well prepared, and I was going to do all of these things that were revered in white society SO WELL, that I would be armored somehow from racism. I would be able to confront white society on its own terms.†(Washington Post, Lessons of Might and Right, How Segregation and an Indomitable Family Shaped National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice, By Dale Russakoff, September 9, 2001) The only way to answer people, who insist that we are uncivilized tribes is not by shooting off our mouths. The only answer is to beat them by studying and working ten times harder than the rest—to beat them not just once or twice, but to do so consistently for the next 20,30, 40, 50 years. Unless we Filipinos are prepared to love our country, and sacrifice ourselves by doing the extra-mile, we really deserve to be called stupid. ~ Lipad-Lawin Source: http://www.thebrownraise.org
Other - Cultures & Groups - 8 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
Most Filipinos I met are very nice peope (but not necessarily sharp/intelligent like the East Asians). Vietnamese in my opinion isn't that smart either. Koreans can be pretty dumb too. Once again, he can be classified as both I guess.
2 :
You want me to read all of that? Oh no- dear. I haven't got the time...
3 :
if the professor was asian, he wasnt a very smart asian
4 :
too much generalizations/ stereotypes>>>>>>>>>>> >>>Simple. Because Japan has produced cars and we have produced dried mangoes and pastillas. The Philippines has been so left behind by Asian countries that foreigners shake their heads and ask, “What happened to your country?†Let us not even compare the Philippines with the four Tiger economies, ‘cuz they’re just way way way too far ahead. What about Vietnam and Thailand? I read that for every one Filipino who has a Master’s Degree, Vietnam has 6, Thailand has 25 and Singapore has 200. But why bother to be educated when the national dream is to go abroad? We are scattered from Hongkong to Kazakhstan, from Italy to even North Korea. Thousands of our doctors are becoming nurses. Our teachers become caregivers. Our women become entertainers and prostitutes. Our young people only know one course and that is nursing. Why would foreigners respect us when we do not even respect ourselves? We are the country of Gucci Gangs—our elite own Picassos and they simply have no heart to alleviate and educate the masses, as F. Sionil Jose and Brian Gorrell—the pitiful Australian guy who was robbed by DJ Montano—sadly pointed out.
5 :
who cars really? people in this world are always trying to put a label on something
6 :
What does it matter? The Philippines is in Asia, therefore if you're Filipino you are Asian. It's pretty simple. Being smart or not has nothing to do with anything.
7 :
forgot to mention that Filipinos average the 2nd highest household income out of all asian groups in USA... 1st is Indians.
8 :
OK, first of all, expecting Americans to know the least little thing about geography is expecting way too much of them. I'm married to an African, from Ghana. I have encountered hundreds of people who think that Africa is a country, not a continent; several who've asked me if I went on a "safari" when I went to Africa, and whether or not my husband and kids speak "African" (there are 45 major languages in Ghana alone, not even looking at the other 55 countries on the continent). Anyway, the point is, most Americans are going to have a blank "What are you talking about" look when you try to discuss the Philippines. My doctor is from the Philippines. And I've had previous doctors from there. They are good doctors, esp. the one I have now. MY confusion about the Philippines has to do with a sort-of-Asian look to the people, but Spanish sounding names. And Tagalog doesn't seem to be a language like Chinese and Japanese, since it's written with Latin (Roman) characters. So from that perspective, I can see it being considered as a "Pacific Island" country as opposed to being a part of Asian.
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Don’t be fooled at once by the title of the entry. The story behind that statement excludes us. Last year, a friend left the Philippines and went to the United States. In his German class, the students were international. The professor asked who the Asians were and one by one the Asian students introduced themselves. And so it went, the Chinese, the Koreans, the Vietnamese, the Singaporeans etc. all raised their hands. Finally the professor calls this Filipino and asks, Professor: Where are you from? Filipino: Philippines Professor: Oh, Filipinos are not Asians! They are Pacific Islanders! Because ASIANS ARE SMART… In the United States, it is already being taught in schools that Filipinos are not Asians—that we are Pacific Islanders. While there is a lot of reaction against it, I am surprised that many intelligent Filipinos abroad have accepted this without question. Pacific Islands are places like Samoa, Hawaii, Tahiti, Guam, Cook Islands, Mariana Islands—and their common denominator? Most of them do not possess their own national and political identities—they are islands under the jurisdiction and protection of more powerful countries like USA, France and New Zealand. Most of these Pacific Islands are still referred to as “indigenous natives.†They have very, very small populations and they have no global role or power. While they have their own unique culture and characteristics, they do not hail from any great civilization in the past. Hindi sila lumaban at tumayo para sa sarili nilang lahi. What is even sad, however, is that even Pacific Islanders do not like and do not accept Filipinos! One good example are Hawaiian tourists we met in China. When they learned that we were Filipinos, they disgustingly uttered , “You eat Balot!†and avoided us like a plague. The statement of this American guy, filled with racism obviously merits strong disapproval. In fact, our friend was so angry after having been humiliated in front of the class. The logical thing to say, is that the Philippines IS part of the ASEAN group of nations. We can also say that Japan is an island in the Pacific Ocean but is not considered a Pacific Island. But we should ask—why would no one dare to call the Japanese people Pacific Islanders? Why pick on the Philippines? Simple. Because Japan has produced cars and we have produced dried mangoes and pastillas. The Philippines has been so left behind by Asian countries that foreigners shake their heads and ask, “What happened to your country?†Let us not even compare the Philippines with the four Tiger economies, ‘cuz they’re just way way way too far ahead. What about Vietnam and Thailand? I read that for every one Filipino who has a Master’s Degree, Vietnam has 6, Thailand has 25 and Singapore has 200. But why bother to be educated when the national dream is to go abroad? We are scattered from Hongkong to Kazakhstan, from Italy to even North Korea. Thousands of our doctors are becoming nurses. Our teachers become caregivers. Our women become entertainers and prostitutes. Our young people only know one course and that is nursing. Why would foreigners respect us when we do not even respect ourselves? We are the country of Gucci Gangs—our elite own Picassos and they simply have no heart to alleviate and educate the masses, as F. Sionil Jose and Brian Gorrell—the pitiful Australian guy who was robbed by DJ Montano—sadly pointed out. I am reminded of Condoleezza Rice, the first black woman to become the United States Secretary of State. She was born in Alabama and suffered discrimination on account of her color. But she was taught from a young age by her father, that she had to be “twice as goodâ€and prove that she was deserving of advancement. Condoleezza Rice explains, “I was going to be so well prepared, and I was going to do all of these things that were revered in white society SO WELL, that I would be armored somehow from racism. I would be able to confront white society on its own terms.†(Washington Post, Lessons of Might and Right, How Segregation and an Indomitable Family Shaped National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice, By Dale Russakoff, September 9, 2001) The only way to answer people, who insist that we are uncivilized tribes is not by shooting off our mouths. The only answer is to beat them by studying and working ten times harder than the rest—to beat them not just once or twice, but to do so consistently for the next 20,30, 40, 50 years. Unless we Filipinos are prepared to love our country, and sacrifice ourselves by doing the extra-mile, we really deserve to be called stupid. ~ Lipad-Lawin Source: http://www.thebrownraise.org
Other - Cultures & Groups - 8 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
Most Filipinos I met are very nice peope (but not necessarily sharp/intelligent like the East Asians). Vietnamese in my opinion isn't that smart either. Koreans can be pretty dumb too. Once again, he can be classified as both I guess.
2 :
You want me to read all of that? Oh no- dear. I haven't got the time...
3 :
if the professor was asian, he wasnt a very smart asian
4 :
too much generalizations/ stereotypes>>>>>>>>>>> >>>Simple. Because Japan has produced cars and we have produced dried mangoes and pastillas. The Philippines has been so left behind by Asian countries that foreigners shake their heads and ask, “What happened to your country?†Let us not even compare the Philippines with the four Tiger economies, ‘cuz they’re just way way way too far ahead. What about Vietnam and Thailand? I read that for every one Filipino who has a Master’s Degree, Vietnam has 6, Thailand has 25 and Singapore has 200. But why bother to be educated when the national dream is to go abroad? We are scattered from Hongkong to Kazakhstan, from Italy to even North Korea. Thousands of our doctors are becoming nurses. Our teachers become caregivers. Our women become entertainers and prostitutes. Our young people only know one course and that is nursing. Why would foreigners respect us when we do not even respect ourselves? We are the country of Gucci Gangs—our elite own Picassos and they simply have no heart to alleviate and educate the masses, as F. Sionil Jose and Brian Gorrell—the pitiful Australian guy who was robbed by DJ Montano—sadly pointed out.
5 :
who cars really? people in this world are always trying to put a label on something
6 :
What does it matter? The Philippines is in Asia, therefore if you're Filipino you are Asian. It's pretty simple. Being smart or not has nothing to do with anything.
7 :
forgot to mention that Filipinos average the 2nd highest household income out of all asian groups in USA... 1st is Indians.
8 :
OK, first of all, expecting Americans to know the least little thing about geography is expecting way too much of them. I'm married to an African, from Ghana. I have encountered hundreds of people who think that Africa is a country, not a continent; several who've asked me if I went on a "safari" when I went to Africa, and whether or not my husband and kids speak "African" (there are 45 major languages in Ghana alone, not even looking at the other 55 countries on the continent). Anyway, the point is, most Americans are going to have a blank "What are you talking about" look when you try to discuss the Philippines. My doctor is from the Philippines. And I've had previous doctors from there. They are good doctors, esp. the one I have now. MY confusion about the Philippines has to do with a sort-of-Asian look to the people, but Spanish sounding names. And Tagalog doesn't seem to be a language like Chinese and Japanese, since it's written with Latin (Roman) characters. So from that perspective, I can see it being considered as a "Pacific Island" country as opposed to being a part of Asian.
Read more discussion :
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