4 ms·
Again it usually happens when parents are not well educated. They only realize the importance of education, but they're not educated enough to evaluate their ch
by vicaya 18y ago
Again it usually happens when parents are not well educated. They only realize the importance of education, but they're not educated enough to evaluate their children's progress, so they often have to rely on the not always reliable association of good grades with good progress.
- Shamiq 18y agoBoth my parents have post-graduate degrees and have told me one thing repeatedly: Shamiq, we know how important it is to learn, but the only way anyone is going to look beyond your skin color is if your scores are so superior, if your skills are so superior, if everything is so much better than the number 2 that they'd be shooting themselves in the foot if they don't hire you. But the main focus has always been grades and scores.
- endtime 18y agoShamiq, we know how important it is to learn, but the only way anyone is going to look beyond your skin color is if your scores are so superior, if your skills are so superior, if everything is so much better than the number 2 that they'd be shooting themselves in the foot if they don't hire you. If you don't mind my asking, where do you live?
- Shamiq 18y agoCurrently in Evanston, IL. Before that in Texas.
- endtime 18y agoDo you feel that people in IL or TX are still that racist? Or are you old enough that when your parents were saying that it was a long time ago? I haven't lived in either part of the country but I'd be surprised if it's really still like that.
- Shamiq 18y agoBoth my parents and I are immigrants, and where they came from they were the minority. As such, they personally encountered and had to deal with both racism and xenophobia. It's more subtle in their professional fields, but not nonexistent. Parts of Texas are still horrible, but Northwestern is amazing when it comes with dealing with diversity. I have carried with me the work ethic springing from their statements, but tend to ignore the ill will that inspired it. It's useful to learn how to work hard.
- cglee 18y agoMy dad has a PhD and he pretty much pressured me as others have described. I'd say it's not about education as much as about wisdom.
- kajecounterhack 18y agoMy dad's a Chem E. PH.D and has masters in CS and material science. He used to push me pretty hard about school...until his health deteriorated and he realized there are more important things in life. Still, I appreciate the fact that he pushed me because now I'm a good student. Haha. Not to mention, I've found something I absolutely love (CS).
- nostrademons 18y agoI'll add my voice to the chorus. My dad's an MIT Ph.D. When I took the SATs in 7th grade (scoring at roughly the 90th percentile of graduating highschool seniors, i.e. my scores at age 12 were higher than 90% of 18 year olds), his first words were "Well, it's not perfect." He was very disappointed when I became a total slacker in high school. (Which was basically my sole act of adolescent rebellion.) Thank goodness my mom has relatively sane, middle-class American values.
- nikron 18y agoThis is not true at all. I know plenty of parents who are well educated and place a lot of importance on grade. For example, my parents are both first generation doctors from India, and they place a lot of importance on grade and I don't think they are wrong for doing so.