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Only if it's based on race. You must be American since you missed the part where I said it's the _poor_ Indians and Chinese that are desperate and most departme

by monochr 12y ago

Only if it's based on race. You must be American since you missed the part where I said it's the _poor_ Indians and Chinese that are desperate and most departments want nothing to do with them. That isn't racism, that is wealth discrimination. By contrast the poor Australians aren't applying to post graduate programs in mathematics, they are too busy being drunk at the footy, so they are not a group anyone had to worry about at my university. But if one of them showed up with fake credentials they would be as disruptive to the department as that Chinese student was, and would fly out just as quickly.

seanmcdirmid 12y ago
I doubt this Chinese student was poor if he could get convincing enough fake qualifications; he was probably middle class with city hukou and resourceful parents, but just didn't apply himself because his parents were always able to solve his problems for him (also, very likely an only child). This is actually quite common in China; the poor Chinese students are the ones that have to work their asses off because their parents can't give them any special advantages. I have my own biases, but having lived in China for so long, they aren't based on ethnicity anymore (e.g. watch that guy in starbucks wearing farmer clothes, he might try to steal my computer).
- monochr 12y ago
  He might have been rich by Chinese standards but he was still poor by Western ones. He seemed to be vastly more interested in finding a job outside the university so he could stay in the country than actually trying to study for the classes he was taking. And again note, I didn't say he was lazy, as far as we could tell he was taking a dozen interviews a week for work. He was however a complete academic deadbeat and terrible investment for the university. In short, we got scammed, someone came over on a student visa, only to try their hardest to migrate permanently without adding anything of value to the university and group he was meant to be working in.
  - seanmcdirmid 12y ago
    > He might have been rich by Chinese standards but he was still poor by Western ones. Ugh. It is possible that his parents were richer than yours; they could be driving black Audi's, have multiple Ayi's (house keepers), and multiple apartments; you really can't tell! It is true that having their kids get a job in a western country is important even to middle class/rich Chinese; even they realize how unbalanced the employment situation is even if it often works in their favor. > And again note, I didn't say he was lazy, as far as we could tell he was taking a dozen interviews a week for work. This makes sense. They can lazy academically but, instilled by the habits of their parents, realize that the key to success is networking and career climbing rather than studying.

by monochr 12y ago

seanmcdirmid 12y ago

I doubt this Chinese student was poor if he could get convincing enough fake qualifications; he was probably middle class with city hukou and resourceful parents, but just didn't apply himself because his parents were always able to solve his problems for him (also, very likely an only child). This is actually quite common in China; the poor Chinese students are the ones that have to work their asses off because their parents can't give them any special advantages. I have my own biases, but having lived in China for so long, they aren't based on ethnicity anymore (e.g. watch that guy in starbucks wearing farmer clothes, he might try to steal my computer).

monochr 12y ago
He might have been rich by Chinese standards but he was still poor by Western ones. He seemed to be vastly more interested in finding a job outside the university so he could stay in the country than actually trying to study for the classes he was taking. And again note, I didn't say he was lazy, as far as we could tell he was taking a dozen interviews a week for work. He was however a complete academic deadbeat and terrible investment for the university. In short, we got scammed, someone came over on a student visa, only to try their hardest to migrate permanently without adding anything of value to the university and group he was meant to be working in.
- seanmcdirmid 12y ago
  > He might have been rich by Chinese standards but he was still poor by Western ones. Ugh. It is possible that his parents were richer than yours; they could be driving black Audi's, have multiple Ayi's (house keepers), and multiple apartments; you really can't tell! It is true that having their kids get a job in a western country is important even to middle class/rich Chinese; even they realize how unbalanced the employment situation is even if it often works in their favor. > And again note, I didn't say he was lazy, as far as we could tell he was taking a dozen interviews a week for work. This makes sense. They can lazy academically but, instilled by the habits of their parents, realize that the key to success is networking and career climbing rather than studying.