when choosing school as an asian immigrant

[zlyu]

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[cliquesh]

If your English is bad you need to practice it, so you might as well go to the best school you can and practice your English with them white people.

 

[DoctorKrieger]

So you don't want to study with white people? It's academia, there will be plenty of Asians anywhere you go.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

If cultural similarity is a big thing then attend CA. I'm not entirely sure that you realize how enormously different even the same ethnic group people change just by living on different coasts and states.

Honestly though, I do think regardless of intent you basically just lumped all white medical school students together and implied a negative connotation regarding work ethic or values. You may want to... idk... not do that?

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

I think you have a valid concern-- schooling is as much about where you feel comfortable as anything else. But as an individual who has lived in the Midwest (Iowa) for most of her life I can say that while we lack diversity and most people are white here we do respect and appreciate it and I don't know anybody that would look down on someone for being non-natively born. Iowa's big cities (Des Moines, Iowa city, Cedar Rapids) are far more inclusive and accepting than people give us credit for! However ultimately it's up to where you think you'll feel the most comfortable and "at home."

I'm pretty sure DMU is enormously cosmopolitan though. Most of your class is OOS right?

 

[zlyu]

yea im really afraid people are taking it in the wrong way, im not talking about work ethic and anything else at all just strictly worried about fitting in the student body or not. its really hard to describe this feeling in words but thank you guys for commenting, i believe ill be the one to pick the school that i am most comfortable with

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

yea im really afraid people are taking it in the wrong way, im not talking about work ethic and anything else at all just strictly worried about fitting in the student body or not. its really hard to describe this feeling in words but thank you guys for commenting, i believe ill be the one to pick the school that i am most comfortable with

From what my professor once said, you can fit in the Midwest as long as you know how to drink beer and like sports. lol

 

[AlteredScale]

From what my professor once said, you can fit in the Midwest as long as you know how to drink beer and like sports. lol

I need to work on one of those requirements. :I

 

[polylux]

Honestly though, I do think regardless of intent you basically just lumped all white medical school students together and implied a negative connotation regarding work ethic or values. You may want to... idk... not do that?

yea im really afraid people are taking it in the wrong way, im not talking about work ethic and anything else at all just strictly worried about fitting in the student body or not. its really hard to describe this feeling in words but thank you guys for commenting, i believe ill be the one to pick the school that i am most comfortable with

To white people, it might sound weird that someone is concerned about so many white people in the US. He didn't say a single bad thing about being white though, so I don't think you can say OP implied anything of the sort.

To OP, I can relate - I immigrated when I was young, and it was pretty hard. When you are white in the states, you are almost never in an environment where you are minority. It's pretty uncomfortable to go from a place where everyone speaks the same language and looks similar to you to a place where no one looks like you, you suddenly have trouble communicating basic thoughts, and most of them can't pronounce your name. It causes a lot of anxiety, and that can take years and years to cope with. I've been in the states for most of my life and I still have problems with it. Even when no one else cares that you're the only asian in the room, it's still painfully obvious to you.

In any case, OP, I think maybe it would be really good for you to push the limits of your comfort zone more, but not if it comes at the expense of your work quality. There are always people willing to help you. Feel free to PM me for any support.

 

[Seth Joo]

My parents were immigrants from Japan, I grew up in one of the most "liberal" parts of the country, Boston. I go to school now in a fairly conservative state, Arizona, I have had no real problems with anyone. And I actually like Arizona a lot more than Boston, for one thing I do not need to shovel snow.

If you are concerned about discrimination, you should probably go to a school near a large major city.