Asian American Discrimination in Harvard Admissions [pdf]

Like one greyed out poster said, no one cares - about Asian Americans in the U.S. There is likely no other minority group where if something like this were occuring against them, that it would just be accepted. Hell, it wouldn't even be up for debate. Yet with Asians, here we are. No one being fired or cancelled, no action being taken, no one going to bat for Asians in this country like they would've if it were an African American, Mexican, or other minority group.

Not enough votes to make a difference.

We need an Asian University to take on these elite universities. Asian community has enough money and surely enough smart professors to make this happen.

We need just need an Asian billionaire to stand up and make it happen.

Could that be a startup idea?

Worth noting that elite universities aren't elite because they impart special knowledge that you couldn't reasonably get elsewhere. They're elite because they get the pick of the litter from each graduating class. And top students want to attend, because the schools are considered elite (by parents, employers, other students, whatever), creating a virtuous/vicious cycle. Your degree signals your elevated status & improves your career prospects -- you were always intelligent but lacked the pedigree that would open the right doors.

So any competing "elite" university gets hobbled from the start simply by being "competing." Because a university degree is more social signaling and branding than a mere education. It's a really powerful bit of marketing: people will read this & generally agree (I hope). But then send their kids to elite schools anyway, which is the point.

A lot of people will point to Lambda School or equivalents as competitors of elite universities. The thinking goes that the Lambda School model (income share agreements + teaching practical knowledge, like knowing how to code) will replace universities. That is -- and I say this respectfully -- a brain dead take. I don't doubt that LS and others will be somewhat successful, but they won't even come close to threatening the value of an elite degree.

It's like thinking that people won't buy Apple products because they're too expensive and not really innovative. True in the facts (maybe, I don't really have strong opinions on Apple), but totally wrong in the conclusion. People miss the importance of perceived value.

A useful thought exercise (not mine). You're stuck on an island with a lot of raw materials. Would you rather have (1) a degree in boat-building from Princeton without the actual knowledge or (2) no degree, but full knowledge of how to build a boat? Most people, without thinking, choose (2).

Would you rather have (1) a degree in chemical engineering from Princeton, with none of the knowledge, or (2) all of that knowledge, but no degree? The fact that most people even hesitate to choose is pretty strong proof that the degree's primary value is marketing. Hypothetically, if you had (1), you could parlay that into a lucrative non-chemical-engineering field to hide your lack of knowledge. After all, you did go to Princeton :)

I'm talking about the US of course, no (informed) idea of how it is in other countries.