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I have heard that the Japanese educational system puts a LOT of pressure on its students. Can anyone tell me why this is, and how they put pressure on them?
I have heard that the Japanese educational system puts a LOT of pressure on its students. Can anyone tell me why this is, and how they put pressure on them?
Basically they MUST study very hard in High School and such to get into a good college. The college you get into, and graduate from, dictates the rest of your life. The better the college, the better the future post-college life.
This means that once you get in college, you can take it easy, and just enjoy life for awhile. Basically things are inverse from the U.S. In the U.S., kids generally do nothing from K-12, than start studying hard in college.
In Japan (and South Korea), you study very hard to get into a good college. Than your college life is a breeze, and you have fun. Teachers have low expectations of the students in college. But you had to have those High School grades to get into the better ones.
Also, people regularly ask people 'where did you go to college?' It's used as a barometer of where to place you. Go to a great school, instant respect. Go to a low-ranking school, not so much respect/recognition for it.
Basically they MUST study very hard in High School and such to get into a good college. The college you get into, and graduate from, dictates the rest of your life. The better the college, the better the future post-college life.
This means that once you get in college, you can take it easy, and just enjoy life for awhile. Basically things are inverse from the U.S. In the U.S., kids generally do nothing from K-12, than start studying hard in college.
In Japan (and South Korea), you study very hard to get into a good college. Than your college life is a breeze, and you have fun. Teachers have low expectations of the students in college. But you had to have those High School grades to get into the better ones.
Also, people regularly ask people 'where did you go to college?' It's used as a barometer of where to place you. Go to a great school, instant respect. Go to a low-ranking school, not so much respect/recognition for it.
To add to that, where you go to school, has a lot of emphasis on college. If you go to a low ranking public school, it will be harder to get into a good college. Attend a well known private school, that gives you almost a shoe in for a great college, so long as your grades are high. My wife still looks down upon kids from certain high schools and colleges. It is something that last a long time. When we are in Japan, if she sees a kid in a uniform from a low level school, she immediately feels that lack intelligence, vice versa for higher ranking school. This even goes for Kindergarten. My wife and her sister had to study over a year to ensure they can pass the exam for their Kindergarten.
Basically they MUST study very hard in High School and such to get into a good college. The college you get into, and graduate from, dictates the rest of your life. The better the college, the better the future post-college life.
This means that once you get in college, you can take it easy, and just enjoy life for awhile. Basically things are inverse from the U.S. In the U.S., kids generally do nothing from K-12, than start studying hard in college.
In Japan (and South Korea), you study very hard to get into a good college. Than your college life is a breeze, and you have fun. Teachers have low expectations of the students in college. But you had to have those High School grades to get into the better ones.
Also, people regularly ask people 'where did you go to college?' It's used as a barometer of where to place you. Go to a great school, instant respect. Go to a low-ranking school, not so much respect/recognition for it.
It's exactly the same in China.
When Chinese students are applying for graduate schools in the US, professors from China (and Korea) always pick those from top Chinese universities. However American professors don't know the rule and often give a chance to those from a lower ranked school. I observed it a lot.
Koreans do this even more than Chinese. A Korean professor in my previous department only accepts students from two best Chinese universities, when Chinese candidates are concerned. I am not sure where his Korean/Indian/American students are from.
I believe many of these statements apply as well to students in the U.S., where socioeconomic class is important. Many kids feel pressure from their parents and their peers to get into an Ivy League school, and once they do, it is a sign of status for the rest of their lives.
I believe many of these statements apply as well to students in the U.S., where socioeconomic class is important. Many kids feel pressure from their parents and their peers to get into an Ivy League school, and once they do, it is a sign of status for the rest of their lives.
I do not doubt it is, but compared to Japan, Korea and China where the majority face pressure, the ones who face this pressure in the USA is a smaller group of folks.
I do not doubt it is, but compared to Japan, Korea and China where the majority face pressure, the ones who face this pressure in the USA is a smaller group of folks.
I agree. I was raised to believe that any college education was good. I went to a state college. I think I was definitely the norm.
It was only years later when I lived in NYC, that I'd ever even met an Ivy League person. Than I realized in their world, it had a lot of significance.
But, for the most part, most Americans function just fine without any awareness of the Ivy Leagues.
Whereas in Japan/Korea (and apparently China as well), it dictates pretty much everything.
I agree. I was raised to believe that any college education was good. I went to a state college. I think I was definitely the norm.
It was only years later when I lived in NYC, that I'd ever even met an Ivy League person. Than I realized in their world, it had a lot of significance.
But, for the most part, most Americans function just fine without any awareness of the Ivy Leagues.
Whereas in Japan/Korea (and apparently China as well), it dictates pretty much everything.
Many famous US politicians went to Ivy schools, especially Harvard and Yale.
However most Americans think it has nothing to do with their life.
American culture is kind of anti-elite, to some extent. Europe and Asia are very different.
Many famous US politicians went to Ivy schools, especially Harvard and Yale.
However most Americans think it has nothing to do with their life.
American culture is kind of anti-elite, to some extent. Europe and Asia are very different.
At the same time many have not. The majority of Americans have no interest in a political career, and with the exception of a handful of elite law firms and financial firms, the place you go to school has no bearing on being worthy of a job.
The politicians that attend Ivy League schools, usually attend those schools because their parents did. Most students are Ivy League schools are there because they have family who attended.
However, this thread is about Japan and the pressure they put on themselves, not American politicians and the schools they attend.
At the same time many have not. The majority of Americans have no interest in a political career, and with the exception of a handful of elite law firms and financial firms, the place you go to school has no bearing on being worthy of a job.
The politicians that attend Ivy League schools, usually attend those schools because their parents did. Most students are Ivy League schools are there because they have family who attended.
However, this thread is about Japan and the pressure they put on themselves, not American politicians and the schools they attend.
That is just the point.
America is a "grass root dominated" society. I mean most people do not even want to be the elite.
East Asian culture encourages people to be elite. This is exactly the function of imperial examination in ancient China--- as long as you study hard, you can join the ruling class.
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