Tsai argues that Asian-American students often feel pressure to "act white" in order to fit into socially acceptable positions and achieve higher status within schools. She found that Asian students who adopt behaviors stereotypically associated with white Americans, such as participating in extracurricular activities, are more likely to gain social prestige and access to more prestigious colleges. While "acting white" is stigmatized among black communities, Asian students may embrace it as a means of assimilating into American society and distinguishing themselves from the "nerdy" stereotype of "acting Asian."

9. “Becoming White”
• According to Tsai, a Hunter College High School alumni,
Asian-Americans try to fit themselves into socially
acceptable positions by “acting white”. Surprisingly Tsai’s
interviewed subjects admit to their acceptance or even
embracement of the term. In her paper Tsai writes that
“Among blacks, ‘acting white’ is socially stigmatized, but
Asian students who ‘act white’ usually occupy the more
socially prestigious positions. Because ‘acting Asian’ is
equated with acting foreign or like a nerd, ‘acting white’
among Asian people becomes a source of pride and is
valued as the ability to assimilate into the American
society. While both performances are frequently
practiced, the Asian students who 'acted white' are more
likely to achieve extracurricular activity status within the
school, which often led to admissions into more
prestigious colleges.”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-
dyn/content/article/2008/01/08/AR2008010802038.html

10. • http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-asians-attack-
labels-20130323,0,883060.post
• http://cmhc.utexas.edu/modelminority.html
• http://pjmedia.com/lifestyle/2012/11/24/the-7-worst-asian-
american-stereotypes/
• http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2013/05/01/d
aily-circuit-artists
• http://blog.angryasianman.com/2013/03/beyond-bad-ugly-
summit-on-asian.html

12. References
• http://www2.und.edu/dept/undncate/ESPB_Pro
gram_Reports/elementary_ed/ESPB_Elementary
_Education_Documents/student_work_samples/
Standard50015.3/50015.3b/15.3bMCTeachingMe
ets2.pdf
• http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-
asians-attack-labels-20130323,0,883060.post
• http://pjmedia.com/lifestyle/2012/11/24/the-7-
worst-asian-american-stereotypes/
• http://cmhc.utexas.edu/modelminority.html