Harvard Quote by Kay S. Hymowitz
““Ruth Stanislaus, principal of P.S. 971 in Sunset Park, whose student population is now a little over half Chinese, was taken aback when one mother of a kindergartner—a five-year-old, mind you—announced in faltering English: “My son must go Harvard.” If, as sometimes appears to be the case, “Harvard” is the first English word learned by immigrant Chinese mothers, the second word is probably “Stuyvesant.” Remember””
About This Quote
Source Article: The New York Times, “The Immigrant Dream”, 2015
Immigrant parents often project elite academic aspirations onto their children, sometimes overlooking realistic pathways and the child's own interests.
In simple terms: Parents push kids toward top schools, sometimes unrealistically.
Key Takeaway
Balance ambition with realistic guidance.
Themes
education
immigration
parental expectations
aspirations
cultural pressure
Mood
anxious
hopeful
reflective
Type
advice
social commentary
cultural analysis
When to use this quote
- college counseling
- parent‑teacher meetings
- career planning
- community workshops
Key Concepts
social mobility
identity formation
family dynamics
Questions to Reflect On
- How can parents support their child's dreams without imposing unrealistic goals?
- What resources help families navigate educational choices?
A Different Perspective
High expectations can cause stress and limit exploration of alternative passions.
![“It was at Harvard not quite forty years ago that I went into an anechoic [totally silent] chamber not expecting in that silent room to hear two sounds: one high, my nervous system in operation, one low, my blood in circulation. The reason I did not expect to hear those two sounds was that they…” quote by John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/153/john-cage-2094_blood_it-was-at-harvard-not-quite-forty-years_56114.jpg)
