# Success of Indian (dot) kids at U.S spelling bee competitions . **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 28, 2009, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/success-of-indian-dot-kids-at-u-s-spelling-bee-competitions/497915 "2009-05-28T10:58:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2009, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/success-of-indian-dot-kids-at-u-s-spelling-bee-competitions/497915/61 "2009-05-30T15:09:12Z")
> [@Lantern](#): > > Manda JO, > The basic problem with your argument is that the kids of Asian immigrants are in fact highly successful in getting into elite colleges where their representation is several times their share of their population. This suggests that Asian parents are pretty savvy about the system contrary to what you claim. This also suggests that Asian kids are probably more well-rounded than you think because it’s not possible to get into the top colleges on academics alone. **Dewey Finn** provides some anecdotal evidence above. So whatever your experience with immigrant kids is, it’s probably not very representative. Again, I wasn’t talking about Asian immigrants specifically, though I suspect that if you controlled for college-educated parents, much of that difference would disappear. I am not trying to describe something that is “typical”–most Asians aren’t in spelling bees, either–but something that does happen and could explain why some individuals in certain groups might make choices that seem pointless to people that know the system. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2009, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/success-of-indian-dot-kids-at-u-s-spelling-bee-competitions/497915/62 "2009-05-30T20:10:08Z")
> [@stuthehistoryguy](#): > > [Ginger Kids - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginger_Kids) Red-haired is an ethnicity now (and distinct from “Anglo”)? ---
**Author:** ![just\_a\_guy\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/898d66/32.png) [@just\_a\_guy\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/just_a_guy_1)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2009, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/success-of-indian-dot-kids-at-u-s-spelling-bee-competitions/497915/63 "2009-05-30T22:04:12Z")
> [@MandaJo](#): > > Again, I wasn’t talking about Asian immigrants specifically, though I suspect that if you controlled for college-educated parents, much of that difference would disappear. > > I am not trying to describe something that is “typical”–most Asians aren’t in spelling bees, either–but something that does happen and could explain why some individuals in certain groups might make choices that seem pointless to people that know the system. Manda, at this point I would _provisionally_ agree with you that it is a low yield exercise ( **provisionally** , because I do not have the data to validate your hypothesis regarding non-proportionality of rewards with commitment). However, I have to point out this: the way you said it, it can be interpreted as if the “commitment-confusion” is the only explanation of the Indian success. (Some people in this thread have already interpreted it that way.) But, that is surely not true. There are almost equal number of Indian kids in the semis as the white kids. (The kids in the semis are all very keen on winning the competition. So, they have comparably commitment.) But, in the final round there are only two white kids left, whereas there are seven Indian kids. How do you explain that? I am _not_ suggesting that Asian kids are genetically superior to white kids. My explanation is that Indians (as well as some other Asians) are taught early on by their parents. That is a part of their traditional parenting. So, they get more practice on stuff like spelling, reasoning and math. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2009, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/success-of-indian-dot-kids-at-u-s-spelling-bee-competitions/497915/64 "2009-05-30T22:15:51Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Red-haired is an ethnicity now (and distinct from “Anglo”)? Do you really think “people” like Groundskeeper Willie deserve a place in polite society? What’s next, allowing Negro music on the radio? Oh my stars. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2009, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/success-of-indian-dot-kids-at-u-s-spelling-bee-competitions/497915/65 "2009-05-30T23:47:51Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > Do you really think “people” like Groundskeeper Willie deserve a place in polite society? What’s next, allowing Negro music on the radio? Oh my stars. ::Adds friedo to the list:: You shouldn’t have said that, **friedo**. You know about our famous tempers. We keep grudges too. Sleep with one eye open. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/success-of-indian-dot-kids-at-u-s-spelling-bee-competitions/497915.md?page=3)