http://www.flickr.com/photos/placid_casual/ / CC BY-ND 2.0

You probably have heard the following phrases at least once in your life:

“It’s harder for Asians to get into good schools.”
“All Asians want to be doctors, engineers, lawyers, or maybe bankers.”
“The Ivy League schools are Harvard, MIT, Stanford, and Berkeley.”

Asian Americans who have gone through the college admissions process groan and chuckle at these misinformed statements. People like Wan Qiu Chen, founder of IvyClimbing Education Services, and Kevin Lum Lung, college counselor at The Harker School, are working to eradicate these misconceptions not only in the Asian American community, but also among high school students and their parents in general.

Chen and Lum Lung are more similar than at first glance. Despite coming from two different generations, parents and students consider the two counselors to be important figures in the admissions world. Both counselors reside in Silicon Valley, an area known for its technology-driven companies and large Asian population.

IvyClimbing Education Services is a private college counseling service in Sunnyvale, CA. The Harker School is a private K-12 school in San Jose, CA with a developed college counseling program*. Chen notes that the name of her company, IvyClimbing, “perpetuates the aspirations of Asian parents who want to send their kids to the top schools,” but that it also, “conveys a lot of hurdles. Eventually, it is those who are persistent, don’t give up, and keep trying to overcome all the challenges who might be able to reach to the top.”

Both are proud of their Asian heritage, but neither of them got involved in the college counseling industry because they are Asian. “I’m proud of being part Asian, but I chose to become a counselor purely because I wanted to help people,” said Lum Lung.

One of the biggest misconceptions, according to both counselors, is that the only good colleges are the Ivy League schools. “There are hundreds of fantastic colleges and universities out there—in this country and in other countries—and students don’t need to look hard to discover them,” said Lum Lung. “There are no guarantees, but there are many wonderful options and opportunities out there. A student just needs to take the time to explore them.”

Another misconception, Chen pointed out, is the belief that there is a formula for getting into a good college. She said, “The truth is, there is no magic activity. There are just so many factors that will be taken into consideration by the admissions committee. They say it’s like a symphony—they need people who play pianos and people who play drums. There is nothing that students can do to change that.” But those applying to college should not feel hopeless as a result. Chen highly recommends students “genuinely strive for impact and passion.” With a chuckle, she added, “You know, people fly to Africa because they were told that it will impress admissions officers. But I disagree with that.”

It is also commonly believed that it is harder for an Asian to get into a good college than it is for a similar student of a different ethnicity because Asians are stereotypically known to succeed in academics—a perpetuation of the model minority myth. Lum Lung retorted, “I have no evidence of this. We have many Asian students at Harker and they are getting into some of most sel.ective colleges in the country. And having been on the college admissions side, I know how many factors are looked at when making a decision. I think it is common for people outside of the process to point to one factor, like ethnicity, and make judgments or conclusions about what impact it had on the final decision.” Likewise, Chen stated, “If you look at all the statistics, Asian Americans are overrepresented at the top schools, even though they are only a small fraction of the population.”

After all these years of working in college counseling, Chen and Lum Lung have become masters at navigating the fine balance between parental decisions and the desires of students—not every Asian American student wants to be a doctor, after all. Lum Lung remarks, “My role in this process is to guide the student and the family the best way I can, but at the end of the day, it is up to the student and the family. Do they make decisions I don’t agree with? Sure, sometimes, but that is life. Having confidence that everything will work out in the end allows me to enjoy my job day after day, year after year.” Chen adds that “ultimately, [parents] want their kids to find a good match and do something that will make themselves happy.”

The college admissions process may be gaining more hype from the media. Lum Lung said, “While it is tougher to get into some colleges these days, it wasn’t easy back [when I applied to college] either. I jokingly tell students that Columbia and Stanford weren’t exactly passing out acceptances at the local mall back then.” Some things never change, but our conceptions of the college admissions process can.

*Full disclosure: I attended The Harker School, but Kevin Lum Lung was not my college counselor.

Related posts:

1. What to Look For During a College Visit How do you explain that feeling when you get into...
2. Introducing Mochi’s First-Ever College Issue I remember the college application process like it was yesterday....
3. How Affirmative Action Affects Asian Americans Affirmative action remains one of the most controversial issues facing...

Susanna Lau of the Style Bubble fashion blog is better known throughout the blogosphere as “Susie Bubble” — an alias that she garnered from her friend, Sarah Hill, back in elementary school. Incidentally, long before blogging existed, an entire class of children began to call her by her famous nickname because she always looked like she was in a world of her own. “I was in a bubble!” she affectionately recalled.

Nowadays, in spite of her nickname and blog name, Lau is one of the most artistically, culturally and sartorially involved individuals in the fashion media industry — a far cry from the “bubble” of her childhood years. She began blogging because she wanted to “channel random thoughts about fashion” into a space of her own, after “geeking out” on fashion forums such as The Fashion Spot. Lau discovered that bloggers have the ability to cover obscure information with speed and variety that most print publications have not yet achieved. For buyers, public relations agents and trendspotters, bloggers are gems of resources — and Lau is a rare blue diamond. “Blogging three times a day for three years is weirdly enough the most consistent thing I’ve ever done,” she said.

Her passion and keen eye for design led her to become the commissioning editor for Dazed Digital, the groundbreaking online counterpart to the British style magazine, Dazed & Confused. Lau admits that “it’s been tricky to juggle the blog and [her] full time job at Dazed, but it has been really amazing overseeing the development of Dazed Digital.” Because she has never worked with print before, she was recruited to be a member of the staff in order to offer a different perspective and to approach the online relaunch “in a completely different way to print.”

One of the differences between working in print and working in digital is the level of work pace. Lau is able to — and must — work at a faster pace than her print counterparts. Additionally, she must respond to reader feedback in the form of comments and website traffic. Fortunately (or perhaps unfortunately), for print media, instantaneous feedback can be largely ignored. “The pace can wear you down. Also, looking after a website is a 24-hour job. If something breaks, you have to fix it right away,” she admitted.

Lau discovered that some benefits to working in digital include fewer restrictions (for example, no need to make sure all images are in high-resolution) and a bigger scope of topics to cover. However, in spite of digital’s ability to cover vast amounts of information, Lau believes that print media will still remain as a substantial and profitable industry in the future because “the two media are consumed in different ways.” The digitally inclined blogger is not worried about print in this increasingly environmentally conscious world, because “what print excels at is not replicable online, the tactile feeling of flicking through a magazine and reading the lengthy interviews with fantastic people and seeing the fashion editorials.” According to Lau, contrary to popular belief, the core of the fashion industry has not changed much as a result of the digital boom. Instead, the rise of digital has changed the average consumer’s perception of fashion and how the information is dispersed to the general public.

The combination of her love of fashion and her dive into the digital world as an editor and blogger culminated in an unforgettable moment when she was late to the Lanvin Autumn/Winter 2009 show, and tripped on the way in.

“With blood tripping down my knees and tights, I crouched in the front row just as the show started. The models strode out on the wet concrete floor and for about 10 minutes, I forgot I was bleeding and in a bit of pain because it was that beautiful. It’s pretty cheesy to talk about fashion like that, but that’s how it was!” she said. Now, this is why Lau is the it-blogger of the fashion blogosphere.

Related posts:

1. Mochi Weighs in on the “Death of Print” With magazines losing ad sales and folding, talk of...
2. Check Out Our Newest Issue: Mochi Goes Green For this summer’s issue, we’ve gone with an eco-friendly theme....
3. Summer Fashion DIY: Scarf top, Skirt and Headband Stay fashionable and green this summer by creating new clothes...

Sheena Matheiken founded The Uniform Project to fundraise for The Akanksha Foundation, a non-profit organization in Mumbai, India bringing education to children living in the slums. She pledged to wear seven identical dresses, one for each day of the week, for an entire year. The dress is accessorized with pre-owned, vintage, or handmade items that are donated by the public through the project’s website. Matheiken makes wearing a uniform look easy, citing some benefits like “having something you don’t have to think twice about and becomes part of your skin.”

For accessorizing and spicing up the same basic dress over and over again, Matheiken recommends taking advantage of hats, scarves, shoes, belts, and collars. “This project is also an attempt to freshen up the dialogue of sustainability in fashion and to prove that the style and sustainability needn’t be mutually exclusive,” said Matheiken. “It promotes recycling and encourages people to shop their own closet and get creative with what they already own. Admirers from all around the world who visit the project website agree.
If the idea of wearing a uniform is still daunting, another way to engage in thrifty and eco-friendly fashion without breaking the piggy bank is by hosting a clothing swap with some friends. A clothing swap can update one’s wardrobe with new clothes and boost new life into old clothes as they find a new owner.

The number of clothes swappers should be comfortably intimate since everyone will be trying on the clothes in proximity, but large enough to gather a variety of clothing types and sizes so no one gets left out. Having fifteen people is a realistic numberto start. Have at least one full-length mirror available (two or three would be even more ideal) and advise more modest friends to wear a tank top and leggings underneath for changing in front of others. Invest in simple and clothing-safe refreshments for a party atmosphere — clear sparkling mineral water, cold cuts, and gummy candy are some options. Play some upbeat music to create a slumber party meets sample sale vibe that clothes swappers won’t forget.

Additionally, set a minimum number of clothes that each person must bring on the invitation and make sure that everyone washes and presses their clothes. A few garment racks can create a retail store atmosphere and make the clothing easier to see and access if the swap gets crowded. Remind everyone to bring accessories, too In a successful swap, everyone goes home with an entire new outfit.

Next time you find yourself worrying about not having anything to wear, think about these easy solutions for recycling and reworking what you (and your friends) already have.

Related posts:

1. Campus Dress Code: Clothes for Every Occasion In college, you’re not just a student—you’re a businesswoman, a...
2. Summer Fashion DIY: Scarf top, Skirt and Headband Stay fashionable and green this summer by creating new clothes...
3. Fashion Blogger Susie Bubble on the Digital World of Fashion Fashion blogger Susanna "Susie Bubble" Lau is one of the...

If there is one thing Nan Zhang – that’s Kati Farkas to “Gossip Girl” fans – would like the public to know, it would be this: She was never in a fight with Leighton Meester, and she did not leave the show because of a supposed rift with the Queen Bee.

“I couldn’t believe what I was reading,” says Zhang of the tabloid gossip. “I mean, Leighton is such a sweetheart and just so incredibly nice.” However, gossip happens in real life just as much as on “Gossip Girl”. When her character, Kati, left the Upper East Side (and the show) under the explanation that her family moved to Israel, rumors abounded that Zhang had left to attend Brown University—a school that she has no connection with whatsoever.

“I think for one episode I was talking to a Brown representative. It’s really funny,” says the Chinese American actress. “Once, the Brown school newspaper called me and asked me for an interview, and I was like, ‘You know, I go to Hopkins.’”

At Johns Hopkins University, Zhang studies neuroscience in hopes of graduating next year, then entering a medical school and becoming an optometrist. She started pursuing neuroscience research with professors when she was only 16 years old, realizing that she could save lives and help people with her abilities. Modeling and acting, both passionate pursuits of hers, still lie second to her love of medical research.

While Zhang seems to have the qualities many girls dream of, from her glamorous good looks to her sparkling intellect, she, too, has struggled with coming to terms with her cultural identity—and with her parents. Born in China to strict parents, Zhang and her family moved to New Orleans when she was still a child. Her parents, both doctors, never encouraged her to pursue a life in the entertainment industry.

“I’ll just be honest: my parents are severely traditional. I actually didn’t tell them that I was modeling at first, but when they found out, they weren’t very happy about it. But I realized that I was trying to impose an American way of life on them, and that as parents they just wanted the best for me,” she recalls. “When they saw the ‘Gossip Girl’ trailers, they realized that it was real and now they understand. They were like, ‘If you can do this, you can get into Harvard med school.’”

As an only child, she was often told by her parents to go back to college. Zhang had temporarily left school in order to pursue a modeling career, because driving back and forth from modeling assignments to school had begun to take a toll on her health and spirit. However, during the writers’ strike of 2007-2008, she realized that she had to make a definitive decision about her future—especially because the future of Gossip Girl was shaky. Ultimately, she chose to return to school in order to attain a degree.

“Honestly, you can’t go back to school once you’re 30; don’t believe anyone who tells you that you can,” she says.

Her agency, William Morris, and the “Gossip Girl” production office were very supportive of her decision to become a full-time student again. There were also no catfights or dramatic last words – contrary to what the gossip blogs and tabloids claimed. In fact, Leighton Meester, Nicole Fiscella (who plays Isabel Coates), and Zhang frequently hung out on set. Consequently, Zhang left the show feeling very good about her choice despite between being entwined in the dilemma that many young Asian Americans face—choosing whether to follow a traditional route supported by their parents or to take a completely different path.

“When you’re in that business, with my upbringing, you have certain values that are priority,” she said.

Additionally, as “Gossip Girl” became increasingly popular and as the season progressed, that Zhang became concerned that she might only be playing the token Asian girl. “It was a fun character; I enjoyed every part of it. But I wish they would have portrayed the characters with more dimension.” In being one of the few minorities on the show, Zhang had a lot of pressure to be an example to Asian American teens who watch the show—which was tough to achieve, considering she barely had any lines to be a fully-developed character.

While she is no longer in the limelight—at least for the time being, as she is still signed with William Morris Agency—Zhang has become a greater inspiration to girls with diverse interests. For those who know the real reason why she left, it’s clear that one can be a Gossip Girl and change the world too.

Photos courtesy of Nan Zhang.

Related posts:

1. Yin Chang: The Girl Behind the Glasses On Gossip Girl, Nelly Yuki is perhaps the most complex...
2. The Sweet Life of Brenda Song Disney star Brenda Song on her favorite things: acting, taekwondo,...
3. James Kyson Lee: The Sidekick’s Story Onscreen, he is the faithful cohort of a time-traveling superhero...