Almost all of the new Asian leaders say they have experienced a pressure caused by the choice of so many of their Asian-American peers to study medicine.

Sarah S. Song '96, the new publisher of Perspective, Harvard's liberal monthly, says she has felt torn between the pressure to go into medicine, versus branching out and doing something less conventional.

Song is far from the "wallflower" image whichCho says has dogged many Asian-Americans. In aphone interview last week she reflected upon thecourse of her life since emigrating from Korea in1980.

Since attending the Radcliffe Summer Program inScience her junior year of high school, Song'sfuture in the sciences seemed to be clear. Shecame to Harvard thinking that she wouldconcentrate in biochemistry. She followed theusual pre-med path during her first year, takingChem 10 and 20, classes which aredisproportionately Asian.

Like others interviewed, Song has felt apressure from her parents to pursue a path in thesciences--a track which seems to offer greatersecurity.

"I feel I owe a lot to my parents," says Song."They sacrificed so much by coming here."

In fact, the feeling of indebtedness to parentsfor their sacrifices in emigrating has pressuredmany Asian-Americans, as well as members of otherimmigrant groups, to succeed.

Some of the leaders interviewed portrayed thestereotypical Asian childhood as one dominated bythe image of the devoted, often overbearing,parent who emphasizes hardwork and education.

Song says that since her youth her parents haveimpressed upon her their belief that "knowledge ispower."

"Starting in first grade, my parents brought meto the library every week, and I checked out 20books," Song says.

Students say this parental guidance oftencontinues into high school in the form of SAT prepclasses and later with college applications.

Cheng says he was forced to go to SAT prepclasses as early as 8th grade.

"My brother used to get upset at how somepeople said the SAT was biased towards Asians andCaucasians," Cheng says. "He said, `It's notbiased! We just work hard. We're at those SATclasses in 8th grade.'"

Cheng also says he observes a competitivestreak in some Asian parents that leads them toforce their children to piano competitions, applyfor elite colleges and strive for other standardsof excellence.

"Asian parents don't want you to be good atsomething just to be good," Cheng says. "They wantyou to be good so you can compete."

Cho acknowledges that the wishes of his parentslie heavily on his mind as he pursues a career inmedicine. He speaks with a little bitterness ofthe hard life his parents have been forced toendure in coming to a foreign land.