Possible to get into top liberal arts college?

[OHMomof2]

Don’t know if Asians are considered for minority fly-in programs. . In our experience they are not for the full pay Asians but Asians with a hook like first gen.

Sure are at many top LACs. Specifically included in the list of ethnic/racial groups they want to fly in - at the school’s expense (and the admit rate from attendees at these weekends is much higher than for the general pool in every case I’ve looked at).

It would be hard to get a clearer signal than that as to who a school considers an racial/ethnic group they’d like more students from.

Of course many schools also want first-gen or low income to apply to these so if you are first gen/low income AND Asian then that can help, just as it would be for other under-represented groups. But they are mostly quite clear about who they want to bring to campus for these things:

Amherst:
the DIVOH selection committee prioritizes the invitation of students from traditionally under-represented groups, such as African-American, Hispanic/Latino American, Native American, and Asian-American backgrounds, as well as first-generation students.

Barnard:
Barnard Bound provides a taste of both Barnard College and New York City for promising young women who will be high school seniors in Fall 2017 and self-identify as students of color (which we define as individuals from Black/African-American, Hispanic/Latina, American Indian/Alaskan Native, Asian, bi- and multi-racial backgrounds), especially those students who couldn’t otherwise afford to visit.

Grinnell:
Applicants must be high school seniors, students of color (African American, Latinx, Asian, Native American) OR the first in their family to attend college

Oberlin:
We encourage applications from students from diverse backgrounds such as Black or African American, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Hispanic/Latino/a/x, or Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. To support socioeconomic diversity, the selection committee will also consider students from families with limited financial resources, regardless of cultural or racial background, as well as those who are among the first in their families to attend college (first generation).

Middlebury:
The visit is open to seniors from traditionally under-represented groups: African American, Hispanic/Latino, Asian American, and American Indian students; students (regardless of ethnicity) with demonstrated financial hardship; and students who are first in their families to pursue a four-year college education.

Vassar:
Vassar View is open to seniors from traditionally underrepresented groups in higher education: Asian, Black, Latino/a, and/or Native American (ALANA); and students who are the first in their family to pursue a four-year college education.

Wellesley:
Wellesley encourages applicants who are from underrepresented cultural backgrounds such as African American, Asian American, Latina American, and Native American; first-generation students; and/or students from other underrepresented communities and regions.

…you get the idea, I stopped at this point but this list is not exhaustive.

…and some clearly are NOT recruiting Asian students to their URM events:

UPenn:
we are specifically seeking seniors who are from low-socioeconomic backgrounds and/or historically underrepresented groups, including African-American, Latino, Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian. Interested students from other backgrounds are welcome to apply.

WashU:
WashU Preview is a fall fly-in program open to current seniors from traditionally underrepresented groups, such as Black, Latinx, Native American, and first-generation college students.

Clearly, UPenn and WashU don’t have any trouble attracting qualified Asian applicants. They may be interested for this type of recruiting event if they are also first gen or low income.