The more selective the college, the more kids they have to tun down. “Random” probably comforts many and I don’t mind that. What I mind is how all the pieces get jumbled.
The issue isn’t being Asian American. It’s the flood of “qualified” kids from certain areas, wanting certain majors, etc, and how to distinguish among them. That isn’t so much about standing out for some weirdness, but having all the pieces fall together in the right ways. (Having all the pieces fit is often pretty stand-out, on its own.)
Lot of kids misstep because they make assumptions. Eg, “I’m top in my hs, thus I am top tier material.” And, many kids are not discerning about whom they listen to for advice. How many times on CC do we read, “I heard that…?” How many kids really do due diligence?
What Harvard wants is slightly different than what Yale does. Their environments and opportunities are slightly different, depending on what you seek. How many kids can genuinely write a good answer to a Why Us? (or any question that wants to see if you do know why this college?)