As an Asian, how can I improve my chances

<p>It's a well known fact that it is tougher for Asians to get into many top universities (including Harvard) than most, if not all, other ethnicities. I understand that this is simply to maintain diversity and not because of racism. However, I came to Canada when I was 4 and I am more Canadian than Chinese culturally. How can I set myself apart from other Asians applying to Harvard? All I can think of is putting English as my first language rather than Chinese.</p>

<p>Pull a Michael Jackson and turn white :). good luck and have fun</p>

<p>Still Asian on paper :/</p>

<p>Play the trombone instead of the violin; be good at Spanish rather than math. The problem for many Asian applicants isn’t their race but that their extracurriculars and academic strengths are over-represented in the applicant pool.</p>

<p>Many students look the same on paper – and that’s true regardless of your nationality. It’s easier for an Admissions Committee to admit a high school student who ran the NYC marathon while juggling 3 balls in the air for 26.2 miles rather than admit another first violin award winner, debate team captain, or school newspaper editor. If your EC list resembles 5,000 or 30,000 other students, you’re going to get lost in the crowd, no matter what nationality you come from.</p>

<p>Master the five string banjo.</p>