Bit of a Reach? Asian, graduating in 2010

Colleges & Universities A-Z Harvard University
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<p>^The question was whether the alleged “second screening” of Asian applicants by an Asian Admissions Overlord is something with a basis in fact, or another item from the overheated imagination of Chinese parents ■■■■■■■■ the Internet. So far it looks like the latter. </p>

<p>The article you cite mentioned “coding out” happening at the first round only. So the question remains: would an Asian applicant from SF face any procedural hurdle (as opposed to a benevolent second reading for affirmative action compliance, etc) that a white San Franciscan would not? Do you have any evidence of such a practice, or not?</p>

<p>You do understand, I hope, that Harvard was specifically investigated by the Federal civil rights office in the early 90’s over its Asian admissions; that the lack of compassionate review by ethnic-Asian admissions officers was then cited as an issue (versus the Asian-stereotyping white admissions readers); and that any visibly, structurally discriminatory process such as extra screenings for Asians would be a legal and public-relations time bomb for Harvard and any other school.</p>

42

<p>Just give it your best try! You never know - as they say, the admissions process is really random.</p>

<p>Harvard is a likely reject for anyone unless your daddy donated a library or something.</p>

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<p>my friend was 3.6ish gpa (school doesn’t wieght) and 2100-2200 ish SAT, and did math stuff but wasn’t amazing (aime but not usamo). Her hooks were intel semis (outweighed by mop) and a live 30 minute piano performance on a classical music radio station. She’s a chinese female, and she got in to Harvard, so you should be able to also.</p>

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<p>Here is how Ms. Hsu Carroll describes the processing of Asian-American applications.<br>
Let us know how, and on what basis, you think such a process has “perilous” structural effect (as oppose to outright protection, Federal equal opportunity compliance, etc) for any Asian-American applicant compared to an otherwise identical white applicant.</p>

<p>[The</a> Harvard Crimson :: News :: Harvard Recruits Asian Students](<a href=“http://www.thecrimson.com/printerfriendly.aspx?ref=94106]The”>http://www.thecrimson.com/printerfriendly.aspx?ref=94106)</p>

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<p>Oh Siserune, don’t kid yourself. You know there’s a separate admissions process for every demographic group, including llama farmers and kids born with three toes who also have a passion for spelunking. </p>

<p>OP, see you at Harvard.</p>

46

<p>yeah, example from my school:
girl A: debate team captain, not very dominant in debate tournaments, good but not perfect gpa (dunno exactly), math and science team participant, white
girl B: MUN president, dominant at national MUN conferences, almost perfect GPA, math team participant, asian</p>

<p>both are very strong writers, and pretty much mirrors of one another. Girl A is going to MIT, girl B was rejected from all top colleges and is attending Northwestern.</p>

47

<p>such as being an experienced African dancer, or a professional sailing athlete, or a fisherman off the coast of Maine?</p>

<p>in these cases, does being Asian actually HELP instead of hurt? (since a majority of Asians do fit the math/science stereotype, note I say ‘majority’, not ‘all’) Therefore, such Asians stick out a lot more in the admissions process?</p>

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<p>No matter how special or extraordinary you are, you will always be Asian, and that’s that.</p>

<p>You are held to higher standards, a different standard.</p>

<p>There’s no escaping it.</p>

49

<p>how could you not say you made MOSP in your first post -__<em>-
uhh yeah you have really high chances -</em>-</p>

50

<p>unfortunately he’s an asian guy in california, meaning AA is against him in every possible way.</p>

51

<p>dont mention student council if you’ve only been there the senior year, because you can’t really do anything in half a year… just saying</p>

52

<p>I really liked the fire dancing-- it was something I remembered after reading like 20 + chances.</p>

<p>If only you could do something with it; a show perhaps? Or maybe talk about it in your essay.</p>

53

<p>Don’t listen to 90% of the ■■■■■■■■ cynical individuals here who most don’t even go to Harvard.</p>

<p>As a current Harvard student you have great chances. Anyone saying you have weak EC’s is a joke. I’d like to see *** they did. Nobody has been #1 concert pianist in Carnegie Hall 3 years straight, intel winner, 18 years of IMO (only 17 perfect score years tho, PROLLY MEANS WEAK EC SO WHY BOTHER PUTTING THIS), came in first place in the Madden Football 09 challenge held in Las Vegas for $500k, built there own nanotechnology company from the age of 7 which is currently worth SLIGHTLY under 1 billion dollars, won nationals in mock trial, came in 1st place in every science olympiad category in nationals, over 9000 hours of voluteering at a hospital 3 hours away in an urban ghetto, researched with watson and crick, and found out the secret ingredient of the krabby patty.</p>

<p>People hold others on this board to RIDICULOUS standards. I honestly wouldn’t trust 99% of them.</p>

<p>Am I going to say you are going to get in? No, of course not. But you DEFINITELY have a shot. A good one. (IMO a great one.) It would be beyond foolish not to apply.</p>

54

<p>“As a current harvard student you have great chances”.</p>

<p>Um, I get what you’re attempting to say, but your syntax = fail. And clearly you do not attend Harvard.</p>

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<p>Guys this is K**** *<strong><em>ing Y</em></strong> you are dealing with, possibly the coolest USAMO/MOP qualifier in the country…get a grip, i wouldn’t be surprised at all if he ran the table…and yeah there aren’t more than 150 USAMO qualifiers in his grade, most of which do not have his level of ec’s, gpa’s, sat’s, etc…you get my point</p>

<p>A lot of you really need to stop acting like you know what you are saying when in reality you are miserably misguided…</p>

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<p>Wow, look at The Government. Mr. Condescending. Sorry I forgot a comma while typing “As a current Harvard student, I WOULD SAY you have great chances”.</p>

<p>Unfortunately I didn’t have much time to type and wanted to get out the ‘witty’ rant about the perfect EC’s before having to go to math 23a (at Harvard btw).</p>

<p>I’m honestly sorry if somebody not typing perfectly on an INTERNET FORUM is an actual sign of intelligence to you.</p>

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<p>98% acceptance 2% rejection</p>

<p>all tops schools love USAMO, INTEL</p>

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<p>100% acceptance actually I change my mind</p>

<p>perfect scores
perfect grades
perfect major awards</p>

59

<p>I’m no authority on this, but shutterthug I would definitely not say the odds are against you. I think you have a good shot at Harvard, and quite a good chance of getting into at least one of the HYPS…</p>

60

<p>I’m finally going to comment.</p>

<p>Yes, as stated many different ways, none of us can truly predict if you will get in. I like your odds. Though you are asian, I like two of your ECs that go beyond academics - eagle scout and fire dancing. Son is an eagle scout w/ gold palms. I believe that is helped his college applications and is the only “high school” thing he has been instructed to keep on his job applications. It is commented on repeatedly. I also like fire dancing because it is memorable. In addition to the many usual ECs my kids have, they are both deep sea fishermen. D’s essay for Harvard was about her encounter with a mako shark and it’s impact. S made the freshman edition of the Tufts daily with a photo of him battling a shark. Admissions gave the newspaper his name, so it must have made an impression. BTW son also got accepted to UPenn is number one choice at the time but turned them down. I do think memorable activities benefit an applicant. Good luck.</p>