The title says it all: I’m an Asian male and a rising senior. There’s two parts to me: the stereotypical, math and science nerd side, and the “soft” side. I’d say I’m rather outgoing and that I have stronger leadership and interpersonal skills than most would expect.
APs (all 5s so far):
10th: Physics I, Environmental Science, World History
11th: Calculus BC, Computer Science A, US History, Lang, Stats
12th (future): Lit, Chem, Physics C, Microecon
Extracurriculars:
Boy Scouts: longtime member, earned Eagle rank, worked at summer camp as counselor
Founder and leader of a programming club since 9th grade
Open-source software developer (I’m pretty good at programming)
Doing research with college professor this summer (in leading role, not just freeloading)
Leader of Robotics club
Quiz Bowl captain
Science Olympiad regional medalist (eye roll, I know)
Working as lifeguard at the YMCA
Sports:
Varsity Cross-Country: 9th, 10th
Given all this, what do you think my chances are? I’m aiming for the top (but I’m aware of the sad state for Asians).
Targets:
MIT
CMU
Harvard
Princeton
Yale
Caltech
Duke (will likely ED)
You have some very impressive stats, if you’re worried about being “stereotypical” Asian, think about emphasizing some of the non-stereotypical things in your essays and even in the order you list your ECs on your app. For example, were there any experiences with the Boy Scouts that were transformative? Maybe ones in natural settings or involving nontraditional skills?
Expand more on this “soft” side?
Think of your app as a picture of you. The order in which you list things, the experiences you choose to provide more description about show just as much about you as the list of stats, so think about how you present your story.
To add a bit more about myself, I’m very passionate about computers, having picked up the bug on my own. The research I’m doing is of a graduate or masters level; should I emphasize this or risk coming off as too “Asian”?
About the “soft” side, I think I come off as a cheerful and friendly person. I do play the guitar for fun as well, and have a couple other hobbies at varying levels on the “nerd” spectrum: chess, cubing, swimming, and running.
Well, I’m not the one who thinks you’re “too Asian”, you are.
I think you should not worry about it so much. Your stats are strong enough to compete no matter how Asian you are and no matter how many other Asians there are. My suggestions were more to give you some options to assuage your worry.
If it were me with your stats, I would definitely list any graduate/masters level research with computers since that’s directly related to the programs you’re applying to. I would also use my essay as a way to present the cheerful, friendly, nerdy, fun side of me - probably doing or exploring some nonstereotypical things. And I’d make sure to get interviews for colleges that offer them since interviewers like cheerful, friendly people.
I just noticed you’re applying to Duke ED. Have you seen the letter from the admissions dean that shows exactly how Duke evaluates candidates? It’s very specific and worth a read. Once you find it, you can use it to tweak your app.
Well, that’s offensive on the face of it. A person is either in a leading role or freeloading? Fair warning: even if you, as a high school junior, are in fact doing “graduate or masters level” research, at some points in your education and career you will not have a leading role on a research team, and I’m pretty sure you won’t see yourself as “freeloading”.
As you present yourself here, I don’t see two parts.
So, how do you show this? will any of the people writing recs for you be able to speak to that?
It was not intended to be offensive. I wanted to emphasize that the research isn’t just resume padding; it’s something I’m very passionate about and took the initiative in, not just me joining a ready-made team for an authorship credit.
And yes, my rec writers should be able to speak to that side of me.
There is no “sad state for Asians”–there are too many highly qualified applicants for the available spots at the small select group of schools you have listed. Broaden your focus. You need more safeties and be realistic–your targets are all long shots just due to sheer odds. How about Cornell, Case Western, RIT, Harvey Mudd, Rice, VA Tech not to mention NESCACS and dozens of other schools
You are not the only ‘passionate’ high school student who has taken initiative in pursuing an interest. And if you continue in research you will at some point(s) be joining ‘ready-made’ teams (and it will be a long time down the road before you stop caring about authorship credit). But most students join research teams b/c that’s how they can get into research, not for an authorship credit or “resume padding”.
You are clearly a passionate, high-achieving student, as are plenty of other students, but there are very few high school juniors who have the contacts/connections/resources/access to a college professor who will support an independent summer research project that you do. There is no need to be dismissive of those whose circumstances are not as favorable as yours.
The good news: good record, you have some of the ECs that will matter. Unfortunately, BSA and lifeguarding are the only non-stem, and both outside your hs. What about in-school non-stem, other than sports? These tippy tops like depth and breadth. And no community service? (The sort where you roll up your sleeves and do some direct good for the needy? SOme sort of commitment, not the easy stuff.)
Also an issue, for now: as collegemom3717 said, I don’t see two strong sides either. That’s not about being cheerful or playng guitar. It’s how you choose activities, ways to participate and contribute, how you actually “show” this, in the record, not just claim it.
I also think, like many, it doesn’t seem you have truly researched your targets, what they want, what makes you a match to them (what they say and show, not forums or online speculaton.) So, you really don’t know how to present in your app/supps- or even what fine tuning would be needed from today on. Have you looked at the MIT blogs?
This is now 4 years old. In admissions terms, an ice age. But still valid. This is the sort of insight you need to be looking for, not just what you’re interested in and what you want in a college. (Th eletter is rare, but most top colleges leave a trail of breadcrumbs to show what matters to them, more than stats and being yourself.
lookingforward: It seems I neglected to list my community service. I’ve accumulated 100-200 hours (though not all logged), including things such as organizing a dinner for the homeless, and also more “boots-on-the-ground” type things.
It’s true that I haven’t done a very good job conveying such a nuanced trait as “likability” through such a low-bandwidth medium. In retrospect, my choice of wording is admittedly less than ideal, and I apologize for that. Thanks for pointing it out, collegemom3717.
As far as in-school, non-stem goes, it’s much harder to generate a list of concrete accomplishments demonstrating as abstract an idea as “good citizenship” than it is to rattle off a bunch of academic stats. I believe that my recommenders are in a better position to speak to this than you are, as strangers.
lookingforward is also correct in saying that I haven’t truly researched my targets. Evidently, I have joined the “fancy college name” bandwagon without realizing it. I will endeavor to both further research my current targets, and to broaden the schools I’m considering.
If you held one homeless dinner, how about now volunteering regularly with a meal site? Something more than a onesie-twosie, the typical NHS goes somewhere, puts in an hour and comes back.
See, this is just about "a list of concrete accomplishments.’ Too many kids think they have to have a title or some overt win of some sort. In contrast, one small example: many engineering or CS kids vol with tech crew. They get out among more of their school peers. Etc.
You have a lot going for you and I’m hoping you can get the perspective. Embrace that soft side, but in the right ways for these targets.
A lot of Asian American applicants are great kids, accompished but also with solid interpersonal that comes through. You just need to figure how to show this. The right ways, the right challenges, the right pleasure.
No guarantees, but the idea is to make your best shot.
I might add a “low reach/high match” school that is either rolling admissions or nonrestrictive early action (assuming you apply Duke ED) that provides a decision before January 1. That could eliminate the need to apply to any schools lower on the totem poll in RD. Unfortunately it looks like UNC, GT and UVA don’t release decisions on EA until after January.
Expanding a little on the “programming club” I mentioned: it’s focused on teaching others to program, and getting them into the world of programming contests/open source/etc. My peers who can program and I collaborate to teach newcomers the basics and get them interested. It’s don’t count it as volunteer work or community service, since it’s school-associated, but it’s an ongoing commitment of several hours each week spent teaching programming to my peers.
It’s not exactly the same as going to the food bank each Friday, but it’s my way of giving back.
It’s nice, but still stem. And plenty of applicants are doing something where they guide younger kids.
You need a better idea of what these colleges look for- and ato ccept how strong the competition will be. For now, take a breath and dig into the MIT blogs and what you can glean fron the others. Then we can offer feedback. The idea is to make a competitive presentation.
