How can I even manage to stand out against applicants EC wise or even grade wise? I’m specifically talking about those other applicants to HYPS whose parents have went to college (or even legacies) and know the whole college admissions process really well, or those who are of really high income and/ or live in a big city in a big high school with many opportunities. I’m afraid I’m at a disadvantage compared to them since I’m from a rural high school where we don’t have enough funds or even opportunities to do EC wise, I’m of low income and my parents can’t even speak English etc. Can I even stand out compared to these type of applicants? Primarily EC wise?
Please read this article from MIT. Everything in it applies to HYPS as well: https://mitadmissions.org/blogs/entry/applying_sideways/
Don’t get too worked up about one school. There are so many good colleges besides the biggest few names,
There are hundreds of good colleges in this country that are not HYPS. I think you should focus on developing who you want to be - do the things that appeal to you, study hard, and live your life without even giving a consideration to whether you will get in to a HYPS school. If you are meant to end up there, then you will. But it would be foolish to put all your time and energy during high school into getting in to a HYPS school. The vast majority of people who apply to those schools are rejected.
Actually your background DOES make you stand out from the crowd of normal upper middle class kids with highly educated parents.
You won’t win the battle of “who had the most opportunities” or “whose parents are most influential”, but those kids have a hard time standing out from each other, and applicants such as you are sought after by all colleges.
Good luck