<p>Hmm..I seem to have the same dilemma as the OP. I'm a typical Korean American applying to typical schools Asians like to apply to, Harvard, Yale, and such. The strategy I'm taking is showing that I am a leader in my little society, not a slave of it. Not in the sense that I'm math club officer (which I am, by the way :)) but in the sense that I go out and take initiative rather than studying all the time and doing what the colleges want me to do. I think it's a decent approach.</p>
<p>eeeeric, I'm the same way (minus the blues piano part, and I can't swim worth anything). </p>
<p>I'd rather write poetry, short stories, etc. than do math problems. I'd choose a fiction book over a science textbook anyday. My favorite people are authors. I am taking AP Biology only because there is a lot of reading involved (therefore, it is the only science I can stomach).</p>
<p>I think having different interests from the stereotypical Asian student would help a bit. It's not fair, but oh my god - people think in stereotypes. Go figure.</p>
<p>Now back to reading. :)</p>
<p>ahhhhh!</p>
<p>i'm asain, good at math, and play the piano!!
no varsity sports (but i do intermurals), 150+ volunteer hours, etc.
wierd thing is that i don't study as much as other people at my school.</p>
<p>I'm an asian who actually has trouble in academics, so for me studying is not just 'obsessive' but neccesary to pull off an A :(</p>
<p>same here, if I dont study I will usually get a B, but I guess that goes for most people.</p>
<p>Ok, I couldn't resist. I just have to point out, satscholar, that you said:</p>
<p>"im not saying that you shoulda been born as an American or Hispanic or that sort"</p>
<p>A lot of asians are americans. Please don't use "American" to imply that they're not.</p>
<p>So colleges would choose an asian (american) student that plays varsity soccer over an asian (american) student that is a mathclub and science olympiad leader?
Arent they both similar E.C.s in terms of commitment?
Wouldn't the only advantage of playing a sport (over other clubs and higher GPA) be if you are recruited? (which is highly unlikely for asians (americans))</p>
<p>asian shouldn't matter... you need to stand out among all races not just ASIANS??? It is not just Asians that are as bright ad you!
To Stand out your grades need to be perfect and class rank needs to be #1
maybe drama and a couple of sports would help.
And sports DO matter because they want to see how full your life is!</p>
<p>Almost everyone can do things to improve...</p>
<p>and I had to laugh...my son has never studied for anything and has never gotten a B in his whole life. and no, he is not Asian</p>
<p>Okay, so if you don't play sports, you're not living a full life?
And what the original poster was saying, is that, in a sample of asian college applications to HYPS, having 2400 SAT, 4.0GPA, and math club leader and science fair award winner, as well as finishing calculus BC, are all stereotypical for an asian (sorta exaggerated, sorry). So the student with stats above would have the same stats with hundreds of other asians, and the original poster wanted to know how this particular asian would stand out amongst other asians of similar stats. Although an African student ranked #1 would stand out over the rest of the applications because of it's rarity, an Asian student ranked #1 in his school would not stand out considering there are hundreds of asians that are ranked #1 in their respective schools.</p>
<p>How to stand out if you're an asian. Simple, you don't.</p>
<p>Seriously, with affirmative action going the way it goes right now, the only way to stand out as an asian is to be perfect instead of near perfect like most asians. Class rank 1, 2400 SAT and 800s on 3+ subject tests, national AP scholar, leader of 5 clubs, class president, prom king, captain of one of your school's sports teams, work experience at a nationally known company or research facility, and of course some kind of national level arts/music awards might give you a slight edge.</p>
<p>Anything less than that and you're rejected.</p>
<p>Weren't they gonna do something about afirmative action after Princeton got sued by Jian something?</p>
<p>
[quote]
How to stand out if you're an asian. Simple, you don't.</p>
<p>Seriously, with affirmative action going the way it goes right now, the only way to stand out as an asian is to be perfect instead of near perfect like most asians. Class rank 1, 2400 SAT and 800s on 3+ subject tests, national AP scholar, leader of 5 clubs, class president, prom king, captain of one of your school's sports teams, work experience at a nationally known company or research facility, and of course some kind of national level arts/music awards might give you a slight edge.</p>
<p>Anything less than that and you're rejected.
[/quote]
That is the most ignorant post I've seen on college confidential</p>
<p>^^hahaha prom king. what does that have anything to do with college</p>
<p>indymom: please try not to be a jerk. some schools actually are harder to get in if you are of a certain race, there is more competition between certain groups of people. I am not trying to say that asians are smarter. Your son, who is not asian, I might add, is a complete genius! He never studies and Always gets A's! frankly, I could care less.</p>
<p>indymom: never in this thread did anyone say that asians were smarter than any other group of people.</p>
<p>this isn't an appropriate thread to brag about your son, maybe you could start one.</p>
<p>From the book Admissions Confidential by Rachel Toor (former admissions officer at Duke):
"In the area around Silicon Valley, I had a lot of Asian applicants, not surprisingly. Lots of high testing and lots of teacher recommendations that complained about the lack of class participation. While there were plenty of Asian Americans who did lots of cool extracurriculars, many of the first-generation Americans didn't. After school they'd work in family-owned stores or do church-related activities. Their reader ratings were typically flat on end. A five [highest] in curriculum choice, a five in achievement, usually a four in Recs (good written work but too quiet in class), and then threes for essays and extracurriculars. With a five on the end for testing. 554335. Typical Asian kid. I tried hard to make sure that they were getting a fair read. But they were much of a muchness [whatever this means]. This was a problem we didn't address."</p>
<p>just directly quoting from the book.</p>
<p>I personally think that a great deal of asians don't write great essays.. just as a general thing.</p>
<p>bobmallet1:</p>
<p>It's the truth. If you apply to a school like harvard and you're asian, you have no guarantees. You're no different from thousands of other near perfect applicants and it all boils down to luck.</p>
<p>^I know that... I know people who haven't gotten perfect (although near perfect) scores and get into top ivies...</p>