<p>well as for Michigan, they recalculate your grades and drop freshman year courses, making you a sub-average applicant. You also don't really seem to have a hook, which can separate you from all of the other applicants.</p>
<p>Wow--- that "recommendation" is unbelievable! If I were an admissions officer I'm not sure how strongly I'd regard the opinion of a teacher who would write a letter with (1) that attitude and (2) that dangling modifier in the last sentence. </p>
<p>Good luck to you teslasnake.</p>
<p>I actually read one of the recs because my teacher offered it to me after he had already submitted it...it was one of those top-tier recs, that I can guarantee. The other was probably more of a story of overcoming obstacles and persevering (i had the teacher soph year), but at least it showed character.</p>
<p>Wow, so I am a sub-par applicant. Good to know, good to know.</p>
<p>That sucks a lot dude....2360 SAT?! I can't believe you didn't get into those places. =( Now I'm losing hope a little..</p>
<p>"a classmate of mine (asian girl, no hooks) was admitted to NYU stern and stern scholars...and even looking on CC (which can depress anyone), there were plenty of people admitted who I thought I was at least roughly on the same level with."</p>
<p>Important word above: girl</p>
<p>(Vs. Asian male from same location) That will make it difficult right there. However, in your case (given the choices of schools you made) I think a couple of other posters have brought out the salient points:<br>
(a) OOS publics you chose
(b) Post #9 states some things I would have mentioned.</p>
<p>Generally, only the super-unusual OOS candidates get considered for popular Public programs. (Internat'ls are different; they're paying higher tuition & there are other reasons the U's can overlook various imperfections). I really think the reason is the sheer numbers. Plenty of in-Staters in populous areas who will qualify for these. The next level down (State U system, as opposed to University of _____(fill in State) is a lot easier for an out of stater, & that's why many of them apply.</p>
<p>You are NOT a subpar applicant. For one, your courseload is beastly. Just chalk it up to randomness and competitive nature of admissions, have your GC call, and keep your fingers crossed. At least you've been accepted somewhere! There are horror stories floating aroudn CC of superqualified applicants who didn't get in <em>anywhere</em>.</p>
<p>Don't think of yourself as subpar. Some of your stats are better than mine, and that many APs makes me look like a slacker - a slacker Asian male.</p>
<p>Don't give up hope for your reaches!</p>
<p>From a parent:</p>
<p>Your stats are excellent and you should feel proud of yourself and your accomplishments. </p>
<p>Talk to the school counselor - it won't hurt, and maybe they can make some calls. </p>
<p>Finally, you have been accepted into what you call your "safety" schools. It's possible that your path in life is written to go this route - and do exceedingly well. I believe that all things happen for a reason: for us to learn or help others learn. Make the most of whatever happens and get on with your life. Truely, although you wouldn't know it by reading these CC boards, this is of little importance when veiwed over a lifetime.</p>
<p>Well it seems you have amazing stats, but I constantly hear about how there are plenty of Asian males with perfect everythings that do not get into there school because of a lack of personality. Of course I am not saying that you lack personality (I don't even know you), but your essay topic on not getting into your basketball team seems really boring (again, I didn?t even read it so I can't say). It just screams, I am used to always getting what I want when I try (especially academically) and I am turning something that is miniscule (in the grand scheme of thing) into something a lot more melodramatic than it needs to be. It is just a topic that I would stay away from, unless you went though a year of painful physical therapy following a severe car accident that had killed you mother and left your sister paralyzed. </p>
<p>A lot of times I have read my friends essays that have great stats, and I find them very boring (this is not limited to anybody, this is just in general). I had a teacher who told me about a conversation he was having with an admissions officer, and he specifically told this teacher (who was an AP English teacher) that he a lot of the Asian applicants essays he reads lack personality. I am really not trying to put you down, because that is not my intention at all. I am just giving you examples from my own life, but at least you got into your safeties.</p>
<p>What are you so "numb" about? You should be at ease with a near perfect SAT score. RELAX!</p>
<p>obaig89, you said exactly what I expected someone to say sooner or later. </p>
<p>I am obviously not going to elaborate upon some of the essays I have written in great detail, but let me just say that the whole point of the essay was exactly what you said - something that while objectively speaking at the time was minuscule, I turned into something "a lot more melodramatic"...it's one of those essays that sounds ridiculous trying to describe.</p>
<p>Though I have read articles upon articles specifying the points you have made and am obviously disheartened that people tend to assume that Asian applicants lack personality, I can pretty forcefully state as someone who has always been involved with writing in one way or another that I think I would be able to tell if my essay lacked personality.</p>
<p>The unspoken problem, of course, is that assuming what you said was the problem, the admissions officers obviously didn't see my essays as having enough personality.</p>
<p>I don't think it makes much sense to speculate on your situation. It is possible there is something wrong with your application (i.e., wrong numbers in transcript etc.). I would definitely have the counselor call on Monday to see what the problem might be.</p>
<p>Secondly, you should try and work on the Michigan deferral. Have you done anything special, received awards etc. since you sent in the application. Do you have higher grades this quarter? Although Michigan is a state school, the admissions office might still respond to additional information and a show of interest.</p>
<p>Finally, although it's very late, if there is anything new or different, I might try and fax it to NYU.</p>
<p>I always feel awkward about these sorts of threads, because it's clear that to the student, they're what we call in my house "special snowflakes", but to third parties, they look like, well, all the other snowflakes as seen from a distance. As another poster mentioned, your achievements appear to be mostly iterations of your SAT score. And though you may feel like a very passionate, exciting student inside, the things you list and your other comments would not necessarily paint the picture of someone that Adcoms would be thinking, "Wow, we need this guy!" </p>
<p>I understand that getting that message from adcoms is very disappointing and negating. I think it mirrors the experience of people around the idea of the "American Dream". There's a cultural expectation that if you do the right thing, if you work hard, study, all that, you will get the happy ending. Unfortunately, it seems like that's not happening for people more and more, around larger things, and around the college application process. There are so <em>many</em> students that are working hard, studying, doing well on tests, that there aren't enough seats for them at those top schools -- but no one really tells you that when you're doing all the studying and working and striving. You can spent years being told or thinking, "If I do well, I'll have that seat at that school I want", and when it doesn't happen, it's very sad, very deeply shocking and shaking. </p>
<p>So, practically speaking, if there's a school you really loved, I'd send them a letter and explain what you really loved about it, why you thought you were a good match, asking to be reconsidered. Do it knowing that the worst they can do is say no. Do it knowing that they probably won't say yes, but that, well, taking a risk is showing something about yourself, in some way. Then find something about your safeties to love. </p>
<p>And goodness, take a break! Go do something fun for a couple of days.</p>
<p>I got into Umichigan and have worse grades than u.... But i have lost of acheiveiments and activities....</p>
<p>schools are searching for variety, international students with diff backgorunds.... many times the perfect A+ students cannot beat the normal high one. </p>
<p>Just asking... did u take any autside school activities.... u know.... schoool is not ur life.</p>
<p>chau</p>
<p>You know what, I really regret creating this thread...I have had a great time on CC in the past overall but the past couple posts are really irritating.</p>
<p>How different would this ENTIRE thread be if I didn't post that I were Asian? No more of the "no personality" and "I know your whole mentality is to work hard and expect success" comments, for one thing. In fact, where the heck did I ever post that I considered myself hardworking and just a test-taker type? You all just assumed it.</p>
<p>You guys can forget all of the newspaper articles you read about Asians. Let me ask you, what would make me "passionate" or "exciting" student? Is it because I'm not on the football team? Or is it because I'm applying to business schools and am not in the school play? </p>
<p>You know, distraught as I may have been when I posted that first one, I really didn't expect this kind of response. A critique of my grades, or lack of ECs maybe, but this is really crossing the line.</p>
<p>I have seen plenty of CC chances posts written much more "blandly" than the thread I posted and have never seen this kind of personality psycho-analysis.</p>
<p>And TrinSF, FYI, I'm actually known to my friends for my hard grip on reality. If you still believe that I think I'm special or that I deserve to go places just because of my standardized scores, open your eyes please. Coming from one of the most competitive regions of the country and meeting a ton of supertalented kids at various programs over the years does give you a solid grip on where you stand.</p>
<p>I mean, when you talk about the things I list, did you just assume that my application looked exactly like the brief summary above? You can give me an Asian violin and piano playing kid whose only ECs are science and math olympiads and I could find something unique about him/her. </p>
<p>I want to remind you specifically TrinSF, that the point of the thread was to determine reasons why I did not get accepted to certain colleges, not to stereotype Asians and why they can't go to Harvard or whatever you had in your mind.</p>
<p>Anyone who thinks that I am overreacting can take one look at this sentence: "I think it mirrors the experience of people around the idea of the "American Dream". There's a cultural expectation that if you do the right thing, if you work hard, study, all that, you will get the happy ending."
Cultural expectation? If TrinSF didn't derive that from some assumption or generalization about immigrants that he/she read out of a book or magazine, I'll be damned.</p>
<p>And addressing the "practical" note, I have sent update letters as any "studious rule-abiding Asian" probably would have done. </p>
<p>For purposes of politeness, I will refrain from further exposing the disturbing prejudices and stereotypes that some of the posts in this thread contain.</p>
<p>For all those who posted some sincere thoughts, I appreciate the advice.</p>
<p>The following is a slightly more complete listing of my lack of REAL activities and utter incompetence besides what I have previously mentioned:</p>
<ul>
<li>Science Olympiad - 2 medals (state level) and 1 regional level</li>
<li>Various school bands - Alto Saxophonist (No, not piano or violin. Surprised?)</li>
<li>Robotics</li>
<li>Amnesty International</li>
<li>350+ hours at Feed The Children warehouse...volunteer coordinator (real heavy duty work and packing lines, not sitting in an office)</li>
<li><p>Have also been involved with activities at local <em>insert asian country of your choice</em> school</p></li>
<li><p>Have held several part time jobs, including being the webmaster for various organizations and clubs</p></li>
<li><p>have played basketball at some level for all 4 years of hs</p></li>
<li><p>Run basketball website on the side: focusing on innovative multimedia distribution techniques</p></li>
<li><p>completed and certified for several writing courses...work has been featured on example tutorials before</p></li>
<li><p>summers...Attended JHU-CTY 3 times, and a pre-college program once</p></li>
</ul>
<p>By the way, if a moderator or administrator would lock this thread, I would really appreciate it. This has degenerated into bashing and stereotyping.</p>
<p>I support the suggestion of having your GC call to find out why you've been rejected. It's inexplicable to me.
"I am a Presidential Scholars candidate." Seems that would have been a big deal to the schools on your list like Michigan that tend to be very stats conscious.
Hard for me to imagine that a high C in calculus would have caused Mich. to defer you with your scores and gpa.</p>
<p>I think it's ridiculous when I think of the others that may get in I see no reason for them to reject you.</p>
<p>Very well said, Teslasnake! (post #35). (BTW, you write very well, I am sure your essays were great.)</p>
<p>I do hope that you will get good news from your remaining schools. </p>
<p>I am wondering if it is possible that a couple of your matches were worried about their yield and thought you <em>may not</em> enroll if offered an admission. That is, you may have come across as too strong an applicant to them. That may explain why kids with lower stats got in. </p>
<p>I too am an Asian American applicant and my stats are similar to yours. Luckily I have been accepted at 8. No rejects so far. Still waiting for H, Y & Brown.</p>