<p>Okay, so yes I'm Asian (South Asian), and I'm a girl applying to Ivy League. So basically I know my chances all of a sudden become crapshoot because of my ethnicity, but my question is do you think the following will pose advantageous or disadvantageous to me come time admissions? </p>
<p>I am very interested in Humanitarian efforts, (SAVE Darfur, Teaching Diversity and Tolerance, Charity Organizations, Obama Campaign) and the Visual Arts (Started Art organization, strong portfolio in art and design surveying oppression in the world, Club Art President). </p>
<p>So basically I'm wondering if the fact that I don't fit in the mainstream of Asian applicants if that will help me a little bit, or make no difference at all. Most Asians (south or east) tend to be very math/science oriented, and solely academic explorers, not so much beyond that. I completely understand that this is a generalization, and that there will be others like me, but I was just wondering if this could help me out. </p>
<p>And I do have an unweighted GPA of 4.05, my SATs are only 2120 (I'm retaking a second time, and I have been practicing alot). I took six academic APs as a junior including AP Art Portfolio.</p>
<p>There is a post also with my stats, in the what are my chances discussion. </p>
<p>It won't hurt, but a lot of Asians do what you do too. My high school's Key Club was probably at least 75% Asian.</p>
<p>The fact is, I think I can pretty much guarantee that there will be someone who will be doing the exact same activities as you and who will have similar GPA, course load, and SAT scores. Colleges are interested in the person behind the application, so you should try to bring that out.</p>
<p>But most Asians have some form of humanitarian volunteering in their resumes. </p>
<p>What you have to do is show passion for humanitarian-related matters. But if you're applying to a math/science school (MIT, caltech) or trying to major in a math/science major, you'll be better off doing Math/science ECs IMO.</p>
<p>"So basically I know my chances all of a sudden become crapshoot because of my ethnicity"</p>
<p>That's bs. Your chances are crapshoot because of your SAT, lack of awards, or w/e. Not because of your ethnicity. Certainly there are asians who stand out and are accepted to many of the top schools. Sure your volunteering efforts will help, but why should "SAVE Darfur" and "Teaching Diversity and Tolerance" be better than just volunteering at a local hospital?</p>
<p>I don't see how you don't fit the mainstream of asian applicants.</p>
<p>well, on the chances thread my stats pretty much emphasize HEAVILY my humanitarian/political/and artistic efforts throughout high school. they have defined who i have become seriously. and yes, i know plenty of asian math all stars who do key club. key club happens to be the stereotypical service club that everyone joins, but it doesn't mean that there aren't other ways for service. key club means you sign up and do a certain amount of hours each month. i really pushed beyond that in high school (if you'd like read my chances thread). locally, at least, i know i have many more humanitarian efforts and accomplishments than most of the asian kids i know, but then again they are masters at math/science competitions and take tons of online courses.</p>
<p>why not read my chances profile, before you attack me like that.</p>
<p>if you haven't been out there recently, you'll realize that the amount of awards available for people who pursue the humanitarian route heavily throughout high school is much less than those pursue math/science awards which are all over the place. i do have an award for my humanitarian effort, and three awards for model united nations, and over four awards for latin literature. </p>
<p>i'm not saying anything is better than volunteering at a local organization. all i'm saying is that this is WHAT i have become in high school. i have volunteered almost 500 hours, run four charity dinners for the past four years, co-founded the SAVE darfur club at my school, raised over 5000 dollars for charity organizations, and started recently and organization with a friend which helps teach kids about the importance of getting involved. i can do alot, but i'm never going to get awarded for what i do, but thats okay because the process is quite self-rewarding in itself. it really is. the number of awards available for math superstars are plenty compared to others. no to mention, i havent slacked in high school academics, just because i havent chosen to focus my efforts on a particular subject. i was in ap calculus this year as a junior.</p>
<p>well, mallika, you're not the only one who gets bashed on CC.:) Because my character gets assassinated, & all my positions mistated on this issue (habitually), I will PM you instead. </p>
<p>Just avoiding the bitter racist diatribes. :)</p>
<p>You have your accomplishments, and I think that's all anyone can say. I'm Asian, strongest in humanities but taking advanced math classes, involved in the type of volunteer work you're involved in, have high grades and scores... I understand your frustration with the lack of "official" ways of recognizing your accomplishments, but that's just life.</p>
<p>One of the best pieces of advice my IB counselor ever gave me was this: You're not special.</p>
<p>And you're not, really. Once you come to terms with that, you'll be much more at peace with yourself and the college admissions process.</p>
<p>there are always many people much more outstanding than me, and i'm fine with that. i honestly don't think i'm special, at all. actually i don't think anyone who applies to the schools are neccesarily special, i just think people are different. </p>
<p>i guess i just don't enjoy being categorized as a typical "asian" like so many people on CC do. some of the threads talk about how asians just sit there and all they care about is scores and taking online classes, etc. i'm here to disprove that, thats all. </p>
<p>You will be surprised how many Asian girls have shaped their profiles around art. really.... Asian boys pursuing art may be rare, but I go to an Art school, and half of the visual art students are international Asian girls, and when I participate in outside of school competiitions and galleries things like that im telling you there are soooo many Asian girls. they are all like super good at graphic design and photoshops. I don't know if you'll find this helpful, but it's just something I noticed personally living in the US as an art student.</p>
That's bs. Your chances are crapshoot because of your SAT, lack of awards, or w/e. Not because of your ethnicity. Certainly there are asians who stand out and are accepted to many of the top schools. Sure your volunteering efforts will help, but why should "SAVE Darfur" and "Teaching Diversity and Tolerance" be better than just volunteering at a local hospital?</p>
<p>I don't see how you don't fit the mainstream of asian applicants.
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I agree with this. It's not crapshoot just because you're Asian.</p>
<p>As for the "I'll go save the world" thing, it isn't any special. Asians aren't actually that "typical" as you think; I see many diverse ones and etc in my school and such, it's just really going with what you have and etc...you'd be surprised how many of them aren't "math/science and 2400 SAT" as the general population perceives.</p>
<p>Agreeing with most of the other posters - there are a LOT of "humanitarian" "artsy" Asian girls. A lot. Boys, not so much, but you're definetely not separating yourself too much from the girl pack. To "separate yourself" isn't the point; the point is to be EXCELLENT at what you're doing, and it sounds like you're well on your way. Extracurricular-based affirmative action won't get you anywhere, but having truly outstanding ECs will - in any field. That's what you ought to focus on: not being "unique" but being "extraordinary" in your humanitarian/art accomplishments.</p>
<p>Of course, I don't do much in the humanitary EC field myself, so I haven't any advice as to what exactly you could do beside the typical Club President positions and Raised Money For Unfortunate People/Charity fundraisers.</p>
<p>Now THAT is some good advice ("the point is to be EXCELLENT at what you're doing"). There's no other way to "separate" yourself; like I've said before, You're not special. Understanding that is the key to success.</p>
<p>But you don't have to be excellent at something in order to be competitive at selective universities. I mean, if colleges only selected seventeen-year-olds who were extraordinarily excellent at what they do, they probably wouldn't have enough people to fill the class! What happened to those people who it would just be a great time to go to college with, who aren't necessarily excellent at what they do?</p>
<p>You're definitely not alone, but that's not a bad thing at all. I'm also involved in humanitarian efforts and I lead a charity that raises around ten thousand a year to give to organizations that help victims of violence. Plus I'm really, really, really involved in music. So i guess we're really similar in a way.</p>
<p>It's not going to necessarily set you apart, but unless you cure cancer, you're just like the rest of us. We're all in this together :)</p>
<p>Hehe, well, I'm an Asian boy and I'm pretty crazy over math, and I know quite a few that are crazy over the violin. I don't know about any other Asian boys, but I do know that when I was young, my dad enjoyed quizzing me in math. He would ask, for example, what 3 x 5 is at night before we went to bed, and I enjoyed it. In fact, one of my most memorable times with my dad was when he asked me a math problem that was quite difficult, and it was at night, and I went to the bathroom to brush my teeth and thought it over. As I was brushing, I found the answer. After I was done, I rushed back to my dad and quite excitedly shouted the answer, but he was asleep. I don't know why that was so memorable for me--it was when I was very little. </p>
<p>I learned to divide when I was in kindergarten--I wonder if a lot of other Asian boys have done mathematics above grade level as well.</p>