<p>How severe is the impact of your race on college admissions? I've always been told by my parents that I'll have to score near-perfect on the SAT/ACT standardized tests (2300+/33+, respectively) and a GPA that is at least a 93 (I have no idea what that is on my school's scale. We're weird like that.), simply because I'm Asian. </p>
<p>However, I was told that classmate comparison is a lot more important by the college counseling officer at my school. I'm confused as to how much your ethnicity sways your application chances. </p>
<p>Nevertheless, I'll of course aim for those scores, since they're great goals to set for myself. Nothing will really detract from what I'll be aiming for, but I'm just curious as to what the true deal with race is.</p>
<p>I have to ask, as it isn’t immediately clear - Are you living in the US and a US citizen? If so then you really have little to worry about with race - The only slight thing would be if you are Asian living in an Asian country then your scores may have to be slightly higher as a requirement for international students (still not based on ‘race’ per se but simply the fact that you are international).</p>
<p>Listen to your guidance counselor who will lead you the right direction, but I don’t know of any admissions people anywhere who care a lick about race any longer except in cases where they are under pressure to admit a more diverse population which would work to your advantage.</p>
<p>If you’re worried, then not declaring race is an option. Also, colleges are well known for being accepting of all races and encouraging diversity. Asians are a well known ORM so with the right credentials, I don’t think there’s anything to worry about. GL.</p>
<p>Your high school’s college counselor can talk to you about what grades and scores are typical for admitted students from your high school for each college you are considering. Do you have access to Naviance?</p>
<p>Your parents are correct. Bottom line is that selective colleges will be evaluating your application vs. other asian applicants, and not vs. the entire applicant pool, and the asian applicant pool is the strongest one, particularly ‘asian girl’. This has been explained to me by the college counselors at my son’s elite prep school, who have close relationships w all the elite colleges, and send scores of students each year to HPYMS. So, yes, since u are an asian applicant, the bar is set higher for u. </p>
<p>Selective colleges have a target number of students they want to accept from each racial group, that is why the racial proportion of asian students stays constant from year to year, even though the percentage of college-age asians in U.S. has doubled in the last 30 years. </p>
<p>Is this fair to you? No. But it’s legal under the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Grutter v Boliinger.</p>
<p>Caltech does not consider race in its admissions selection, so the proportion of asian students has climbed conensurately w the asian proportion of the U.S. population. Other CA schools that cannot legally ask what race u are, can still ferret out that piece of demographic info from either your name, your essay, your clubs, your school, then they will rate your application in the context of your race.</p>
<p>Read the book I mentioned in my earlier thread, ‘The Gatekeepers’. It will give u a lot of insight about what selective colleges are looking for in your college application. It also shows how starkly differently applicants are rated based on their race. The asian girl got hammered despite being a NM Finalist.</p>