<p>I am not one for obsessing over the “whys and why nots” (I think it’s healthier to look forward), but I wanted to remark that for pretty much every school…needing FA puts you in a more competitive applicant pool. And of course, being Asian (an “Over Represented Minority”) also puts you into an even more competitive pool…there are just too many qualified candidates. When my older daughter went through this process 3 years ago, an AO at a HADES school told me that the Asian girl cohort was THE single most competitive applicant group.</p>
<p>This sort of thing is why some of us parents are so “cast a wide net”/“be very honest about your strength within the applicant pool”/“it is extremely hard to get admitted to the more selective schools” in the months leading up to January.</p>
<p>@SevenDad I wholeheartedly agree! I’m an Asian- which means that the competition I was under was pretty stiff. My parents told me early on that “if I wasn’t accepted, it would not be because I was a lesser candidate” and “that the competition is even more rigorous this year” etc etc.</p>
<p>Quite honestly, I believe ranting can be some form of emotional therapy (maybe I’m wrong; what do I know, after all?) and that it can help the “moving on” process. Anyway, freedom of speech, right?</p>
<p>Personally, I am overjoyed- because I was accepted to two top-tier schools- but I would be lying if I tell you I wasn’t disheartened by the decisions of the 3 other schools I applied to. I know my race can be a disadvantage; the country I’m in (CHINA) may also undermine my application; and I’m sure having a sister in a HADES school would also hurt my chances at other HADES schools. I don’t know; these things are difficult to tell. I know that my SSAT score, academics and recommendations were exemplary, so maybe my extracurriculars needed beefing?</p>
<p>Let’s not dwell in the past, though.</p>