<p>Yes, I know you are right. I’m not trying to defend my position any further (nor do i wish to bring this to the adcoms or anything) but i believe this is a valid point – for education on the graduate level though, sometimes your environment (say, your parents) should matter quite a bit. If your parents worked in the science field or were talented actors, then they definitely can help you with certain aspects of your education that cannot be learned from a class or a textbook. </p>
<p>Growing up in this “more privileged” environment may or not may not be such a bad thing, then, i suppose. But i can see how this may trivialize your own accomplishments though.</p>
<p>So I guess the smart thing to do here is just not emphasize your parents as much and just present yourself in the best light possible.</p>
<p>It’s a worthwhile discussion, blueducky, and I, for one, will quit telling you what to do about your case!</p>
<p>One thought I’m having is this: I’m not an adcom, but I do work with high school age students in a variety of settings. Sometimes I know the family background of a student, and find that they have every advantage, including genes, money, opportunity, enrichment through time spent with involved parents and/or other wise adults, private schools, travel, summer academies/seminars/music camps instead of jobs, perfect health, and, from time to time, a parent who has a worldwide reputation in some area. When I meet and work with kids who have some or all of these advantages, I expect A LOT. </p>
<p>This can sometimes backfire: it’s possible that the assumption I, or in this case, an admissions person might make is that OF COURSE these kids should have high scores, grades and darned good ECs. What’s the excuse if they don’t? Pointing out the excellence of parents’ accomplishments might create really high and possibly unattainable expectations from the student’s application.</p>
<p>“Yes, I know you are right. I’m not trying to defend my position any further (nor do i wish to bring this to the adcoms or anything) but i believe this is a valid point – for education on the graduate level though, sometimes your environment (say, your parents) should matter quite a bit. If your parents worked in the science field or were talented actors, then they definitely can help you with certain aspects of your education that cannot be learned from a class or a textbook.”</p>
<p>That may very well be; however, taken to the extreme, that would mean that Yale “rewards” only people who won the genetic lottery of having scientists (etc) as parents. And their mission is to develop raw talent, not just merely reinforce privilege.</p>
<p>Nah, you and I both know that the extreme is false. </p>
<p>Shifting back to the immigrant factor – it probably won’t do me much good right? I mean I came to America nine LONG years ago. So it probably won’t be seen as a hardship? </p>
<p>Especially since i’m from the Bay Area, there are supposedly a lot of “high-achieving immigrants”, or so i’ve heard. Also, does Yale receive a lot of applications from the Bay Area in general? I’m kind of hoping a lot of the high-achieving science/math asians from the bay apply to Stanford for SCEA.</p>