<p>It counts for a lot. Look at decision threads and you’ll see plenty of african americans getting into Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Stanford, etc. with ~1900 SAT scores and 3.4 GPAs. It’s ridiculous how much admissions officers consider race.</p>
<p>bull *****…thats not true…i had a 2270 SAT, 2340 SATII’s and 3.98 UW/ 4.25 W and got rejected from both harvard and yale… (i was hispanic)</p>
<p>It’s ridiculous how much race is based into assessing ‘need based’ scholarships…</p>
<p>there’s a funny story from my school about how a family with a white child, and an adopted, URM child both sent students to the same ivy league school last year, with EFC’s that differed by $10,000.</p>
<p>Yay for affirmative action!</p>
<p>It seems to be that Asian Americans and Caucasians seem to be at a MAJOR disadvantage in college admissions, simply based on their ethnicity. </p>
<p>I was thinking about how many colleges will state that admissions are not based on gender, race, etc… (even though they blatantly are), and how they have a “decline to state” option.</p>
<p>Being an Asian American or Caucasian, would it be beneficial to select this option? Or would it just count against you, and they would assume you are not part of the minority anyway?</p>
<p>See also discussion 1 and 2 </p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/651345-race-college-admissions-faq-discussion-3-a.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/651345-race-college-admissions-faq-discussion-3-a.html</a></p>
<p>Here’s a friendly reminder to all new participants on College Confidential: this forum has a search feature, so it is possible to search for previous threads on issues that are likely to be the subjects of Frequently Asked Questions.</p>
<p>Research commentary on an article just published in the journal Science: </p>
<p>[BPS</a> RESEARCH DIGEST: Simple psychological intervention boosts school performance of ethnic minority students](<a href=“http://bps-research-digest.blogspot.com/2009/04/simple-psychological-intervention.html]BPS”>http://bps-research-digest.blogspot.com/2009/04/simple-psychological-intervention.html)</p>
<p><a href=“%5Burl=http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/1062337401-post426.html]#426[/url]”>quote</a> Research commentary on an article just published in the journal Science: </p>
<p>[BPS</a> RESEARCH DIGEST: Simple psychological intervention boosts school performance of ethnic minority students](<a href=“http://bps-research-digest.blogspot.com/2009/04/simple-psychological-intervention.html]BPS”>http://bps-research-digest.blogspot.com/2009/04/simple-psychological-intervention.html)
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Related: Standford Magazine: [The</a> Effort Effect](<a href=“http://www.stanfordalumni.org/news/magazine/2007/marapr/features/dweck.html]The”>http://www.stanfordalumni.org/news/magazine/2007/marapr/features/dweck.html)</p>
<p>I want to start a discussion for Asian Americans who will be applying to top-tier schools this year. It would be nice for others who have already been accepted to college to provide help. My problem is, how can Asian Americans nowadays boost their chances for admission to a top-tier college? Especially an Asian American good in math and science? </p>
<p>For example, how could an Asian-American extremely strong in math/science (president of math/science clubs, qualifier for national math/science competitions, regional science fair winners, math league participants, summer programs, research, etc.) distinguish him/herself from other Asian Americans? Obviously, they can participate/succeed in other ec’s that they are passionate about including sports, music, art/theater, or debate. </p>
<p>But even so, many are still strongest in math/science. And there are so many hypercompetitive Asians nowadays with multiple ec’s and very significant accomplishments in math and science. Together with the affirmative action, etc., of top-tier schools, this makes it super hard for any typical well-rounded Asian to get in, besides writing spectacular and unique essays on their passions and accomplishments.</p>
<p>What are some specific things to watch out for? What do you guys think?</p>
<p>And what if one is NOT the stereotypical Asian?</p>
<p>Kill off all your competition.</p>
<p>Well, if you are not the stereotypical Asian, then what are your interests? </p>
<p>I noticed that there were separate forums in the “Special Admissions” section, for Mexicans, African-Americans, etc. so I thought why not, we could start an Asian thread too.</p>
<p>asian americans are ORMs and it can actually be a disadvantage. My good friend was wait listed at JHU, and he’s a genius in math/sci and does many ECs in depth that are not math/sci related. I know several others with lesser stellar stats all around who got accepted. Seriously, it’s all about strategy, or something’s just wrong with the world. I hate college admissions :-(. It almost makes a top school not worth it with all the “diversity” that they need. They don’t then take the best and the brightest. If schools did take the best and brightest, student bodies wouldn’t look the way they do. In fact, I think any top 25 school pretty much has the same student body sort of. You’ll find that rejected USAMO/USABO/USACO finalist, intel semi-finalist (there was one rejected this year at JHU by the way), etc. at non-top 10-15 schools. Then you’ll find an above average kid throughout high school who spends a month just concocting a “passionate” essay get into a top ivy.</p>
<p>^ It’s harder to learn something in school than it is to learn a new personality.</p>
<p>(Don’t interpret that for anything more than it is)</p>
<p>Lmao, I believe the stereotype is getting old…my friend showed me this article online where they did research and humanities-arts/math-sciences (in the broadest way possible) came out about the same rates for Asian-Americans. So the stereotype is probably just a stereotype…</p>
<p>Now *Asians<a href=“immigrants/internationals”>/I</a>, are a different story.</p>
<p>Either way, don’t stress it, I doubt many colleges are going to look at you and just be like “Oh wow look asian guy math/science…reject for the other asian guy who has higher math/science credentials”. Focus on your unique abilities, do well, etc…</p>
<p>^ I have a sinking feeling that might be what’s happening behind admissions doors. How else do ya explain all these supergenius overqualified Asians getting rejected from top schools?</p>
<p>
I’m far from being an admission officer or being knowledgeable about admission processes, but maybe that top colleges don’t have enough space to admit all the “qualified” applicants? Maybe the “supergenius overqualified Asians” aren’t all that they aren’t looking for? Maybe the admissions is holistic in the U.S.?</p>
<p>I get what you mean, though…but I’m not completely sure myself.</p>
<p>We need an admissions person or a professional in here to answer our questions and fears. Is there ANY way a stereotypical Asian can distinguish him/herself?
</p>
<p>This is both very true and very depressing…</p>
<p>I don’t know the exact numbers, but Hispanics and African Americans can have a few hundred points lower on the SAT than Asians, or something. </p>
<p>I guess Asian= anti-hook. :(</p>
<p>If Ivy’s did admissions solely on academic merit I think there would be a lot more Asians attending.
But then again, academics isn’t all that matters.</p>
<p>Even so, how do you even define “passion” ??
They can simply read your essays and determine how much passion/potential you have?
It’s very unfair. There are people who are sleep deprived throughout high school doing varsity sports, clubs, competitions, studying for APs, SATs, SAT IIs, etc., yet are rejected, while some other minority gets into Yale or something with much lower scores, grades, and very few ec’s. Many of these minorities also have parents who push them to succeed. </p>
<p>Admissions should not be based on anything other than merit.
But we cannot change the system. We have to conform to succeed. </p>
<p>So the main point is, what strategies are there for Asians?</p>
<p>ummm…don’t fill in the ethnicity part in the app, lol? jk.</p>
<p>I wish I knew.</p>