the asian mold

Colleges and Universities A-Z Stanford University
1

<p>ive heard alot about breaking the asian/indian/etc "mold"
and i guess that just means standing out from the rest of the "typical" asian applicants, who tend to (for example) be on the math team, debate, play some classical instrument, have good math scores and lame english scores on their SAT, and plan on majoring in engineering, etc</p>

<p>the thing is, that sounds alot like me.</p>

<p>i guess my question is
1. does it really matter? is stanford really like, dude we've already got 57 asians who play piano. sorry we cant take you.
2. how am i supposed to set myself apart? how did you guys set yourself apart?</p>

2

<p>um, you be yourself. obviously, you can't avoid the fact that you're asian. but you can do stuff you enjoy doing.</p>

3

<p>you have one of two choices:</p>

<ol>
<li>either be really really good at what you already like (math, science). for example, qualifying for USAMO, being finalist in Intel STS, or take many college math programs in the summer and exhaust all the math courses available to you in high school.
or 2. pick up your verbal scores and profess a great interest in english and literature.</li>
</ol>

4

<p>i heard being you always works</p>

5

<p>It doesn't matter if you're a "typical asian" as long as you show the adcoms that you have a passion for something.</p>

6

<p>The only thing that will actually hurt your chances on that list is your "lame" SAT English score. So work on that.</p>

7

<p>Well, being me only got me waitlisted</p>

8

<p>Although I'm not actually asian, I fit the asian "mold." I had very good grades and test scores. My ECs were piano, debate, community service, and research and my potential majors were math/physics. </p>

<p>To make matters worse, I wasn't even particularly good at any of my ECs. Academics were really my main focus, especially techie stuff. But I did what I did because I genuinely loved it, including academics, and I'm sure that came through in both my recs and my essays. My essays were very "me" and I guess they liked that because it worked! </p>

<p>From what I can tell it seems that the admissions officiers really do want students who are not only intelligent and talented, but also just really interesting people with an interesting story to tell. (That's at least part of the motivation for the note to your roommate essay question.) If you try to let your personality shine through and show what makes you you (this can be very hard to do!) I think it helps your chances a lot. </p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

9

<p>by the way, guns of brixton is a great song, though safe european home is better</p>

10

<p>Don't try to misrepresent yourself. If Stanford doesn't want you as you are, then don't let them have you. If you do happen to enjoy something out of 'the mold,' let it show on your application, but otherwise hope that you are one of the best 57.</p>

11

<p>dude write an essay on how you love the clash. assuming you do. hopefully you do.</p>

12

<p>actually that would be a good one</p>

<p>talk about race tensions with "white riot"</p>

<p>Drug use in "Hammersmith palais"</p>

<p>overuse of authority in "Groovy times"</p>

<p>War in "london calling" and "Ivan meets GI Joe"</p>

<p>lies and decit in "Train in vain"</p>

13

<p>yeah, being me worked in getting in. and im asian.</p>

14

<p>I am Asian but for some reason, I don't fit in that mold. Seriously. I don't like science and math and Im not in any math and science-related ECs. Yuck. I don't play the piano or the tennis. I'm not a Chem or Phys or Calc lover. I love Spanish and USH. (Im very fluent since I lived in a spanish-speaking country for..14 yrs. let's leave it like that) Again, my Ecs aren't math and science-related. I have my own EC that I love doing it and that nobody believes that I will write it on my app. for colleges in the future.</p>

15

<p>thanks! i really appreciate everyones response</p>

16

<p>Alternatively, you could just become black....</p>