jerryhathaway

I've taken a good look at my application and everything in it seems to scream stereotypical asian... Piano, violin, chess, decent test scores, nice gpa (despite my sopohmore year screw up), business ecs, volunteering, and tennis/track/xc - sports that don't cut people. How do I stand out in a pool of hypercompetitive asians?

Should I leave out some of the ECs that I'm not super committed to? I'm not incredible at piano, other than some small state awards, same with chess, etc?

misterme2009

Don't leave anything out.

But look for something about yourself that you can include that makes you stand out. There has to be something to you and what you do that is truly "you."

StickerShock

You can start you essay by borrowing a line from Margaret Chow: "Hi, I'm a Korean-American and I DON'T play the violin." Then use humor to poke fun at your typical Asian ECs. I like the line about "sports that don't cut people." Make it clear that your ECs were freely chosen, knowing that they may be typical. You just truly love them all and didn't want to choose something "non-Asian" for the sake of standing out. Keep it light, and it might resonate wikth admissions.

I hate the fact that being Asian & high achieving is considered a problem!

liangshengtm

"I hate the fact that being Asian & high achieving is considered a problem"

big problem to me, I am a Asian with good mark but not good enough to stand out in asians.....poor guy

BingCold

i'm asian in every ec except music and sports-- so basically half typical asian =) . liangsheng, i think i know you from somewhere, did you used to live in texas?

mr_chipset

Lol, I thought there was no racism in US. How pathetic was I...

chillaxin

lol, mr_chipset! Me too, actually.

I'm actually leaving a bunch of ECs that I'm not committed to off of my application (I'm in various clubs where I attend all the meetings and club functions, but the problem is that we never actually DO anything of importance at those meetings or functions). Keep in mind though that all the blanks on my app are still completely filled.

Darn those discriminatory college apps.

yepunsarang

Hmmm interesting thing...may be admission officers don't like having too many asians that do stereotypical asian activities. Well, I do play the piano, and i'm in the Manhattan School of Music Pre-College Division, er...I am a peer councilor, Interning at the UN, Taking AP courses in humanities.....But I don't think your efforts will go unseen. Hopefully, colleges don't think asians stereotypically do their ECs