<p>"As such, it’s about moving away from the stereotypically Asian activities. How many times do you think adcoms have seen a tennis-playing, 12-year piano loving, math/science studying Asian/Indian applicant?..I, on the other hand, was not valedictorian, did not even participate in Intel/Siemens or anything of the sort, but was accepted to multiple HYPS schools because I devoted my time to more unique activities. </p>
<p>This would work only if the Asian applicant has devoted their time to unusual for Asians ECs that the applicant genuinely loves and excels in. If the applicant selects ECs only because they may look good to admissions, and if the applicant doesn’t stand out in those ECs, the applicant probably won’t have significantly boosted their admissions chances to top schools.</p>
<p>The top schools definitely have Asians who participated in the typical ECs for Asians: classical music, math, tennis, and swimming. </p>
<p>Your advice on ECs probably would be most helpful for the many Asian parents who force their kids to participate in classical music, math, tennis, and swimming even though their kids’ natural interests and talents are in ECs that are unusual for Asian students to participate in.</p>