Yes, those factors play a part of admissions considerations, but the driving factor is that there are so many qualified applicants for limited spots. The Class profile for the entering class of 2023 for Yale shows 12% legacy and 26% Asian. While there are some Asians who are also legacies, there are probably still twice as many Asians as there are legacies in the class. https://admissions.yale.edu/sites/default/files/2023classprofileweb.pdf . Recruited athletes make up 12-14% of the class. To not apply because you don’t have a hook is ill advised. To also apply to matches and safeties is good advice.
I didn’t ask him to skip Ivies, do apply but be realistic and don’t fall for dream school depression. I recommended a focus on ivy peer schools as his odds of acceptance are better there. It’s an unfortunate reality that Ivies sacrifice Asian-Americans at the alter of diversity, legacy, donation and athletics every year.
1 Like
Even without knowing your exact rank you know if you are a star in your class: are you? That will matter, not just in any formal ‘rank’ but in the tone of the LoRs you get.
I can’t for the life of me think why having a Princeton Math degree would give you a ‘competitive edge’ for the actuary career path. Actuary is a mix of business, finance, stats and comp sci.
You have shot. You have similar stats to our child and he was admitted to Princeton, Wharton @Upenn, and Yale.
Should you go to Princeton, that’s another story. All I can say is don’t get fooled by the stupid meaningless US news rankings and the pretty campus etc… it’s a good school but a bit of a paper tiger. Sorry Princeton but it’s true…smart kids for sure but they aren’t #1 in outcomes which to me is what matters… Tech MIT kills them, business Wharton kills them, premed many others kill them…Harvard kills them in everything… don’t get me wrong, going to Princeton will in no way hurt you…I’m just saying those ranking are nonsense…so many people can’t understand how our child would ever turn down Princeton…once you start to peel away the onion it gets easy to see why…best of luck
Instead of looking at rankings as #1 or #2 or #11, just be happy if you make it into any college making 1-25 on most lists, it’s just a matter of personal preference at that level. If you make it into one and not the other, it’s only a matter of luck.
@PAdude Thank you for your feedback—I feel a lot better about giving these schools a shot! I’m trying not to focus too much on college prestige and more so on which colleges will actually help me achieve my career goals. However, it’s really hard not to get enamored by rankings since I’m constantly bombarded by this way of thinking by my other classmates. Therefore, I want to thank you for adding that little tidbit at the end! 
@1Rubin Yes, I’ll definitely keep that in mind as I wait for results. I know deep down inside that there’s so many qualified people out there in the world but only limited spots, so it’s not realistic to rest on guarantees. However, wherever I end up, I will definitely work hard to ensure that I get the most out of the experiences!
@collegemom3717 In some classes, I know that my teachers really admire my work ethic, my inquisitive nature, and my commitment to submitting high-quality assignments and have told me so. I don’t think I’m necessarily the #1 student that they’ve ever had, but I think I at least stand out in their eyes. I also asked a Calculus professor from the summer program I did for a recommendation letter, and she agreed. I always turned in the work early, asked questions whenever I was confused, and somehow ended up becoming the top student in the class. She has voiced her strong support and high opinions on me as I was one of the youngest and the only female in that class, so I hope that opinion also reflects in the LoR.
@collegemom3717 Thank you for also bringing up the latter part! I got the general idea of majoring in Mathematics from the blog Etched Actuarial. However, I think you’re right in that a Mathematics major isn’t necessarily what I need to become an actuary (since from what I’ve seen in my research, that’s more focused on writing proofs). I’ll probably look more into majoring in Computer Science if I apply to Princeton.
You should look into the Operations Research and Financial Engineering (OFRE) major at Princeton. It sounds like it would align with your intended career goal. Good luck. By the way, my daughter was accepted and she’s half Asian, nonlegacy, and not a recruited athlete. She applied but had absolutely no expectations of getting in.
@SegalScholar Sorry for the late reply and thank you thank you thank you so much for bringing this major to my attention! I’ve looked into the major’s description on Princeton’s webpage and a lot of its characteristics really ring true to what actuaries do (according to my understanding, at least!). Really, I can’t thank you enough for guiding me in this direction! ?
The academic stats all look fine, and your abundance of activities shows more ambition than well developed, zealous passion for one area. I was intrigued until you said you wanted to be an actuary. It’s a very practical, potentially lucrative job. To me, that reads that you want a high paying job more than exposure to cutting edge academic research and scholarship. Google Jeff Bezos’s high school graduation speech in which he discusses his vision of space exploration and colonization.
If you truly want to be an actuary (which is actually a fascinating job), you should attend a university that has a business school, actuarial department, and proximity to insurance company headquarters so you can get a stimulating internship. From Baruch College or Pace University in Manhattan to University of Illinois, Florida State, Ohio State, etc. with their actuarial departments. They have tremendous resources and contacts dedicated to that pursuit. Princeton does not have a business school - it’s more like having CalTech, Amherst College and Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service adjacent to each other on one campus. Financial Engineering is in the ballpark of where you’d want to be.
To make Princeton decide that you’re a fit, you need to find the departments and activities that call out to you. What makes you more of a Princetonian than a top business school alum? Would you rather have dinner with Mark Cuban or with Sonia Sotomayor? What makes Princeton so ideal for you versus Kelley School of Business? What have you read? Whom do you admire? What clubs there are you desperate to join? Could you see yourself debating Ted Cruz?
And why depict yourself as an ethnicity and gender with scores and a GPA and roster of accomplishments? Show a log of your drive and passion. Have an essay that says something like, “I love statistics and data science because I see how they can make the delivery of services better for mankind and not just advance the standard of living, but also expand the horizon of what can be offered. Examples of what I have studied that truly fascinated me are the following. I love it so much that I have read X, Y, Z, A, B, C and D. Then I learned about E and went there to study. I contacted F, G and H for advice, and they lead me to I and J. They told me about K and L at Princeton, and I knew that I wanted to be there. I’m addition, I love an active cultural and artistic community as well, and these clubs, unavailable at any other university in quite the same way, are the ones that I can join, grow, learn, meet great colleagues, and really thrive, because…”
A little more compelling, yes?