s/o part-Asians applying to college

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
OP here again.

It's interesting to hear all perspectives.

My son is not musical and not STEM-oriented! He likes Latin, history and literature

Remember that at many SLACs being a boy (especially a non-STEM one) can be an advantage.

OK, Biden.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is discrimination against Asians and whites that different?

Yes. Being White is a net-neutral to slightly negative factor.

Being Asian is a materially negative factor.

BTW, it seems that the only decisive hook for Asians with HYPS is to make an Olympic team (or win a medal!): Chloe Kim, Eileen Gu, Nathan Chen etc., are all at Princeton, Stanford and Yale respectively.

That's what it takes these days.

You understand right, that all elite schools have tons of Asian students, right? Those spots are just more competitive to land. But they are there and full.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can you check "other" or "mixed race"?

I don't think you have to check what your last name is. There are many 1/2 hispanics that I know without a Spanish surname who are Hispanic (through mother). They are Hispanic, and are white. Why would Asians be any different? I'm sure that you know plenty of 1/2 Asians who identify as both.

Check how they identify. You don't have to be beholden to your last name in the admissions process.

We are planning to check "other"/"mixed race/biracial - Jewish last name and South Asian Indian for our mixed race (half Asian/half white) children.

If you check other / mixed race, do you then have to specify the races?

[Anonymous]

DD is half white half Asian (with an Asian last name). She checked both boxes. She plans to major in English. We joke that being an Asian English major is what provides her diversity. Anyway, she got a bunch of waitlists from schools in the DMV and north of us (surprise, surprise) but got three good acceptances from schools in the south. She’s up for the warmer weather, and she got a nice scholarship. It wasn’t the typical AAP to UVA path that we’d envisioned, but she’s very happy with this result. So maybe your DC can consider adding a few schools to the mix that might be trying to increase diversity including their Asian population?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is discrimination against Asians and whites that different?

Yes. Being White is a net-neutral to slightly negative factor.

Being Asian is a materially negative factor.

BTW, it seems that the only decisive hook for Asians with HYPS is to make an Olympic team (or win a medal!): Chloe Kim, Eileen Gu, Nathan Chen etc., are all at Princeton, Stanford and Yale respectively.

That's what it takes these days.

You understand right, that all elite schools have tons of Asian students, right? Those spots are just more competitive to land. But they are there and full.

The Asian applicant tend to be interested in STEM, and there are only a limited number of STEM spots available. They are essentially competing with other Asians.

[Anonymous]

They should redact names from applications and just go off the actual content.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can you check "other" or "mixed race"?

I don't think you have to check what your last name is. There are many 1/2 hispanics that I know without a Spanish surname who are Hispanic (through mother). They are Hispanic, and are white. Why would Asians be any different? I'm sure that you know plenty of 1/2 Asians who identify as both.

Check how they identify. You don't have to be beholden to your last name in the admissions process.

We are planning to check "other"/"mixed race/biracial - Jewish last name and South Asian Indian for our mixed race (half Asian/half white) children.

If you check other / mixed race, do you then have to specify the races?

There isn't an "other/mixed race" box. There is a list of races and you check all that apply (the wording is - how you identify yourself).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They should redact names from applications and just go off the actual content.

I think so too. I believe they do that at UC’s. I just read that they hide name/gender/ethnicity. Although I’m sure they have other ways...ie zip codes.

This is getting crazy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DD is half white half Asian (with an Asian last name). She checked both boxes. She plans to major in English. We joke that being an Asian English major is what provides her diversity. Anyway, she got a bunch of waitlists from schools in the DMV and north of us (surprise, surprise) but got three good acceptances from schools in the south. She’s up for the warmer weather, and she got a nice scholarship. It wasn’t the typical AAP to UVA path that we’d envisioned, but she’s very happy with this result. So maybe your DC can consider adding a few schools to the mix that might be trying to increase diversity including their Asian population?

NP here. Child with similar background. Do you worry about your child going to college in the South? Or maybe it varies according to WHERE in the South? I am seriously wrestling with this issue. My child is younger and about a year from applications so I welcome the input. I am a native of the DC metropolitan area but I have a sister who now lives in [insert Southern city, state] which is apparently changing a lot with a ton of non-Southerners moving in but the things she talks about [politics, no masks, non-diversity, Confederate flags, etc] all make me cringe and I would not want to live there in my own home as an adult much less as an 18yo in a communal living situation with other native Southern 18yos who have this as their only worldview. I am grateful for your thoughts. Thank you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Question: My children are part Asian, part white European. They have a passport from my European country as well as their American passport, since they were born in the US. They have very little cultural connection to their Asian heritage, have never been exposed to the language, but they DO have an Asian last name, because their father is Asian. First names are from their European country, we speak the language at home, have friends from that country, visit the home country often - the cultural connection is there. They will also take the AP in that European language, which will be really easy for them.

Do they check the Asian box?
Do they expand, in one of their essays, on their European identity?
What else can they do to ward off discrimination against Asians?

Thank you.

Which European country?

Germany.

Germany has free to cheap good schools. Courses are taught in your English. Your children are fluent and EU citizens. They won't be discriminated against and can make it back to the US for graduate programs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Question: My children are part Asian, part white European. They have a passport from my European country as well as their American passport, since they were born in the US. They have very little cultural connection to their Asian heritage, have never been exposed to the language, but they DO have an Asian last name, because their father is Asian. First names are from their European country, we speak the language at home, have friends from that country, visit the home country often - the cultural connection is there. They will also take the AP in that European language, which will be really easy for them.

Do they check the Asian box?
Do they expand, in one of their essays, on their European identity?
What else can they do to ward off discrimination against Asians?

Thank you.

Which European country?

Germany.

Germany has free to cheap good schools. Courses are taught in your English. Your children are fluent and EU citizens. They won't be discriminated against and can make it back to the US for graduate programs.

Came back to say "Courses are taught in English*". But to answer your question directly, there is no point hiding their heritage if it is clear from the application they are Asian. Just accept that they will be disadvantaged.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD is half white half Asian (with an Asian last name). She checked both boxes. She plans to major in English. We joke that being an Asian English major is what provides her diversity. Anyway, she got a bunch of waitlists from schools in the DMV and north of us (surprise, surprise) but got three good acceptances from schools in the south. She’s up for the warmer weather, and she got a nice scholarship. It wasn’t the typical AAP to UVA path that we’d envisioned, but she’s very happy with this result. So maybe your DC can consider adding a few schools to the mix that might be trying to increase diversity including their Asian population?

NP here. Child with similar background. Do you worry about your child going to college in the South? Or maybe it varies according to WHERE in the South? I am seriously wrestling with this issue. My child is younger and about a year from applications so I welcome the input. I am a native of the DC metropolitan area but I have a sister who now lives in [insert Southern city, state] which is apparently changing a lot with a ton of non-Southerners moving in but the things she talks about [politics, no masks, non-diversity, Confederate flags, etc] all make me cringe and I would not want to live there in my own home as an adult much less as an 18yo in a communal living situation with other native Southern 18yos who have this as their only worldview. I am grateful for your thoughts. Thank you.

DP. DC did not consider any schools in the south for this reason. Could only apply to 10 anyway (private school guidance), and there were plenty of good choices elsewhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Question: My children are part Asian, part white European. They have a passport from my European country as well as their American passport, since they were born in the US. They have very little cultural connection to their Asian heritage, have never been exposed to the language, but they DO have an Asian last name, because their father is Asian. First names are from their European country, we speak the language at home, have friends from that country, visit the home country often - the cultural connection is there. They will also take the AP in that European language, which will be really easy for them.

Do they check the Asian box?
Do they expand, in one of their essays, on their European identity?
What else can they do to ward off discrimination against Asians?

Thank you.

OP, since you asked, I happen to know that if you lie on the application, your kid can be kicked out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is discrimination against Asians and whites that different?

Yes. Being White is a net-neutral to slightly negative factor.

Being Asian is a materially negative factor.

BTW, it seems that the only decisive hook for Asians with HYPS is to make an Olympic team (or win a medal!): Chloe Kim, Eileen Gu, Nathan Chen etc., are all at Princeton, Stanford and Yale respectively.

That's what it takes these days.

You understand right, that all elite schools have tons of Asian students, right? Those spots are just more competitive to land. But they are there and full.

Hey, it's possible that all 535 Asian students admitted to Harvard this year (27.2%) are on the Olympic team.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Question: My children are part Asian, part white European. They have a passport from my European country as well as their American passport, since they were born in the US. They have very little cultural connection to their Asian heritage, have never been exposed to the language, but they DO have an Asian last name, because their father is Asian. First names are from their European country, we speak the language at home, have friends from that country, visit the home country often - the cultural connection is there. They will also take the AP in that European language, which will be really easy for them.

Do they check the Asian box?
Do they expand, in one of their essays, on their European identity?
What else can they do to ward off discrimination against Asians?

Thank you.

Which European country?

Germany.

Germany has free to cheap good schools. Courses are taught in your English. Your children are fluent and EU citizens. They won't be discriminated against and can make it back to the US for graduate programs.

Came back to say "Courses are taught in English*". But to answer your question directly, there is no point hiding their heritage if it is clear from the application they are Asian. Just accept that they will be disadvantaged.

That is the saddest thing I have read on this thread.