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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]
The PPs are not saying he's the only one. They're saying that it seems odd that 30 schools would reject this one kid with perfect qualifications solely because of the fact that he is Asian. Statistically, it doesn't make sense. Sending a perfect application to 30 schools, even with the Asian box checked, should have resulted in at least some acceptances. For the application to be rejected across the board in this way, there was most likely something in the application that gave pause to 30 sets of admissions officers. I agree with the PP that it was probably something in the essays or the recommendations.

It is statistically unlikely that 30 different schools would decide that this is the Asian kid we're not accepting, even though he is the perfect candidate in every other way.
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I think this is possible since I know of an Asian American kid who had done extremely well overall at a very good school (perfect gpa, 2360 SAT (800, 800, 760), all 800s on SAT IIs, all 5s on many APs, leadership positions in key student groups, original STEM research which was highly advanced (graduate school level), very impressive internships, many hours of volunteering, great recommendation letters (seen them both were 11/10), great essays (reviewed and evaluated by several English teachers to be excellent and seen them 9/10), multiple national level awards such as debate awards etc. etc. Really passionate and curious about learning which showed through various EC activities and leadership positions.

And yet, this kid applied to 9 schools and was rejected by 8 schools and accepted by only 1 school. His race (and no "Hooks") was only thing that got in the way. [/quote]

Are you this kid's guidance counselor? Otherwise, it is unusual to read the essays and recommendations for a person that one "knows of."  Also, if the candidate and other people are reading the recs, that means that the candidate did not waive the right to read the recs. College admissions officials are wary when they see a rec without the right to read waived. They know the writer if the rec may not be totally frank when he/she knows the student could read the rec. Most candidates check the box to waive the right to read the recs.

I also don't understand the rating of the essays above. Different colleges are looking for different qualities, which would make it difficult for an outsider to rate essays across the board.
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The kid "waived the right to view" the recommendation letters but the teachers voluntarily showed the LOR to the student and they were shown to me by the student. They were amazing and absolutely 11/10 since the teachers could not have written better letters. They were basically saying any college would be doing themselves a favor by recruiting this kid and cited specific examples of work done and specific observations regarding conduct, character , leadershipo demonstrated etc. Definitely 11/10 for both.

In addition, I have seen many college essays and I thought they were very good and several English teachers who reviewed the essays also thought they were very good as well. [/quote]

I have helped my own kids with college applications, also some of their friends, and taught in a secondary school many years ago, and I have never heard of showing recommendations to the students. Very unusual.

And again, essays are looked at differently by different colleges. What is seen as good by a state school can be viewed differently by a private liberal arts college. Different schools will have different standards, so really difficult to judge by those not on the admissions committee.

An outsider really can't know how one student's application stacks up against others in an application cycle. It depends very much on the overall quality of the applications for the same class.
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