Asians and Pacific Islanders represent 5.7% of the general population but make-up 6.6% of all undergraduates. There are two to four times more Asians at the most competitive schools than in the general population. Asian students make up 21% of undergraduates at Stanford and 19% at Harvard. Because of this “over-representation” and general “model minority” myth, Asian students are often perceived as doing well no matter where they attend school.
Reason 2 of 3 Reasons Why Your Kid’s Good Grades Won’t Pay for College
ShareTweetFlipEmailPin0 SharesBecause you’re comparing yourself to the wrong group.
Recently I was on an online forum where a student was trying to figure out whether to apply to Duke or Washington University in Saint Louis. And, of course, there was discussion of his chances of getting in. The student had outstanding academic credentials, including a 34 ACT score. I pointed out that while that was fine, his credentials were really just the minimum required for entry into these schools. Another student indicated that a 34 ACT score as a “minimum” was obviously ludicrous. Naturally, I now have some numbers to talk about.
