By Allen Koh

Founder and CEO of Cardinal Education

Recent lawsuits against the University of California system have reignited discussions about fairness and transparency in admissions. As the admissions landscape becomes more competitive than ever, Asian applicants face unique challenges in standing out. While high test scores and GPAs are important, they are no longer enough to guarantee acceptance at top American universities.

We always hear that the key to admission is differentiation. But how can Asian students craft a truly differentiated application?

Many think that high test scores make an applicant stand out. But, unlike in India, hundreds of students get perfect scores in the American university entrance exams every year. So, generally, scores and high marks alone do not differentiate Asian applicants from the rest. The emphasis then shifts to other factors, such as extracurricular activities and essays.

Differentiation Beyond Academics

When writing your admissions essay, always ask yourself, “Is my essay unique to me? Or have any of my batchmates written a similar essay?” Your essay should highlight your individuality and make you stand out in the admissions process.

One important point to consider is not to use your Asian heritage as a theme in your essay. With the recent Supreme Court rulings prohibiting colleges from using race as a determining factor in admissions decisions, essays that talk about race are not encouraged. If an applicant’s Asian heritage has meaningfully influenced their experiences, values, or goals, then it can be a valuable topic—but should be approached with nuance.

Avoid stereotypes and negative portrayals or victimization. Don’t focus on discrimination and unpleasant experiences. Instead, use your Asian identity to illuminate strength, resilience, and personal growth. You can talk about the hardships or challenges you have overcome and how that led you to pursue activities to help others overcome similar challenges.

Beyond essays, extracurricular involvement is another way to stand out. Asians tend to participate in the same activities, like math competitions, science fairs, and music activities. While these are valuable, they don’t make applicants stand out. Colleges seek well-rounded individuals with diverse interests. Don’t be afraid to try new things and explore extraordinary activities.

However, engaging in an activity is not enough to show admissions officers that you are a good fit for their institution. Rather than joining numerous clubs, focus on a few meaningful activities where you can demonstrate leadership, innovation, and sustained commitment. For example, founding a club or launching a project shows initiative and impact.

For students applying to competitive majors like computer science, standing out requires more than just technical excellence. Applicants must either be among the absolute best in their field or demonstrate a strong interdisciplinary perspective. This means showcasing how your study of computer science will be a positive contribution to society. For example, you could engage in projects that use AI to address environmental challenges like climate modeling, renewable energy optimization, waste management—sorting and recycling, and others.  These activities demonstrate a student’s ability to combine two ideologies—computer science and environmental studies.

Embracing Interdisciplinary Thinking

One concept that resonates strongly in American higher education is having an interdisciplinary mindset. American colleges believe that students with an interdisciplinary mindset are better prepared for the challenges of the modern world. This perspective is considered crucial in developing the ability to synthesize complicated ideas, giving them an edge in their applications.

Unlike many other countries, the U.S. encourages students to pursue interdisciplinary or unrelated degrees, such as political science and data science or philosophy and physics. For example, by combining philosophy and computer science, a student can explore the social and moral implications of artificial intelligence.

Many Asians, especially Indians, apply to STEM-related majors. This makes it difficult for them to stand out among their peers. We usually advise our clients to consider other majors that are less competitive. However, if the student is only interested in STEM, we introduce an interdisciplinary approach to gain an advantage. For instance, an aspiring civil engineering student could engage in extracurricular activities or passion projects that demonstrate the interconnectedness of urban planning and sociology. This could mean interning for firms that plan transportation infrastructure like roads, railways, and airports not just to learn engineering concepts but also to understand how such structures affect the quality of life of people.

These projects do not only display interdisciplinary thinking but also a genuine interest in engineering and a desire to help improve society. The uniqueness and authenticity of such projects would interest admissions officers in knowing more about the student, which may ultimately increase their chances of admission.

Non-Traditional Pathway

When applying to study in the U.S., the allure of Ivy League institutions remains strong for families. However, there are also alternative pathways that could make it easier to penetrate American higher education as an Asian. Community college transfers are one of the best-kept secrets in elite admissions. With strong performance and strategic course selection, students can secure transfer spots at top universities—including UT Austin, the University of Michigan, Georgia Tech, and the University of Washington—with a much higher success rate than applying straight from high school.

Community colleges, or junior colleges, provide associate degrees after two years and serve as a springboard for transfer to four-year institutions. For instance, California’s Transfer Admissions Guarantee (TAG) program offers students from California community colleges a secured pathway to six UC campuses. By fulfilling specific course and GPA requirements, students can ensure their admission to the following participating UC campuses:

• UC Davis

• UC Irvine

• UC Merced

• UC Riverside

• UC Santa Barbara

• UC Santa Cruz

Navigating the Admissions Landscape

In the midst of ongoing lawsuits, debates, and controversies about admissions practices, Asian applicants must focus on building a truly competitive profile. By displaying interdisciplinary thinking, crafting compelling narratives, engaging in relevant extracurricular activities, and considering alternative admissions pathways, Asians can break through the competition and gain admission to top-tier universities.

Allen Koh’s Bio

Allen Koh is one of the world’s leading authorities on applying to highly selective American universities, graduate schools, and high schools. Mr. Koh regularly works closely with members of the Forbes list, executives at Fortune 500 companies, and influencers gracing magazine covers who want elite-level service for their children. Recognized as a world-class admissions consultant, veteran academic coach, and motivational expert, Mr. Koh specializes in admissions for highly selective schools such as Harvard, Columbia, Princeton, Stanford, MIT, and more. He holds a B.A. in Political Science and an M.A. in Economic Sociology from Stanford University.

Photo by George Dolgikh: