The Statistics

Various studies have been conducted that have numerical evidence to demonstrate that Asian Americans are set to higher standards during the admissions process.

A Princeton study has determined that on average, Asians actually need to score 140 points higher on the SAT than whites to have the same chance of being admitted into private colleges.

The study also determined that

• Asian-American enrollment at Harvard was 18% during 2013
• Other Ivy Leagues were similar, ranging from 14-18%

However, when looking at California-based schools

• UCLA’s student population was 38% Asian
• Berkely’s student population was 32.4% Asian
• Caltech’s student population was 42.5% Asian

California schools banned racial preference in college admissions by popular referendum during 1996 [1]. These statistics heavily point towards the idea that Asian Americans are missing out on entrance to Ivy League schools because of racial preference.

Another study from the 2009 book, No Longer Separate, Not Yet Equal: Race and Class in Elite College Admission and Campus Life by the Princeton University Press analyzed data on 9000 students who attended one of 10 highly selective universities.

The research produced numbers demonstrating test score “advantages” or “disadvantages” for various races who were admitted, with the “advantages” referring to what is needed to have an equivalent odd of admission e.g. a black student with an ACT score of 27 would have the same chances of admission as a white student with an ACT score of 30.8 [2].

 

[1] Saul, Anemona Hartocollis And Stephanie. “Affirmative Action Battle Has a New Focus: Asian-Americans.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 2 Aug. 2017, www.nytimes.com/2017/08/02/us/affirmative-action-battle-has-a-new-focus-asian-americans.html/

[2] Jaschik, Scott. “Inside Higher Ed.” A look at the data and arguments about Asian-Americans and admissions at elite colleges, Inside Higher Ed, 7 Aug. 2017, http://www.insidehighered.com/admissions/article/2017/08/07/look-data-and-arguments-about-asian-americans-and-admissions-elite.