Is it Harder for Asians to Get Into NYC Private School?

Over the years, many of my educational consulting clients have asked me if it is harder for Asians to get into NYC private school.

Many have heard that it is harder for Asian-Americans to get into college.  This week, one of my clients referred me to the LA Times story:  For Asian-Americans, A Changing Landscape on College Admissions.  Journalist Frank Shyong reports:

Complaints about bias in college admissions have persisted since at least the 1920s, when a Harvard University president tried to cap the number of Jewish students. In November, a group called Students for Fair Admissions filed a suit against Harvard University for admissions policies that allegedly discriminate against Asian Americans. The group cited the 2004 Princeton study and other sources that offer statistics about Asian Americans’ test performance.

Is it harder for Asian-Americans to get into NYC private school?

In my sixteen years’ experience helping families, I have found that unfortunately it is more competitive for Asians to get into NYC private schools, especially the core, elite group of well-known schools, because more Asian people are applying.  New York City’s Asian population is growing and more Asian-Americans are seeking NYC  private school places.

Thankfully, however, I do not find that there is an “Asian penalty”, as is described in Shyong’s article about college admissions and SAT scores.  I do see that the Asian applicant must work harder to distinguish himself or herself than was necessary when I first started my practice.   On the plus side, while I do not have hard numbers, it seems self-evident that more Asian students attend NYC private schools today.

In the New York Times, Kyle Spencer reports in At NYC Private Schools, Challenging White Privilege from the Inside:

This year, according to the National Association of Independent Schools, minority students make up a third of the population of New York City private schools, and 18.5 percent of all students receive financial aid.

While almost all NYC private schools have embraced diversity, they seek a range of diversity.  Peoples’ opinions run a spectrum on how diversity should be defined in a cosmopolitan city like New York, or how diversity should enter into the allocation of scarce seats.

In my experience at present, if your child is from a well-represented group of applicants, it can be more competitive, especially if your child does not have a noteworthy record of achievement.

I work with my NYC educational consulting clients, from all backgrounds, from preschool to high school, to help them develop customized resumes to help them stand out from other applicants with similar and different family histories. For more information, NYC top private school consultant or 212-712-2228.