Stanley Zhong, Recruited by Google at 13, Sues Universities Over Discriminatory Rejections.
A young genius and his father have filed a federal lawsuit after Stanley Zhong, a 19-year-old with exceptional academic achievements, was rejected by 16 universities despite his outstanding qualifications. Zhong's case accuses top U.S. universities of racial discrimination, alleging his rejection was due to his Asian American background.
Stanley Zhong’s Impressive Qualifications
Stanley Zhong's credentials are nothing short of remarkable. He graduated high school with a 3.97 GPA and a 4.42 weighted GPA, making him a standout student. He scored 1590 on the SAT—placing him in the top 0.1% of over two million students who take the exam annually. Zhong also managed his own startup, Rabbit-Sign, a digital signature platform, while still in high school. Additionally, he was recruited by Google at the age of 13 for a PhD-level software engineering position.
Despite his accomplishments, Zhong was rejected by several prestigious universities in 2023, including those with lower average GPAs and SAT scores for accepted students. For example, he was denied admission to California Polytechnic San Luis Obispo, where the average GPA for engineering students is 4.13-4.25.
A Battle for Fair Admissions
Stanley and his father, Nan Zhong, filed lawsuits against the University of California system, claiming that the admissions process discriminated against Asian American students. Their legal action follows the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that race can no longer be considered in university admissions. However, the Zhongs argue that some universities continue to use race as a factor in admissions, violating both federal law and state laws such as California’s Proposition 209, which banned race-based admissions practices.
Nan Zhong expressed his frustration with the system, stating, “There’s nothing more un-American than this.” He added that he is fighting this battle not just for his son, but for other Asian American students, including his younger son, who is currently 16.
The Lawsuit Details
The lawsuit claims that Stanley's applications to five University of California schools, including UC Berkeley, UCLA, and UC San Diego, were rejected despite his exceptional qualifications. In contrast, Stanley received a PhD-level job offer from Google, which recognized his skills even though the UC system did not.
Stanley Zhong
The lawsuit states:
"Stanley’s technical achievements included in his UC applications were substantially the same as those sent to Google. Yet, while Google offered him a position requiring PhD-level expertise, UC schools rejected him."
The lawsuit argues that this reflects a broader pattern of racial discrimination against highly qualified Asian American students in the UC system, and they seek damages and a jury trial.
Allegations of Racial Discrimination at UC Schools
Nan Zhong claims to have evidence that the UC system is still using race as a factor in both admissions and faculty hiring, in clear violation of the law. He suggests that the universities are actively suppressing Asian American enrollment, despite the growing Asian population in California.
He also revealed that other Asian American students reached out to him, sharing their own stories of being rejected from UC schools despite similar qualifications. The Zhong family believes these practices harm not just Asian American applicants but also white students, as universities prioritize race in admissions over academic merit.
Universities Respond
The universities named in the lawsuit, including the University of California system and the University of Washington, deny the allegations of racial discrimination. Rachael Zaentz, Senior Director of Strategic and Critical Communications for the University of California, stated that the school’s admissions practices comply with the law. She added, “We stand by our admission policies and our record of expanding access for all qualified students.”
The University of Washington also defended its admissions process, acknowledging the limitations of capacity but asserting that they do not discriminate based on race.
A Broader Impact
This lawsuit is not just about Stanley Zhong’s individual case. His father has stated that it is also a fight for other Asian American students who feel their chances at higher education are being unfairly impacted by racial bias in the admissions process.
The Zhong family has also filed lawsuits against other universities, including the University of Washington and the University of Michigan. The family is demanding a jury trial, seeking damages for the alleged harm caused by these discriminatory practices.
