1. In sport, if you are top 20 0r 40 in national, you can conside for professional to make living, then you will show the coach that you are dedicated to this sport and you will play for 4 years. If you chose easy major then they think you will play for 4 years even you are not going for professional. Top colleges only have little spots for athelis.
2. For academic, the other applicants already show solid record for academic activity. Like Intern semi-finalist or other well know national competition. Why college chose you that nothing on top in national competition? This is a risk for them to take you. Plus, for Asian, you have to have some thing stand out in academic to proof your ability in science then you can get in those top schools science program.
My son's sport wasn't on top 40 and no solid record for science competition. Even for some of classes he is on top 40 in state, that doesn't even compare with those intern semi-finalist or olympic finalist that top college recruit for their science program. So for my son is a unknow if he is really interested in science and he will success in college. Other kids had solid record that they will success in program.
Sport tooke most of my son's time in HS. He maybe not as smart as other kids or the same and we never know because he didn't put his time in science. At that level, the kids all work hard and stay later for study. so this is why play sport not add your profile for Asian, as reverse, you give college an uncertain or possible faile when you apply for science program.
Hope those will help to understand the trick for
