According to the complaint, despite Stanley's academic credentials — a 3.97 unweighted GPA, a 1590 SAT score and significant achievements in computer science, including advancing to the Google Code Jam semifinals and winning second place in MIT Battlecode's global high school division — he was denied admission to Cornell and 15 other schools.
The lawsuit highlights that shortly after these rejections, Stanley received a full-time job offer from Google for a position typically requiring a Ph.D. or equivalent experience. This offer was extended after a rigorous evaluation process, including assessments of his technical skills and teamwork abilities.
In addition to his academic achievements, Stanley founded RabbitSign, an unlimited free e-signing service developed during the COVID-19 pandemic which he wrote about in his college essays. The platform was recognized by Amazon Web Services for its efficiency and security, leading to a feature in an upcoming case study by Amazon.
The lawsuit is supported by Students Who Oppose Racial Discrimination, an organization founded in October 2024 by the Zhongs to help themselves and any willing families to challenge what it alleges are racially discriminatory admissions policies in higher education.
According to the SWORD website, numerous college admission counselors examined Stanley Zhong’s applications and essays after media outlets like CBS and USA Today began to cover his story. However, none of them were able to discern the cause for rejection, with some even offering to testify as expert witnesses.
Does anyone believe that the sole reason he was rejected wasn't his race (as well as gender)? It's blindingly obvious. If he was a black female he'd have been accepted everywhere he applied.