Father Uses AI to Pursue Legal Battle Over Son's College Rejections

In Palo Alto, California, a father named Nan Zhong has taken an unconventional approach to challenge his son Stanley's college rejections. Despite Stanley's impressive academic record, including a 4.4 GPA and a 1590 SAT score, he was rejected by 16 of the 18 colleges he applied to, leading his father to suspect racial discrimination. Unable to secure legal representation, Zhong turned to artificial intelligence to aid in their legal battle against several major universities, including the University of California and Cornell University.

Zhong's journey began after a UC admissions director dismissed his claims of racial discrimination, citing California's legal ban on the practice. Frustrated by the lack of progress through traditional channels, Zhong decided to represent himself, using AI to analyze legal questions and compare answers, effectively creating a virtual team of top lawyers. This innovative approach proved beneficial, particularly in a recent ruling where a judge allowed their case against the University of Washington to proceed.

The Zhong family believes their fight is part of a larger issue, especially in light of the Supreme Court's ruling against affirmative action in the Harvard case. They have founded a nonprofit, SWORD, to combat racial discrimination in college admissions and have received financial support through GoFundMe. Despite the challenges, Zhong remains committed to the cause, leveraging AI as a powerful tool in their ongoing legal efforts.