This issue is not as cut and dried as it seems....
First off the Ivy Leauges have made a case that they are not going to simply take students who do well on a standardized tests and high GPA alone. There are plenty of applicants with high GPAs and test scores but what other sports, volunteer, leadership, activities are they involved in as some students simply spend all their time doing school work and nothing else to achieve those scores.
Colleges really want well rounded students who have different experiences and backgrounds yet have demonstrated an ability to thrive in a high academic environment. This kid is competing against thousands of high SAt and GPA applicants.
A high GPA or a high SAT does not guarantee you entry into anywhere. I am sure there are a large number of Asians who were accepted into Harvard so why is this kid's case that unique.
If SAt is all that matters, MIT and Harvard would simply have an automated system where all >1550s automatically get an acceptance letter. It is hard to say if he was disciminated because how can he prove someone undeserving got in over him simply because he got a better SAT score.
We all know smart kids that can study for the test and ace it after taking it several times. Many colleges are going to test optional because the validity or utility of an SAT or ACT has become less and less important as an indicator of future success. Any college wants to read the essays, look at the the courseload, see what extracurricular activities you are involved in, and see what more there is to you than a standardized test you can study for.
EXAMPLE: harvard has an acceptance rate of 4.6%. How many qualified applicants were rejected??
22% of the first year class this past year is Asian. 8% of the U.S. population is Asian. Is that discrimination?
Is this one kid entitled to a spot and what about the other hundreds of Asians that were accepted. Was he so different and unique and stood out?
Getting rejected by 5 or 6 top schools is certainly puzzling but we will never get to see his application because all he is touting is his 1580 SAT and GPA. If that is all he offered then in this environment we can see why he had difficulty.