(NewsNation) — The leader of an Asian advocacy group is criticizing the New York City Department of Education after a report showed fewer Asian students were accepted to their top choice of high school than other minorities.

New York City allows students to rank up to 12 high schools they’d like to attend. The department’s report showed 70% of Asian students were matched to a school in their top five. However, 90% of Black students and 89% of Latino students were selected to attend one of their top choices.

The city’s website explains how schools are selected. It’s a complicated system under which students are placed in tiered priority groups based on that program’s specific admission priorities. Some prioritize geography, others may look for high performers, and so on.

Yiatin Chu, president of the Asian Wave Alliance political club, said, “it’s basically a lottery.”

When asked if she thought there was any way to look at this other than as a form of racism, Chu said “I don’t think so.”

“To discount meritocracy and hard work and just rely on a lottery system is not what we’re here for,” Chu said on “On Balance With Leland Vittert” Friday. “I hear, from parents that can afford to, they’re moving out of New York City.”