<p>Race based discrimination has been unconstitutional under equal protection grounds for many decades in the United States - and it doesn't matter whether a college labels it under another name such as "socioeconomic status" (the latest gimmick) - any college that continues these de facto racial quotas - will eventually run into serious problems </p>
<p>In contrast discrimination under characteristics such as geographic locale, legacy, athletic ability, musical talent, or even gender (in certain cases) - has no comparable constitutional protection</p>
<p>As for "unconscious prejudice" I suppose that is why several decades back CALIFORNIA tried to remedy the ultra-low black bar passage rate -by awarding extra points for black bar applicants, with the ultimate result; that there would be in effect two bar exams: one for blacks or other "hardship" groups and a regular exam for everyone else</p>
<p>Strangely enough it was the various black atty bar associations that stopped this idea -lest they be stigmatized as passing the bar NOT on the merits but instead because of the color of their skin</p>
<p>The pro-affirmative action zealots have now in effect created a permanent underclass of graduates of top schools - where it will be presumed (sometimes unfairly of course) - that a person's color was the ultimate or major factor allowing them admission to that institution </p>
<p>Of course the tired refrain always will be "they were qualified" which of course is meaningless since the most elite schools reject huge quantities of "qualified" applicants every single year</p>