<p>Okay, I am currently a rising sophomore at a university. I grow sick and tired of these kids and parents who are pouting about how kids with lower SAT scores make it to certain schools, while kids with near perfect scores do not. Why is there such a discrepancy between the importance of scores relative to EC's, the individual, their special character and circumstances? I say it is the mainstream culture and the schools, that twist the mind of many. They aid in the illusion that all you need are perfect GPA averages and SAT's scores to get anywhere you want to. It happened to me. I received a 28 on my ACT, and guess what, I was considered not even worthy of applying to top 50 schools. Also, I am of black origin. And now I regret not applying to schools like Brown, which would have been a great environment for my tendencies to follow my own inclinations and studies, rather than have to twist my mind to an irrelevant test like the ACT. Yes, this is an anecdotal piece, but at the same time I am sure there is hard data and facts out there showing how these tests are inclined towards the rich and upper-middle class families. I mean, what is a cupboard?! This language is only used by certain people, so there must be a handicap given to many minorities, and many on this site do not understand this. They assume that the SAT measures capabilities when it doesn't. All it does is measure your preparation. Like all the other ETS tests, it is a "necessary" evil, something of a measurement, granted no measurement can ever be perfect. So to those kids and parents who whine and complain about not being accepted to the schools they want to be accepted to, show some dignity, and stop pointing fingers at others who do make it. Realize that the social environment plays a big factor on these tests and open your vision from yourself to the social reasons why some are accepted and others aren't. Remember that, unfortunately, a lot of what you have is due to history, and that some have not had as "great" a history as yours, and need to catch up. Brilliance can only be shown if given the chance.</p>
<p>By the way, I understand that mainstream culture and schools are an oversimplification. However, it is ironic at an institution which should provide opportunities, there are many capable who are actually deprived of opportunities, whether from neglect on the part of the school, or taking away hope when a kid expresses interests in certain schools. Man, this started as a rant, but I might just start doing research and surveys on this at my current college, and the surrounding high schools.</p>
<p>Maybe you should watch more Mad-TV.
Youtube “Trapped in the Cupboard”.</p>
<p>Some select lyrics…
“It’s early in the morning.
I’m just waking up.
I got a rumble in my belly
I am R. Kelly.”</p>
<p>and </p>
<p>"So I go to the cupboard. She says don’t go to the cupboard.
I say what what’s in the cupboard.
Who said anything about the cupboard?
You standing right in front of the cupboard.
Oh is this the cupboard.
Girl you know that’s the cupboard
So that’s when I opened the cupboard and my box was empty empty empty.
"</p>
<p>I can see where you are coming from but I was honestly not aware that cupboard was such an exotic term to certain minorities. ???</p>
<p>You are right that there are many many people in the world who are not born into environments that are conducive to utilizing their full potential. I understand that. At the same time, I think top universities take that into mind. A kid from an underfunded highschool who lives near poverty has obviously not had the same education and opportunities as a child of a Dr. attending a private school.</p>
<p>I can understand a young child between the ages of 4 and 6 not knowing the word “cupboard” but after years of attending school and reading both unrequired and required reading how do we explain a 16 or 17 year old never coming across that word.
Even if the word is never used in the home it is certainly seen in children’s books and poems.</p>
<p>I read a piece some time back about a math question removed. It went something like this:
A man has $35,000 to buy a yacht. Yachts are available at a price of $10,000 per 10 foot section. How long of a yacht can he purchase?</p>
<p>This question was removed on the grounds that an American child of African ancestry had an unfair disadvantage- they are too poor to buy a yacht.</p>
<p>“Who are you to judge whose history is “great” and who’s is not?”</p>
<p>I don’t have to judge. It is common sense. I am currently a staff member for Upward Bound, this program that helps under served but bright kids, minority and white. They have grandparents who never received the chances some other kids grandparents received, and that has clearly impacted where they live and how they have grown up. A lot of them live in the slums, and the closest library is miles away. There is this one kid, she was shocked when she entered my college’s library. It did not take her long to begin delving into the books it offered. She is being given a chance.</p>
<p>It is shocking isn’t it. The word cupboard. You guys really do not seem to understand. I will just leave it at that.</p>
<p>“So what evidence is there of your intelligence, ability to learn, and achievements that would make you suitable to attend a top university?”</p>
<p>Haha, I laughed at this one. I do not like to brag. It is not my nature. What I do not understand is I AM THE ONE PROVIDING A SERVICE TO THE COLLEGE. They should be trying to go after kids like me. Many are too caught up in this college race to realize this it seems. Correct me if I am wrong.</p>
<p>“I once read an op-ed piece in the New York Times that complained that the SAT was “biased” towards kids who had read 19th century novels.”</p>
<p>“You mean it is biased towards kids who have a foundation in English and American literature?”</p>
<p>You are not understanding, are you? Take a step back. You assume a lot of kids can receive the foundation when they cannot sometimes. It was not until I moved to the suburbs as a teen that I was able to satisfy some of the thirst that was quenched by reading books. It has not been until college that I have begun to realize my intellectual promise. I did not even want to go college. It was not until last minute that I was forced because my mindset growing up had been influenced by the environment I found myself in.</p>
<p>I was thinking of Indian in the Cupboard, but Harry Potter is a more current one!</p>
<p>I think the OP may be upset because they felt (dare I say it) cubbyholed due to SAT scores. They say they were considered not worthy to apply to top 50 colleges. Who put that restriction on them? I think if you think you fit at a school, apply and don’t let others tell you that you “can’t” apply. </p>
<p>We heard repeatedly about the “holistic view” that adcoms take in evaluating students. I’m sure there are students entering Brown that had similar scores. It is not all about scores. Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do something. Seems there is an Eleanor Roosevelt quote along those lines: “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”</p>
<p>As for the math question that was removed… give me a break! Any student taking the SAT is capable of replacing ‘yacht’ with X and solving (or not solving) the problem. It could be any item they are familiar with. Insert a made up word and a student should be able to solve that problem if they understand the math. I don’t dispute inherent bias towards wealthy students in standardized testing, but that example is bogus IMO.</p>
<p>OMG! What is it with these fallacious statements and remarks. Stop with the Ad Hominem attacks, and look at my message. Though, I understand it is human nature to attack the messenger, I am human too.</p>
<p>This is not about me. This is about a general trend supported by history. I am just tired of others blaming kids for their skin color when they make it big. They can be every bit as talented as the kid who makes a perfect score on the SAT’s.</p>
<p>In Einstein’s words, “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”</p>
<p>Ha! I’ve been vindicated by the NY Times. Just yesterday I again made this recommendation that I’ve made to kids many times on CC (scroll down to post #5):</p>
<p>Is it fair that an African American kid with a SAT 200 points lower than a white or Asian kid “gets the spot” that the white or Asian kid would otherwise have had?</p>
<p>IMO, no, that’s not fair.</p>
<p>Is it fair that a white or Asian kid from a wealthy suburban high school with a substantial program for gifted kids has the opportunity to earn an SAT 200 points higher than an African American kid from an inner city environment (or a white kid from a poor rural district, for that matter)?</p>
<p>IMO, no, that’s not fair either.</p>
<p>I’m profoundly glad I don’t have to make college admission decisions. Every night, I’d have trouble sleeping; because no matter what I did, I’d know that I’d been unfair to someone.</p>
<p>Except for this: Because of the investment we have made as a nation in our system of public higher education, all of those kids will be able to go to school somewhere. And I firmly believe that what you do once you get to college plays a lot more important role in how successful you are in life than where you go to college does.</p>
<p>As I understand it, SAT scores are not nearly as important as grades and understanding you as a person (and potential student). So even though SAT tests are biased against certain groups of kids, it wouldn’t be the sole reason they were denied or accepted by a top university.</p>
<p>I think what families are “complaining” about is the fact that kids can work really hard, get perfect grades and test scores, have many ec’s, and STILL not get into the college of their choice because colleges need to follow certain guidelines about who gets in. It’s just really frustrating. I agree that underpriveleged kids should also be allowed to attend top universities if they have the intelligence to do well there, but colleges should not be admitting kids just because they have to meet some quota for minorities or any other reason. Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to tell which minorities have that potential because they may come from such difficult backgrounds, as you stated. </p>
<p>Don’t take it personally if you see families complaining - it’s not really about you. It’s about the frustration and anxiety they feel over this very stressful situation of being one of as many as 30,000 students to apply for only a couple thousand spots for a top school.</p>
<p>Several years ago, I was a third grade teacher at a multinational school, where white kids were the minority and many kids got free breakfast/lunch. In my first year there, I had a major reckoning when I discovered some of my students didn’t know what an apple core was. (That topic came up when another student spoke about a mouse in a book called Runaway Ralph getting stuck in a wastebasket b/c he went after an apple core.) Another time, a student didn’t know what a cactus was, even though her second grade teacher had a cactus on her desk all year. </p>