<p>Although it seems URM's have better chances at most colleges, they have just as much of a chance at acceptance as caucasians and asians.</p>
<p>I am a URM, and have been told countless times that I will have amazing chances at high caliber institutions.</p>
<p>I am positive that my recs, essay, and EC's were flawless and I maintained a GPA of 3.8 throughout high school, along with a 2100 on the SAT's (700 on each section), and 600+'s on the Math IIC, Physics, and Chemistry SAT II"s.</p>
<p>However, although along with my URM status, I looked great on paper, I was rejected from three colleges: Johns Hopkins, Duke, and Carnegie Mellon.</p>
<p>Hopefully this thread will dispel any misconceptions, seeing as how URM chances are not as significant at some colleges as they are in others, <em>coughs</em> MIT <em>coughs</em>.</p>
<p>where else did you apply?</p>
<p>Just because you were rejected doesn't mean aa doesn't exist. It clearly does if you look at the numbers. One can be far less qualified and get in if that person is a geographic, racial or other minority. Also, everyone thinks they have great recs, essays and ec's so your perception isn't necessarily the reality. 2100 SATs aren't very high for schools like Duke, and only 600+ on SAT2s are certainly not, considering that most applicants are scoring 700+ on those. I'm not trying to be an ass, but you can't deny AA just because it didn't help you specifically.</p>
<p>Best of luck at your other colleges, and remember that most people end up happy wherever they go.</p>
<p>Applesandoranges, people generally think that AA appeals to URM's even if they do poorly in their subjects.</p>
<p>I on the other hand, did not do too poorly, and still got rejected from the high caliber colleges.</p>
<p>The whole point of this thread wasn't to show that I'm a qualified student. The point was to show that you can't be an idiot and get into highly ranked colleges just because of URM status... Seeing as how most people think you could be a URM, with straight C's and get accepted to ivy leagues...</p>
<p>HearlessHunter, obviously you are lying. In your other threads, you posted a chances thread stating that you had an 89.2 average and you said your school doesnt do it on a 4.0 scale, so how could you have a 3.8</p>
<p>You also said you got a total score of 1750 on your SAT's, not a 2100.</p>
<p>Stop lying.</p>
<p>Aren't trolls lovely?</p>
<p>haha im not a troll. i was seeing that with those stats, it would be hard to get rejected at CMU and JHU so I was looking for his stats in any other of his threads. :)</p>
<p>Looks like someone was caught.</p>
<p>Even if this guy is a troll, the point is still valid.</p>
<p>I know of an African American male with a 2200 SAT, decent ECs, good SAT II scores, etc. whose was rejected from Harvard and Yale. He got into Stanford though, but with those stats he could have gotten in if he were White or Asian.</p>
<p>Honestly, many kids on CC are just ignorant and refuse to accept reality. Schools like Harvard, Stanford, Yale, etc. are prestigious because they are selective. Having an SAT scores that 200 points greater than another applicants will hardly matter if both applicants are qualified. What will distinguish the two applicants are things like ECs, essays, recommendations, etc. These things are incredibly subjective and it is impossible to know whether or not these things were actually "good." So many kids in the result threads will post that their essays, ECs, and recs were "good" without realizing that it does not matter if they, their family, their GC, etc. think they were "good" it matters whether or not college admissions officers do.</p>
<p>Fact is that at highly selective schools, being a URM is viewed the same way as a playing a varsity sport (and not being recruited.) There are much fewer qualified URM and varsity sport playing applicants so schools will pounce on the opportunity to accept such a rare applicant in hopes of promoting diversity.</p>
<p>EDIT:
One thing I find incredibly funny is how in result threads Asian/White kids hardly ever complain about other Asian/White kids getting in with lower stats.</p>
<p>Sorry about my previous post, I thought Sligh was referring to me as a troll. haha.</p>
<p>
[quote]
One thing I find incredibly funny is how in result threads Asian/White kids hardly ever complain about other Asian/White kids getting in with lower stats.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Please say that again...</p>
<p>An African American guy at my school got a 1700 on his SAT, had a few EC's, ranked 50/400, did 1 sport, and his essays were not at all good.
He got into Yale, Stanford, Harvard, Duke, and the likes. A white girl at my school had a 2100 SAT, triple the EC's, leadership positions, ranked 5/400, did 3 varsity sports, and her essays were brilliant. She got denied from every one of those schools....
Can you explain that?</p>
<p>hilary, I find that physically impossible for someone reguardless of their race to get into Harvard and Yale with a few EC's, not top 10% of his class, not good essays and bad SAT scores. The only way that's possible is if his parents donated millions to the college.</p>
<p>He does come from a wealthy family, but his parents didn't donate any money. His dad is a Harvard alumnus, but how does that explain his getting into Stanford, Duke, and Yale?</p>
<p>His parents probably paid the college. Maybe he just didn't tell anyone. Because his situation is almost impossible.</p>
<p>I strongly doubt that happened. theres just no way with those stats you get into Duke,Stanford,or Yale unless it was bribery.</p>
<p>His parents probably paid his way in.</p>
<p>Of course, we don't know all of the details. Could be completely wrong.</p>
<p>Yeah, who knows the circumstances of it. But everything I said was true. He did get into those schools with those stats. Trust me, I know it sounds ridiculous. But it's true, no matter how it happened. So my personal opinion is that being an URM has advantages.</p>
<p>But there is no way he got in those schools BECAUSE he is a URM with those stats. Maybe a URM gives you a little leg up on the rest of the admission pool, but not that much.</p>
<p>URM does have advantages and is one of the reasons for many financial aid programs such as MIT's 75k or lower and Harvard's new middle class income 10% plan. The fact is that universities look better with a more diverse student body and that attracts more endowments and other grants. However, because you are a urm doesn't guarantee a place with the elite, you must be on par with the rest of the admissions crowd for it to give you an advantage-at least in my opinion.</p>