<p>Look for under rep minorities, they just have to be smart. For asians we have to be smart and got to have a whole load of ec's and something unique.</p>
<p>haha^true statement right there.</p>
<p>A Latino kid got into Stanford with 1700ish this year. It happens. Getting into ALL those schools with those stats seems unlikely, however.</p>
<p>this years acceptances/rejections are ridiculous. just putting it out there</p>
<p>stupid tufts syndrome.</p>
<p>hilary11:
How do you know his essays weren't any good? More importanly, how do you know anything about this kid at all? Anyways, you're only a sophomore so I don't think it would be wise for any of us to trust your assessment of the said applicant's credentials.</p>
<p>Since you seem to know everything about this kid, do you know if he was recruited? Also, just noticed this, but 4*00* kids exactly is a bit suspicious. His rank is 5*0? The girl's SAT score was 2100*? I think you are BS'ing because the numbers that you used are way too "nice."</p>
<p>Most importantly, it's impossible for the White girl and the African American boy to know whether or not they got into Harvard since admissions decisions come out tomorrow.</p>
<p>
[quote]
A Latino kid got into Stanford with 1700ish this year. It happens. Getting into ALL those schools with those stats seems unlikely, however.
[/quote]
Kid was truly exceptional, though.</p>
<p>
[quote]
this years acceptances/rejections are ridiculous. just putting it out there
[/quote]
Not really. This is the result of too many kids trying to play the system.</p>
<p>
[quote]
stupid tufts syndrome.
[/quote]
No, it's why-does-the-class-of-2008-have-to-be-so-big-? syndrome.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Look for under rep minorities, they just have to be smart. For asians we have to be smart and got to have a whole load of ec's and something unique.
[/quote]
Not true. It's just that it's easier to stand out if you are an African American, Hispanic, or Native American. Also, there is a lot more diversity within these applicant pools. I have read college admissions articles that have said that Asian applicants are often too similar to other Asian applicants. (Just look at CC.)</p>
<p>All I know is that even though I'm a URM, and even though I work my butt off, and even though I've achieved much more than many of the asian/white kids in my highly competitive school, come decision time next year, I will still be looked upon as that kid who got in because he was black. </p>
<p>Even though there are isolated cases of URMs getting in with 1700s and those getting in with low grades, I have a hard time believing that this is the rule rather than an exception to the rule. I can garuntee that if anyone was to do a general survey of the URM students of any prestigious university, such persons would find that not only are the URMs equally qualified, but that they truly do bring something different to the table - a new prospective, a new way of thinking, a different set of experiences.</p>
<p>I hate how people generalize and assume that all URMs don't deserve the spot over the "better qualified" non-minorities. The fact is, if you care so much as to complain and moan about the system, them perhaps you truly didn't deserve that spot at Harvard or Yale or Columbia or Stanford.</p>
<p>=)</p>
<p>Newjack88:</p>
<p>My mom was one of the people who reads students' college essays. I read this guy's essay. And I have a class with this guy so thats how I know his stats. Obviously, I'm not going to know if he's 50/413 or like 48/392 because I don't have his resume sitting next to me. But I honestly don't think it would make a difference if his SAT score were 1700 or 1740. And just because I'm a sophomore doesn't mean I'm an idiot who can't ask a person's SAT scores or class rank. And I don't know how they know if they got in or not, but that's what they told me.</p>
<p>
[quote]
My mom was one of the people who reads students' college essays. I read this guy's essay. And I have a class with this guy so thats how I know his stats. Obviously, I'm not going to know if he's 50/413 or like 48/392 because I don't have his resume sitting next to me. But I honestly don't think it would make a difference if his SAT score were 1700 or 1740. And just because I'm a sophomore doesn't mean I'm an idiot who can't ask a person's SAT scores or class rank. And I don't know how they know if they got in or not, but that's what they told me.
[/quote]
First of all, what your mom did is illegal. Second, Harvard has not released their admissions decisions.</p>
<p>First of all, no its not. She works in the guidance office and proofreads the essays. Second, that's just what they told me so I don't know. But honestly, it really doesn't change anything about the other schools. And I don't want to get into an argument about this because you really have no place to analyze the situation because you weren't involved in it at all.</p>
<p>
[quote]
First of all, no its not. She works in the guidance office and proofreads the essays. Second, that's just what they told me so I don't know. But honestly, it really doesn't change anything about the other schools. And I don't want to get into an argument about this because you really have no place to analyze the situation because you weren't involved in it at all.
[/quote]
If word got out that your mom was discussing other students' essays, recommendations, etc. with you or other people, I'm pretty sure she would be fired because what she's doing in unprofessional. Whether or not it is illegal is probably disputable, but it is definitely unethical.</p>
<p>Anyways, yes it does change what you said about them getting into other schools. It highlights the fact that you are making this whole thing up.</p>
<p>And how are you more involved than I am? You and your mom aren't the ones making the admissions decisions.</p>
<p>Lastly, not to insult your mom, but your mom's job can't be to just proofread essays. Do you mean that she is guidance counselor? You must go to some incredibly wealthy school where they can afford to have "essay readers."</p>
<p>Meh. You guys are kind of arguing the two extremes: race has a negligible effect on admissions (clearly false, what with AA) vs. race is the determining factor (clearly false, qualifications are most important).</p>
<p>AA affects admissions but not to the degree that some think it does.</p>
<p>Hahaha yeah my mom's job is an "essay reader". If that were true, I probably wouldn't have a computer to type this on because I don't think that job would pay very much.
And I'm more involved than you are because I actually KNOW these people we're talking about and I've actually talked to them about their admissions.
And I really don't care if you think I'm making it up, because I know I'm not.
Can we please just stop arguing about this because it really has nothing to do with us? I was just trying to back up my own opinion with examples from my own life experiences.</p>
<p>I honestly don't think race is the determining factor in someone's admission to a school. I am a firm believer that people need to earn their admissions, so I find it unfair when URMs get accepted without the effort or qualifications that others have. I am in no way against URMs getting into college, because thats just ridiculous. I think that if an URM is well deserving of admission, they should be admitted, obviously. But I also believe that URMs are given an advantage in the admission progress, but I do know its not the determining factor. I was just giving an example trying to explain that the initial post in this thread isn't always true.</p>
<p>
[quote]
AA affects admissions but not to the degree that some think it does.
[/quote]
Agreed. I was only responding to hillary11 to prove that she is either exaggerating or is lying.</p>
<p>
[quote]
I honestly don't think race is the determining factor in someone's admission to a school.
[/quote]
How does that make sense? What evidence do you have to support that claim?</p>
<p>
[quote]
I am a firm believer that people need to earn their admissions, so I find it unfair when URMs get accepted without the effort or qualifications that others have.
[/quote]
What about when others get in with the effort or qualifications that others have? Also, one thing I find perturbing is the perpetuating CC stereotype of the lazy URM who gets in to Harvard, Yale, etc. Where is all this prejudice coming from? Also, you seem incredibly bent on singling out African Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans. Why aren't you focusing on those from low socio-economic classes, women, and people from rural areas. All of these groups are considered under-represented in many circumstances yet you don't acknowledge the "boost" they receive when it comes to college admissions.</p>
<p>Anyways, everyone who gets in deserves to get in. I find it pretty arrogant of you to try to tell college admissions officers how to do their job. You are in no position to do that. You don't even understand how Affirmative Action works. It also sounds that you are ignorant of the fact that their is an overabundance of qualified students applying to top schools like Harvard, Yale, etc. When you have that many qualified kids of course the selection process is going to become less objective and more subjective. Don't you realize that Harvard, Yale, etc. gained their reputation by being highly selective schools in the first place? Don't you realize that selectivity plays a huge role in a college's ranking? In addition, do you realize how difficult it is to truly say that one person is more qualified than another when there is no way on Earth that the two individuals being compared had the same opportunities available to them?</p>
<p>Welcome to the complexities of selective college admissions.</p>
<p>Ok, you're right.</p>