<p>@Ilovethecity,
Does being AA provide an advantage during admissions? No. Only the people who perceive there are no qualified AA believe that the color of one’s skin will encourage highly intelligent folks to accept unqualified AA to an institution where they will not succeed.</p>
<p>Does being AA provide a disadvantage on one of the tools used by the admissions offices at the Ivies to determine admission? Yes. But the bottom line is that every student attending an Ivy league institution beyond the first year has demonstrated her or his suitability for success in that particular educational environment. The color of one’s skin does not determine success. Skin does not write, type, read, analyze, or theorize. </p>
<p>Your work for the preceding 12 years and the succeeding 4 years will determine your success in any educational institution. Preparation, participation, persistence are the same across races and ethnicities. If your work ethic is consistent with the work ethic expected of the students who attend Ivies, and you are admitted, only you will determine your fitness for that environment. Good luck!</p>
<p>@Tampa2015
See berkeley before and after affirmative action. … affiirmative action helps URM’s like african americans. </p>
<p>I think you’re missing the point. The reason african americans are underrepresented is because they’re not as successful academically and in general. That’s not because adcoms hate them, it’s because the majority of them are born to poor and broken families living in bad neighborhoods with bad schools full of crime with many of their family possibly affected by crime. That is truly deplorable, but adcoms and these schools aren’t against african americans, they’re just against the poor and disadvantaged of any color (and it’s even worse for poor and disadvantaged ORM’s). </p>
<p>@DrGoogle
sorry I did get carried away. Anyways, let’s just end thread that it helps at least somewhat to be an african american although the extent to which it helps is (hotly) debated. </p>
<p>Parents who care and who drive their kids to succeed are likely to provide the impetus for those kids to do relatively well in terms of GPA and test scores.</p>
<p>Some of intelligence and performance in school is based on genes: memory, creativity, reasoning skills. </p>
<p>But… attitude in the home, and among peers, can augment or detract from those natural abilities.</p>
<p>I suppose my point is that it’s mostly nature… but nurture plays an important part as well.</p>
That is because you are only looking at HALF the picture. AA do not APPLY in their proportionate population levels. But for those AA who do apply, they enjoy a more favorable percentage of admission.</p>
The reality is that wealth among American Black families is significantly less and that translates to no SAT preparation, lower tier schools with uninterested teachers and uncaring guidance counselors. Many of us have climbed out of public housing, homeless shelters, from drug infested neighborhoods and the like. Truthfulness is what is needed here. Facing the past, while being encouraged about the future will build your confidence.
Don’t hide it. African American history is one of Slavery in the US, and as such, it will take much effort to recover without having received any restitution as many other URMs. The consideration of your URM status is to be applauded by the admissions officials.
Therefore, URM’s 1%, 2% or 6% need to keep applying. Never mind the blog that says you have substandard scores. You have a different background in this country and deserve your place which is why the IVY CHOSE YOU. The more of you that gain admittance the better the chances for other URMs. You can pay it forward to the next generation, African Americans in particular. We need you as role models.
@theanaconda, how do UC’s make their decisions? Clairvoyance? You state:
Yet, the UCs only look at sophomore and junior year grades, have 2 very, very short essays, and NO (0) LORs. If they further do not really consider standardized scores, what exactly do you think they DO use in admissions decisions?
OP, from the point of view of the URM applicant, there is no advantage to being an URM. From the point of view of the average applicant, there is an advantage.
Think of it this way: In order to go to a highly-competitive school, you need a threshold of capabilities, grades, tests scores, etc. If you are not in that pool of qualified applicants, you are simply NOT going to be offered a spot. If you are in that pool, conventional wisdom has it that you are MUCH more likely than average to be offered admission. Therefore, the average “statistics” for URMs will trend a bit lower, since the schools suck up more of the applicants in the qualified pool. For non-URMs who are well-qualified, there is still an element of chance, and so the “stats” are a bit higher. If you are not qualified, it is unlikely you will be offered admission. If you are qualified, there is an element of chance which is reduced if you are an URM. But if you are not qualified, even if you are an URM, it is unlikely you are going to be admitted.
Socioeconomical differences isn’t the only thing holding young African Americans back. Living in a rather affluent community as an African American, i can point out some issues that have hindered my education. I am in no way blaming my skin color for my mistakes or anything ludicrous like that…but here’s the thing; I am one of the few black kids at my school. I have faced discrimination especially during my younger years. I can tell you that because I tried so hard to fit in with all the other white people, I, for a bit of time, had a decrease in my grades. The thing about us blacks who live in such communities is that we try to fit in and find our place from a young age. If this isn’t recognized, it could lead to ignorance of education in general.
So please, understand that there are many more factors at play when you hear about affirmative action. I am very grateful that colleges recognize that all African Americans go through discrimination every day of our lives, and to overcome this and excel means something! Just a bit of insight
