Does Race Actually Help You?

<p>I've been hearing people say that race matters in the admissions process. My question is: does it really? Do affirmative action and initiatives like affirmative action really impact the decision that much? I constantly hear people say things like, "Oh, you're black, so it'll be easier to get in," or, "I'm Asian; it's going to stink trying to get into XY College." </p>

<p>Sorry if this seems like an unintelligent question to anyone...</p>

<p>Since this is a rare example of a contentious issue with an obvious answer, I’m going to be very clear about where I have sourced my information.</p>

<p>1)The supreme court has ruled that race cannot be an “overriding factor”. However, it did not [yet] rule that race cannot be considered at all.</p>

<p>2)Kara Miller, a reader for Yale applications states that Asians are at a disadvantage. According to her words, </p>

<p>“A few years ago, however, when I worked as a reader for Yale’s Office of Undergraduate Admissions, it became immediately clear to me that Asians - who constitute 5 percent of the US population - faced an uphill slog. They tended to get excellent scores, take advantage of AP offerings, and shine in extracurricular activities.”</p>

<p>No unintelligent, but a FAQ here on CC that is the cause of much disagreement. </p>

<p>Please go to the AA Students forum for more information (under Admissions, Specialty Topics) or the Race FAQ sticky thread at the top of this forum.</p>

<p>Closing.</p>