<p>Recent conversation on etnicity and how it affects an individuals chances of admission to a BS. Now the conversation was just talking about the fairness of it, but do you really think that a student has a better chance if they are of an URM? Let us put 2 scenarios into the question, scenario x is a student who is one of the well qualified students that flows into the admissions admissions office, does x, being an URM, have a better chance against other qualified students of a ORM? And now suppose scenario y, is a student who is an URM, but is a mediocre applicant that could still possibly get in but is not the well qualified student most of them, does person y have a better chance of admission againsta well qualified ORM. And now I have just one more thing to say, how big does ethnicity play a role(though this might be explained through your answers to the scenarios).</p>
<p>I believe AOs would try to discern if mediocrity is due to lack of opportunities, not due to lack of talent or passion. As a member of ORM, I am all for giving a chance to URM who are promising though not yet proven.</p>
<p>“As a member of ORM, I am all for giving a chance to URM who are promising though not yet proven.”</p>
<p>+1 on this sentiment. I’m also taking bets on how fast this thread gets shut down…;-P</p>
<p>Having recently visited several campuses, from what I observed, ORMs and Non Min. are just that. I saw just a sprinkling of URMs on campuses. So, are those very few accepted applicants really keeping ORM and Non Min. applicants out? I dont think so, there are enough very qualified URMs to compete with each other. The fact still remains there are many qualified applicants, too many for each school to accept regardless of ethnicity. IMHO</p>
<p>This is probably pouring gasoline on the flame, but I happened to see this piece on college admissions posted by an acquaintance (who is also Asian) on FB:</p>
<p>[At</a> the Ivies, Asians are the new Jews | AEIdeas](<a href=“http://www.aei-ideas.org/2012/12/at-the-ivies-asians-are-the-new-jews/]At”>http://www.aei-ideas.org/2012/12/at-the-ivies-asians-are-the-new-jews/)</p>
<p>Thank you @hailuMu for adding some common sense to this argument. You’re a real asset here. My thoughts exactly.</p>
<p>One thought for those who keep fanning the flames of this tired argument - as Private Institutions boarding schools can take whoever they wish. So they don’t owe ANYONE a spot and as such applicants aren’t entitled to a spot. So the argument is moot.</p>
<p>And…none of these prep schools claim that they only accept students with a certain GPA or test score or level of athletic skill. What we do hear, over and over, is that they prize diversity, passion, and genuine curiosity–none of which can be neatly quantified or assessed through testing. So as I’ve said many times before, it makes much more sense to focus on what you or your child does particularly well or what makes that child shine–and lead with that–than to assume that testing and grades are a valid way to weigh a particular applicant’s mediocrity or excellence.</p>
<p>@Exie: I agree with you, and posted that link more as a public service than as a reflection of my own POV. Had a healthy back and forth with the acquaintance who had posted it on FB…</p>