How much of an impact does race have on admissions?

Student Lounge African-American Students
1

<p>I'm African American and looking to go to a highly selective school (<20% acceptance rate) </p>

2

<p>It has an impact. But if that’s all you’re depending on to get in you probably won’t get in… Just be the best applicant you can possibly be by the time you apply. </p>

3

<p>It really depends on the college. You can sometimes tell by how much emphasis the college places on diversity as a goal. Reading college websites can really give you a clue about campus culture and admissions priorities. Colleges which offer multi-cultural or diversity fly-in programs are likely to give your application a boost based on your URM status. If you’re interested in overnight college programs, you can check out these all expense paid campus visits for ALANA students. I think the links on this list may be old, but use it as a guide to look up any schools you’re interested in.</p>

4

<p>Whoops, here’s the link :slight_smile: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/african-american-students/1539855-diversity-fall-fly-programs.html”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/african-american-students/1539855-diversity-fall-fly-programs.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

5

<p>Your standardized test scores are critical to admission. For example, a SAT score of 2000 may place you in the 90th percentile for all applicants but the 98th percentile for URM candidates. In that case, you are one of the top URM candidates to apply to that school even if you are “only” in the top ten percent of the overall pool. When colleges look to have a diverse student body, a URM in the top 2% of their pool is a large advantage because of race. What’s sad are all of the societal reasons that have led to this discrepancy. But that’s another topic for another thread.</p>

6

<p>My broad take has been that for schools that value diversity, under represented minorities have a pretty good shot if their test scores are at the 25% mark or above. You still need the other “stuff” - strong grades, strong course rigor, good ECs, and strong recommendations for top schools.</p>

7

<p>It has an impact. The impact probably varies between schools and from one year to the next.</p>

<p>Aim for the top 10% of your high school class for the most elite schools and look to score an 1800 or above on the SAT. Have solid ECs too. Context is looked at also. Don’t expect to be wealthy and get these scores hoping urm status will give you the bump you need. Someone who is disadvantaged but excelled in their environment is seen as the type that will flourish given access to so many academic resources.</p>