Importance of Race

<p>How important is ethnicity in the college admissions process? I'm half asian and half african american my grades are good at 4.5 but my sat's are low at 1930. How likely am i to get accepted to an ivy league school?</p>

<p>You dont have to write half-asian on your ap. Even being a urm, you have an incredibly hard shot at an ivy with a 1930. You have a slight chance with a 2100+, but a 4.5 out of 5 is still kind of low.
The only urm that can get into an ivy with a 1930 would be a native american.</p>

<p>^ Not true. You have a very good shot with heartfelt essays and a lot of interest.</p>

<p>Being black is the same as adding 100 points to EACH section of the SAT and at LEAST a half of a point to your GPA. It trumps any EC. It isn't PC to say it, but it is the truth in almost ALL elite private institutions.</p>

<p>How much URM helps seems to be most related to opportunities. If you go to an inner city school with a low average SAT score, have low income parents who didn't go to college, and did a lot with very little, a 1930 could fly with great recs nad passions. A URM at a decent high school with educated parent/s would be likely to need a 2100 plus.</p>

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<p>So some races under the URM category are helped more than others? As in, a Native American has a better chance than a Mexican with the same stats?</p>

<p>why are you worrying about this? you're born the race you are so just be honest when you are applying instead of finding a way to excuse your low SAT scores</p>

<p>Personally, I know that as a Hispanic, a 2000 can get you into ivies and top LAC's :), so if that gives you any comfort.</p>

<p>dont put down the asian, put down the black...</p>

<p>we had a black girl get into princeton with a 1950 this year so its definitely possible</p>

<p>I think it's ******** though how people's ethnicity can come into factor when being admitted into college. It's just not fair. I mean, I'm Asian, and just because I was born Asian, my chances of getting into UC's are DRAMATICALLY lower than that of Hispanics and African-Americans. BECAUSE OF THE COLOR OF MY SKIN, my chances are much lower. That's plain B.S. I don't get it... does no one else see it in my eyes?</p>

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<p>Your chances aren't affected by your race. A.A. is illegal for UCs so calm down.</p>

<p>karupt, I'm not going to lie, i thought the same thing as you did once, but then instead of hating on other minority students (i'm not saying that you did too, but it would be a common reaction), i just stepped it up a knotch cause i knew was competing against other extremely over-qualified asian students. i just had to kick buttt</p>

<p>Hmm, I don't think race helps that much...... it does obviously, but not immense</p>

<p>I was rejected from Princeton as a Mexican from South Texas with a 2150 SAT I (760M, 680V, 710W (12/12)), 2250 SAT II's (800 mathiic, 780 chem, 680 U.S.Hist), all one sitting, 3.5 UW GPA, Rank 13/458, great recs, insane senior courseload (7 IB 2 AP, 4 of those HL and 2 SL), good awards (top 4 in nation for Constitution team, AIME contestant, etc), and, I felt, good essays, a small business, tae kwon do instructor, etc.</p>

<p>I got into MIT, Rice, and Cornell though.</p>

<p>So either I wasn't enough of a minority (Mexican from south texas?) or she had something going for her that I didn't.</p>

<p>no its not illegal. the use of quotas is illegal. they can still use aa.</p>

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<p>Lmao, I go to a crappy school with low average SAT score, have low income parents who didn't go to college, and did a lot with very little. I also have plus 2100, but yet I do not have a good shot at the Ivies...I'm asian...so I think race does play an important role.</p>

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<p>"Proposition 209
SEC. 31. (a) The state shall not discriminate against, or grant preferential treatment to, any individual or group on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in the operation of public employment, public education, or public contracting. "</p>

<p>Forgive me if I'm wrong but doesn't that make A.A. illegal?</p>

<p>Hmmm, well I had a little bit of a different experience being Colombian/Cuban. Had a 2000 (600V,800M,600W) with a 2310 (740Spanish, 770Chemistry, 800 mathiic) on the SAT II's, ranked 3/~200, 5 AP courses senior year, 5 on chemistry junior year (self-taught curriculum), worked 15/20 hrs/wk. Ended up with 5 ivies, 2 LAC's, one tech school, and four others, so I guess that my ethnicity sure as hell didn't hurt.</p>

<p>Here we go again with race and affirmative action....</p>

<p>for real harlemny</p>

<p>"I think it's ******** though how people's ethnicity can come into factor when being admitted into college. It's just not fair. I mean, I'm Asian, and just because I was born Asian, my chances of getting into UC's are DRAMATICALLY lower than that of Hispanics and African-Americans. BECAUSE OF THE COLOR OF MY SKIN, my chances are much lower. That's plain B.S. I don't get it... does no one else see it in my eyes?"</p>

<p>Here's my view on the whole race thing</p>

<p>Sure, it is OBVIOUSLY easier--there is no use in fighting that--,but in what sense? You can have lower stats and get in, yes, but do stats reflect potential? In some cases, NOT ALL, these minorities are truly disadvantaged. I was not since my parents have good jobs, but in terms of schooling I had a great disadvantage--when you have an AP Comp Sci teacher who doesn't know how to program teaching, there is something wrong. Also, there is culture. Asians focus on schooling and support there kids, much of the time, in their schooling, whereas for URM's schooling is done on one's own much of the time. Parents often don't care if their kids graduate, atleast that's how it is in my high school.</p>

<p>Now, we get to the admissions part.</p>

<p>Colleges say that want diversity, but what is that. I see it like this. You have X slots for Race Z.</p>

<p>Assume you have 100 spots, and 20 are for asian, 10 for mexican, etc. It is common sense that asians apply to ivies in large numbers, especially when compared to mexicans. Let's say 100 asians and 30 mexicans apply.</p>

<p>100 asians are fighting for 20 spots. Since there is a larger pool of applicants, it is harder for one applicant to stand out since, statistically, there are only soo many activities one can do, therefore, we have more clones--usually math/science asians. So, each math/science asian will be competing with a larger pool of math/science asians. All will most likely have nice awards so it will, most likely, come down to stats and essays. </p>

<p>For the mexicans, there are 30 for 10 spots. Much more room to make one's self stand out. Hence, the stats will, most likely, be less of a factor.</p>

<p>It is better to think about it if you think about competing against clones in your race, and not race in general. Asians do get into ivies with low stats BUT they stand out from the rest--they were truly unique. For URM's, since there are fewer applicants there is more room to look different and less competition.</p>